Wow, we are so unbelievably thankful to Susi, the editor of Algarve Plus Magazine, and Steff, who wrote this amazing article about us and our story! We feel truly be seen and understood in what we aim to achieve, and at the same time are humble and grateful for the opportunity we have been given to share our story with so many people out there along the Algarve and the South of Portugal. People, who share our passion for this amazing country and place we are all allowed to call our home – or at least home away from home.

Obrigadinho, as the Algarvians say … 

© Algarve Plus Magazine – May 2024

SAL SOL SUL

HERE’S A BRAND THAT HAS GROWN, IN ONE YEAR, FROM A SINGLE T-SHIRT MAKER TO A SPECIALIST PRODUCER WHOSE COLLECTION REPRESENTS THE VALUES OF SIMPLE LIVING, A COMMITMENT TO ETHICAL MATERIALS AND MANUFACTURING, AND A PASSION FOR LIFE IN PORTUGAL.

Words: STEFF TOFT

SAL SOL SUL encapsulates all that Juliane and Felix Bennien love about the Algarve and their energy for life flows through their products. Like many, after visiting the Algarve over a number of years, they decided to take the plunge in 2020 and bought a small home in Olhão’s old town. The Covid lockdowns were an additional trigger to change. Being in the fortunate position that they could travel between Portugal and Germany meant that they were still able to experience the beauty of the Algarve, a haven away from their hectic lives in Berlin.

“We felt really privileged within these bumpy times that we could at least come to Portugal and spend time here. Portuguese people are so amazingly friendly,” she says. “They have such open hearts and are very kind. I was so grateful that we had this little refuge. I wanted something to express this joy that I feel about being able to do this.”

Julie is an interior designer and creative consultant who has been working with magazines, furniture producers, business and private clients for over 20 years. She is passionate about the nourishing quality of beauty, atmosphere and the ocean.

Felix is a branding, marketing and customer experience specialist, mainly working for blue chip clients around the world. He is also a musician and artist.

During one of their visits, Julie was looking for a T-shirt that encapsulated all she loves about Olhão and Portugal’s South. “I couldn’t find anything,” she said, “so I decided to design one myself and see where it would take me.” Based on designs using sun umbrellas and flip flops, Julie created her own T-shirt. “I tried to find symbols that reflected the simple lifestyle we have here in Portugal –something that everyone, no matter where they come from, can understand.”

Where this T-shirt took her was into the production of a small range of ethically-responsible garments. Julie explained “Other people saw and loved the energy and simplicity of the designs, wanting to know where they could find them. So, I made a few T-shirts, took them to the islands, and photographed them in different places, including on a string where the old ladies hung their linen and washing.”

Getting noticed

As more people stopped to appreciate and show interest in Sal Sol Sul, Felix took a leap of faith and registered the brand, feeling that it could become something much bigger than just a couple of T-shirts. “At this point, it was like the initial stages of a love affair,” he recalls. “In the beginning it’s scary, but also exciting, and while you see the start of a journey, you don’t know what tomorrow brings but you know you’re excited.”

Julie and Felix approached a small boutique that they really liked, Zé e Maria, in Olhão, to ask the owners, who share Sal Sol Sul’s values of quality and simplicity, if they would consider stocking their products. It’s no surprise that the initial collection sold quickly, with requests for more. Sal Sol Sul decided to be bold and produce 50 different designs, approaching it with a simple mindset: if it worked, that would be great.

Personally, Sal Sol Sul is not just a love affair with Portugal, it’s a continuation of the love affair of Julie and Felix. With their backgrounds in design and marketing they are perfectly placed to create a brand. And Sal Sol Sul is the ideal combination of their skills, their enthusiasm, and their love for good design, which has provided them with the opportunity to create something beautiful.

“We saw this opportunity that we could do something together. We decided to try it out, but were intent on keeping the T-shirts sustainable, the numbers small, and the production in Portugal, where there is a great textile industry,” says Julie.

This decision coincided with the onset of Autumn and Sal Sol Sul had created energy around their brand which their customers loved. So how to keep that momentum going at a time of year when T-shirts were no longer needed? Julie took onboard the feedback from their early customers and designed the sweatshirt she wanted, which encapsulated all she loves about life here. “I bought a sweatshirt and had our logo embroidered on to it. It gave me an idea of what it would look like and provided a sample to take to producers to share our idea,” she explains.

It also meant that when they approached companies to produce their items, the potential makers understood exactly what they were looking for, in terms of design and production.

Finding the partners

Julie and Felix’s search for the right company to produce their collection resulted in a road trip around Portugal, finally settling on a small family run production company in Guimarães. “It was important they take on board that for us quality matters and it’s not just about fast fashion and sales. We want to offer a product to people that they will keep and appreciate, and that will remind them of their time in the Algarve.”

When visiting the factory earlier this year to discuss the summer collection, Julie and Felix took small gifts for those people who make their products, “so that every time they work on producing our garments, they remember us and smile.”

The sweatshirts produced for the winter collection have been as successful as the T-shirts; people still stop to ask them where they can find them. Julie enthused: “I had a couple asking about the sweatshirts over lunch, because we were wearing them. We told them the story of their creation, invited them to join us and find out more. This is what I love about the brand, we are creating a community of like-minded people.”

More people of varying nationalities are visiting Olhão and the Algarve. “There is a real change in the energy and vibe around the town. Increasingly, these people are looking for something special, whether that be their hotel, or restaurants they go to.” And Sal Sol Sul is certainly filling the demand for high quality reminders of holidays in Portugal.

Looking ahead

The business is beginning its second season and like many new companies faces the challenge of keeping the love, the energy and the initial excitement in the brand that comes at a time where the butterflies in your stomach get a little more silent.

Felix explains: “Now you have to think twice because it’s about scaling up and taking greater risks. But we want to remain the fun and grow organically.”

Besides developing a new range of products, Sal Sol Sul is expanding its network of retail outlets across Portugal, with shops in Lagos, Comporta and Aveiro joining the Sal Sol Sul family in summer; they are also in talks about supplying a premium hotel group.

“We are now discussing a much broader assortment for summer, including some bags and hats, alongside the T-shirts and sweatshirts,” Julie explains. “We are focusing on simple and subtle designs that every nationality understands and represent summer in the South, but also make sense when worn at home.”

It is hard to believe that Sal Sol Sul is only one year old, so much has been achieved in such a short time. Nothing about the brand is forced. As each opportunity presents itself, Felix and Julie respond, with an enthusiasm that is infectious and a desire to share products they love. This is not just another brand that intends to flood the market in a race for profitability: “We don’t want to produce thousands of T-shirts. It has been a tremendous journey so far, and it’s been fun. It’s not our goal to become big for the sake of it – if we can grow and still enjoy it then that makes it worth doing.”

Look out for Sal Sol Sul, given the success of the first year, it is easy to see how it will quickly become a recognisable brand across Portugal.

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