27 May 2026
The “Linho a Fio” Project Promotes the Revitalization of Community-Based Linen Cultivation and Production in the Serra da Estrela
The project takes an approach centered on community and inclusion. Photo by Helena Raposeira/Palombar.
The “Linho a Fio” project, which started in April, aims primarily to promote the revitalization of community-based linen cultivation and artisanal linen production in the Serra da Estrela region, through direct action in the area of Linhares da Beira, in the municipality of Celorico da Beira. This community project will be implemented during the 2026–2027 period, with the goal of making linen cultivation the driving force behind ecological regeneration and local socioeconomic revitalization.
It is funded by the Regenerative Communities Fund (RCF), a European fund launched in 2024 by ECOLISE—the European Network for Community-Led Initiatives on Climate Change and Sustainability—and co-financed by the European Union (EU), which aims to support community-led initiatives in the ecological and social transition.
An approach guided by community spirit and inclusion
The project takes an approach guided by community spirit and inclusion and will be community-led and driven by a group of citizens with extensive experience in community action and land management in harmony with the environment and the landscape. It is driven by an informal group and supported by Palombar.
The main objectives of the project are to consolidate and expand community-based linen cultivation through production incentives; to promote community-rooted crafts grounded in collective wisdom; to create local and regenerative value chains; to foster social cohesion and community integration; and to strengthen ecological and territorial resilience.
A project focused on practical, educational, and celebratory activities
This project focuses on developing practical activities inspired by ethnobotany; educational activities based on the ancestral knowledge of communities; and celebratory activities aimed at commemorating the communion between human activities and the natural environment, specifically: the Linen Festival; practical workshops in four villages focused on the cultivation, retting, and initial processing of linen; Iberian initiatives focused on sharing knowledge and materials; the creation of a community-based linen processing center and a practical manual for participatory assessment and linen production. It will also celebrate European Sustainable Communities Day, held on September 23.
Linen Festival: an event celebrating the biosocial culture of linen in the Serra da Estrela
“Linho a Fio” will be launched at the Linen Festival, an immersive event organized through a partnership between Palombar and the Municipality of Celorico da Beira to promote the biosocial culture of linen in the Serra da Estrela region, taking place on June 5, 6, and 7, 2026, in Linhares da Beira.
This festival includes an eco-market, where producers, artisans, and local initiatives are invited to participate with stalls, promoting products and practices aligned with the values of sustainability, local connection, and territorial regeneration. Participation is free, limited to 15 stalls, and registration is required by June 3, 2026, by filling out the form.
This event is also supported by the Historic Villages of Portugal, the Linhares da Beira Parish Council, and Associartecine.
It is funded by the Regenerative Communities Fund (RCF), a European fund launched in 2024 by ECOLISE—the European Network for Community-Led Initiatives on Climate Change and Sustainability—and co-financed by the European Union (EU), which aims to support community-led initiatives in the ecological and social transition.
An approach guided by community spirit and inclusion
The project takes an approach guided by community spirit and inclusion and will be community-led and driven by a group of citizens with extensive experience in community action and land management in harmony with the environment and the landscape. It is driven by an informal group and supported by Palombar.
The main objectives of the project are to consolidate and expand community-based linen cultivation through production incentives; to promote community-rooted crafts grounded in collective wisdom; to create local and regenerative value chains; to foster social cohesion and community integration; and to strengthen ecological and territorial resilience.
The project will develop practical activities inspired by ethnobotany. Photo by Helena Raposeira/Palombar.
A project focused on practical, educational, and celebratory activities
This project focuses on developing practical activities inspired by ethnobotany; educational activities based on the ancestral knowledge of communities; and celebratory activities aimed at commemorating the communion between human activities and the natural environment, specifically: the Linen Festival; practical workshops in four villages focused on the cultivation, retting, and initial processing of linen; Iberian initiatives focused on sharing knowledge and materials; the creation of a community-based linen processing center and a practical manual for participatory assessment and linen production. It will also celebrate European Sustainable Communities Day, held on September 23.
Linen Festival: an event celebrating the biosocial culture of linen in the Serra da Estrela
“Linho a Fio” will be launched at the Linen Festival, an immersive event organized through a partnership between Palombar and the Municipality of Celorico da Beira to promote the biosocial culture of linen in the Serra da Estrela region, taking place on June 5, 6, and 7, 2026, in Linhares da Beira.
This festival includes an eco-market, where producers, artisans, and local initiatives are invited to participate with stalls, promoting products and practices aligned with the values of sustainability, local connection, and territorial regeneration. Participation is free, limited to 15 stalls, and registration is required by June 3, 2026, by filling out the form.
This event is also supported by the Historic Villages of Portugal, the Linhares da Beira Parish Council, and Associartecine.