Startup Nau Verde aims to revolutionize the hemp textile sector in Portugal

Over 100 million euros and 250 jobs are the figures for the ambitious project by the startup Nau Verde, which aims to bring to Portugal—specifically, to Santo Tirso—the first industrial wet-spinning unit for flax and hemp. This is an ambitious investment within the scope of the Lusitanian Project, part of the PRR (Regional Program for the Reform of Rural Development). The initiative could boost Portugal's innovation in the textile sector and even create a framework that will make the hemp sector self-sufficient.

Spinning long, high-quality hemp fibers may be close to becoming a reality in Portugal and Europe. The promise (and an investment of over €100 million) comes from Nau Verde, a startup that plans to set up shop in Rebordões, in the municipality of Santo Tirso, in a 15,000-square-meter former industrial building that previously housed Riopele and Filatex units.

This is an initiative promoted within the scope of the Recovery and Resilience Plan (RRP), which is part of the Lusitanian Project, a mobilizing agenda for the Portuguese Textile and Clothing Industry (ITV), which brings together 17 industrial and technological partners, and which promises to transform Portugal into the European driving force of the textile industry, with hemp as one of the protagonists.

Nau Verde assumes the role of operational coordinator, focusing on a spinning model with a lower environmental impact and using 100% European raw materials. Nau Verde's greatest potential could be to reverse the trend toward outsourcing spinning processes—the flax and hemp grown for textiles are shipped primarily to Asia, where the spinning process takes place.

On the innovation side, the Lusitano Project, which goes beyond spinning, also develops the processing of recycled fibers, the separation of unwanted components (such as elastane), and the development of smart labels capable of monitoring chemical, water, and energy consumption. According to Portugal Textile, the works must already be completed, as well as the reception of equipment, which was scheduled for July 2025, with the start of operations scheduled for the last quarter of the year.

Wet spinning that can transform textile hemp in Portugal

CannaReporter® spoke with Marta Vinhas, a key figure in the use of hemp in textiles in Portugal. Marta argues that the Nau Verde project represents a turning point for the Portuguese textile sector, introducing hemp and flax wet spinning technology—essential for the production of quality fabrics and industrial self-sufficiency.

Marta Vinhas, founder of Sensi Hemp

The founder of the Sensi Hemp project, which has already received several international awards, explained that the implementation of the first hemp and flax wet spinning unit in Santo Tirso, through the Nau Verde project, represents "a technological and cultural leap that Portugal has needed to take for decades." According to Marta Vinhas, hemp production in Portugal has remained essentially artisanal until now, lacking the capacity for industrialization. "Wet spinning is what will finally allow us to produce 100% hemp fabric. Until now, without this process, it was impossible to obtain sufficient quality fiber for clothing," she explained, emphasizing that the lack of this technology was Portugal's "biggest gap" in the sector.

Technically, the wet spinning process requires controlled humidity levels and specific machines, as Marta Vinhas explains: "It requires an entire adjusted process chain, from fiber preparation to twisting — and this is only now beginning to happen with Nau Verde."

From field to wire

Marta alerted us to a common misconception among farmers and emerging industries: "It's a misconception that hemp grown for seeds or oil provides fiber for textiles. This type of fiber is only suitable for nonwovens, such as insulation, panels, or construction composites. For clothing, specific varieties are needed, cultivated and treated with much more care, to make use of hemp's long fibers," she explained.

Marta Vinhas also acknowledged that part of the progress is a result of public awareness and promotion of the potential of industrial hemp. "For years, no one in the textile industry knew anything about hemp. Today, there's curiosity and investment—and this is also driven by the work of projects like Cânhamor and the news you publish at CannaReporter®, which has helped raise awareness and open doors," she emphasized.

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Antonio João Costa

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I am one of the directors of CannaReporter, which I founded together with Laura Ramos. I am from the unique Island of Madeira, where I currently reside. While I was in Lisbon at FCUL studying Physical Engineering, I became involved in the national hemp and cannabis scene and participated in several associations, some of which I am still a member of. I follow the global industry and especially legislative advances regarding the different uses of cannabis.

I can be contacted by email at joao.costa@cannareporter.eu

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