As brands have faced increasing pressure to shorten time to market and respond more quickly to chang ing consumer demand, more companies are choosing to consolidate product development and manufacturing with a single partner. To cater for this, Portugal’s Riopele established Riopele Fashion Solutions (RFS), a business unit dedicated to garment development and manufacturing, back in 2002. Fully integrated within Riopele’s industrial ecosystem, RFS manages the entire process – from fabric to finished garment – bringing textile development and garment production together under one roof. For brands, this means a simpler supply chain, fewer points of contact and greater predictability throughout the collection development process. “At RFS, we develop prototypes within two to three weeks and once the raw materials arrive, production takes between four and five weeks,” says general manager Daniela Carvalho. “We also respond to quotation requests within an average of 48 hours and this responsiveness enables brands to make faster decisions, test new products more frequently and react more quickly to market demands.” With extensive experience in both menswear and womenswear, RFS develops collections for the mid-to-high and premium segments, including blazers, coats, trench coats, dresses, trousers, skirts, shirts, blouses, tops and shorts. As global supply chains become increasingly complex, nearshoring continues to gain importance. Manufacturing in Portugal offers brands access to specialised technical expertise, high-quality standards and greater agility. At RFS, these advantages are further strengthened through integration with textile development, with teams working side by side from the earliest stages of each project, streamlining the process and making collection development more efficient for brands. In a particularly demanding environment for the Portuguese textile industry, Riopele managed to achieve modest growth in 2025, with a consolidated turnover of €99 million and fabrics for the fashion industry continued to be the group’s main area of activity, complemented by RFS, as well as yarn trading