Interpreting innovation and change in traditional Portuguese linen making: A design-led approach

This article examines a design research intervention aimed at revitalizing the critically endangered craft of traditional linen making in Castelões, Portugal, through a design-led mediation approach. The study critically reflects on the notion of innovation within traditional industries and explores how collaborative efforts can ensure cultural continuity while adapting to change. The methodology includes identifying cultural and territorial values, engaging local practitioners and co-developing resources to preserve and communicate the heritage of this centuries-old craft. The article discusses how ethnographic research methods have helped foster trust and facilitate dialogue with the community, enabling a participatory framework that aligns design actions with the practice’s cultural identity. Findings indicate that innovation, in this context, is best construed as an adaptive and reflective process, balancing issues of tradition and contemporaneity without imposing design or technological norms. The article further details significant outcomes of the mediation process, including the reactivation of the practice base, the establishment of new community facilities, and the initiation of networks and immersive learning programmes. The intervention highlights the potential of design as a catalyst for positive narrative transformation in declining craft cultures, enabling their integration into contemporary cultural and economic contexts.