So, Portugal has been all about that textile life since way back in the 1700s. Picture this: cotton spinning machines buzzing away, massive looms clacking like nobody's business, and before you know it, textile mills are popping up left and right, edging out the old-school flax and linen cottage industries.

Thanks to a little colonial influence, Portugal snagged some top-notch machinery from South America—that move powered up their economy, allowing factories to churn out textiles like nobody's business. And guess what? That textile scene is still intense today, especially in the picturesque city of Guimarães up north.