Following the successful launch of the ‘Perto’ model, Wildling Shoes and Rewilding Portugal continue their collaboration with livestock farmers to promote coexistence with the Iberian wolf. They have introduced the new ‘Atento’ shoe model, crafted using wool sourced from producers in Greater Côa Valley.
The impact of a shoe on communities and the landscape
Now in its third year, this collaboration between Wildling Shoes and Rewilding Portugal has created a bridge between the German sustainable footwear company and local livestock farmers. The first model, introduced in 2023, told a story of proximity and synergy. The wool used in the ‘Perto’ model supports the implementation of damage prevention measures such as fencing and the use of livestock guardian dogs, while also promoting animal welfare.
The launch of the ‘Perto’ model was a success, and this edition sold out in just a few months. Wool had become a product that had lost its market value, to the point where many producers in the region were left with excess wool because they couldn’t find buyers. This initiative allowed producers to sell their wool at fair prices, transforming it into a material for shoes worn all over the world.
This collaboration has generated, on average, an additional income of €500 per year per producer through the sale of their wool, making a significant contribution to the annual maintenance costs of their damage prevention measures. In addition, Wildling Shoes covers the cost of shearing services for the 11 livestock farmers involved in the project, saving each of them an average of €300 per year. The growth of this partnership has also created a job in the region, hiring someone to manage the shearing season and support producers with animal welfare issues.
These positive figures and strong public support led Wildling Shoes to launch a new footwear model this year. Keeping the basic idea of promoting coexistence in the southern Douro region, this new model comes with a fresh colour and a new name: Atento. If ‘Perto’ (meaning close) highlighted proximity to local communities, wildlife, and outreach work, ‘Atento’ (meaning attention) brings public attention back to the themes of coexistence and circularity.
Building coexistence
The outreach work started five years ago with livestock producers in the Iberian wolf’s distribution area south of the River Douro. The project provided support in implementing measures to prevent damage to livestock. These measures include management practices to reduce the risk of predation on livestock, as well as tools such as livestock protection dogs and the installation of electric (mobile or fixed) and metal fencing.
To date, Rewilding Portugal has delivered 108 guarding dogs and 46 fences, supporting more than 80 livestock breeders with animals such as cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and horses.
Support for damage prevention measures has been provided through the LIFE WolFlux project, funded by the European Union and the Endangered Landscapes and Seascapes Programme. This project is coordinated by Rewilding Portugal in partnership with Rewilding Europe, the University of Aveiro, Zoo Logical, and the Transumância e Natureza Association. The project aims to promote the ecological and socio-economic conditions necessary to support the viability of the Portuguese Iberian wolf sub-population south of the River Douro, which remains fragmented and highly isolated from the rest of the Iberian population due to ecological and social barriers.
These shoes are also the result of active collaboration with Tavares SA and Ecolã. Like the ‘Perto’ model, ‘Atento’ supports the coexistence of humans and wildlife, offers a production chain of just 150 kilometres from origin to final product, and guarantees high animal welfare standards and fair payments to livestock farmers.
If ‘Perto’ brought us ‘close by’, then ‘Atento’ ensures we’re also ‘paying attention.’
Supporting nature and communities
As part of a broader effort to restore the Greater Côa Valley, this initiative demonstrates how nature-positive enterprises can benefit both ecosystems and local communities. By connecting sustainable finance with conservation goals, projects like this help to foster long-term coexistence between people and wildlife. They also provide innovative ways to create resilient livelihoods, making rural communities active contributors to environmental restoration while securing their own economic futures.
This new model is now available to order worldwide.
