Claus Porto

When, in 1887, two German entrepreneurs, Ferdinand Claus and Georges Schweder, opened a small soap and perfume factory in Porto, they probably didn’t imagine their brand would survive for more than a century. The company, then called Claus & Schweder, quickly became known throughout Portugal — not only for its quality but also for its packaging, designed and printed by hand in a lithography studio on Rua Serpa Pinto.

In the early 20th century, the factory won several international awards and was later acquired by the Portuguese de Brito family. That’s when the name Claus Porto appeared. Four generations later, the family still runs the company, producing soaps, creams, candles, and fragrances — all made by hand, following the same artisanal methods and wrapped in packaging that preserves the design spirit of early-century Portuguese craftsmanship.

The traditional production process is still in use today. Each soap passes through dozens of hands, and the labels and boxes are printed using restored artwork from the mid-1900s. Even the cotton rope in Musgo Real soaps is inserted manually.

The Claus Porto flagship store in Porto occupies an entire three-storey 19th-century building. The ground floor is a boutique; the middle floor tells the story of the brand and hosts small exhibitions; the top floor opens only on special occasions for training and creative sessions.

There are also two stores in Lisbon. One is located in Chiado, in a former pharmacy covered with blue-and-white azulejos. Between its two floors there’s a small display area telling the brand’s story. The second shop, on Rua do Carmo, is divided into sections inspired by different Claus Porto collections, each designed with subtle Art Deco references.

Perhaps nowhere else in the world does something as simple as washing your hands feel as refined as it does at Claus Porto.