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Sanjo’s history began in 1933 in São João da Madeira, at a time when Portugal was still a country deeply shaped by domestic production, local industry and a very strong sense of national identity. Founded within the Companhia Industrial de Chapelaria, Sanjo emerged almost as a response to changing times: hats were beginning to lose their prominence and rubber was opening up new possibilities. It was from this that the first Sanjo shoes were born: simple, durable, Portuguese, made to accompany daily life, work, sport and the lives of several generations. During the Estado Novo, in a country more closed to imports and where domestic production played a central role, Sanjo became much more than just a footwear brand. It became part of the Portuguese landscape. Its rubber sole, hard-wearing canvas and recognisable design made Sanjo a constant presence in schools, on the streets, on playing fields and on the feet of the Portuguese people. Throughout the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, the brand established itself as a benchmark in national sport and as a true symbol of the people. Sanjo shoes did not belong to just one generation: they spanned generations. They were worn by athletes, students, workers and families, becoming a shared memory in a country undergoing transformation. With the opening up of markets and the arrival of major international brands, Sanjo faced new challenges.

Competition grew, habits changed and the brand eventually lost ground, until it temporarily disappeared from everyday life in Portugal. But a brand with such a rich history never disappears completely. It lives on in people’s memories, in the archives, in old photographs and in the stories of those who used it. In 2019, Sanjo was acquired by a business group from Braga, marking the start of a new chapter. With a young and dynamic team, the aim was to bring Sanjo back home: to recapture its essence, honour its legacy and give it a future once more. The process of making production entirely Portuguese once again then began. Working with a factory in Felgueiras, Sanjo became ‘made in Portugal’ once more. The vulcanised sole gave way to a glued sole, developed with greater environmental awareness, whilst retaining the elements that have always defined the brand’s identity: rubber, canvas, simplicity and authenticity. Sanjo didn’t just return. It returned with a history, with memories and with a desire to grow. It returned to evolve without forgetting where it came from. It has returned to continue writing, on the feet of the Portuguese people, a story that began over 90 years ago. More than a brand, Sanjo is a Portuguese legacy in motion.