Traditional Fabric

Chita is a printed cotton fabric with origins in India, brought to Europe by the Portuguese in XV century, and had great success in the XVII and XVIII centuries, both as decoration and clothing.

Alcobaça was considered from 1774 to mid-XIX century, as one of the most important manufacturing centers of spinning and weaving of cotton fabrics in Portugal.

Known by the generic name of Chita de Alcobaça os characterized by the use of very colorful stereotyped tradicional patterns, which develope in broad stripes with varied decorations with indo-european inspiration.

Presently is part of portuguese popular culture.