From strength to strength: How Karen’s passion for customer service and quality led her to invest in much-needed services in the Algarve
– September 5, 2024 | Text & Photos Beatriz Maio
Our homes are more than just places where we live; they are reflections of our personalities and sanctuaries where we find comfort and peace. It’s also where we welcome guests, and we want to make them feel at ease and at home.
With this in mind, Linen-etc offers a diverse range of items that can help match our refuge as close to our identity as possible and make it compatible with our lifestyle.
The story of Linen-etc begins with Karen Carfrae, the founder and managing director, who launched the business in 2007. Originally from the UK, Karen has a background in Publishing, a degree in Business and Education, and experience in Advertising.
When she was 18, she worked in national newspapers, and by age 21 she had advanced to the position of Advertisement Manager for an international women’s magazine. Later she took on the role of managing nine newspapers within the largest free newspaper group at the time, showcasing her exceptional business acumen and communication skills.
Linen-etc is not Karen’s first entrepreneurial venture. In 1990, she founded Direct Sales Development Ltd, a company that allowed her to combine her two great passions: business and people development. This venture focused on a novel model, responding to direct sales inquiries via phone and the Internet.
“I am obsessive about the value of customer service, demonstrating that information at the point of sale improves customers experiences and reduces errors,” she states.
Although she moved to Portugal in 2003 to retire, a year later she was managing 12 properties with the help of her husband and son. This experience revealed significant gaps in the market, such as the difficulty in sourcing a variety of bedding sizes and the absence of secure key safes for easy access to holiday properties.
In 2005, she took a decisive step by securing the distribution rights for Key Safe in Portugal, marking her first venture into product sales under the brand Key Solutions.
This experience, coupled with increasing requests from property owners, managers, and developers she worked with, inspired her to establish Linen-etc.com.
This business has since become her primary focus, providing high-quality products that meet the diverse needs of her clientele.
The demand for the company’s products quickly grew, leading to the opening of their first physical showroom in Salema in 2008.
This expansion was a family affair – her son helped develop the business’ second website and her husband worked on sales and delivery.
“Our businesses have always been based on a need. The need for bedding that we ensured was fit fit-for-purpose, therefore we developed all sizes of bedding including all sizes of duvets, pillow protectors, as each country has their own size and people bring their beds with them,” Karen explained.
Additionally, their products include sun- and chlorine-resistant towels, and versatile curtains that fit any window without alteration.
“Our focus is on the right products fit-for-purpose and an informed, quality service with a guarantee,” she added.
Two years later, the company, which supplies materials to clients ranging from housing management companies to property developers and private homes, began feeling the need to move to a better location.
In 2013, they opened a new showroom in Budens, which provided a more efficient warehouse setup.
The growth continued with the launch of a shop in Lagoa in 2018, responding to increasing demand from property owners and managers.
This year, the company has further expanded by doubling the size of their Lagos showroom and opening a new store across the road from their existing location in Lagoa.
Karen explains that the expansion is driven by a broader product range and their click-and-collect service, which requires larger retail spaces.
According to the brand’s founder, Linen-etc not only offers “a great experience, the best product, and price”, but they also invest in trained advisors to provide expert advice in their showrooms and a separate fulfilment team, “ensuring the quality and the flow of stock” through their free delivery service throughout the Algarve.
Sustainability is a core value at Linen-etc, with over 90% of their products manufactured in Portugal, reflecting their commitment to supporting local industry and reducing their carbon footprint. They collaborate with top-level manufacturers who supply exclusive retailers worldwide, including the US, Canada, and Europe.
“The higher specification we request from the manufacturers is what distinguishes us as well as products suitable for home and commercial laundry use that will last and are luxurious, durable, and sustainable with all the eco credentials,” Karen pointed out.
Even though she has already achieved a lot, Karen’s ambitions are “to move with the times and the needs of the clients”, which includes expanding their online store to offer even greater choices that align with customer needs.
Beyond business growth, Linen-etc is committed to social responsibility. They actively support organisations aiding children in need and donate end-of-line products to charities and animal shelters.
“We want to do more of this, and we have a big green project to upcycle used bedding and towels, to support the homeless and other charities directly”; an initiative that Karen finds both challenging and rewarding.
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