About Real Fábrica
Real Fábrica was born in 2012 as an online shop of traditional Spanish wares, and in 2018 we expanded into a colorful shop in Madrid’s Las Letras district. The shelves of our shop tell Spain’s artisanal history through classic perfumes, grocery items, kitchenware and household decorations. A shop where we want you to live the authentic Spanish experience.
Our mission is to give a well-curated selection of curios a brighter future, with staff on-hand to tell tales about each treasure.
The name "Real Fábrica" evokes the true spirit of past Spanish Royal Factories (Reales Fábricas) which were created by the Borbones in an attempt to improve the local economy in the 18th century, to produce uniquely crafted goods of unparallel quality and excellence for the Spanish Royal family and aristocrats alike. As like these past Royal Factories, our goal is to foster local production and Spanish manufacturing and industry.
Rocío and her trips throughout Spain
Rocío was born-and-bred in the South of Spain, a land deeply engrained in rich history, tradition and culture which includes flamenco & folklore.
Upon returning back home after several years of living abroad, she realized she wanted to do something in her life she was passionate about. When you are abroad you learn to appreciate what you have at home, and she realized she was in love with her country, and she wanted to tell the entire world what we have in Spain, she wanted to reflect the most authentic aspects of Spanish culture, cuisine and customs.
Thus, began her quest, one year traveling through the regions of Galicia and the Basque Country before eventually arriving to Andalucía. After getting to know local makers and craftsmen, she began to discover an entire range of traditionally crafted products that were all the rage abroad, but slowly dying out in Spain - all to her despair!
These products were truly hidden gems here at home. Products no longer common place, although they are still in production today. Iconic brands that costumers grew up with as youngsters, product that evoke vivid childhood memories, but they are alive and well today!!! And we want to tell the entire world how incredible they are. We do not want to dwell on the past. We want to sell real products and real brands.
Rocío and her travels through Spain
Real Fábrica Española is the store of the Spanish brands with the most history, the store of the products of a lifetime, which represent the best we know how to do in Spain for several generations.
We took the name "Royal Factory" from the royal factories founded by the Bourbons in the 18th century to manufacture luxury items for the royalty and aristocracy of the time, because the ultimate goal of this project is to promote the Spanish economy through their own industry and manufacturing , supporting local production and thus doing our humble bit to stop the outflow of resources from the country.
Real Fábrica was born from a first trip through the north of Spain, where Rocío discovered old Spanish products that she knew from her childhood but had stopped seeing.
From there, Rocio carried out an investigation that took her all over the country, selecting and recovering those treasures that she had already thought had disappeared, but which continued to be manufactured in artisan workshops.
From these first trips, Real Fábrica was born in July 2012. At first only as an online store and in 2018 with its first physical store in the Barrio de las Letras in Madrid.
Since then, Rocío continues to travel every month with her van. At Real Fábrica you will find a representation of the infinite treasures she documents on her travels, a tiny selection compared to the impressive industrial and cultural history of our country, more alive and with more future today than ever.
