On the occasion of the release of our new wool jacket, Geoffrey and I wanted to meet Lionel Bonneville and the Jules Tournier team, and bring you back a little bit of the Mazamet atmosphere.
Beneath his good humor, Lionel shows great attachment to his heritage, to the quality of his production and to the ecology around the factory.
In this video, we will ask ourselves:
- What is the philosophy of the factory?
- what is its environmental policy,
- how it witnessed - and resisted - the region's industrial decline,
- how the "family spirit" is found in the company,
- How Jules Tournier builds his legacy...
We would like to warmly thank Lionel and his team for their welcome and their kindness!
Jules Tournier cloth clothing at BonneGueule
You may already know this draper who made 100% wool sheets (and made in France!) for:
By the way, I am pleased to announce that we have received a global restock and that we are therefore ready for winter!
Last year, almost all of the camel coats were gone in two weeks. We hadn't anticipated such a craze and many were disappointed by this stock shortage in the middle of winter .
This time we have learned from our mistakes and we hope that the quantities will be sufficient.
So all sizes are available in all colours!
Now that we have taken stock, Rafik will go back over the unusual history of this manufacturer, which combines military uniforms, Balmain, Chanel, technical clothing and aerospace...
The story of Jules Tournier begins 150 years ago...
Mazamet, near Toulouse, in the 19th century.
Under the influence of a Napoleonic minister , the region was transformed into a center of wool work and trade.
The business took off very quickly! The success was such that our friends from Tarn ended up opening counters in Latin America - Argentina in the lead - but also in South Africa and New Zealand.
It was in this context that Jules Tournier founded his fabric company in 1865.
Mr. Jules Tournier, founder of the eponymous factory
More than 150 years later, not much remains of Mazamet's prosperous industry. Workshops are closing, relocating... However, one diehard remains in this landscape: Jules Tournier & Fils.
When we think of a century-old spinning mill or draper, which has remained a family business, we often imagine Italian names. It is therefore a pleasure to be able to look at a company that is very much from our region, which continues to stand the test of time without aging...
A family business like they don't make anymore
The army draper
The history of Jules Tournier is closely linked to that of the French army. He began by making fabrics for Napoleonic officers, then dressed our soldiers in the First World War.
The factory notably produces the famous "horizon blue cloth", worn in the trenches.
A Poilu from the Great War, in his horizon blue cloth uniform.
The sailors, in turn, are wrapped in woolen sheets Jules Tournier. Even today, he continues his collaboration with the Ministry of Defense.
The washing and dyeing room, 1920.
Where the magic happened...
Until 1950, production was limited to woolen cloth for coats, as well as double-sided felts/wools for shoes.
Towards a "fashion" turning point
In the 1960s, the family weaver chose to diversify into “fashion” fabrics.
Accustomed to a certain level of demand, he naturally gravitated towards luxury and Haute Couture .
Jules Tournier thus produces tweeds, more comfortable thanks to the addition of stretch, or even 100% angora sheets.
Among its clients are leading figures of French fashion , with names such as Chanel and Balmain in particular.
Look from the Balmain pre-fall 17 collection.
Balmain x Jules Tournier.
It is no coincidence that Jules Tournier now exports to 42 countries, led by the Middle East, Asia and the USA. Where French know-how is sought after!
On the way to techwear!
Since the 1970s, the weaver has devoted a significant portion of its R&D to techwear , so much so that it now represents 30% of total production.
We are not talking about urban techwear , you will not find these materials at Outlier or The North Face . It is essentially a search for performance with fabrics intended for individual protection, that of machines or even for the aeronautics and space industry...
Examples include insulating and fireproof textiles.
“Living Heritage” certified know-how
Jules Tournier is the very last French wool manufacturer to be fully integrated. There is no other!
As Lionel, sixth generation of the family, sums up:
The only thing we don't raise is sheep.
Total control of its production chain
Thanks to its vertical integration, Jules Tournier takes care of every step, from the arrival of the wool balls to the creation of the final fabric.
The spinning mill
It all starts with the arrival of the bales of materials...
The wool is then washed and combed, before being spun.
It is on this large console that the fiber is transformed into thread.
The dye
The dyeing is done in these large vats. We have come a long way since the photo from the 1920s at the beginning of the article!
Weaving or knitting
If the material is a "warp and weft" , we then speak of weaving. This is done on large looms, like this one...
Their looms allow up to 12 different threads to be inserted at once. This is the only way to obtain a tweed with such colours.
In the other case, the fabric is obtained by constituting a mesh . We then speak of knitting.
The flying saucer-like thing on the right is a knitting loom.
The ennoblement
This is the key stage of the whole process, where the fabric is given its final touch . Fulling the wool, felting, scraping, applying technical finishes... Everything happens on these large machines!
The flagship of French creation
Jules Tournier's work and skills have been recognized by the State, which awarded the weaver the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label. This "distinguishes manufacturing excellence and rare know-how."
This label rewards companies that are emblematic of French craftsmanship and industry. Among the other "EPVs", we can name the embroiderer Lesage. as well as the jeweler Chaumet.
It may seem like nothing, but it is a small piece of our heritage.
But the story with Jules Tournier is not over! So we'll meet again very soon to present our new wool jackets... And in the meantime, you can (re)discover our jackets and coats .
