After a first article going against the grain on clothes made in China , and their supposed poor quality, I wanted to publish a second opus on clothes made in France .
The reason ?
I have read lines and lines of acclaimed made in France , but never questioned it: it is definitely a subject which is treated much more by consensus than with critical thinking and taking a step back .
Given our unique position as an independent media on men's fashion (we don't take a single euro from brands), it seemed important to us to get to the bottom of things with Made in France .
So, fashion effect or real historical know-how? What is really behind made in France ?
Blue-washing that can turn into showoff
Today we are seeing such enthusiasm for French manufacturing that we are starting to fall into blue-washing . Just like for ecology 5 years ago and its " please only print this email if necessary " which no one takes into account anymore, but which means that we print an extra sheet from time to time.
Are we really doing any good for ecology when we boil it down to that? Rather than tackling real issues: sustainable consumption habits, recycling and ecological footprint.
Well, it’s the same for French manufacturing: protecting it means first of all taking an interest in it . Because what ultimately harms French manufacturing is:
- on the one hand the lack of reflection that there is sometimes on the part of the consumer (" it's French/Chinese so it's necessarily good/bad "),
- and on the other hand, certain workshops, brands, or distributors who sometimes do something big, under the guise of doing it in France (" and hop, I'll add a tricolor cockade to the packaging, tavu?" ) .
The risk is to dilute this name which is dear to us, but which is gradually becoming overused , to the great dismay of those who continue to do things (very) well in France. They are the same people who would prefer to talk to you about what they do, rather than where they do it.
Valentin Goux ( Mr. London ):
Thibault Fulchiron (left) and Valentin Goux (right), founders of Monsieur London.
Having the chance to have a more European view through our positioning between France and England, we can testify that this trend is not only French. The English are even more obsessed with “Made in England” or “Made in the UK”, to the point of closing access to certain shows to those who do not have their entire collection made in England.
All of this is completely stupid, in the sense that European crafts, manufacturing and textiles would be nothing without immigration and trade between countries. Who remembers that the paisley pattern, popular in English fashion, comes from Iran? That Europe only mastered the culture of silk under Henry IV? And that Denim is inspired by a French fabric, created in the United States, then brought back to France by the GIs before seeing its high-end manufacturing taken over by the Japanese...
Julien Tuffery ( Jeans Tuff's ):
In the Tuff's clothing workshop, we are outraged, just as [BonneGueule] can do, about the problems of recovering made in France “in all sauces”. This observation bothers us terribly because it skews the reality of this new wave of awareness that we find cool... (= favor the ethical and responsible product, therefore of equal quality, the French product close to At my house). […]
The marketing minds have been there, and pa-ta-tra, the beautiful ethics of local consumption are transformed into a vulgar French macaron available in all formats... No luck for us, it works well for this nonsense! Collective consciences are relieved, on the microwave cardboard there is a BBR roundel! False, false, and false, the cockade simply comes from the fact that a single designer tinkered with Auto-Cad from his Lyon office! The production hasn't changed, it's very far from Lyon! […]
Not simple, not simple, I bet you a thousand, that a very controversial program (Enquête Exclu, Zone Interdite...) will not take long to make its big fuss over the lifting of a scandal of the type "the real truth of made in France” because a MALOTRU will have manipulated its label to lie to the consumer under the pretext that the BBR sells!
Let's explain to people and open the doors to our workshops... Change is on the way towards more consumer intelligence, let's offer them this opportunity to satisfy their hunger for truth!
Alexandre Chapelier ( Cinnabre )
Whatever the country, developing a beautiful luxury product takes time. It’s something I learn every day.
Naively when I started, I thought that by being in France everything would be done perfectly and very quickly. It's wrong. From time to time I see young French brands expanding their range wildly and the quality is being lost.
We have just launched a range of belts; it took several months to perfect the good quality of the lining, the cleanliness of the edges or the perfection of the fabric inserts. And yet I work with a small workshop in Limousin which makes custom belts for John Lobb or Weston.
Supporting real made in France means caring about quality and merit before worrying about the origin
Supporting made in France means not:
- “buy blindly because it’s French”
But rather :
- “buy French IF it’s good, clean, and durable”
Otherwise, we will see a proliferation of concepts that will soon no longer mean anything ... and we will see that virtuous French brands will no longer sell in France or abroad because the France brand will have been diminished.
Valentin Goux ( Mr. London ):
Since the creation of the brand, we have wanted to offer products of exceptional quality.
What matters to us is therefore finding them where they are best made. A “ made in where the craftsmen work well” which has more meaning for us than a “ made in France ” which strongly smacks of the latest vague concept of the master entrepreneurship of the major business schools.
Make a soulless product and stamp it " made in France " with a tricolor flag to hope to reproduce the (deserved) success of the Slip Français, with a stupid appeal to the consumer like " Mon Anorak Francais ", or " Le Petit Bonnet Tricolore " does not exempt you from building a brand! That is to say a real, coherent universe, products with a qualitative or competitive advantage, etc... Of course, it's a little more complicated!
Fabien Larchez ( Best Friend ):
I realized that it was still possible [to manufacture and sell in France] but only if the price difference was obviously justified by a "plus" quality in the execution and/or unique know-how/French specialty /or the factory you work with, otherwise it's dead! […]
On the other hand, made in France (if it is of quality, for my part nothing flashes French on my products but the know-how of my factory is well noticed/appreciated) is recognized abroad, especially in Asia and for my share is very good in China/Hong Kong where my bags are snapped up because I am in high-end boutiques at the entry level of luxury brands.... […]
The brand has been recognized for 5 years for the quality of its leather, its manufacturing and because it is French (in the order of the study carried out by my partners).
Alexandre Ignatoff ( Paris Yorker ):
The difficulty lies in the conditions you set: “buy French IF it is good, clean and durable”. In practice, how many brands can afford to meet all these conditions? […]
There is in fact an economic and industrial reality in France, which means that a “good, clean and durable” product manufactured in France is very expensive; if you want to lower your prices, [concessions will] have to be made on quality. [The consumer] will then support a product “Made in France but not good, not clean and not sustainable”!
There is therefore a real contradictory logic today, opposing Made in France to quality. Which is paradoxical, because Made in France is supposed to be synonymous with quality.
Find out about (and question) the provenance
In theory, 50% of the cost price of the product must be made in France.
But in consumer practice, we must realize that this Made in France designation is extremely poorly controlled.
Serious checks take place at customs, but very often the packaging and marketing stages are carried out in France. And when you are a fashion company, there is no organization that comes to check the traceability of your products and checks your invoices.
As a brand, when you buy t-shirts from another French company, nothing tells you that it does not subcontract your order to another country, and that you sell it as French in good faith.
Not to mention new multi-brands and other blue, white and red concept stores that sell French brands , but ultimately very few brands that produce in France .
In summary, the only thing you can do is take the seller's word for it .
Déborah Neuberg ( Good Fact ):
Déborah Neuberg, during our interview .
We defend “made by” rather than “made in” which can in reality cover very different realities and is not necessarily a guarantee of quality.
I still find that we should not exaggerate the importance of "made in" and forget that a piece must be judged in its entirety: its design, its cut, the choice of material, the finishes, the supplies, manufacturing quality. And consistency with the brand's project and its values (if it has any).
Even if “made in” is not necessarily a relevant angle to appreciate a piece, it is true that it is a real marketing argument today. And in this case the problem is honest information for the consumer.
It's sometimes borderline when there are brands that do "made in France" on part of their manufacturing, and source Eastern Europe / Portugal / China on another, using "made in France” as a showcase.
I make no judgment on these production choices which are often justified by the brand's project, but the key is not to mislead the consumer about what they are buying.
Alexandre visits the Vitale Barberis Canonico workshops
Vincent Louis Voinchet ( The Human Comedy )
Several decades ago, the question of the place of manufacture did not really arise.
[…] we were going to manufacture abroad only what required know-how, or a particular manufacturing technique, and more generally, what we did not know how to manufacture at home.
The reason was simple: transport was not as developed, and therefore much more expensive, taxes and customs fees were much more protectionist than today (the common market in Europe was in its infancy), and the Labor costs were relatively similar in developed countries, so there had to be an essential reason to leave the country and have a product manufactured outside.
For decades, France was therefore self-sufficient in terms of clothing, and almost all types of items could be made locally. Moreover, the North of France has for years been one of the bastions of ready-to-wear and tailoring in France (cradle of clothing distributors such as La Redoute, 3 Suisses, etc.).
It is only for economic reasons, and by the fall of taxes and customs barriers, and the increase in labor costs that the French workshops, although very good in clothing, have seen their books of orders are reduced, and gradually, closed, thereby suspending the know-how of the workshops through the departure of the “little hands” who occupied them.
Made in France aims above all today to restore economic momentum to France, by bringing new orders to workshops which had sometimes closed, or resisted hard - and to consume in a civic manner.
The know-how has been reintroduced in France, and is not necessarily poorly positioned compared to its neighboring countries.
However, and apart from the specific particularities which can be found in certain cases, the MIF does not have any added value strictly speaking.
For La Comédie Humaine, for example, we have some products still made in France, such as T-Shirts, whose mesh, entirely made on machines from the 60s in France, offers a touch and softness that cannot be obtained outside this workshop (it is in France, but it could have been elsewhere. It is above all the workshop which has particular know-how). Likewise, jacquard knit sweaters made in France have the particularity of having a double knit which is difficult to obtain outside the workshop we have selected.
For the other parts, and although we were able to work in France originally, the quality-price ratio, distorted by the high cost of labor in France, is not necessarily the best, and the We obtain very good quality pieces in Portugal, or in Poland, whose communist history has made them specialists in tailoring pieces thanks to the making of military costumes.
We can also ask ourselves many questions in the face of a press which remains silent on numerous practices as soon as advertising budgets are at stake.
Alexandre Chapelier ( Cinnabre )
The real competition for Made in France comes from our Italian neighbor. It must be said very frankly, Italians have a lot of talents, but respect for the rules […] is not always one of them.
Some go even further by employing foreign labor... but be careful... on Italian soil. Just travel to the North of Italy: in the manufacturing regions, you have entire villages with practically only Chinese. And these workshops work for luxury houses!
But no one talks about it... these same houses being the biggest advertisers in the press.
In the muzzled press genre: the best recent example is Uniqlo. A few days ago, NGOs released a scathing report on the working conditions of its suppliers in China... practically no one talks about it because of the power of Uniqlo, which has a gigantic advertising budget. It's a shame because Uniqlo is a recurring example among the French who explain to you that cashmere is not expensive... I encourage you to go and see the report.
Educate yourself above all on quality
In the absence of certainty, is it really the origin that matters? Or rather merit and quality, two universal values?
Don't hesitate to (in)train yourself even more, to find out about enthusiast forums (whatever the product). In one sentence: educate yourself on quality , whatever its origin. This is how you reward merit.
However, it is good to know that historically each country is a specialist in something different . And that this wealth of know-how has been imported for centuries to sell in France (Silk Roads, East India Company, other traders from the New World, etc.).
Alexandre Ignatoff ( Paris Yorker ):
As for the press, I don't find that it is "in general" very educated and receptive to the quality argument; It is only among specialists (rare specialized magazines and blogs) that we feel a real interest in the product, its history, its quality, etc.
For example, I regularly see journalists from major general newspapers explain that for a cashmere sweater, the more threads there are, the higher the quality. Which is in reality completely false: it is just an indication of the thickness of the knitting!
Alexandre Chapelier ( Cinnabre )
The Japanese are very sensitive to quality and they are ready to pay the price. They know that a beautiful scarf printed and made in France is expensive, whereas in France I am often told that a beautiful scarf should not exceed 150 euros otherwise “you pay for the brand”.
This is to misunderstand the entire process of making a scarf.
On the other hand, the Japanese will be much more careful about the quality, the packaging, and all the manufacturing details. This makes him an even more interesting client. He is ready to buy made in France but he expects impeccable quality.
Some brands which did not yet have an up-to-date production failed in Japan after one season because the quality did not keep up.
For centuries, each country has had its specialties
Did you know that Limoges porcelain was only possible thanks to the transfer of Chinese techniques to France in the 18th century?
It's the same with clothes. Modern fabric printing techniques were imported from India in the 18th and 19th centuries (visit the fabric printing museum if you pass through Mulhouse).
In the same way :
- England has always been a specialist in large sailor's woolens, tweeds, and cotton weaves (thanks to the industrial revolution and the Indian trade),
- Italy has always been a specialist in weaving and knitting wool (thanks to the clear water of the Alps and the kind sheep), tanning and leather working (thanks to Luca's mother's veal specialties), and magnificent costumes (thank you the culture of elegance),
- Portugal and Spain have always been specialists in small knitwear, leather work, and small garments (large trading nations, but which have never been great weavers),
- the countries of Eastern Europe have always been specialists in the assembly of shirts and suits (thank you the Empire of Austria-Hungary and the traditional clothes of different peoples),
- and China has always been a great specialist in silk (and other ancestral fibers such as ramie), and is today very strong in high-end knitting and technical materials.
Mathieu De Ménonville ( MELINDAGLOSS ):
We manufacture a lot in France, but the choice we made is not that of Made in France, it is that of local manufacturing (all our knitwear, for example, is made in Italy). What matters to us above all is working with specialized factories, which have retained their know-how while remaining competitive, and with whom we can establish long-term links.
If all our production is close, it is also because it is essential to maintain a close relationship with our manufacturers: on the one hand because a good part of the work consists of very good communication between creation and manufacturing, on the other hand elsewhere to be able to easily get there.
As for France specifically, it remains competitive on certain products, but by manufacturing all the collections there we would lose either in price, or in quality, or in wealth (because if almost all the know-how exists in Europe, it does not not all exist in France).
The exceptional Fabre glove shop in Millau
Valentin Goux ( Mr. London ):
For us, gloves and hats are made in France. Not because we are into economic nationalism at all costs, but because the craftsmen are good.
There is a regional tradition in Millau for gloves and leathers, and in the Aude valley for sheep felt and hats. So here we go. It's that simple.
But we are not going to start sourcing our tweed in Allier for a marketing stunt! This comes from Scotland, and the merino wool for our scarves from the South of Ireland.
But what are the real French textile know-how?
And France ? She is not left out!
The cultivation and processing of flax have always been important (75% of world tonnage today, mainly in the North).
However, tanneries and shoe assembly have declined (the Angevin basin is one of the last strongholds). Just like the spinning mills in the North and East of the country.
The Arpin Spinning Mill in Savoie
There remain a few specialties, today minor in consumption habits: silks from the Lyon mountains, lace (North), gloves (Massif Central and Dauphiné). And today's iconic companies which have developed by transcending a given know-how (the famous Living Heritage Companies ).
But as you can see: very little assembly of shirts, suits, and pants in all this: it has never been one of the great French strengths (unlike linen, weaving, or the leather industry) .
On the other hand, there is a great deal of French know-how that should not be forgotten: fashion design . That is to say the act of imagining and developing a garment, to then have it produced by those who have always been doing it.
Alexandre Ignatoff ( Paris Yorker ):
The more modern and sophisticated the tools, the less “know-how” is decisive.
In this way, transfers of know-how can today be very rapid, and move from country to country in a few years, depending on economic imperatives.
On the other hand, what is much less transferable is fashion design, because taste, aesthetics, etc. depend on cultural, social, historical factors... and there is “very great know-how” there in France, as you point out.
Let's buy and support real French specialties!
It is therefore entirely wise to buy made in France when it involves French know-how which has improved over time and techniques: gloves from Millau, a scarf from Lyon, high-end shoes like those from Pierre Corthay, Heschung boots, a Le Couregant Breton raincoat, Howard's 7-ply ties, or Vosges linen sheets to sleep with your girlfriend or boyfriend.
Conversely , I have difficulty understanding how French tailoring would be an argument (beyond the simple pleasure of buying local) for men's ready-to-wear.
Once again: let's buy what is good. And if it’s made by French people or produced in France, let’s just rejoice 🙂
The experience of brands that produce in France
To finish this article, here is feedback from brands that have chosen (or stopped) producing in France. You will see that they are sometimes quite opposite, showing that, once again, everything exists wherever we go!
Bertrand Urban (Duke & Dude)
Bertrand (left) and Thibault (right), founders of Duke and Dude during our interview .
30% more XL and XXL than expected upon delivery of our products, 2 months late (delivery which had already been delayed!). Direct consequences: fewer sizes S and M in stock (sizes most often requested), a truncated sales period (4 months instead of 6), a failed collection launch, a communication strategy to review and to top it all off impatient customers.
This is what can happen when you work with a manufacturer... French (!), who cares little about monitoring its "small customers".
Rest assured, no price compensation has been made to us (do you think). Not even a word of apology. On the contrary, we were informed that if we were not happy we could always go and work with another factory.
Far be it from me to generalize the observation since many other French intermediaries with whom we have worked have met our expectations on time.
Fabien Larchez ( Best Friend )
From what I have experienced and always hear, French manufacturers (I am generalizing) are outside a certain reality: deadlines, prices, understanding of customers... I have heard myself say "we don't make overtime, we delivered to you late, but you will gain other Japanese customers alongside those I have lost you because of that...." in complete relaxation!
And the French politicians who are plaguing us with the return of made in France when there is no longer anyone to take over in the factories, the machines have been sold and the know-how has disappeared with it! […]
We often start when we launch a product/brand in France and quickly, given the same quality, we wonder if it would be better to employ a community manager to develop the brand with what you save in cost if you leave, even to Portugal. .. rather than a French worker... in danger of disappearing... unfortunately... or fortunately?!
Picardy workshop of Meilleur Ami, specialists in sailmaking and military luggage.
For my part, my choice is made: I stay in France, I continue to support these super good Picardy workers, super friendly and proud to sell bags to the increasingly numerous wealthy Chinese. It's a nice snub, and for that alone, it's worth it and we have a good laugh about it!
The paradox of Made in France
Everyone would like to see more French clothing on the shelves, me first and foremost.
But when we move on to the wallet, consumers are suddenly no longer that interested in Made in France . Lots of declarations of intentions, but ultimately very few purchases when the product turns out to be more expensive, or with fewer options and quality than its Made in Portugal equivalent sold at the same price.
You only have to stand at the exit of fast fashion stores to see that they are always full, even if ecological or human disasters follow one another.
We can perhaps explain it by the fact that the people most interested in Made in France are precisely those who suffer from globalization.
The CSP+, for their part, are well integrated into globalization, Made in France affects them less. Ultimately, those who take a significant step towards French consumption are few in number.
Alexandre Ignatoff ( Paris Yorker ):
Sometimes I hear people saying things like " yeah, can you imagine in China, the workers are paid a pittance, they can't even buy what they produce ". I tell them, “ Well... it’s the same thing in France! French workers can’t buy the products they make! ” Even less when they are unemployed!
A beginning of an answer: promoting diversity of know-how
The most virtuous models are most often based on a mixture of French and foreign know-how, such as:
- concentrate creative and complex operations in France and relocate less critical operations,
- keep creation in France and mix it with know-how specific to very specific countries.
Sophie Dubreuil ( Heschung ):
Pierre Heschung and his son at the clothing workshop
Our commitment is to deliver quality, well-made, authentic, functional and durable products. […]
In our context - maintaining jobs - the maximum has been done, the workforce has been the same for 20 years, with French salaries.
The only difference is that we have moved from a production economy to a market economy. A partial relocation of our production was necessary to maintain jobs in France, and [social conditions] have not deteriorated for our French teams.
Developing jobs or preserving them has been possible through relocation, which nevertheless remains European. It was done in the most complicated and difficult way, because these are our employees, our workshops.
But it is controlled: not everything is done in France but everything is done here, with the same attention to detail, the same quality objective.
We are committed to sustainability, choose your model carefully because you will wear it for a long time...
This new luxury of consuming well-made products, with a commitment to quality and exceptional raw materials.
We do not claim Made in France as a marketing foil but as the transmission of know-how that has lasted for 3 generations.
Régis Pennel ( The Exception )
L'Exception is a store dedicated to French designers but we apply an extended definition of French creation. In general, it is a French creator established in France, but it can also be a foreign creator established in France (there are many), or a French creator established abroad.
When it comes to made in , we always ask where and how the designer produces their clothes. We have a particular interest in ensuring that the product is of quality, but we are not stuck on the subject of made in .
We therefore have creators who produce in France like De Bonne Facture, in Portugal like MELINDAGLOSS or in Italy like Six & Sept.
For China, we only work with brands whose expertise is recognized locally, such as Three Animals. These products are also not less expensive than products manufactured in Europe due to the high cost of specialized workshops, even in China.
Our own approach at BonneGueule
At BonneGueule, our work comes down to finding the best materials and the best workshops to produce the best possible clothes.
Here, Alex visits the chambray shirt making workshop.
Of course, social and environmental conditions must be respected, this is the first condition . This is also why we visit each weaver and each workshop with whom we work.
But once this work is done, we also believe that giving work to the best specialists is as important as giving the spotlight to traditional know-how. And ultimately, ethics and quality go hand in hand.
The French dimension ultimately only comes at the end: we are delighted to take it into account when possible , and we are even personally proud of it. But you will never see tricolor cockades for no real reason on our packaging (just like with the brands we have involved).
Our conclusion on made in France ?
I hope that this article, which will undoubtedly be seen as controversial by some, will give you more perspective in your future purchases, no matter what you buy (clothes, food, furniture, car).
For my part, this article gave me the opportunity to think a lot about the ethics of a fashion company (after media ethics ). Even if everyone will have their own notion of ethics, according to their experiences and their philosophy of life.
I also realize that several opinions can coexist, as long as people respect each other and feel legitimate deep down when they work (which does not mean "making fun of ethics and not asking questions ").
This is why even if we advise you to buy one thing rather than another, we will never allow ourselves to judge, there are a thousand more positive things to do, and everyone has their reasons.
But in the midst of all this, there is one really important thing: always asking yourself the right questions and remembering your power (and duty) as a consumer. So it’s up to you!
-
If you think it is important to clarify things to help French manufacturers who are, for the most part, very deserving, relay this article.
Acknowledgments: Bravo to Alexandre C., Alexandre I., Bertrand, Déborah, Fabien, Julien, Mathieu, Régis, Sophie and Valentin for their measure and their views on a subject that is complicated by nature for the image of brands. Thanks to them !
