Why We Decided to Manufacture in France

The Géopélie brand was created with the sincere desire to make things happen, in the right direction.

We wish to promote through our clothing and accessories one of the fundamental values of yoga: respect for oneself and others, non-violence, called “ahimsa” in Sanskrit.

With the epidemic context in which Géopélie was born, this choice to have it manufactured in France has never been more relevant.

Because manufacturing in France has a positive impact on the environment, the economy, the safeguarding of our know-how and guarantees production carried out in an ethical working environment.

At Géopélie, all the manufacturing stages that can be carried out in France are! Discover here the geography of our manufacturing stages and our eco-design approach explained in complete transparency .

For those who are in a hurry, we have created this infographic which summarizes our approach in a very concise way!

And to find out what exactly “made in France” means, take a look here!

1. Consuming made in France is good for the environment

Dr Jérôme Paillet from the environmental studies and sustainable solutions firm Cycleco has published a complete study of the carbon footprint of the textile sector in France in January 2021 .

A very recent evaluation therefore, which we invite you to read in its entirety.

What can we learn from this study?

The textile carbon footprint per capita in France amounts to 442kg of C02 equivalent per year.
95.7% of textiles consumed in France (clothing + household linen) are imported.
In 2019, 1kg of textile consumed in France generates 54 kg of C02 equivalent (95.7% manufactured through imports, including emissions linked to unsold goods).
In comparison, 1kg of textile produced in France generates only 27.7kg of C02 equivalent, or almost half compared to that we consume.
Thanks to the relocation, the carbon footprint can be reduced by half thanks to the electricity mix (20.7kgC02/kg compared to 43.3 kgC02/kg).
Thanks to relocation, the carbon footprint can be reduced by 25% thanks to the reduction in unsold goods.
Thanks to relocation, the carbon footprint can be reduced by 10 to 15% thanks to eco-design, recycling and reuse (second hand)

Consuming locally means significantly reducing your carbon footprint and ensuring that the products have been designed and manufactured in compliance with European environmental and health regulations.

In particular, the use and discharge of chemicals (dyeing in textiles) is strictly regulated to guarantee the protection of our health and the environment.

2. Consuming made in France is good for employment

Consuming products made in France is a direct way of supporting the French economy and businesses. They pay their taxes and social security contributions in France, and they fight to save jobs!

Buying products made in France is also an incentive to recreate jobs in France within companies which until now were outsourcing.

According to the assessment of the carbon footprint of the textile sector in France published by Dr Jérôme Paillet of the environmental studies and sustainable solutions firm Cycleco in January 2021, buy 80g of clothing textiles and household linens (i.e. 1 pair of socks, a scarf, underwear, a hat, etc.) produced in France rather than in a low-cost country already makes it possible to relocate 1% of local production, creating 4,000 jobs on average.

3. Consume made in France to safeguard know-how

Historically, France is full of numerous know-how and excels in many fields: textile industry, crafts, culinary arts, etc.

The quality of our products depends on this know-how, which is also synonymous with durability. It is an opportunity and an inestimable wealth.

However, relocation has led to the loss of certain know-how, or at least the loss of their exclusivity.

By consuming products made in France, you help protect valuable know-how.

4. Consume made in France for an ethical guarantee of working conditions

The working and social protection conditions offered in France are among the most favorable in the world.

This is not the case for Asia-Pacific countries that traditionally export textile products.

The latest report from the International Labor Organization on the issue ( Employment and social issues in Asia-Pacific, November 2018 ) highlights the following figures: more than one in four workers still live in poverty, the duration average weekly work is more than 46 hours per week, the activity rate of men is 30% higher than that of women, and Social protection for workers is insufficient .