The “Made in France” label, a key ethical commitment for Jean Rousseau
by Jacques Bordier
While the “Made in France” label is often associated to products that are barely French, we, at Jean Rousseau, give full value to the label. A rare fact in our activity is that we manage the whole process – from the creation to the production of our Jean Rousseau Paris products – within our Besançon manufacture, in Franche-Comté, and we only make use of subcontracting on exceptional occasions. Thanks to this organisation, we are in control of the entire production chain and are able to guarantee the highest quality pieces to our customers.
In practical terms, it means that all our products are thought, designed and made in France, at the heart of our workshops. France is also where we manufacture our tools, where the skins are treated, and where our craftsmen are trained.
Besides, within our walls, “hand made in France” is given a special importance: if technology is progressively incorporated to our manufacturing procedure to increase the quality and viability of our products, our processes are still hardly mechanized. Some Jean Rousseau articles are even conceived by the same craftsman from A to Z.
Each day we see evidence that our respect for the “Made in France” label is much appreciated by our clients, among them our international ones, who know how committed and ethical we are. Albeit in any of the Atelier Jean Rousseau boutiques they visit – Paris, London, Tokyo or New York – our clients access the same know-how they would find in France. Our tailor-made pieces are manufactured onsite by our craftsmen, from the same skins and with the same tools and level of craftsmanship as in France. This is essential for our reputation.
We are proud that this very demanding respect for the values of the “Made in France” label has been rewarded since 2007 by the EPV label (standing for Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant, Living Heritage Company). Conferred by the French government for a period of 5 years (renewed in 2012 and 2017), this label stands out as a genuine guarantee of excellence and is also a strong recognition factor of our technical expertise in craftsmanship. It rewards our efforts to value authenticity and tradition and as a French brand, we also like to consider that it is proof of our contribution to the development and reputation of French know-how and culture worldwide.