Made in France or French washing?

Today, many French brands use many names to describe their products: drawn in France, designed in France, designed in France, made in France, thought in France, imagined in France, Made in France...

At a time when French manufacturing is a guarantee of quality (not to mention the rest... you can find all the advantages linked to Made in France in our previous article right here ), French brands do not hesitate to use these designations. But in some cases, it is French washing.

A term inspired by green washing, which consists of giving oneself a misleading image of environmental and ecological responsibility, you can begin to glimpse what is hidden behind French washing...

We will explain everything to you !

What does Made in France mean?

Before talking about French washing, we must first understand the definition of Made in France.

"Made in France" or "Made in France" are origin markings, which can be used by brands or companies on their goods if:

• A significant part of the manufacturing of the product was carried out in France.
• The final processing step of the product was done in France.

You should also know that depending on the type of product, the mention of the country of manufacture is not necessarily mandatory (it will be mandatory on food products, but not necessarily on textile products for example).

Source: economie.gouv

Shoulder strap of the Viahero Paris Pilot Bag , which is Made in France

And what is French washing then?

French washing is a strategy used by a French brand that uses subterfuge to make the consumer think that its products are made in France, when they are made abroad.

In other words, you have the impression of buying Made in France... when this is not the case!

In general, the following codes are highlighted:

• The use of the colors of the French flag: blue, white and red.
• The highlighting of the mention France attached to another name than "manufacture", such as "designed in France", "thought in France", "designed in France"...
• The use of the word "France" attached to the brand, or the name of a French city.

So how do we get there?

Indeed, you have understood, you have to be vigilant!

Several indications of trust can help you navigate through this jungle of products and terms, and understand what you are buying:

• You can look for the indication "Made in France" or "Fabriqué en France" on the product label. Generally, when a brand manufactures in France, it displays it on its labels.
• You can identify the labels certifying Made in France products, because there are several, such as "Origine France Garantie" or "France Terre Textile". These labels actually certify the products with companies, after an internal audit. On the other hand, these labels labels being generally quite expensive, some brands choose not to have any, even though they are Made in France.
• Finally, some brands are very transparent about their manufacturing and their commitments.

And Viahero in all this?

Well it's simple: we have chosen French manufacturing : all the stages of making our products, such as the Pilot Bag or the Pilot Pouch , are carried out in our French partner workshop, certified Adapted Company!

And as Made in France is at the center of the (Re)born of the brand , we were keen to help you to advise you on truly French products: for this, we have created a Made in France brand guide , for you. allow you to find Made in France brands in all sectors... and we offer it to you for free!

You can go right here to download it: