At the fair dedicated to tricolor manufacturing, which is held in Paris until November 13, the entrepreneur installed a textile factory “of the future”, in a setting inspired by the Daft Punk. The operation of this Parisian SME of 120 employees, however, irritates certain manufacturers.
by Juliette Garnier
For four days, Guillaume Gibault is at the head of a factory. That of the “future”. “A crazy thing,” he says. The founder of the French Slip, who calls on eighty tricolor manufacturers for his clothing collections since the creation of his brand, eleven years ago, has installed a small army of workshops within the MIF Exo, the Made in Made in Made France which holds its tenth edition from November 10 to 13 in Paris Expo, Porte de Versailles.
For its eighth participation in this general public event, the 800 exhibitors of which hope 100,000 visitors, the French Slip invests 1,400 square meters and installs twenty-five partners, forty of their machines and eighty workers and workers. All work for one of the brand’s subcontractors whose turnover has reached 23 million euros. They will present the way a garment is cut, sewn, knitted, remained and repaired for the SME and its twenty shops. A sailor will be made on site, for example. Cost of the operation: 300,000 euros.
For what to do? “Because most people have never been to a textile factory,” replied Mr. Gibault. According to France, France would now sin through the ignorance of this industrial sector which has lost two thirds of its workforce in twenty years, reaching 60,000 jobs. Young people would be reluctant to train in these trades. Their parents would dissuade them.
Consequently, although in full recovery, the workshops, whose staff are aging, would struggle to hire. To the chagrin of local communities whose SMEs ensure a job pool. However, French manufacturing today would have all the virtues, according to Mr. Gibault. “Its value is economic, social and environmental,” he explains, recalling that the Environment and Energy Management Agency has shown that the French manufacturing of a garment issues 50 % of Carbon emissions less than a garment produced in China. The “factory of the future” operation could also make you understand why a underwear made in France costs so expensive; The batch of four briefs of the brand is sold 120 euros. “Yes, it may seem expensive. But no one knows the right price of a clothing made in France,” deplores Mr. Gibault.
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However, the initiative of this SME with 120 employees is annoying. She has her nickname: “Daft Punk”. Because “to show the general public all the innovation and sustainability of the French textile sector”, Guillaume Gibault chose a scenography similar to that of the legendary concert “Alive 2007” with which the electro duo turned on fifty dates here fifteen. White neon lights and LED pyramid in stroboscope: we are far from the appearance of French workshops, many of which, under the light of neon, in Roanne (Loire), Saint-James (Manche) or La Rochefoucauld-en-Angoumois (Charente) , knit and assemble Marinières and Charentaises by scraping against the low prices of China.
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