Since the wave of “Made in France” with Arnaud Montberg at the top of the sailors, building in France has become a patriotic act. Brands understand this very well: many are now highlighting their products or the small part of their production that is manufactured in the region. But it must be admitted, “Made in France” sometimes remains a very inaccessible ideal for many companies.
So should they feel guilty, hide and line up in the camps of those who drop matters on moral issues? Or are there other ways of expressing one’s good patriotic conscience? In other words, can your brand move towards an ethical approach when production constraints make it impossible to manufacture in France?
It’s good to build a business in France
The most important thing is to continue to build business in France. A company always creates jobs, seeks other French suppliers and it is above all that contributes to generating growth at the national level. Beginning with resisting the urge to domicile their business in France and developing tax evasion strategies, it is the first patriotic and ethical approach beyond the geographic origin of production.
Information has been transferred: Threat
It is a fact that some products are difficult to produce in France. Industrial fabrication has become rare and technology has shifted as well, even though the trend has been making a comeback in recent years. Today, it is not easy to find some accurate information and reliable production equipment at affordable prices in France. So we cannot blame the manufacturers who have opted for other more exotic production sites.
But beware of gears: the less we produce in France, the harder it is for newcomers to do so, thanks to a lack of knowledge that is slowly disappearing. One might ask the question: With all the artisanal and industrial knowledge that China has, what if Chinese workers also aspire to better working conditions? We may have to pay dearly…
French consumers are willing to pay a little more for “Made in France”
Another element: We often get carried away in the name of “competition.” This would mean that the only criterion of competition would be price. However, according to a study by Sofres, Made in France has a good image in the minds of consumers. Proof :
- 95% of consumers who purchase products made in France believe that the act of their purchase is a way of supporting employment in France.
- 91% mention quality guarantee.
- 90% see this as a guarantee of a product manufactured by a company whose employees are safe.
- 89% believe it is a guarantee of better respect for the environment (a binding French regulation on the one hand and transport savings compared to imports on the other).
So there are many other criteria that make a product competitive in the minds of buyers!
Other evidence of France’s association with Made in France:
- 88% of those questioned in the context of the study believe that “French companies should make production in France a priority to support growth and employment”.
- Only 10% of those questioned believe that French companies must produce where costs are lowest in order to face international competition.
It makes you think about the business model… What emerges above all is that quality and creativity should be the basis of competition, not just price.
How to be ethical anyway?
If so many brands still find it difficult to manufacture in distant lands, perhaps this aspect also tickles them morally? Obviously, repatriating its production to France or Europe is more than a commendable initiative which should be encouraged as much as possible. But even when the process becomes complicated, even impossible, what must be done to maintain an ethical attitude? However, there are many other ways to necessarily manufacture in France to be ethical and run a responsible company.
For example, the Ethical Fashion Show in Paris every year brings together all the designers and players of the fashion industry who have an ethical point of view. In their charter, they define several criteria for what is considered “ethical”: the use of organic and natural materials, the use of recycling, the promotion of fair trade and local information, or support for social projects.
Some countries also do fair trade, and even if we are still forced to build there, we can take an ethical stand by supporting a union down the road. You can rely on each of these points to communicate and enhance your brand image. Some brands, such as Faguo or Mercy, have made it their niche: while manufactured in China, they finance associations around the world.
Also, companies with a social and responsible dimension are more likely to be financed when looking for funding, competition, support and funding for investment and business support. This will be a major asset in this research.
The main thing is to have a willingness to move towards ethical and CSR approaches once the means are numerous…