Who said that made in France was necessarily unaffordable? While we often talk about the high cost of labor, which inevitably makes French production uncompetitive, we forget that many brands have found solutions to get around this problem. Le Figaro visited the Salon du Made in France, where over a thousand locally produced brands are on show until Monday. So, is cheap French really possible?

Comme avant: cosmetics from Marseille

For Sophie and Niel Parra, it all began by chance seven years ago. Unable to find any commercially available creams for their young son’s skin problems, they decided to make their own soap. With the compliments of their friends, they eventually launched their brand: quality creams, soaps, shampoos and serums made entirely in France in their workshop near Marseille. All items have a maximum of four to six ingredients and are cold-pressed to avoid denaturing the raw material. The brand was very popular during Covid, when the French were looking to consume more responsibly. And the results are there: in 2024, the company employs 76 people and forecasts sales of 12 million, representing growth of 124% in two years. In addition to its website, the brand owns eight boutiques and is due to open a ninth in Bordeaux at the end of November.

For Sophie and Niel, selling at affordable prices was an ethical challenge. “We sell all our products at market prices, or even below for certain items”.assures Niel Parra. Indeed, a shampoo or 90 mL of toothpaste costs 9.90 euros, relatively reasonable prices for similar cosmetics (organic, recyclable and made in France). The brand is even unbeatable when it comes to serums, the price of which is exploding in the shops: an anti-aging serum will peak at 16.90 euros, compared with several dozen euros for other brands. “We make everything in our own workshop, which means we don’t have to inflate prices because middlemen take commissions”.explains Sophie Parra. “We also benefit from a strong, close-knit community, which avoids heavy marketing costs”..

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1083: quality jeans

Jeans made in France don’t have to be overpriced. That’s what Thomas Huriez, a salesman in a clothing boutique, realized when he realized that the low-priced and high-end jeans he was selling actually had the same composition. The difference: marketing. “I said to myself that, even if labor costs were high in France, we could always make up for it by manufacturing in-house, which would reduce transport costs, but also by cutting marketing costs. Our only marketing is quality”.explains Thomas Hurriez. He then launched 1083, his own denim brand. The results are more than encouraging: 3 factories, 40 subcontractors, 5 directly-operated boutiques and 130 independent distributors. By 2023, the company had produced 50,000 jeans, with sales of 8 million euros.

But what about prices? Thomas Huriez has pulled out all the stops to bring them down: short circuits, no sales to avoid inflating prices the rest of the year, and a focus on gradual economies of scale through increased sales. “Our jeans cost between 100 and 130 euros: you might think that’s expensive, but it’s the same price as a Levi’s or a Diesel, except that it’s better quality and made in France. We also provide 15 half-sizes and five leg lengths, which comes at a price.justifies Thomas Huriez.

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Les vertueux: the recyclable toothbrush

This is one of Made in France’s finest success stories in terms of value for money. In 2012, Olivier Remoissonnet took over one of France’s oldest toothbrush factories, located in Beauvais in the Oise region. He began by revamping the old Bioceptyl brand to make toothbrushes that are entirely made in France and recyclable, which he markets in organic stores and pharmacies. Except that these models cost between 3 and 4 euros, and Olivier Remoissonnet wanted to make his product accessible to all French people. This was the start of the Les Vertueux brand, a simpler toothbrush made of recyclable plastic sold for…0.99 euros. One of the cheapest on the market.

To reach this record price, Olivier Remoissonnet took a gamble. He launched the production of 500,000 pieces, to take advantage of economies of scale, and then tried to approach supermarkets. Leclerc, Auchan and Carrefour jumped on board. As a result, the 500,000 units were sold out in just six weeks, and a second round of production was launched. “Made in France should no longer feel illegitimate in volume markets”.argues Olivier Remoissonnet. “There are two keys: mastering manufacturing to limit commissions and transport costs, and exploiting economies of scale.”.

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Navir: low-priced basics

Made-in-France basics at fast-fashion prices? It can be done. That’s what Baptiste Vallet wanted to do when he launched his brand Navir. Sweatshirts for 35 euros, T-shirts for 19 euros, sports bags for 30 euros…and all made in a factory in Bobigny, on the outskirts of Paris. The young entrepreneur began by buying out the factory where he worked as a salesman, with an idea in mind: to create a B2B clothing brand made in France. He sells his products to companies for specific events, seminars or galas, enabling him to sell large volumes and make economies of scale. The VADF (Vêtements et Accessoires de France) brand was born.

But for Baptiste Vallet, this was not enough: he wanted to go directly to the consumer. So he invested in a new brand, Navir, to offer low-cost basics. With a twist: if his production doesn’t sell out, he can always resell it to companies via his other brand, VADF. This allows him to invest without risk and to mass-produce, which lowers production costs. The result: inexpensive items, made entirely from organic materials, all manufactured in France in cooperation with the APF France Handicap association. An economic, ecological, social and French project…we love it.