Le Béret Français: a 100% Basque Country production
WHAT DOES THE "LIVING HERITAGE COMPANY" LABEL MEAN?
The Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) label is a label issued by the French government to celebrate skills and specific industrial excellence. The criteria for being awarded are advanced know-how and skills. They are usually traditional and linked to a specific territory, for us the South-West. It is a great recognition for us and a way to highlight our local commitment.
How do you make a 100% Basque beret ?
Step 1 : Knitting and checking !
A beret is first knitted wool. Our wool, we have chosen 100% French, and it is the wool of a breed of French sheep, the Merinos d'Arles, collected throughout the South of France.
Previously, it was the shepherds who knitted while keeping their sheep. Today our wool is knitted by machine, thanks to our high-performance machines that help us on this technical step before our hands are activated on all the following steps.
After knitting, our dressmakers check each beret one by one to remove any small impurities that would have remained in the wool with tweezers, and sew small holes, by hand, in an invisible way. Thoroughness is essential!
Step 2 : The foulon !
The foulon is a crucial step in manufacturing. The foulon is the equivalent of a very large washing machine, which will, with the threshing and heat of the water, felting the wool.
We check how the beret reacts regularly in order to reach the desired size and appearance.
Depending on the colour, the time of treading may vary by several hours.
Step 3 : Forming and drying !
As soon as we get out of the foulon, we put the berets in a copper steam bell. This makes it easier to fit the berets one by one by hand and create its hem.
As soon as we get out of the foulon, we will insert by hand in each beret a wooden disc, a difficult step because the beret is burning.
Then they will be dried for a whole night, before the next day, to remove the wooden form of each beret, and that is where they will have taken their shape and final size.
Step 4 : Shaving !
Shaving is the final embellishment of the beret. After scraping the hair, each beret will be shaved by hand, with a shaver or a hand tool, to give it a smooth and uniform appearance.
Step 5 : The last checks !
Our berets are almost ready! They must pass into the expert hands of the team, who will still spot the last impurity or defect, then repair or discard, for a flawless beret.
Step 6 : Final finishes !
The berets have all been validated, now you have to sew the labels on the berets and add the lining on the Mode berets.
Finally our berets are ready to be shipped in France and worldwide!
