Knitting
Our berets are made from Arles merino wool sourced from a French spinning mill. We receive the yarn in pre-dyed skeins, which gives us complete freedom to create our own designs: red cabillou, sailor stripes, etc.
Our eight knitters produce one beret every ten minutes on average. In the past, shepherdesses would knit while tending their sheep, and the little tail known as the cabillou was the end of the beret.
Inspection
After the knitting stage, which is long but crucial in the manufacture of our berets, we move on to inspection. Our seamstresses must inspect each beret to remove any impurities using tweezers and mend any holes by hand, invisibly.
Fulling
The fulling machine is the key element in our manufacturing process, surrounded by discretion. It is thanks to the unique expertise of our master fulling miller that we are able to produce authentic berets. Our machines, capable of processing 130 to 150 berets simultaneously, felt the wool with precision.
We regularly adjust the process based on the beret's reactions to achieve the desired size and finish. For example, like a woollen jumper washed at too high a temperature, fulling transforms the texture and density of the wool. The duration of the fulling process varies according to specific criteria, generally ranging from 3 to 4 hours and sometimes involving several fulling cycles. Different fulling programmes are used depending on the type of wool used. Parameters such as the overall moisture content of the wool, the pH of the tap water, and other factors can also affect the duration of the felting process.
Until a few years ago, fulling was done with large wooden machines, processing 50 berets at a time in an 18- to 20-hour process.
Enformage
As soon as they come out of the fulling machine, the berets are heated in a copper steam bell. This makes it easier to shape them one by one by hand, using a wooden disc, and to create their hem. This is a difficult step because the beret is extremely hot.
They are then placed in a drying cabinet for 12 to 24 hours. Once ready, our artisans remove the disc from each beret, and it is at this point that they obtain their final shape and size.
Shaving
Shaving is the essential step in finishing the beret. After being removed from their moulds one by one, the berets are scraped and shaved. This step is carried out using a machine called a shaver. It uses a blade to remove excess wool from the surface of the beret, making it smooth and uniform.
Final Touches
Our berets are almost ready! They must pass through the expert hands of craftsmen to detect the slightest impurity to be removed and identify the slightest defect.
The labels are sewn onto the berets, the lining is added to the fashion berets, and the badges are attached.
Finally, our berets are ready to be shipped to the UK and around the world!
