Real or fake made in France: what the labels actually guarantee
A small tricolour flag, "designed in Paris", "made in France", a round logo on the label… On a garment, these mentions are not worth the same. Some are governed by law, some are checked every year by independent auditors, and others guarantee nothing at all about where the item was made.
La Marinière 1858, knitted and sewn in Troyes, France. Here is what each one means, based on official sources, and how it applies to a Breton shirt.
- 01First: a mention of origin is not a label
- 02Made in France labels compared
- 03Made in France: what the law actually says
- 04Origine France Garantie: the general certification
- 05France Terre Textile: the French textile label
- 06Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant: a company label
- 07What is not a label of origin
- 08How to check a garment in 4 questions
- 09Our Breton shirts
- 10Frequently asked questions
First: a mention of origin is not a label
Three different things are often mixed up.
The mention of origin ("made in France", "fabriqué en France"): the brand adds it itself. It is not mandatory, but if it appears on the product, it must comply with customs rules of origin.
The label: a standard defined by an organisation (federation, association, the State), whose compliance is checked according to its own rules.
The certification: a label whose compliance is checked by an independent certification body, through audits.
In short: a mention of origin is self-declared, while a label or a certification adds external control.
Made in France labels compared
France
Made in France Made in France | Origine France Garantie | France Terre Textile ✓ La Marinière 1858 | Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Mention of origin (customs code) | Certification | Textile label | State label |
| Who grants it | No one: the brand adds it itself | Pro France association, audit by a certification body | Approved textile regions; checks by independent bodies | The French State |
| What it guarantees | The last substantial transformation took place in France | The product takes its distinctive form in France, and 50 to 100% of its unit cost price is incurred in France | At least 69% of the manufacturing steps are carried out in France, in approved textile regions | The company's outstanding craftsmanship |
| Applies to | The product | The product | The product (label on the garment) | The company, not a specific product |
| Control | Checks by the DGCCRF (sales) and customs (imports) | Initial audit, then a follow-up audit every year; certification granted for 3 years | Factory audit every 3 years, yearly traceability check, surprise in-store checks | Application review; label granted for 5 years |
| Textile-specific | No | No | Yes | No |
Gauvain Paris holds only the France Terre Textile label, for La Marinière 1858. The other logos are shown for information only and do not imply any certification of our products.
Made in France: what the law actually says
In France, as in the rest of the European Union, stating a garment's origin is not mandatory. A brand that writes "made in France" must, however, be able to justify it: the product must be wholly obtained in France, or have undergone its last substantial transformation there.
For a knitted garment such as a T-shirt, French customs look at the country where the complete making-up takes place. Simple printing or packaging in France is not enough. The fabric, however, can come from elsewhere: a garment sewn in France from fabric knitted abroad can legally carry the mention.
“So it is a real guarantee, but a minimal one. It tells you where the garment was assembled, not necessarily where its fabric was knitted or dyed.
Origine France Garantie: the general certification
Created by the Pro France association, Origine France Garantie applies to all kinds of products, not only textiles. Two conditions must be met at the same time:
- the product takes its essential characteristics in France (its distinctive form);
- 50 to 100% of its unit cost price is incurred in France.
These criteria are checked by a certification body during an on-site audit, then every year. The certification is granted for three years.
France Terre Textile: the French textile label
France Terre Textile is the label of France's historic textile regions. It guarantees that at least 69% of the manufacturing steps of an item are carried out in France, by approved companies, in one of six recognised regions: the Vosges, Alsace, the Nord, Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes, Troyes Champagne and the South.
The steps covered run from spinning to making-up, including weaving or knitting and finishing. Checks are regular: a factory audit every three years, a yearly traceability check on at least five products, and surprise checks in stores.
An important point: the label is attached to the item itself, on a label. It certifies a product, not an entire brand. The same brand can therefore have certified products and others that are not.
Good to know: you will sometimes read "75%" about France Terre Textile. The label's official website now states a minimum of 69%.
Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant: a company label
The Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV, "Living Heritage Company") label is awarded by the French State to a company for its business as a whole, in recognition of outstanding craftsmanship. It is granted for five years.
It is a genuine distinction, but it says nothing about a specific product: a garment sold by a brand is not "EPV-labelled" because one of its suppliers is.
What is not a label of origin
Two labels that are very common in fashion are often confused with made in France:
- Oeko-Tex Standard 100 is about the absence of harmful substances in textiles. It says nothing about the country of manufacture.
- GOTS is about organic fibres and environmental and social criteria across the supply chain. It says nothing about the country of manufacture either.
And some phrases guarantee nothing about manufacturing: "designed in France", "designed in Paris", "French spirit", or a tricolour flag on its own. They refer to where the design was created or to the brand's image.
How to check a garment in 4 questions
Does the sewn-in label state a country? Look for "made in" or "fabriqué en". A flag alone is not enough.
Does the product page list the manufacturing steps? In France, large brands must now state the countries of knitting or weaving, dyeing and printing, and making-up (AGEC law). Smaller ones are not required to, but nothing stops them.
Is a label attached to the item itself? A France Terre Textile or Origine France Garantie logo on the garment's label commits the product. A logo only on the website, without details, commits less.
Is the brand clear about its whole range? A brand can make some styles in France and others elsewhere. What matters is that it says so product by product.
Our Breton shirts
At Gauvain Paris, we make two models, and we do not present them in the same way.
La Marinière 1858 is knitted and sewn in France, in Troyes, in the Troyes Champagne textile region. It carries the France Terre Textile label on its care tag. Discover La Marinière 1858 for women or men.
Made in PortugalLa Marinière Originale is made in Portugal, in a family-run workshop specialising in striped jersey. It is not made in France, and we do not present it as such.
We would rather tell you exactly where each piece comes from than extend a mention to the whole collection.
Frequently asked questions
Is made in France a label?
No. It is a mention of origin that the brand adds itself, governed by customs rules. It can be checked by the DGCCRF (the French consumer protection authority), but it is not granted by any organisation.
What is the difference between Origine France Garantie and France Terre Textile?
Origine France Garantie covers all products and is based on the share of the cost price incurred in France (at least 50%). France Terre Textile is reserved for textiles and is based on the share of manufacturing steps carried out in France (at least 69%), in approved textile regions.
Can a garment "made in France" use foreign fabric?
Yes. For a knitted garment, it is the complete making-up that determines its origin. A label such as France Terre Textile guarantees that a large share of the manufacturing steps, not only the making-up, takes place in France.
Can a brand call itself "EPV-labelled" because its manufacturer is?
No. The EPV label is awarded to a company for its own business. It does not carry over to another brand's products.
Sources: douane.gouv.fr (« Fabriqué en France »), entreprises.gouv.fr (origin marking of products), franceterretextile.fr, CCI Paris Île-de-France (Origine France Garantie), decree no. 2022-748 (AGEC law).
