La Gentle Factory
La Gentle Factory is a French clothing brand founded in 2013 by Christèle Merter that produces its collections entirely in France. It makes cotton-based casual basics such as T-shirts, sweatshirts and knitwear.
| Founded | 2013 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Christèle Merter |
| Independent since | 2019 |
| Production | More than 30 French workshops |
| Stores | La Factory, Paris |
| Website | lagentlefactory.com |
What is La Gentle Factory?
La Gentle Factory is a French responsible fashion brand created in 2013 by Christèle Merter, a textile engineer, as an intrapreneurship project inside Happychic, the northern French group behind labels such as Jules and Pimkie. After about five years of incubation it became fully independent in 2019.
Products and positioning
The brand makes a casual range that is largely cotton based, including knitwear, sweatshirts and T-shirts. Its central promise is made in France production: La Gentle Factory works with more than 30 French workshops covering knitting, dyeing and button making.
Distribution
The brand sells directly to consumers. It took over the two Paris boutiques of the clothing label Adresse Paris and renamed them La Factory, one of them on rue Beaurepaire in the 10th arrondissement. It has also worked with larger retailers on collaborations, including a T-shirt and sweatshirt collection with Promod released in November 2023.
Why it matters
La Gentle Factory is an example of a brand that grew from within a large fast fashion group to become an independent champion of local textile production, showing how French manufacturing can be organised around a network of specialised workshops.
Frequently asked questions
Who founded La Gentle Factory?
La Gentle Factory was founded in 2013 by textile engineer Christèle Merter, initially within the Happychic group.
Where are La Gentle Factory clothes made?
The clothes are made in France, through a network of more than 30 French workshops.