You may have already looked at the label of a garment and said to yourself "oh come on it's made in Europe" which gave you the impression that you hadn't bought anything and that above all, it was worth its higher price. Unfortunately, we can't necessarily trust manufacturers and we will try here to help you choose a garment that wouldn't have been made in a cellar by children (we're barely exaggerating)
To begin with, countries are ranked from 1 to 5+ by the ITUC (International Trade Union Confederation) as more or less risky on the scale of rights in the world. While France gets a score of 2 (and yes, not even 1…) other countries like Afghanistan or Burundi are in the 5+.
This ranking also allows you to see which countries are trying to improve and which ones are ignoring international scrutiny (the important thing is to participate)
“Made in France”
For several years, French-made products have been popular because customers recognize the importance of supporting the local economy, but you may not know that the rules for affixing this label are a little vague. Indeed, this label is very strict for agricultural, food and cosmetic products, but a little less so for the rest.
The Directorate General for Enterprises (DGE) stipulates that for the terms “Made in France” or “Fabriqué en France” the rules of the European Union Customs Code must be respected.
♦ be entirely obtained in France (all components come from France and all manufacturing stages take place in France)
♦ or have undergone its last substantial transformation in France.
We will focus on the word "substantial" because it is thanks to this that some companies proudly display a small tricolor flag without further details.
The rule stipulates that a maximum of 40% of raw materials must be of foreign origin or that the added value of the product exceeds 45% (all that is very complicated)
So for example, you order a roll of fabric from China that you transform into a t-shirt on French soil, then you can add the words “Made in France”
Likewise, if you buy a finished sweatshirt, add labels, beautiful embroidery and details, then it is considered French.
Better still, if the product undergoes intangible activities, such as research and development on our territory, then it is French!
There is no obligation to specify the origin of each component, which can make your choice more difficult. Don't be fooled by the presence of a simple blue, white and red logo that could make you believe that this product comes from here.
In France, there are certified labels with stricter rules such as "ORIGINE FRANCE GARANTIE" "FRANCE TERRE TEXTILE" "DENTELLE DE CALAIS-CAUDRY" or "PRODUIT EN BRETAGNE" (labels concerning textile products)
“Made in the Rest of the World”
In Europe, most countries respect a labor code which ensures good production conditions and even if the rules are just as vague as for "made in France" it is better to know that the workers have received a decent salary as well as a correct working environment.
On other continents, these same rules are not as well applied or sometimes do not exist at all, which is why it is better to rely on recognized labels that indicate that ethics are respected; it would be a shame to proudly wear your t-shirt and learn in what disastrous conditions it was made.
The labels
Despite the sad situation in some countries, there are companies that are trying to change things and are validated by certification bodies.
By obtaining a label, they can prove to the world (and to you) that improvement is possible and they must therefore be encouraged in this direction. This desire is accompanied by difficulty because the majority of customers do not understand the issues and prefer to think of their wallets (we imagine that if you are reading this page, it is because this is not your case) and this has a cost for the company, between 1000 and 3000 euros per year.
Several organizations follow the progress of these companies and if you want to know them then go here:
Labels
So yes, it is possible to produce in "poor" or non-democratic countries, but improving working conditions will not happen without consumer awareness.
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