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Democratizing the purchase of Eco-friendly products in a made in France approach?

Picture Organic Clothing is an outdoor equipment brand: freeride, expedition, lifestyle created in 2008 by 3 friends in Clermont Ferrand passionate about Snowboarding, Freeride, and other sliding sports. To complete your outfit, also discover our textile equipment for mountain sports to fully enjoy your outdoor activities.

The starting point of Picture Organic Clothing is to democratize the purchase of Eco-friendly. Like any project, there are constraints. And to reach the general public, it is also necessary to offer competitive products against the competition.

Distribution of the Picture Organic Clothing brand in eco-friendly clothing stores and specialized websites

Picture Organic Clothing has from the start offered an alternative to what the competition offered its customers. The brand has managed to differentiate itself from its competitors against which it has positioned itself. The brand has gradually found its place in the outdoor sports landscape: by integrating physical stores: small retailers and then selected specialized websites for their selection of sustainable outdoor gear.

Picture Organic Clothing, a new player in ethical and organic clothing

Established in France and then abroad (today more than 50% of sales are made abroad). The brand has relied on its freshness (style, design, story) and its environmental positioning. This has allowed "independent stores to renew their offerings, and to grow at the same time as Picture, with our products having an exit rate close to 100%".

Manufacturing Eco-friendly and ethical clothing

The story of Picture becomes possible thanks to production in Turkey and China. For those who are attentive to the origin of products, know that part of our collection highlights items made with recycled materials as well as purchasing natural outdoor materials to limit environmental impact.

As we know, labor is cheaper on the Asian continent. This is partly what allows the brand to align with the competition. All this is done while respecting the rules of "Fair Wear work" which says work in Asia does not mean work by 5-year-old children. On the contrary, the factories where Picture manufactures respect good working conditions, fair remuneration, and ensure the safety of their employees. Implementation of the 8 Fair Wear standards.

Manufacturing a 100% organic cotton t-shirt: the alternatives

This t-shirt is currently made in Turkey in a partner factory since the beginning of the adventure in 2008. The cotton comes from Soke and then the t-shirt is made in Izmir 150 kilometers away. It is noted that the circuit between cotton production and factory is short. Picture buys the t-shirt for €7 at the factory in Turkey, sold for €12.5 (excluding tax) to us retailers and then between €30 and €33 including tax to you final consumers. To accompany the younger ones in a casual style, also discover the selection of children's fashion shorts.
This price allows us retailers to live properly and allows Picture to develop, innovate, and continue its eco-friendly initiatives. As a reminder, a company pays: rents, payroll, taxes, customs, R&D in France, logistics, operating costs. Finally, VAT at a rate of 20% also comes into play in the calculation.

Is it possible to produce organic cotton clothing in France?

Producing in France is not impossible. Alpinstore is already working with partners like Monnet who has its own factory. Picture Organic Clothing also wants to manufacture in France. The brand's neck warmers are made in Ain (01). The raw material: polyester comes from Italy. For those looking for a bold style, explore our range of trendy women's outfits.

Production of neck warmers in the Cenyo workshop in Chatillon en Michaille (01 - Ain - France)

The first point is to bring the raw material back to France: organic cotton is not found in France. "The spinning, knitting, dyeing, and then the finishing of the product would then be done in France". For a more responsible choice, you can support eco-friendly purchasing in fair trade and contribute to a different fashion.

The t-shirt is no longer purchased for €7 but between €15 and €20 depending on the quality. To then sell it between €30 and €35 excluding tax to stores, resulting in a final price of €70-75 including tax. We completely change the target audience.

We are therefore far from Picture's DNA: democratizing Eco-friendly products to the general public.

An Eco-friendly brand that manufactures on the other side of the world

Alpinstore and Picture have the same issue: an international brand strategy. Manufacturing in China when selling in Japan poses fewer problems. But manufacturing in France when selling in Japan is the same issue in the other direction. In short, always packages that travel thousands of kilometers.

The ideal: to manufacture in 3 factories spread across the planet according to their clients. This also divides production costs by 3 and thus also increases the selling price of your t-shirt to return to the example above.

Picture is certainly a nice French company but is still very far from the volumes of large brands and this strategy is currently not adapted.

Today, what justifies Picture's Eco-friendly choice?

- Responsible raw materials (organic cotton, recycled polyester, bio-sourced polyester, reconditioned materials). To go further, find out about our sustainable manufacturing purchases in our collections.

- Dyeing processes that consume less energy and water

- A water-repellent treatment without harmful chemicals

- Certifications justifying the first 3 points

- Total knowledge of supply chains, from raw materials to finished products

- A historical relationship with our suppliers, and a constant improvement of working conditions in collaboration with Fair Wear Foundation

- Transport by boat to deliver products to the storage location, Picture does not use planes.

- Packaging of products in bio-sourced plastic and industrially compostable at the end of life

A constant reassessment by the teams to reduce carbon impact and raise public awareness. Each year, the share of recycled materials in clothing increases.

This year, for example, true to these values at their animation stands during events (High Five...) Picture came with a machine that transformed plastic bottles into a keychain right before your eyes, which you could take home. A great example of awareness.

Sources: Picture Alpinstore training + Picture Organic Clothing website article