Bringing production back to France is a battle
Today we do everything we can to produce in France. It's our ambition and what drives us. But the reality is brutal: some skills have simply vanished from this country. Take our artificial flowers. They are made in Asia. Why? Because the latex know-how no longer exists here (or at least not at the volumes we need to serve you). The real irony? They're probably made over there on French machines exported years ago. We can't invent what is no longer there, so we choose the best artisans, wherever they happen to be.
We could play the system. The law is fairly flexible: the last stage of processing only has to happen in France to earn that precious label.
Technically, we could source everything from the other side of the world, tie a bit of string around a bouquet or box it up in our Nantes workshop, and tell you with a straight face: “It's Made in France.” Legally, we'd get away with it.
But honestly? That would be lying to you. And at Flowrette we prefer the truth to a legal sleight of hand.
A piece of string doesn't make it Made in France
Wanting something 100% French looks lovely on paper. But in practice? Cotton doesn't grow in France. If we want to offer you textile accessories, the material has to come from elsewhere.
The same goes for our dried flowers. We'd love every stem to come from the field next door, but the truth is there still aren't enough French flower farms to meet demand. And flowers dry far better in the Italian sun than they do in Brittany. We buy close to home whenever we can, but we refuse to lie to you by slapping a French origin on a material that has crossed borders.
Raw materials don't always speak French
Everyone says they want Made in France. But here's the economic truth: producing 100% in France is expensive. Very expensive.
If we shifted everything to local production tomorrow, our prices would be four or five times higher. Would you be willing to pay €200 for a bouquet instead of €45? The honest answer, for most of you, is no. And that's entirely fair.
Part of our mission at Flowrette is to make craftsmanship accessible, not to turn it into a luxury for the few.
The real price of local
Rather than chasing a “Made in France” certification that can be rather vague, we've chosen two principles: honesty and transparency.
Our hands are here: little by little, we produce more and more locally. Our bouquets and our candles are made by hand, one at a time, by our florists and artisans in our workshop near Nantes. That's where our real value lies.
Our partners are chosen: when we can't make something in France, we look for the best craftsmanship elsewhere, with partners who share our standards of quality and decency.
Our view: proximity over labels
Why are we telling you all this?
Because we think you deserve better than polished marketing. We'd rather explain why a particular vase comes from a particular place, or why a particular flower isn't French, than let you believe a fairy tale. Buying from Flowrette means supporting a company that owns its contradictions and fights, every day, to do its best. That's what we understand real Made in France to be.
craftsmanship
We champion the skills of artisans from our own region and from around the world.
respect for the planet
We are committed to responsible production.
Artisans with a passion
We showcase their talent through exclusive collaborations.
Timeless objects
We work with objects and products that are made to last.
"We're not chasing perfection, but constant progress. Every day we learn to do a little better than the day before, so that Flowrette is a brand you — and we — can be proud of."
What we look for when it isn't French
1
If not France, then where (and why)?
When the skills no longer exist here, we don't automatically go to the lowest bidder. We look for excellence. Our criteria? Decent working conditions, and a quality that means your Flowrette product lasts years rather than weeks. Longevity is part of being green too.
2
Insisting on real craft (even far away)
Our artificial flowers come from Asia because they're the only people who still master that illusion of life in latex. Over there it's an art form. We'd rather have an exceptional flower made in Asia on a historic machine than a mediocre copy made somewhere else.
3
Neighbours first
If it isn't French, we look to our immediate neighbours first. Most of our dried flowers come from the Netherlands, Italy or Spain. Why? Because the climate is kinder and the farming set-up has been honed over decades. It means fewer miles than long-haul imports, and the guarantee of European social standards.
4
An obsession with longevity
We hate throwaway. Whether a vase comes from Portugal or from France, our number one criterion is how sturdy it is and how timeless its design. We think an object made a little further away that stays in your living room for 10 years is far greener than a poor-quality “local” product that's in the bin after six months.
5
No phantom factories
We choose partners, not anonymous suppliers. We make sure working conditions are decent and that artisans are treated with respect. We don't work with factories whose faces we don't know. We'd rather be proud of the people behind the product, whatever their nationality.
Work in progress — Flowrette is getting better
We're not perfect, but we're improving. Every year we try to move another range towards more local production. We trial small French flower farms and look for ceramic workshops closer to home. Sometimes it works; sometimes the final price forces us to back off in order to stay affordable. We're feeling our way, but we're moving forward.
“Made by Flowrette”, our real source of pride
If we can't put 100% “Made in France” on every label, we can guarantee “Made by Flowrette”. That's our team of enthusiasts in our Nantes workshop. They're the ones who compose your bouquets, pour your candles and pack your parcels with care. Buying from us means, above all, keeping that craft alive right here.