[Case by case #8] P. Daly et S. Ruaud - Fashion and responsible entrepreneurship: the story of La Gentle Factory

Why did you decide to study the launching an eco-friendly clothing brand?

Sabine Ruaud : Fashion is said to be the second most polluting industry in the world (2). This observation is partly linked to the rise of fast fashion, whose success is based on a race for volume and low prices, rapid renewal of collections and a totally linear model (on a global scale, less than 1% of all materials used by the industry are recycled into new clothes). However, this logic is not irreversible: the emergence of bold alternative fashion that is more respectful of people and the environment is possible (3). Provided the sector radically transforms its business model...

Peter Daly : Such is the case of this clothing brand, La Gentle Factory (4), created in 2014 by Christèle Merter. A textile engineer and head of Happychic's quality department for over ten years, Christèle was keen to ‘build a new imagination that inspires customers and leads them towards more sustainable and responsible practices’. Her unshakeable convictions, her unfailing motivation and her ability to unite teams and partners around her project have enabled her to take the plunge and design fashion that is as seductive as it is responsible. This case study looks at the challenges Christèle has faced in making her mark in the sustainable fashion industry.

Why are these issues crucial for a sector that has been singled out and plagued by the demons of ‘fast fashion’?

Peter Daly : Faced with the urgency of climate change and the explosion in CO2 emissions over the last few decades, due in particular to the success of fast fashion, consumers are increasingly turning to ‘slow fashion’, in other words sustainable fashion. This sector, characterised by the use of natural or recycled materials, guaranteed working conditions and fair pay, and local production of the garment, is enjoying growing success around the world; so much so that global sales of ethical fashion, which were worth around 6.9 billion dollars in 2021, are expected to reach more than 10 billion dollars in 2026. In France too (5), despite prices that are considered high and a system of labels that may seem complex, the ethical fashion market is slowly gaining ground.

What key points about sustainable fashion would you like to see taught through this case study (1)?

Sabine Ruaud : By tracing the history of The Gentle Factory, this case aims to expose students to the challenges faced by sustainable entrepreneurs within the fashion industry. It highlights the key issues involved in understanding these challenges, the determinants of responsible entrepreneurship within SMEs, the different types of sustainable innovation and the importance of alliances and networks, and shows how the use of storytelling helped to build a new sustainable business by focusing on the vision, mission and values of its founder.

Do you feel that students are more aware of these issues after the case? Have you had any examples of students clearly expressing a desire to embark on projects of this kind?

Sabine Ruaud : Our EDHEC students belong to this growing community of people who are convinced that sustainable fashion is well-founded, and even imperative: from their point of view, desirability and sustainability must clearly ‘join forces’ if fashion is to make sense. Some are embarking on this adventure. I'm thinking in particular of Camille Jaillant and Hortense Sablon.

By launching her ethical clothing brand in 2019, Olistic The Label (6), Camille Jaillant is part of this new generation of designers who are not just passing on a style, but a philosophy: that of responsible luxury that respects the environment. All her collections are designed using ‘deadstock’ fabrics, leftovers that are all too often ignored by the big names.

As for Hortense, in April 2020 she founded Bazar Atelier Sablon (7), which makes ethical tote bags and accessories by reviving French heritage fabrics such as toile de Jouy. The brand is 100% Made in France, from the raw materials to the finished product, and works in short circuits with local craftsmen and workshops (the small accessories are made from fabric scraps and all the products are sewn in the south of France).

The entrepreneur seems to have gone even further than a CSR approach with a regenerative enterprise (8): could you tell us more?

Peter Daly : If we want a planet that remains habitable for humanity, companies must radically and rapidly transform themselves: redirecting their business model to become eco-compatible.

Christèle Merter has done her bit to revitalise French fashion manufacturing from a circular perspective. The Gentle Factory is an adventure in her image, frank and full of values, with the strong ambition of becoming the first regenerative fashion brand in Europe. The challenge now is to continue to be a sustainable brand, true to its values, while remaining economically viable in a highly competitive environment.

References

(1) Sustainable entrepreneurship within fashion: La Gentle Factory story. Boulocher V., Daly P., Ruaud S. (2024). The International Journal of Entrepreneurship and Innovation. https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/full/10.1177/14657503241250284

(2) A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion’s future (2017). Ellen MacArthur Foundation. https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/a-new-textiles-economy

(3) Why Fashion Needs to Be More Sustainable (2021). Columbia Climate School. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2021/06/10/why-fashion-needs-to-be-more-sustainable/

(4) La Gentle Factory - https://www.lagentlefactory.com/

(5) L'industrie de la mode durable en France – Faits et chiffres (2024). Statista.
https://fr.statista.com/themes/12211/marche-de-la-mode-ethique-en-france/

(6) Olistic The Label - https://olisticthelabel.com/pages/creatrice

(7) Bazar Atelier Sablon - https://www.bazarateliersablon.com/

(8) The 7 laws of regenerative enterprises (2014) Harvard Business Review. https://hbr.org/2014/11/the-7-laws-of-regenerative-enterprises