Hand in Hand with ESATs: When Solidarity Meets Provence
What is the influence of scents on our well-being after age 40?
The 5 iconic symbols of Provence and their meanings
A professional event? Personalize your gifts!
Folies de Provence at the Florence Christmas Market: an unmissable event
Folies de Provence rallies for Pink October
CONSEILS & ASTUCES
BIEN-ÊTRE
PROVENCE
EVENEMENTS & ACTUALITES
Hand in Hand with ESATs: When Solidarity Meets Provence
.png)
Discover how our lavender sachets and rosaries are crafted in community workshops, where Provençal craftsmanship goes hand in hand with social inclusion.
At Folies de Provence, our love for the Provence region goes beyond the quality of our products. It is also reflected in the hands that craft them.
For several years now, we have been proud to collaborate with ESATs (Work-Support Establishments and Services) in the South of France to create our iconic lavender sachets and scented rosaries.
What is an ESAT?
An ESAT is much more than just a production workshop. It is a medical-social facility that enables workers with disabilities to engage in professional activities in an adapted environment.
The goal? To promote their independence and social integration and to help them apply their skills in their daily lives.
Local expertise and meticulous craftsmanship
.png)
Every year, the ritual is repeated.
The lavender, harvested under the southern sun, is brought to the workshops of our local partners.
This is where the magic happens...
* Making the sachets: A precise process for filling and sealing these little fabric pouches that will fill your closets with a delightful scent.
* Assembling the rosaries: A task requiring patience and meticulous attention to detail to put together these handcrafted items, symbols of our heritage.
The Art of Precision: From Flower to Bag
The manufacturing process at ESATs follows a rigorous protocol in which each step is designed to respect the raw materials and highlight the worker’s craftsmanship:
.png)
Precise measurement: To ensure the lavender scent lasts, each sachet must contain an exact amount of flowers. Workers use specialized weighing tools to guarantee that each sachet is just as generous as the last.
Hand-filling: Unlike machines, human hands handle the lavender grains gently, avoiding premature crushing to preserve all the essential oils at the heart of the flower.
Sewing and turning: This is the most technical step. The seamstresses and tailors at the ESAT assemble the fabrics from Provence, turn them inside out, and close them with an invisible finish. This work requires great dexterity to achieve a perfect shape.
Assembling the rosaries: Lavender rosaries are complex pieces. They require meticulous stringing and symmetrical shaping. Each knot is tied carefully so that the rosary retains its shape once hung in your home.
.png)
Strict quality control
Every finished product is inspected by a quality control inspector in the workshop.
This attention to detail ensures that the product you receive from Folies de Provence meets the same quality standards as those produced in a haute couture atelier or artisanal workshop.
Why is this choice so important to us?
Working with ESATs is not merely a logistical decision; it is a heartfelt commitment for Folies de Provence:
1/ Supporting local employment: By manufacturing in the South of France, we actively contribute to the economic vitality of our region.
2/ Promoting inclusion: We firmly believe that every talent deserves to be highlighted, regardless of one’s life journey.
3/ Ensuring artisanal quality: The care taken by ESAT workers ensures a level of craftsmanship that only human hands can provide.
“Behind every lavender sachet included
in your package, there is a smile, exemplary dedication, and a
shared sense of pride.”
Consumption that makes sense
When you choose our products, you’re not just bringing a piece of Provence home with you. You’re directly supporting a socially responsible supply chain and helping men and women thrive through their work.
A commitment that’s both socially responsible and eco-friendly
Beyond the human aspect, our decision to work with local ESATs is part of our sustainable development approach.
By prioritizing workshops located in the heart of our region, we drastically reduce our carbon footprint:
- Zero unnecessary transport: The lavender travels from the field to the workshop, then from the workshop to our stores over just a few kilometers.
- Supporting biodiversity: By sustaining demand for these artisanal products, we support small local lavender producers who maintain our Provençal landscapes.
- Sustainable production: No industrial overproduction. We make only what we need, with the flexibility afforded by local artisanal production.
Choosing a Folies de Provence lavender sachet is therefore a gesture in support of inclusion, the preservation of regional craftsmanship, and the planet.
And you, do you care about the socially responsible production of your favorite products?
.png)
