A Responsible Factory

To create our superior quality berets, we went directly to the experts. As their name suggests, Le Beret Français specializes in France's most iconic accessory. In 2012, entrepreneur Rodolphe Grosset opened the atelier, located in the Béarn region of southern France and once home to a dozen beret workshops that slowly closed one after the other. Rodolphe wanted to preserve the traditional craftsmanship that was on the verge of disappearing, bringing together skilled local artisans who would train the next generation. Together this small team would bring the French beret business into the 21st century. Mission very-accomplished.

Made With Love

Our beret atelier is located in southern France, near the Spanish border and the Pyrenees. By keeping production local, we can reduce the carbon footprint of these styles.

We also get to contribute to the preservation of a diminishing French artisan industry and its unique craftsmanship. As a French brand, we are proud to support local jobs, and can guarantee fair wages and high workplace standards according to French labour laws.

The Local Way

Originally the hat of shepherds in the Pyrenees, our berets are made with local savoir-faire that has been handed down from generation to generation. It takes one week to produce each beret, passing through the hands of artisans at least 10 times during the manufacturing process.

To begin, fine, high-quality wool is knit into large, individual berets. Each wool piece is checked for flaws and imperfections. Next the knit wool needs to be cleaned of any animal grease and dirt still left on the fibres. Every 2 days, a batch of 150 berets are placed in something resembling a large washing machine that turns the knit wool into felt and tightens the fibres until the berets are reduced to their ideal 28cm diameter. After this, the berets are shaped by hand, one piece at a time, using a wood form. They are left out to dry on the form and the next day, they are removed, combed and shaved to perfection. After a final quality check, the berets are finally ready to be shipped to our Paris headquarters.

Our Products

We produce all of our wool and ecojean berets with Le Béret Français. Le Béret Français uses wool sourced from the Pyrenees and ecojean fibres made from recycled denim and recycled plastic bottles.