CHOOSING A BLEU DE CHAUFFE HANDMADE LEATHER BAG
All Bleu de Chauffe bags and accessories are designed and produced in our workshops near Millau in southwestern France. Our decision to establish our workshop in this region in 2010 was due in large part to the spectacular natural setting of the Gorges du Tarn and the famous Millau Viaduct. However, the main reason for setting up shop in these splendid surroundings was essentially to benefit from the local savoir-faire in leather-making. Indeed, since the 17th century, Millau has been world-renowned for its leather goods and glove-making. Aside from the tanning of the leather, the entire production process for bags and accessories takes place in our workshops, which allows us to control all steps in the creation of our goods: from their conception to the finished product. It’s all about making the choice of handmade in France, high-end bags.
HANDMADE IN FRANCE LEATHER BAGS: A GUARANTEE OF QUALITY
France, the second most important country in Europe for the production of leather goods, enjoys an excellent world-wide reputation in this domain thanks to the unique expertise of its artisans, whether they work for the most famous luxury brands or for a small or medium sized companies. Buying a French handmade bag ensures that it has not been cheaply and mass produced in a remote factory. In France, artisans are recognized for their qualifications and skills, and are better paid than in other countries where production costs are ridiculously low.
Businesses are closer to their artisans, and thus the work is carried out in harmony, and the quality control process is much more easily completed, more frequent and more reliable. The handmade in France bag is both of an exceptional quality and more ethically produced. It goes without saying, therefore, that Bleu de Chauffe would only choose to produce its bags in France.
BLEU DE CHAUFFE : A UNIQUE HANDMADE BAG
Bleu de Chauffe bags and accessories are exceptional in several respects. Each and every one of our bags is made entirely by hand by a single craftsman who is responsible for the piece she or he creates. The bags are not mass produced. Every craftsman has his or her own way of working and constructing a bag. Moreover, the signature of the craftsman, written inside the bag, is the sign of a unique piece, of an artisanal high-end object with a soul.
Quality control takes place daily at every step of production and is particularly stringent for finished products.
Not a single piece leaves our workshop without having been examined in detail, thus guaranteeing its future owner a flawless and durable leather (or canvas) handmade bag.
The mastery of our production process allows us (unlike outsourced productions) to offer a real follow-up and service to our clients. Since our products are durable and repairable, we are able to offer a real service of repair and compensation.
BAGS WITH CHARACTER, RESPECTFUL OF THE ENVIRONMENT
Since the inception of Bleu de Chauffe, we have endeavoured to put magnificent leather 20th century French craft bags back into the spotlight by reinterpreting them and thus adapting them to 21st century uses and needs. We have therefore created new versions of the former postman’s, plumber’s, physician’s, reporter’s, and writer’s bags. We have preserved their unique aesthetic, while, for example, providing storage space for laptops.
Our production has now expanded to other collections: backpacks, travel bags, fisherman’s bags, women’s bags, specific-use bags (camera, motorcycle...), tote bags and accessories. However, the leather Éclair messenger bags (which come in 3 sizes) remain our most popular bags.
Furthermore, since the beginning, we have been concerned about the environmental impact of our business. The leather goods industry is often highly polluting due to the use of chromium and other heavy metals when the leathers are dyed. We have therefore chosen to use exclusively European leathers made from vegetable tanning. The leathers are dyed thanks to natural agents from trees and plants: oak, acacia, chestnut, mimosa, etc. Consequently, pollution due to heavy metals is avoided and the leathers do not provoke any allergic reactions upon contact with the skin. Moreover, they naturally acquire a patina over time and age beautifully.
Buying a handmade leather bag therefore means choosing an ethical and high-quality bag. We have endeavoured to go even further in search of quality by creating unique craftsman pieces, all the while respecting the environment and using only the best European leathers.
Aesthetics, quality, traceability, durability, ethics: Bleu de Chauffe bags and accessories check all the boxes.