L’Atelier le Soulor: a local economic player developing responsible production at a fair price.
Boosting the local economy
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Preserving the human and technical heritage is one of our first commitments
By manufacturing shoes in Bearn, we have created 8 jobs in 4 years. Only one worker was left when the workshop was taken over.Robert, a discreet holder of a know-how that was about to disappear, has been sharing his knowledge of the shoemaker’s trade for 4 years. We welcome journeymen all year round and trainees for periods of discovery (perhaps we will give rise to vocations?). At the same time we support initiatives in favour of the Béarnaise culture.
90% French and 100% European raw materials.
We reduce our carbon footprint as much as possible by following several commitments and adopting certain principles: more than 90% French raw materials, collaborative deliveries for part of the traffic. The leathers come from French tanneries, which comply with strict European standards on the use of chemicals and water treatment. These standards guarantee healthy leathers. Some leathers are tanned using vegetable tannins: this is the case for the “insole” used by the Atelier Le Soulor. The insole is the lower part of the shoe on which your foot rests.
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Responsible production
Producing to order, or even made-to-measure, guarantees greater consumer satisfaction and social enrichment. It also means reducing the waste of natural resources and labour. Our objective: programmed sustainability!
Durable and resealable shoes
We assemble our shoes by hand, so that they can be resealed several times. This way, you can keep your shoes long enough to ensure that your initial investment pays off. You are now in a movement of “slow consumption”.
Every year, a French person buys an average of 5 pairs of shoes (source: French Fédération shoe -2019). One of our commitments: to help you buy less, but better, you limit your environmental footprint, it’s good for the planet and good for you!
Using materials that are healthy for your feet and the planet.
The tannery industry is an age-old activity that recycles and recovers thousands of tons of hides and skins generated every day by the slaughter of animals for meat consumption. What would happen to this waste in environmental terms without this recycling? Should leather be replaced by petroleum-based synthetics or by materials recycled on the other side of the world? The issue is not closed and we are looking for possible alternatives for the future.
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A fair price all year round
Labour is better paid and respected in France than in some Asian countries (e.g. Indonesia is 7 times cheaper) or in Africa. Buying le Soulor shoes means buying the know-how of our craftsmen and suppliers, while using quality materials. It means supporting our commitment to creating meaningful products and supporting the fair remuneration of each actor in the manufacturing process. We don’t have sales because making in France means lower margins and selling at a loss.