Ateliers de Nîmes

About a decade ago, a shared passion for denim brought Anthony, Guillaume, and Clément together to create Ateliers De Nîmes.
Their goal was clear: to manufacture denim in Nîmes, thereby paying homage to local craftsmanship.
Get to know who is behind the brand.

How did it all start?

Guillaume: I founded Ateliers De Nîmes in 2014, with the aim of reclaiming weaving in Nîmes and preserving the craftsmanship.

Anthony: Since I was 14, I've been passionate about denim. One day, a friend introduced me to Guillaume, who shared the same passion, and that's how it all started. We both wanted to re-create denim where it was invented, in Nîmes, France. The word "denim," widely used in fashion to refer to denim fabric, is actually a contraction of "de Nîmes." So, it was important for us to revive this regional craftsmanship.

Clément: The adventure started a bit later for me. I knew Anthony, who made me join the project. We wanted to create a brand that would put Nîmes back on the map of the denim industry. However, since none of us knew the sector, we had to learn. Guillaume was trained in manual weaving, so we bought a manual weaving loom to start. Shortly after, we conducted our first tests on a mechanical loom, followed by months of repairs and unexpected issues. Nonetheless, this allowed us to connect with experienced weavers and retired craftsmen. They opened their network and helped us find a functional loom that we adapted for denim production. Then, we bought a second new loom to stabilize the production.

How do you work? What is your creative and manufacturing process?

Anthony: Regarding creation, before deciding the design and the cuts, we brainstorm together, drawing from our archives and memories to find something we like in terms of weight, touch, and feel. Personally, I am passionate about vintage, so I explore thrift shops a lot, looking for cuts, shapes, and things that appeal to me. Sometimes I even find inspiration abroad, especially in Japan, where interesting archives can be found. Like Guillaume and Clément, I am self-taught. I am guided solely by what I like and desire. Once we have an initial idea of the direction we want to take, we work with our factory in Portugal to develop cuts, and conduct tests, before launching them into the market.

Guillaume: For the material, we produce all our fabrics in house – natural or indigo twill. We purchase our thread from French spinning mills, made from organic cotton. These threads are combed and doubled, meaning there are two threads in one, called “retors” in French. This allows us to weave on our looms without resorting to sizing. For all manufacturers, sizing the fabric is what costs the most water. By using traditional weaving technics, we save approximately 20,000 liters of water. Moreover, the "retors” thread enables us to create sturdy and long-lasting canvas for our jeans.

Clément: At Ateliers De Nîmes, we lean more towards artisanal production than a traditional productivity-focused model.

What is sizing, and why do many manufacturers use this method?

Guillaume: Sizing is a coating of glue applied to the threads to make them stronger. The thread layers are immersed in the glue, dried, and then fed into the loom. However, the issue is that fabrics woven from sized threads have glue residue. This forces manufacturers to wash their fabrics, to remove the glue. Each fabric roll must be rinsed to remove all traces of glue. In this rinsing process, a lot of water is used and heated, and solvents are added. Sizing allows for a more uniform and easier-to-work-with thread on the looms. On the other hand, the "retors" thread we use here, has a higher risk of breaking. At Ateliers De Nîmes, we can allow ourselves to stop the loom to rethread, but for most manufacturers with 50 or even 100 machines running simultaneously, this is impossible. So, for them, sizing is essential to ensure flawless productivity.

On our part, we have the flexibility to be in control of our weaving from A to Z, knowing what products we use and how the threads are manufactured. For example, our threads are dyed with indigo, so we work with suppliers who have labels like GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) or REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals). Regarding chemical product regulations, we know that our dyes don't contain any metals. That's what sets us apart, and that's why we ventured into denim – in addition to craftsmanship, we aim to return to simpler and more natural processes.

What were your main challenges when founding the brand? And what are they today?

Clément: We have many challenges because we are not just a brand; we don't just slap a logo on a sweatshirt, or a t-shirt. We manufacture our raw material, which doubles the challenge. Beyond the brand, there is the industry we want to reclaim – finding means of production and expertise. For us, it's about bringing back expertise to Nîmes, reindustrializing the city, and, most importantly, trying to do it as clean as possible.

Guillaume: The current challenge for the brand is to start gaining recognition, especially in the weaving aspect. Japanese denim is widely known, but in France, we also produce high quality canvas. What is crucial in weaving is the machine settings and, above all, the raw materials. Our challenge is to be recognized for the quality of our fabrics. Our clients and those familiar with denim can notice that our canvas is of much better quality than what is available on the market today. It’s closer to the denim of the 50s and 60s – tightly woven, thick threads, long fibers. In the future, we would like to grow and internalize the warping process, currently done in Romans-sur-Isère. Warping involves placing threads on the back of the loom. And ultimately, what I would like is to have our own spinning mill where we can manufacture our own thread – thus achieving complete control from weaving to product finishing.

Your fabrics are manufactured here in Nîmes; how do you proceed with the jeans’ cutting and assembly? How many cuts do you have in total?

Guillaume: When our fabrics are woven, they come in the form of rolls. Then there is a process called sanforization, which involves pre-shrinking the cotton fabrics. When the fabric is ready, we send it to the factory we collaborate with in Northern Portugal. That's where the pants are cut and assembled. The prewashing is also done there. Finally, we either send them to Nîmes or directly to our retailers.

Anthony: Today, we have four men's cuts and four women's cuts, in five different materials. When I talk about materials, I also include washes. We have five options: the first is raw blue, then the same blue with a wash – a very simple wash that slightly breaks the fiber, for those who don't want a rugged cowboy look. We also offer a "three-year" wash, which has a natural worn effect. And then, we have our natural ecru fabric and a black fabric. We repeat this declination for each pair of jeans and each jacket.

What would be the next step for you?

Anthony: Firstly, to train more ambassadors in our city, to open our doors to young people and those interested. I remember, when I was younger, visiting the Perrier factories (French carbonated mineral water). Today, I defend them because I know what goes on behind the scenes. So, I would like to recreate that on our scale – to make Nîmes’ people proud of us, proud of their jeans. And then, what can we wish for? To open a store in Paris, maybe another one abroad, and develop a network of multi-brand clients who support us and give us visibility.