Les Mains de Mamie
A group of French grandmothers knit ultra-ethical jumpers..
All of the sweaters sold by Les Mains de Mamie, a startup established in Marseille, France, are handcrafted by French grandmothers. The company's objective is to bridge the generation gap. Every item is knitted to order, a process that might take anywhere from 24 to 28 days. When a client puts an order, the business contacts one of its "gang of grannies" in an effort to fill the position. After the grandmothers have been accepted into the program, they are given the necessary supplies and asked to knit a sample item so that their knitting technique and tension may be evaluated. Over 30 mammies located all over France have found work as independent professionals for the company, which provides them with the opportunity to augment their income after retirement. The typical knitter produces three to four sweaters in a given month and gets paid EUR 20–50 each item, the amount varying based on the degree of difficulty of the project. Aurélie De Barros and her brother John were the ones who initially conceived of the idea that would later become Les Mains de Mamie. The brand had its debut in a national retail location in January 2023 at Galeries Lafayette Paris Haussmann, where it is part of a program that is dedicated to preowned and responsible fashion. In January 2023, the brand raised EUR 150,000 on the French version of Shark Tank.