Sustainable entrepreneurship within fashion: La Gentle Factory story

Abstract

The French textile engineer, Christèle Merter, founded La Gentle Factory in 2014 as a label for capsule collections from the Happychic Group, a large, international men's ready-to-wear fashion retailer. Her objective is to promote simple, yet elegant ‘Made in France’ menswear made from organic materials and recycled products. The case discusses the challenges faced by the entrepreneur as she develops a sustainable clothing brand, first within a large group and then as an independent entrepreneur. The case also describes different forms of sustainable-oriented innovation in fashion and how narrative can aid the building of a new sustainable venture.