Interview with Romain and Marion from Atelier Coton
Behind each piece made at Atelier Coton, there are strong convictions and the desire to manufacture with respect, high standards and humanity.
Against the tide of industrial methods and their environmental impacts, Romain and Marion have chosen to go back to basics: the artisanal gesture, the responsible material, and the authentic know-how.
How did Atelier Coton come about ?
Marion and I met in 2007, during our studies in China. We then each followed a professional path in textiles, mainly in Asia. Over the years, the environmental impact of the textile industry no longer corresponded to our convictions. We felt the need to do our job in a more responsible and respectful way. This is how in 2018, we decided to create Atelier Coton.
How does your approachfit into an artisanal and eco-responsible approach?
From the beginning, the quest for meaning and ethics guided our project. In Asia, the standards for chemicals and inks are not the same as in France. We have therefore chosen to work exclusively with French water-based inks, manual printing and to preserve artisanal know-how, far from industrial methods.
Between what we did before and what we create today, there is literally a world. At Atelier Coton, each piece is conceived, shaped, printed by hand, with a profoundly human and committed dimension.
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Lyonnais sweatshirt with hood
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What are Atelier Coton’s values?
We have chosen to create an artisanal workshop on a human scale. With us, there are no minimum orders, no mass production, no price race. We focus on quality, responsible products and direct relationships with our customers.
This requirement was recognized in 2023, when Marion received the title of Best Craftswoman in France. This national prize, presented by the Minister, is a great way to recognize the authenticity of our know-how. At Atelier Coton, everything is homemade.
What are the three emblematic skills of Atelier Coton?
In the workshop, we master three main techniques: screen printing, embroidery and flocking.
These three areas of expertise allow us to respond to a wide variety of textile projects, always in a spirit of craftsmanship. In terms of supports, we offer a selection of eco-responsible clothing and accessories, mainly in organic or recycled cotton. We seek to offer a wide range, accessible to as many people as possible, and consistent with our values.
Why did you choose to set up your workshop in Lyon?
We were born and raised in Lyon. Setting up our workshop in this city was therefore an obvious choice. There is also a historical thread. Indeed, screen printing is intimately linked to the history of Lyon. It has its origins in Chinese sericulture (the breeding of silkworms), and its development was anchored in Lyon, particularly in the Croix-Rousse, where the silk scraps of the canuts were used to make screen printing frames. There is a real notion of local heritage. It is no coincidence that Hermès still prints its silk scarves in Lyon. The region has a unique know-how.
How did your collaboration with Oh My Gone begin ?
Aurélie and Olivier came to meet us at the workshop. They were looking for a Lyon partner committed to an artisanal approach. Very quickly, we realized that we shared the same values, the same vision and the same DNA. Since then, the projects have multiplied: we print the textile products of the Oh my Gone brand and we create graphic creations for them for their collections in Lyon. Because yes, Atelier Coton is also a graphic design agency, capable of imagining a visual, then printing it by hand in our workshop.
