1817
The Woollen Mill is founded by Alexis and Jean-Baptiste Arpin
1830
The first knickerbockers are produced in Bonneval cloth. This garment will be worn by generations of mountain people, soldiers and adventurers.
1903
The Woollen Mill is fitted with a turbine to generate their electricity. The Woollen Mill also supplies Séez Saint-Bernard and Bourg-Saint-Maurice. The factory will thus become the first place with electricity in Haute-Tarentaise.
1949
Clothing made for the French Polar Expeditions led by Paul-Émile Victor.
1994
The machines are classified as Historical Monuments and registered on the National Heritage inventory.
2006
The initial restoration on the Woollen Mill is now finished to highlight the values of tradition and modernity. Arpin is awarded the ‘Living Heritage Company’ label from the French Ministry of Agriculture and Employment.
2010
Opening of the first Maison Arpin in the heart of the historic district of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.
2017
Arpin celebrates 200 years.
The Arpin spinning mill in Séez: authentic and historic building.
This is where the Arpin story was born in 1817. The workshop was equipped with mechanical looms operating with a paddle wheel, the cutting edge of innovation for the time. Today, the spinning mill has modernized while retaining a part of authenticity. Machines of more than 150 years, classified as Historical Heritage, are still used and the gestures of the wool masters have remained the same.
The Arpin spinning mill is classified as an EPV Living Heritage Company. This distinction recognizes French companies with excellent artisanal and industrial know-how. It is the recognition of the work carried out on a daily basis to preserve a unique heritage, made up of classified machines and rare know-how. Innovation and tradition are the main assets of the \"Made in France\" brands that the EPV label highlights.
Visit of the Arpin spinning mill
La Filature opens its doors to visitors and allows you to discover the historical machines and the manufacturing stages of the famous Arpin wools and fabrics. Tours are guided by a master lecturer for 1h30 For more information contact:
- the Arpin de Séez store: 04 79 09 49 27 or boutique-seez@arpin1817.com
- the Tourist office of Séez
Price of visits:
Adults: € 10 / Children 5 - 14 years old: € 5 / <5 years old: Free
Our Know-how
So many stages and expert know-how, which, combined with a raw material and an outstanding environment, are the hallmark of a fabric of rare quality.
At every stage of production, the Arpin Woollen Mill sets itself the goal of enhancing quality and a job well done. For example, we always fray our throws by hand, like they used to do when the mill first opened in 1817, to give them that incomparable artisan touch.
Using machines classified as French National Heritage on a daily basis is a strong industrial commitment. We have to overcome the mechanical vagaries of machines that are sometimes more than one hundred years old. But this is the price we pay to continue the unique artisan tribute of one family, along with extraordinary know-how.
The Arpin Woollen Mill is a Living Heritage Company. This is in recognition of the work carried out every day to preserve a unique heritage, consisting of classified machines and rare know-how ranging from the treatment of fleeces to the manufactured product.
The aim of this distinction is to promote outstanding companies that combine tradition and modernity. These companies must be very creative, produce in France and have international influence. Most of them have the capacity to meet ‘bespoke’ requests that are as original as they are specialised. These are the many requirements on which the development of Maison Arpin has always been based.
Our partners selected for their Quality and Proximity
From the wool taken from the sheep of the surrounding mountain pastures to the final production of the products, we select local artisans recognized in their field. Wool and Arpin fabrics are 100% made in France.
Authenticity
Master wool manufacturers, weavers, loom fixers, upholsterers, quiltmakers. These noble, ancestral, manual professions are still at the heart of the Woollen Mill. They are the guarantee of the authenticity of the Arpin brand.
Nomads
Arpin is not only for lovers of Alpine products. It’s a brand for nomads and wanderers, as were the hawkers who travelled through the passes in the Grandes Alpes. It provided clothing for the first French polar expeditions and the field armies of the Kingdom of Sardinia-Piedmont. Today its natural, understated, timeless colours adorn the most beautiful interiors, and it is the perfect accessory for outdoor breaks. Arpin, the epitome of rare, noble materials, is also prized by top fashion and luggage designers.
Timelessness
The brand is anchored in sustainability. Every Arpin product is designed to last, reflecting the brand’s know-how that stands the test of time. Nowadays, it is a luxury to be able to allow quality and a job well done to dictate the pace of work. Arpin does this. In addition to durability, there is the added value of timelessness. When a product is simple and beautiful, you know it will never go out of fashion!
Responsible Production
Our work environment is exceptional and we have our hearts set on keeping it that way. This is why we favour responsible production over mass production.
To obtain wool, our raw material, we work with the Savoie Syndicate of Sheep Breeders. We work directly with breeders and shearers to obtain clean wool, valued at the right price with a high commitment to animal welfare. We work on the material at the Arpin Woollen Mill in Séez-Saint-Bernard, whose energy supply comes from turbines collecting water from the neighbouring Versoyen river. 100% clean energy. After dyeing, our dye waste is processed and then used as fertilizer to feed agricultural fields.
Lasting Commitment
We are fortunate enough to benefit from over 200 years of experience and to work on machines classified as National Heritage. Our objective is, of course, to offer high quality and sustainable products, but also to perpetuate this way of working, which is so close to our hearts. The Arpin Woollen Mill has programmes to train young people to use machines which are classified as modern. This training involves transmitting know-how and setting up training courses with our industrial, voluntary and educational partners, across all trades.