From the beginning of October 2018 to February 2019, a new capsule collection to raise money for Amitié Partage will be on sale on Jacadi’s website!
This innovative return-to-work programme helps unemployed women get back into work by teaching them to knit under the guidance of an instructor. This helps to restore their confidence in the future and puts them on the path to vocational training or a job.
Now in its fourth year, the Love Maille initiative is a partnership between Jacadi, which has designed eight timeless pieces for babies aged 3 to 6 months, and ten women trained and supported by Amitié Partage, who each year knit a 300-piece collection comprising items such as an embroidered sweater, bootees, a hat — and a miniature sweater for Martin the teddy bear, a Jacadi emblem. The wool for this new collection will be supplied by Fonty, a French spinning mill committed to sustainable development whose products are 100% made in France.
This community-spirited gesture is further proof of Jacadi’s commitment to young mums and their children.
- In June 2018, ten of the charity’s knitters visited Jacadi’s head office for an enjoyable day spent sharing ideas and experiences.
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Let’s hear from Aleksandra, Jacadi’s newborn pattern maker
“This is the first year I’ve been fortunate enough to be involved in Love Maille. My job has been to design and develop the products’ technical elements. At the end of March, I went with Ursula, another pattern maker, to meet the knitters at the ÏDKIDS community head office in Roubaix to talk about the different designs. We received a very warm welcome. It’s great to meet people who are willing to dedicate their talents to charity and Jacadi. We had the opportunity to meet them again at a solidarity day organized at Jacadi’s head office. On this occasion, the knitters came to learn how to make “perfect” pompoms, like the ones on the hats and bootees in the Love Maille collection. This day grounded me and gave me the chance to ask myself what I wanted to make of my job. Since then I have tried harder to develop genuine relationships with others and am more aware of the vital importance of ethical supplier relationships and engaging with the community.”
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A word from Benoit de Larouzière, director of Fonty
“The Fonty spinning mill (or “Filature de Rougnat”) is one of the last wool spinning and dyeing mills still operating in France. The factory has been awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) or “living heritage company” label in recognition of the exceptional level of craftsmanship and techniques used to create its beautiful yarns and colours. Our team of passionate professionals has two traditional strings to their bow: manufacturing yarns (for knitting, sewing and weaving) and dyeing/creating colours. The factory specializes in producing natural fibres and top-of-the-range yarn. It takes great pride in producing a high-quality, French product in small batches using methods that respect the environment, are eco-responsible and are socially aware.
We are constantly thinking about how our company can act in a meaningful way, and we participate as often as we can in social and community initiatives at a local, national and international level. We first noticed the Love Maille initiative on social media, on the website and in Jacadi stores. This type of project, which uses wool for ethical purposes, ties in perfectly with our beliefs.
Meeting the team was the deciding factor in our involvement. Love Maille is a fantastic community project. It is led effectively with respect and discretion and delivers clear results. It’s not just a publicity campaign. It was immediately clear to us that we had a lot in common with our partner teams. Above and beyond their obvious love for beautiful wool and textiles, we discovered that the people at Jacadi shared our ethical values.
We offered them our BB Merino wool range. It’s one of our great classics. It’s a timeless product that has built and is still building our reputation. Super soft and machine washable, it’s a very popular choice for knitting babywear. The project design team chose a few colours and eventually came up with their designs. We then sent the quantity of wool needed to the workshop (about 20 kg) and the knitting phase started in spring. The designs were ready for public release at the beginning of September. We are very happy with the results, and with the outcome of this project!”
This social integration charity supports some of the poorest families in Roubaix by helping individuals and groups find work, providing emergency basics for 600 of the most disadvantaged families, organizing cultural workshops for children and their parents, and supporting older children with their education.
