The ARPIN woolen mill,
located in the village of Séez, two kilometers outside
of Bourg Saint Maurice, was founded in 1817 and continues to
this day to produce wool cloths according to time-honored methods.
While respecting traditional know-how, the Arpin woolen mill
has adapted its production to the needs of the market. It is
now, after nearly two centuries, truly part of Savoie's heritage.
From natural wool, sheared from
local Alpine sheep living on the mountainsides, all the way to
the 100% pure virgin wool cloth, result of the knowhow and skills
of generations of craftsmen, an Arpin cloth is a work of the
weaver's art, the sum total of traditions which have given us
a product of beauty, of quality, and of outstanding durability,
qualities which are hallmarks of the brand.
The wool of Savoie
sheep, a living and ever-renewed resource, is reknowned for its
outstanding qualities which come from a multitude of factors:
the climate, the physical characteristics of sheep living in
a healthful if bracing climate, the natural food of Alpine meadows.
As a result, Arpin woolens are resistant to crushing, strong,
soft and resilient; they are 100% virgin wool and weigh between
780 and 800 gr per square meter; they have received the quality
grand luxe label and never wear out.
Starting with the raw wool, the
production of Arpin woolens takes place entirely within the walls
of the mill: selection of wools, cleaning, washing, dyeing, spinning,
and weaving, all of these steps are continously and carefully
controled for quality by master spinners and weavers. Every detail
and step is important, as quality is for the Arpin Woolen Mill
the primary concern. It should be obvious that an Arpin woolen
cannot depend only on visual appeal; its reputation depends on
traditional craftsmanship, which give it beauty as well as quality.