Miditex, three generations at the service of a generalist workshop
In Quelmes, Pas-de-Calais, the Miditex workshop bears witness to a history that began in the aftermath of the Second World War. From children's garment making to women's ready-to-wear, from the years of globalization to the revival of Made in France, the company has gone through the cycles of the industry without giving up on producing in France.
Today, a third generation is about to take over with Agathe Miquel, Production Manager. Alongside her father, the CEO, and her mother, head of the product development unit, she steers a human-scale, versatile and responsive workshop, which supports premium brands in the development and manufacture of their collections.
A family business shaped by changes in the sector
The adventure began with Agathe's grandmother, who began selling ready-to-wear children's and baby clothes. The first sales were made at markets, before opening a workshop in Arques. In 1983, her father joined the company and founded Miditex in Quelmes, working for brands such as Auchan, Okaïdi and Jacadi on large industrial volumes. "We had over 100 people in the workshop and very large production lines, which we don't see today", reports Agathe Miquel. Globalization disrupted the model and, like others, the company opened a workshop in Tunisia to meet new competition. French activity slows sharply: "At one point, there were only 4 or 5 of us left in the workshop. We gave priority to the product development unit to keep our business small, continue fine-tuning and produce in small quantities", she explains.
To diversify their income, in 2003 the family launched their own Bande Originale brand, distributed in France and Belgium. The experience lasts around ten years because "having your own brand is another profession: retail, stock management... It's not the same logic as manufacturing". Nevertheless, this experience has given Miditex the opportunity to advise young brands on these issues, beyond production. At a time when business is bottoming out, the workshop has chosen to remain open, closing its Tunisian entity and supporting small emerging structures such as Orta Store and Janne Mill. A strategy that begins a new cycle.
A generalist, responsive atelier for a premium clientele
Specializing in warp and weft, jersey and fleece, Miditex claims versatility: blouses, blouses, pants, dresses, skirts, upcycled denim pieces, but also babycare items (playmats, diapers, cloth diapers). "We're a generalist atelier, and there aren't many of those today. We like to work with different materials and styles, which brings a real dynamic to the workshop", testifies Agathe Miquel. Positioned in the high-end/premium segment, the workshop doesn't work in the luxury segment, but relies on a high level of standards: "we bring very high quality to the pieces that leave our workshop". One of Miditex's major assets is its integrated product development unit. Development, prototyping, cutting and production are all internalized to secure industrialization because "doing it ourselves avoids mistakes and misunderstandings". Teams can work from a drawing, inspiration photos or a simple brief. "Our customers don't always master the technical vocabulary, so our strength is proximity, pedagogy but also, and above all, our responsiveness. We can send out a prototype in a week!". Customer relations are based on a direct, ongoing link: "we're always in touch, often via WhatsApp. There's a real mutual trust".
Equipped with specialized machines (buttonholes, eyelets, thermobonding, smocks, 4 and 5-thread overlock sewing machines, coverstitchers...), the workshop adapts to varied demands. Recent investments, such as a higher-capacity thermobonding machine, testify to the company's commitment to modernization. The switch to StyleCAD software for patternmaking and grading also illustrates this quest for agility.
A passionate and versatile team
Agathe Miquel wasn't destined to take over the company. A graduate of ESMOD Roubaix, she had planned to work as a product manager in a Home. It all clicked during the health crisis "when we were making masks and I saw the girls working, the dynamism of the workshop, I fell in love with the professions". She gradually joined the company, recruited a team made up of former workshop staff and new people to be trained, and relaunched prospecting.
The workshop now has around ten people,"we're a small team, so everyone is versatile. I can prepare the machines, do quality control or go ironing if need be". Training is continuous, through in-house apprenticeships, the hosting of trainees from the region's vocational high schools and the integration of a female alternating technical fashion designer in the product development unit.
However, the challenges remain numerous, "labor is scarce and the profession is not always recognized for its true worth. Yet it's a passionate profession", explains Agathe Miquel. The workshop relies on quality of life at work and team cohesion to retain its employees. Another challenge: investment. The acquisition of an automatic machine adapted to small batches is one of the medium-term projects, in order to gain in productivity while remaining competitive on volumes from around fifty pieces per design.
As her father prepares for the handover, Agathe Miquel looks to the future with pragmatism: "The aim is to have a stable structure over the long term. Why not, one day, develop an image brand that would represent our savoir-faire?". Three generations, the same territory and a constant desire to adapt. Miditex embodies this discreet resilience of French ateliers which, far from the effects of fashion, continue to keep demanding local manufacturing alive, in close liaison with the brands that share their values.
To find out more about Miditex, visit their company sheet.
