Why it belongs in ORBIS
Normandy net-bag maker founded 1860 near Caen, originally weaving fishing and agricultural nets; revived in the early 2000s by Jean-Philippe and Catherine Cousin and awarded France's Living Heritage Enterprise label in 2017.
Filt is a textile company founded in 1860 in Normandy, originally producing sturdy nets for fishing and agricultural use before developing the woven cotton filet - the net shopping bag once carried by generations of French shoppers. Production remains based in a workshop near Caen, and each bag is finished bearing the first name of the employee who sewed it. The company underwent what is described as a reawakening in the early 2000s under Jean-Philippe and Catherine Cousin, who revived the shopping-net line and pursued international expansion. In 2017 Filt was awarded the Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant label, an official French state recognition of craftsmanship excellence.