Foster

France is home to a large number of industrial, innovative and artisanal companies with excellent skills, all of which are ambassadors for the cultural identity of our regions. As much as our art of living, these riches form our culture. This "French-style" living heritage is the envy of many beyond our own borders, and many countries are keen to acquire it or draw inspiration from it to develop their own. The values of creativity, quality and passion that have built France are intimately linked to those that form the DNA of EPV, and concern everyone, through its human dimension. "Making heritage" means revealing and passing on this knowledge and know-how to everyone. It's a model that will help us prepare for tomorrow, and better still, create it. 

The Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant (EPV) label was set up by the French government to distinguish French companies with outstanding craftsmanship and industrial expertise. These nuggets showcase French expertise in a variety of sectors: decoration, fashion and beauty, tableware, built heritage, professional equipment, culture and leisure, and gastronomy. The strength of these companies lies in their ability to combine tradition and innovation to enhance our heritage. They are the best spokespeople for French craftsmanship and industry, carrying the banner for better production and consumption. It's important that this key role be known and recognized by professionals and consumers alike, so as to promote the traceability, quality and authenticity that are so popular today. EPVs must create difference and preference, in the service of sustainability.

AI, biomaterials, 3D printing, eco-design, design... these are just some of the avenues open to our long-established professions to find new processes and commercial outlets. By increasing their value through innovation and interdisciplinary collaboration, EPVs - fully-fledged players in the creative and cultural industries (CCI) sector - enrich the lexicon of gestures, the diversity of uses and the aesthetic grammar of styles. Generally speaking, research and experimentation are key to transforming materials, finding new applications or resolving the question of alternatives in line with changing regulations and new environmental requirements (e.g. lead). They enable us to build bridges between creative worlds, develop new tools and techniques (laser cutting, etc.) and thus promote economic competitiveness. What's more, innovation and digital technology are now making it possible to preserve the memory of gestures that are sometimes centuries old.