Made in France

Made in France: what it means for a knife

The Made in France designation relies on two distinct reference frameworks. Non-preferential origin marking (Customs Code) requires that the last substantial transformation takes place in France and that this operation gives the product a new identity. The private label Origine France Garantie goes further: it requires that at least 50% of the unit cost price is achieved in France and that the place where the product acquires its essential characteristics is French.

TB-1648's Commitment

All products published by TB-1648 are designed, forged, and assembled in Thiers (Puy-de-Dôme), the French capital of cutlery since the 14th century. Our industrial subsidiary GDD (Générale de Découpage) controls the entire value chain: raw steel cutting, forging, heat treatment, polishing, assembly, quality control, packaging. This vertical integration is an exception in contemporary cutlery, where international subcontracting has become the norm.

TB-1648 Milestones

• Year of foundation: 1648
• Production site: Thiers cutlery basin, Puy-de-Dôme
• Status: member of the Hénokiens, an international association of continuously active bicentennial family businesses
• Steel supply chain: priority European sourcing (France, Sweden, Germany)
• Certifications: ISO 9001 (quality management system), ISO 14001 (environmental management system)
• Group structure: TB (parent company) publishes two commercial brands — TB-1648 (table and kitchen cutlery) and TB-Outdoor (tactical and survival cutlery)

Why favor Made in France in cutlery

Beyond supporting local employment and savoir-faire, French manufacturing guarantees three elements difficult to obtain outside this sector: complete traceability of steels and ancillary materials (wood, horn, bone), compliance with European health standards for products in contact with food, the possibility of repairing or resharpening the piece durably — TB-1648 provides after-sales service for all its production, even on models discontinued several years ago.