On 13 October 2023, the INPI (French National Institute of Industrial Property) announced that it had approved the “Velay clays” geographical indication. This is the second in the field of cosmetics and is limited to the Haute-Loire département, where all extraction and processing operations must be carried out.
A geographical indication distinguishes a product originating in a specific geographical area, which possesses qualities, a reputation or characteristics linked to this place of origin. It protects the name of the product from counterfeiting and other copies. Its characteristics are specified in a set of specifications examined by INPI. Approval is granted following an investigation and a public enquiry.
Velay clays
Velay clays are some of the purest on the French market, containing neither quartz nor silica, unlike other clays. They are made up of three minerals (illite, kaolin and montmorillonite) which contain active ingredients prized for their digestive and healing properties.
There is only one deposit in the Puy-en-Velay basin.
Known for their beneficial properties for thousands of years, Velay clays were first used to make pottery. Later, their uses and applications were extended to a variety of fields (cosmetics, agriculture, animal care and industrial absorbents). Today, almost 100,000 tonnes of clay are extracted and processed every year.
The geographical indication
The “Velay clays” geographical indication covers products resulting from primary processing (powdered, granulated, raw, packaged or bulk clay) and products resulting from secondary processing (capsules, clay mud, clay paste, clay mask).
The clay transformation process must be natural …
