Sophie la Girafe secretly made in China for a decade, sparking French fury

According to an investigation by French media outlet Mediapart, Sophie la Girafe, a beloved toy representing French craftsmanship, has been secretly produced in China for the last ten years. The manufacturer, Vulli, began relocating its production to China in 2013, and by 2019, all manufacturing in France had effectively stopped. The Rumilly factory, located in the French Alps, was only operational for packaging toys produced in China. Former and current employees revealed to Mediapart that the production line was only active during visits from clients or journalists, with one manager admitting, "We'd place four or five people in the workshop; the raw materials were expired. Everything was fake." In 2025, French authorities initiated an investigation into the company for potential deceptive commercial practices after discovering that toys were still being sold with a 'made in France' label.