Approche

What Approche does

Approche is a French nonprofit association (loi 1901) founded in 1992 and headquartered in La Varenne Saint-Hilaire, Val-de-Marne, France. It operates two Ressourceries — second-hand goods stores in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés (opened 2012) and Orly (opened March 2020) — that collect, sort, valorize, and resell donated objects (furniture, clothing, electronics, books, household goods) at solidarity prices. Complementary distribution channels include a free home collection service for bulky items in Val-de-Marne municipalities and reserved drop-off spaces in déchetteries (Chevilly-Larue, Choisy-le-Roi, Villeneuve-le-Roi) via a partnership with RIVED.

The association holds conventioned Atelier Chantier d'Insertion (ACI) status since 1998, employing job seekers facing social and professional difficulties in the operational activities of the Ressourceries. In 2025, the team comprises 40 insertion pathway employees, 13 permanent staff, and 88 active volunteers. The social model is supported by public funding (DRIEETS, Val-de-Marne department, Grand Orly Seine Bièvre EPT, municipalities of Saint-Maur and Orly, European funds), private donations (tax-deductible at 66% for income tax and 75% for IFI), and membership fees (standard €20/year, bienfaiteur €40/year). Day-to-day direction is led by Director Edwin FEUNTEUN under founding President Anne-Christine BANDIN.

The business model blends earned revenue (resale of donated goods at solidarity prices — 205 tonnes resold in 2024), tax-advantaged donations from 101 regular donors, member fees, and a substantial share of public subsidies conventional to French integration-by-work programs. The organization operates under a 2021-2026 strategic plan covering governance, development, and communication, and is regionally embedded through partnerships with France Travail, Mission Locale, PLIE, and several eco-organizations (Eco-Systèmes, Ecologic, Refashion).

Name

Approche

Legal name

approche

Website

https://association-approche.com.fr

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Approche is a French nonprofit association founded in 1992 that operates two Ressourceries in Val-de-Marne, combining second-hand goods resale with social insertion programs for disadvantaged job seekers through its Atelier Chantier d'Insertion.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Reuse and Recycling Services

NAICS

Used Merchandise Retailers (459510)

akta.pro primary industry

Reuse & Resale / Recommerce Operations (EUAIANAC)

Keywords

• Second-hand retail
• Social insertion programs
• Waste reduction services
• Reuse and recycling
• Community thrift stores

Headquarters

HQ city

Saint-maur-des-fossés

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Sale of second-hand goods: Revenue generated from selling donated and collected objects (furniture, clothing, electronics, books, household items) at solidarity prices in two Ressourcerie storefronts. Objects are collected from donors, sorted, valued, and resold.
2. Membership fees: Annual membership fees of 20€ for regular members and 40€ for bienfaiteur (patron) members, contributing to association governance and financial support.
3. Donations: One-time and regular donations from supporters, with tax benefits (66% income tax reduction, 75% IFI reduction) under French philanthropy law.
4. Public funding and subsidies: Funding from government sources including DRIEEts (DRIEETS), departmental council (Val-de-Marne), municipalities (Saint-Maur, Orly), and European funds for social insertion programs and employment integration activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Approche is a French non-profit association operating two Ressourceries (second-hand retail stores) in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés and Orly that collect, sort, valorize, and resell donated furniture, clothing, electronics, books, and household goods at solidarity prices. The association concurrently runs Atelier Chantier d'Insertion (ACI) programs that combine work experience in the Ressourceries with individualized social and professional support for disadvantaged job seekers toward sustainable employment.

Product overview

Approche operates as a non-profit association running two Ressourceries (second-hand stores) in Saint-Maur-des-Fossés and Orly, which form the core of its social economy activities. The association combines environmental mission (waste reduction through reuse) with social inclusion through its Atelier Chantier d'Insertion (ACI) programs, which provide employment integration support. Additional offerings include a numérique library for member documentation, home collection services for bulky items, and themed sales events. The dual-location Ressourcerie network serves as both retail outlets and work integration sites where beneficiaries gain practical experience while receiving individualized support toward sustainable employment.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Ressourcerie de Saint-Maur-des-Fossés Physical second-hand retail store offering collection, sorting, valorization, and resale of donated furniture, clothing, electronics, books, and household goods at solidarity prices to the general public.
• Ressourcerie d'Orly Second-hand retail store operating as part of the social and solidarity economy, collecting and reselling donated objects at affordable prices in Orly to reduce waste.
• Atelier Chantier d'Insertion (ACI) Professional integration program combining work experience in the Ressourceries with individualized social and professional accompaniment, training, and skills acquisition for disadvantaged job seekers, including youth under 26 in difficulty, RSA/ASS recipients, long-term unemployed, and recognized disabled workers.
• Collecte à domicile (Home Collection Service) Free home pickup service for large furniture and bulky appliances available to residents of Saint-Maur-des-Fossés, Orly, and surrounding municipalities in Val-de-Marne.
• Ventes à thème (Themed Sales Events) Recurring in-store themed sales events featuring categories such as vintage items, books, branded clothing, haberdashery, toys, sports equipment, and bric-à-brac, organized throughout the year to attract customers and promote reuse culture.
• Bibliothèque numérique (Digital Library) Online documentation space providing access to associative project documents, activity reports, strategic orientations, and the association's semi-annual journal 'Le Petit Rapprocheur' for members and supporters.

Quantifiable outcome

• 404 tonnes of materials collected in 2024 (2.8 tonnes per day of opening)
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• RIVED (Régie personnalisée pour la Valorisation et l'Exploitation des Déchets)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2017Partnership established in 2017 when approche responded to RIVED's call for projects to create a Ressourcerie in Orly. approche's candidacy was selected and the Ressourcerie opened to the public in March 2020. RIVED also provides déchetterie reserved spaces for donations.
• REFER (Réseau francilien du réemploi)minorOthersapproche is a member of the Francilian Reuse Network (REFER), connecting with other reuse organizations in the Île-de-France region.
• RNRR (Réseau National des Ressourceries & des Recycleries)minorOthersMember of the National Network of Ressourceries and Recycleries, providing national visibility and best practice sharing.
• Union pour le Réemploi SolidaireminorOthersMember of the Union for Solidarity Reuse, connecting with national reuse initiatives.
• OrangeminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCorporate partner supporting solidarity collection activities.
• France TravailcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMain public employment service that refers job seekers facing difficulties to approche's insertion programs.
• Mission LocalecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorYouth employment guidance service that refers young people under 26 in difficulty to insertion programs.
• PLIE (Plan Local pour l'Insertion et l'Emploi)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal employment integration network coordinating insertion pathways for disadvantaged job seekers.
• FNARSminorOthersNational federation of social insertion organizations, referenced as a partner for advocacy and best practices.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves9 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• La Recyclerie: Paris-based urban reuse venue combining a second-hand shop, café, and community programming with environmental awareness; analogous combination of physical retail, reuse, and community engagement.
• ENVIE: National network of social insertion enterprises that refurbish and resell appliances and electronics, sharing Approche's ACI-style insertion-by-work model and circular economy focus.
• Emmaüs France: France's flagship reuse/recycling nonprofit federation, with a comparable dual mission of social insertion and waste reduction through collection, sorting, and resale of donated second-hand goods.
• La Petite Rockette: Independent Parisian Ressourcerie with a similar collection, sorting, and resale operating model, with strong community emphasis on participation and reuse culture.
• Le Relais: National textile reuse/recycling organization with social insertion workshops, directly comparable to Approche's collection-sorting-resale model, particularly for clothing and household textiles.

Broad incumbents

• Secours Populaire Français: National solidarity association running 'Vêti'dons' thrift shops and insertion programs, sharing Approche's combination of donated-goods resale and social support activities.
• Croix-Rouge française: Large established French humanitarian organization operating second-hand Vestiboutiques and social insertion programs with overlapping collection, resale, and reintegration activities.

Regional players

• Halage: Île-de-France-based Ressourcerie network operating in the same geography as Approche with a comparable collection, resale, and social insertion mission.

Others

• REFER (Réseau Francilien du Réemploi): Cluster/network organization of which Approche is a member, providing peer coordination, advocacy, and best-practice sharing among Île-de-France Ressourceries.
• Réseau National des Ressourceries & Recycleries (RNRR): National federation of Ressourceries of which Approche is a member; provides sector coordination, national visibility, and benchmarking for reuse organizations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/approcheinsertion
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/association-approche

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Approche