A passion for material, since 1850
More than a product, it's a passion we've been cultivating since 1850. We believe every fiber has a soul and a story. Our mission is to reveal that potential, nurturing the dialogue between natural beauty and the human hand.
Une histoire qui prend racine sur les bords de Loire
Our story begins on the banks of the Loire, at La Pierre-Percée, in the heart of the town of Divatte-sur-Loire.
At the end of the 19th century, the Douineau family — river bargemen by tradition — successfully turned to the wicker trade. Louis Douineau (born in 1859) and his descendants built up, over the years, a deep expertise and a unique understanding of natural fibers.
The Douineaus first grew wicker on the Île d'Arrouix, facing La Pierre-Percée. They soon began centralizing local production before importing raw material to meet ever-growing demand. In the early 20th century, wicker was king. In the Divatte workshops, hundreds of bundles were prepared and sold to craftsmen across France. The Loire was then a major route for trade and travel: barges carried the wicker bundles to La Pierre-Percée, where they were sorted with a rigor that would come to define the Maison Douineau's reputation.
This intimate understanding of natural fibers, built up over generations, remains part of our Maison's DNA today.
Through the 20th century, industrial materials gradually replaced traditional packaging, ties, and part of traditional basketry. Rather than abandon their craft, the Douineau family chose to reinvent it.
In 1957, Bernard Douineau imported his first plant fibers beyond wicker. Rattan, bamboo, raffia, and other natural materials gradually joined a body of expertise built around wicker. It wasn't a change of trade — it was the continuation of the same passion.
In 2024, new energy brought BDF Douineau forward. The company was taken over by Louis and François Desazars, a father and son united by a shared love of fine materials, creation, and entrepreneurship. François, drawing on his experience growing innovative companies, took the helm. Louis brought his expertise in cosmetics and interior design to this new chapter. Another family story begins, in continuity with the one the Douineau family first set in motion.
In 2026, BDF Douineau becomes Maison Douineau and reveals its new signature: Matières à créer — literally "materials to create," a phrase that captures both the raw material itself and the act of creation it inspires. More than a new name, this identity affirms what has always guided the Maison: making every natural material the starting point of a creation, in service of artisans, designers, and creators.
Voices from those who built the Maison
"After negotiating and inspecting the goods on site, the raw wicker we bought was sold by the bundle, each required to measure 1.02 m in circumference. The baling machines were calibrated to that circumference. You could easily spot the undersized bundles — and it was often the same suppliers. We sold around 3,500 tons of raw wicker a year, and up to 600 tons of white wicker. At the Mauves train station, we loaded up to a full wagon a day. The wicker was stripped by hand, then with a peeling machine. We had 7 to 8 employees." — Bernard Douineau
"As a kid, I walked to school in Saint-Julien-de-Courcelles, across the valley from La Pierre-Percée. All you could see was wicker and asparagus fields!" — B. Douineau
"Since 1850, the Douineau name has stood for one deep conviction: we believe in the beauty and boundless potential of plant fibers. We've inherited a unique expertise in sourcing the finest materials — a pursuit of excellence that has guided us for over a century." — François Desazars, Head of Maison Douineau
Maison Douineau, key dates
1850 / Where it began: the Loire and wicker
The Douineau family, bargemen and wicker traders, grow wicker on the Île d'Arrouix, in the heart of the Loire valley.
1859 / The birth of a trading house
Louis Douineau turns the family trade into a name recognized for the quality of its wicker sourcing.
1900 / Wicker's golden age
The Douineau family becomes one of France's leading wicker traders.
1957 / Reinventing without losing sight of its roots
As demand for wicker declines, Bernard Douineau founds BDF in 1957, opening the company to natural fibers from around the world: rattan, bamboo, raffia, and many others.
2024 / New energy
François and Louis Desazars take over BDF Douineau. True to its history and heritage, the company sets its ambition: to become the creative partner of artisans, designers, and publishers.
2026 / A new identity
BDF Douineau becomes Maison Douineau and reveals its signature: Matières à créer (materials to create).