Trusted Partner: Lemaître Demeestere
Master and master of linen… in French and Flemish, please! Lemaître Demeestere lives up to its name. Established since 1835 in its historic premises located in Halluin in the North, this company is one of the oldest weavers in the French textile landscape.
© Lemaître Demeestere - 2023
The origins of the house
Originally specializing in damask and table linen, it has woven for the greatest, from the Queen of England to Napoleon and the Tsar of Russia. Today, it speaks loud and clear on new industrial and environmental issues, through the strong personality of its leader, Olivier Ducatillion.
After 20 years in Calais lace and lingerie, Olivier Ducatillion bought the Lemaître Demeestere company in 2008. The economic context was difficult, it was necessary to act quickly and well. The result? The company weathered the crises to become the last French linen specialist and was able to modernize its production tool and invest in the future of the linen industry.
"We have continued to develop the company to ensure its sustainability. We have moved upmarket and offered piece and custom orders. Linen is our specialty
from the beginning, but we wanted to strengthen this identity. For example, we particularly valued the unique know-how that we have for the manufacture of heavy fabrics. This is what makes our reputation. We also made the choice to gradually reduce other threads such as cotton or viscose: today, all our new products are 100% linen .
© Lemaître Demeestere - 2023
Made in France as the spearhead
The development of communication methods, the internet and social networks are making Lemaître Demeestere known to a wider audience. In particular, young designers looking for exclusive fabrics, made in France. A trend that has increased after the COVID crisis and which should continue, hopes Olivier Ducatillion.
"After COVID, Made in France exploded. While we were exclusively making furnishings for fabric and household linen publishers, the ready-to-wear market came to us. Lemaître
Demeestere has several assets: first, the irreproachable quality of woven linen, linked of course to the mastery of know-how and the exemplary traceability of our products. Since 1835, we have never left France. We have always been very attentive to our carbon footprint. Ecology is part of our DNA!"
Lemaître Demeestere has been labeled "Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant" since 2013. Olivier Ducatillion loves this "local industry". President of the Union des Industries Textiles, he believes in the country's ability to ensure its industrial sovereignty thanks to the dynamism of the territories. In addition to his personal commitment, he also includes the management of his company in this collaborative logic.
"Lemaître Demeestere is part of the Normandy agricultural cooperative NATUP. It brings together 6,000 members, including many flax producers. NATUP has invested in the reopening of a wet flax spinning mill, La French Filature located in Normandy, in order to recreate the entire value chain of French flax, from cultivation to weaving."
France is the world's leading producer of flax. The industry is currently dependent on China for the processing of this fiber with exceptional virtues. But the situation is gradually changing, thanks to the combined action of the various players.
"The Union des Industries Textiles and Interchanvre have launched a new project: Bleu, blanc, lin and Bleu, blanc, chanvre . These are collaborative platforms that connect managers of the French flax and hemp sectors. Their objective is to promote the 100% French flax and hemp sectors and to redeploy on French soil the various skills linked to these two fibres of the future."
© Lemaître Demeestere - 2023
Philéone and Lemaître Demeestere: a meaningful collaboration
Olivier Ducatillion and Philibert Varenne met through another project: the famous France Terre Textile label. They share the same desire to develop a coherent ecosystem in the French textile industry, but also the same values.
"I appreciate people who have projects, who want to make things happen. The Philéone project gives a great boost to French textiles. The major advantage is that it is aimed at individuals, whereas for our part, we only work with professionals."
Discover the beautiful linen fabrics by Lemaître Demeestere, the fruit of know-how that is both rooted in the heritage of its territory and visionary. In short, timeless beauty!
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Author of the article: Marie Formarier for Phileone France.