Our history
A great family adventure and a company on a human scale
Founded in 2010 in south-west France by Wei and Guillaume Arbel, Maison de la soie is now THE French benchmark for silk bedding and linen.
Our story begins in a garage
Like many entrepreneurs, Wei and Guillaume started Maison de la soie in their garage. As the business began to grow, the products gradually invaded their home. The couple then found a modest warehouse in Serres-Castet, a pretty little commune in the Béarn region of France. Today, and since 2021, Maison de la Soie has shared a 700m2 warehouse with another e-commerce company specializing in natural household linen.
Photo: Before/After, our premises in Serres-Castet
Discovering a little-known market
The idea for Maison de la soie came about when a relative of Wei's, of Chinese origin, asked her if she could bring back a silk duvet from her stay in China. At the time, it wasn't easy to find quality silk products at an affordable price on the French market. Competitors were few and far between, and took advantage of the situation to charge obscene mark-ups. So that was the spark: why not introduce French consumers to these products?
Photo: the famous silk duvets
Making silk affordable
After market research, Wei and Guillaume decided to launch an offer two to three times less expensive than their competitors at the time. The success was immediate! They had succeeded in their gamble: to make silk accessible to as many people as possible. And so silk found its place in the French bedding and linen market. Today, thanks to our economies of scale and direct online sales without intermediaries, we are able to offer you a wide choice and the cheapest silk on the market.
Photo: Jiayuguan Fort, a strategic crossing point on the ancient Silk Road
In search of the best know-how
In France, the silk industry died out at the beginning of the 20th century. By contrast, in China, the cradle of silk, the production and processing of this noble, natural fiber has never ceased. Today, China is the world's leading producer. The Middle Kingdom is renowned for the exceptional quality of its silk and the finesse of its garments, thanks in no small part to its ancestral know-how. So it was only natural that Wei and Guillaume should turn to this country to production their high-end products. After a long period of prospecting and checking the working conditions in the workshops, their choice fell on the manufacturers with whom we've been working for a long time now. Guillaume meets them regularly to ensure the quality of production.
Photo: delicately woven silk threads
"With time and patience, mulberry leaves are transformed into silk dresses".
As the proverb says, silk is a time-consuming work of goldsmiths. What's more, some of our products are handmade, such as our silk duvets and the finishing of our scarves. Our production therefore requires a skilled workforce with a meticulous eye for detail. And unlike our Chinese competitors, we have strict specifications that our manufacturers are committed to respecting. This long and precise process justifies the price of silk. Our aim is to make this luxury affordable without neglecting product quality. Moreover, we rely on word-of-mouth to make us known, rather than on marketing whose cost must necessarily be passed on to the consumer.
Photo: handmade silk duvets
Informing you about the benefits of silk
How do you sell a product you don't believe in? At Maison de la soie, we don't know how. We have chosen to work with and market products whose benefits we are convinced of. In fact, the whole team has adopted Maison de la Soie products! Pillowcases, scrunchies, face masks, protective masks, sheets or duvets, we can't do without them. And to help you bring silk into your life and into your bed, we take the time to inform you about the exceptional properties of this natural fiber. We regularly update our buying guideour blog and our social networks to help you make your choices.
Photo: Maison de la soie blog for all you need to know about silk.
The Maison de la soie team
Historically, Maison de la soie began in 2010 with Wei, then a self-employed entrepreneur. In 2012, when the company was created, she became its Managing Director. Today, Wei is a versatile member of the team, taking care of accounting, parcel preparation and even buying pastries for the café!
Favorite product: Silk night cream
After a career in aviation, Guillaume decided to make a radical change of direction and join the family business at 100%. He replaced Wei as Managing Director of Maison de la soie in 2016 and is in charge of administration and business development. Occasionally, he also manages Customer Service.
Favorite products: Silk duvets
Specializing in textiles since 2008, Céline worked for several French clothing brands in Paris and Strasbourg before joining Maison de la soie in 2020. She is responsible for the editorial and visual content of the website, oversees the creation of blog posts, participates in the addition of new products and manages social networks.
Favorite products : Chouchous & silk pillowcases
Quentin joined Maison de la soie in 2021, and knows all our products inside out. From stock management to order preparation, this jack-of-all-trades has quickly become a major asset. When he joined Maison de la Soie, Quentin was also in charge of Customer Service. With his good humor and attentive ear, he gave you honest advice and help. Today, he's fully dedicated to the management of our products.
Favorite products : Silk sheets
Romain joined us in the summer of 2024. He brings his experience in customer service, acquired in call centers, to offer attentive listening and quality support. On a day-to-day basis, he takes care of after-sales service messages, answers calls to inform customers and handles return parcels. Always available and attentive, Romain contributes to creating the most pleasant customer experience possible.
Favorite products : Silk and tanboocell pillows and silk pillowcase 25 mommes