Key dates
1881
Business creation in Armentières in the north of France by Mr. Constant FEINTE, the first generation of the company. First a linen bleaching company, then a weaving mill, the name was “H. PARENT & C. FEINTE”.
1907
Change of the company’s name to “C. FEINTE ET FILS & J. BEAUJEU” after Mr. Henri PARENT’s death. Mr. Jules BEAUJEU, Constant FEINTE’s son-in-law, was the second generation of the company.
1914
Part of the company had to be transferred in Angers because of the First World War. The mill in Armentières still belonged to the company.
1917
The Feinte family bought the mill in Laval (Mayenne, France). Creation of a sister company « FEINTE HIBON & CIE ».
1930
Death of Mr. Constant FEINTE.
1936
Merger of the companies « FEINTE ET BEAUJEU » and « FEINTE HIBON ET CIE ». The board was composed with Mr. Henri FEINTE and Mr. René BEAUJEU, they were the third generation.
1939 – 1945
The mill in Armentières was partly destroyed during the Second World War bombing. The head office was transferred in Laval, and weaving was still the core business of the company.
1956
This was the beginning of printing in Laval with the development of tinting process (Jiggers industrial machinery), as well as the acquisition of the two first printing tables. The new specialty of the company was the dyed yarns for indoor slippers. The board was then composed by Henri FEINTE’s sons: Daniel, Bernard and François FEINTE, the fourth generation.
1966
On October 25th, the rising waters of the Mayenne River flood the factory and destroyed the weaving looms: this ended the weaving business.
1970
The three brothers embarked upon flat screen printing which was very successful, and became the first activity. Two new printing tables were set up.
1984
The company became “Tissus d’Avesnières”, and started to export its production abroad, including successfully England and the United-States. The production plant was then composed with 10 printing tables.
In the meantime, the fourth generation decided to invest in archives, starting a great collection of drawings and designs.
2000
This decade was synonym of new technologies, most particularly with the acquisition of the first small inkjet printer in 2006: this was the beginning of digital printing on fabric.
At this time, the management board is composed with the fifth generation, Mrs Nathalie FEINTE-LIGUINE et Mr Grégoire FEINTE.
Since 2023, Mrs Nathalie FEINTE-LIGUINE is the CEO of the company.
2009
Tissus d’Avesnières got the EPV Label (Entreprise du Patrimoine Vivant – l’Excellence des savoir-faire français). In the process of being renewed.
2011
New step forward for the company with the acquisition of its first industrial inkjet printer. This allows the production tools to produce important and high-quality volume, with an unlimited number of colours.
2019
Tissus d’Avesnières is still preparing for the future investing in the most recent inkjet printer, and is upgrading all traditional printing tools for flat screen printing.
2021
Tissus d’Avesnières got the France Terre Textile Label (French Textile Production Label).
