Soieries du Mékong

What Soieries du Mékong does

Soieries du Mékong is a French-registered social enterprise, operated as a project of the NGO Enfants du Mékong, that designs, produces, and sells hand-woven silk accessories. Founded in 1995 by Philippe de Pougnadoresse in response to the near-extinction of traditional Khmer silk weaving after the Khmer Rouge genocide, the company produces scarves, stoles, shawls, squares, triangles, and an expanding line of silk pillowcases, sleep masks and scrunchies in pure silk or proprietary blends (silk-cashmere, silk-wool, silk-cotton, silk-linen). Production is conducted in Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia by ~30 weavers supported by ~30 staff in loom preparation and finishing, totalling 61 year-round employees (57 women); designs are created by stylists in Asnières-sur-Seine, France, where a one-person core team supplemented by volunteers handles administration.\n\nThe business model rests on three distribution channels: a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront at soieriesdumekong.com selling globally at price points between €15 and €220; co-branded collections distributed through partner retail networks, notably Caroll (500 points of sale in France since 2019) and Bally (since 2016); and a corporate gifting program with bespoke enterprise orders (e.g., National Bank of Cambodia, Eric Bompard, AXA Atout Coeur). The company publishes a full transparent cost breakdown — for a €100 scarf, 38% to artisan compensation and social protection, 25% to materials, 15% to Cambodia overhead, 22% to French operations — and donates 100% of any year-end profits to Enfants du Mékong educational projects, holding no private shareholders.\n\nThe operation is supported by a network of institutional and brand partners (Fondation Hermès as founding weaver-training partner, AXA Atout Coeur, Accenture Foundation, Accor, Conseil Général des Hauts-de-Seine, Edmond de Rothschild/ESSEC incubator) and has earned the IDEAS label for good governance and transparency (renewed 2019). Production volumes reached 6,750 pieces in 2024 and the operation has trained more than 200 women in traditional weaving since inception, with economic activity supporting roughly 300 of the village's 19,000 inhabitants.

Name

Soieries du Mékong

Legal name

ENFANTS DU MEKONG

Website

https://soieriesdumekong.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Soieries du Mékong is a French social enterprise that designs and sells hand-woven silk scarves, shawls, stoles, and home accessories, produced in Cambodia by traditional Khmer weavers and distributed globally via its Shopify D2C site, co-branded collections with Bally and Caroll, and corporate gifting.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Ethical Silk Accessories

NAICS

Apparel Accessories and Other Apparel Manufacturing (3159)

SIC

Apparel & Other Finishd Prods Of Fabrics & Similar Matl (2300), Retail-Apparel & Accessory Stores (5600)

akta.pro primary industry

Luxury Scarves, Gloves & Cold-Weather Accessories (CRAKAEAF)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scarves, Wraps & Shawls (CRAAAJAF)

Keywords

• Hand-woven silk scarves
• Ethical fashion accessories
• Artisan silk weaving
• Silk home textiles
• Corporate silk gifts

Headquarters

HQ city

Neuilly-sur-seine

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Retail E-commerce Sales: Direct online sales of silk scarves, shawls, stoles, squares, triangles, accessories (twillys, pouches, scrunchies), silk pillowcases, and sleep masks through the company's Shopify e-commerce store. One-time purchase model. Products priced from €30 to €220.
2. Co-branded Product Licensing: Co-branded product partnerships with fashion brands such as Caroll (500 retail points of sale in France since 2019) and Bally (since 2016). Products are designed by Soieries du Mékong and distributed through partner retail networks.
3. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold online starting at €30, allowing recipients to choose from the full product range.
4. Corporate Gifting: B2B corporate gift sales through a dedicated catalogue targeting businesses seeking ethical and socially engaged gift options. Includes personalized corporate orders.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Soieries du Mékong designs in France and hand-weaves in Cambodia a portfolio of premium silk accessories — foulards (scarves), étoles (stoles), écharpes (shawls), carrés and triangles (squares and triangles) — plus a Collection Nuits line of silk pillowcases, sleep masks and scrunchies, and small silk accessories (twillys, pouches). The brand operates a direct-to-consumer Shopify storefront, co-branded distribution through Caroll and Bally, and a B2B corporate gifts program, with 100% of profits reinvested in NGO Enfants du Mékong educational projects.

Product overview

Soieries du Mékong is an ethical luxury fashion brand specializing in hand-woven silk accessories. The core product portfolio centers on silk foulards (scarves), étoles (stoles), écharpes (shawls), and carrés/triangles (squares and triangles), all hand-crafted by Cambodian women weavers using traditional Khmer techniques. The company operates on a single-brand, single-category model where all products share the same artisanal heritage—designs are created in France while production takes place in Banteay Chhmar, Cambodia. Beyond the main silk accessory line, the portfolio extends into silk home textiles (pillowcases, sleep masks, scrunchies) within the 'Collection Nuits' sub-brand, and includes gift card and corporate gifting programs. Materials span pure silk and silk-blends (cashmere, wool, cotton, linen). The company is structured as a social enterprise project of NGO Enfants du Mékong, with 100% of profits supporting educational projects.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Silk Scarves and Shawls (Foulards et écharpes)

Quantifiable outcome

• 61 people employed year-round in 2024, with impact extending to 300 people in the village
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CarollcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2019Caroll distributes co-branded 'Caroll x Soieries du Mékong' products through its 500 retail points of sale in France. Partnership aligned with Caroll's RSE ('Caroll s'engage') policy, targeting ethical fashion-conscious consumers.
• BallycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 1 January 2016Luxury fashion brand Bally distributes co-branded 'Bally x Soieries du Mékong' silk accessories. Partnership inscribed in the long term, contributing to the project's sustainability.
• Fondation HermèscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFondation d'entreprise Hermès is a founding partner that contributed to the creation of village workshops (lieux de vie for weavers) and shared Hermès expertise for weaver training. A key early supporter of the project's inception.
• AXA Atout CœurcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerLong-term partner providing AXA employee volunteer expertise to the project and gifting scarves in association colors to volunteers. Demonstrates corporate social commitment.
• Edmond de Rothschild FoundationsminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSupported Soieries du Mékong's participation in the Scale Up incubator programme run by ESSEC and the Edmond de Rothschild Foundation for social enterprise development.
• Accenture FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAccenture Foundation enabled weavers to receive training in budget management fundamentals, supporting their financial literacy and independence.
• Conseil Général des Hauts de Seine (Département 92)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerRegional institutional partner providing support to the Soieries du Mékong project based in Asnières-sur-Seine (Hauts-de-Seine department).
• Eric BompardminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorFrench silk and cashmere brand Eric Bompard sources bespoke pieces from Soieries du Mékong, included in the 2024 production of 6,750 pieces.
• National Bank of CambodiaminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorNational Bank of Cambodia orders custom pieces from Soieries du Mékong, included in the 2024 production figures of 6,750 pieces.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Hermès: Hermès is the global benchmark for luxury silk scarves (Carré Hermès) and a multi-category luxury house. While not a direct ethical-fashion competitor and not a co-brand customer, its Fondation is a founding partner of Soieries du Mékong and its scarf category sets the price and craftsmanship reference for the segment.
• Liberty London: Liberty's heritage silk scarf line and its own in-house fabric prints are a recognizable scarf offering inside a broader premium lifestyle retailer. Comparable as a multi-category incumbent with a dedicated silk accessories line distributed through its own retail and DTC channels.

Direct peers

• V. Fraas: V. Fraas is a long-established manufacturer of scarves and shawls in silk, wool, and blends with a global wholesale presence. It competes in the same product category (premium scarves and stoles) with similar channels, but at industrial scale rather than hand-loom production.
• Inouï Editions: Inouï Editions is a French silk scarf and accessory brand producing limited-edition designs with artwork collaborations. It shares the DTC-first, design-led, premium-scarf positioning with Soieries du Mékong, making it a comparable direct peer despite different sourcing geographies.
• Slip: Slip built a global silk pillowcase and sleep-mask brand with a strong DTC and premium positioning. It overlaps directly with Soieries du Mékong's 'Collection Nuits' (pillowcases, sleep masks, scrunchies) and competes for the same ethical/wellness-oriented premium silk consumer.
• Maison Montagut: Maison Montagut is a French heritage maker of knitwear and silk accessories including scarves and stoles, sold wholesale and DTC across Europe. It shares French heritage, multi-channel distribution, and a scarves-and-accessories core with Soieries du Mékong.
• Blissy: Blissy is a leading DTC silk pillowcase brand with a broad assortment of mulberry silk sleep, hair, and accessory products. It directly competes with the 'Collection Nuits' line (silk pillowcases, sleep masks, scrunchies) for premium DTC silk consumers.
• Fraas: Fraas (the parent of V. Fraas) is one of the world's largest producers of branded scarves and shawls sold across department stores and duty-free. Its mass-premium positioning makes it a relevant scale reference point and channel competitor for Soieries du Mékong's wholesale ambitions.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCE0ftcKMkxXhjyYwxp83hPA
• Facebookfacebook.com/soieriesdumekong
• Instagraminstagram.com/soieries_du_mekong/?hl=fr
• Pinterestpinterest.fr/soieriesmekong
• Xx.com/Soieries
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/soieries-du-m-kong

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 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 Soieries du Mékong