What SOFAREB does

Sofareb (SOFAREB SARL) is a French family-owned manufacturer of custom technical textile solutions, headquartered in Longèves, Vendée, since its founding in 1989 by André Chauveau and his spouse. The company designs, fabricates, and installs made-to-measure coated textile products from a single 4,500 m² workshop, serving seven distinct vertical segments from one platform: homeowners, tourism/hospitality operators, businesses, agriculture, industry, public-sector entities, and architects. Named enterprise accounts include Fleury Michon, Brioche Pasquier, McDonald's France, O'Gliss Park, O'Tel Park, and Leroy Merlin.

The product portfolio is organized around composite flexible textiles (polyester, PVC, polypropylene) using Serge Ferrari technical membranes as the primary substrate, with an in-house bureau d'études providing 3D simulation, shadow calculation, acoustic analysis, and 3D-printed custom mechanical components. Core offerings span solar protection (shade sails, blinds, velums, brise-soleil, pergola canvases, mosquito nets), waterproofing/geomembranes for basins, lagoons, retention tanks, and flexible cisterns, acoustic insulation (panels, velums, sails, curtains, partitions), metallo-textile structures, custom covers and tarpaulins, textile facades, and large-format digital printing introduced in 2018.

Revenue is generated through project-based custom quotes rather than published pricing, via a sales-led go-to-market combining field technicians for site surveys, inside sales via web forms/phone/email, a Longèves showroom with periodic open-house events, and a newer e-commerce boutique (sofareb.confection-en-ligne.com). Income streams comprise custom manufacturing and sale, on-site installation, digital printing services, and after-sales Rentoilage (re-tensioning and re-seating) on existing installations. Operations are entirely domestic (France), with national coverage including Paris, Lyon, Bordeaux, and Strasbourg for large-scale projects. Control rests with the founding family after a 2015 generational succession to Franck Chauveau and Laure Rautureau; the company is a private SARL with no disclosed parent, no external institutional investors, and no public funding rounds.

Name

SOFAREB

Legal name

SOFAREB SARL

Website

https://sofareb.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Sofareb is a French family-owned manufacturer founded in 1989 that designs, fabricates, and installs custom-made coated technical textiles — including solar protection, geomembrane waterproofing, acoustic insulation, and textile structures — from its Vendée workshop, serving residential, tourism, commercial, agricultural, industrial, public-sector, and architectural clients across France.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Custom Technical Textile Manufacturing

NAICS

Textile Furnishings Mills (3141)

SIC

Miscellaneous Fabricated Textile Products (2390)

akta.pro primary industry

Coated & Laminated Industrial Fabrics (Tarpaulins/Awnings/Inflatables/Architectural Membranes) (IMAOADAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Outdoor & Performance Home Textiles Manufacturing (Awning/Patio Cushions/UV-Resistant Home Fabrics) (IMAOAKAJ), Window Coverings Manufacturing (Curtains/Drapes/Sheers/Valances) (IMAOAKAC)

Keywords

• Custom technical textiles
• Solar protection solutions
• Geomembrane waterproofing
• Acoustic insulation panels
• Architectural textile structures

Headquarters

HQ city

Longèves

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Custom Textile Product Manufacturing and Sale: Primary revenue stream: design, fabrication, and sale of custom-made technical textile products. Each product is manufactured to order based on customer-specific measurements and requirements. The company operates its own 4,500 m² workshop in Longèves where products are cut, assembled, and finished.
2. Installation and Site Services: Revenue from on-site installation of products by Sofareb technicians. Services include site survey visits, product fitting, and post-installation validation. Installation is offered as part of the full-service project delivery.
3. Digital Printing Services: Large-format digital printing on banners, building facades, signage, and customized textile products. Added as a new capability in 2018, expanding customization options for both aesthetic and branding purposes.
4. After-Sales Service and Reseating (Rentoilage): Ongoing service revenue from repairs, replacement covers, and re-tensioning/rtoilage of existing installations. The dedicated SAV (Service Après-Vente) supports existing customer installations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

SOFAREB designs, manufactures, and installs custom-made technical textile products including solar protection (shade sails, interior/exterior blinds, velums, brise-soleil, pergola canvases), waterproofing systems (geomembranes for basins, flexible cisterns), acoustic insulation (panels, velums, curtains), metallo-textile structures (canopies, shelters, covered walkways), custom covers and tarpaulins, textile facades, and large-format digital printing. All products are made-to-measure using composite coated fabrics (polyester/PVC/polypropylene and Serge Ferrari membranes) in the company's 4,500 m² Longèves workshop and installed by in-house technicians across France.

Product overview

SOFAREB is a French manufacturer specializing in custom technical textile solutions since 1989. The company operates a single unified product portfolio organized around its core textile expertise: solar protection products (shade sails, blinds, velums, brise-soleil, pergola canvases, mosquito nets), waterproofing solutions (geomembranes for basins, flexible tanks, lagoon systems), acoustic insulation (panels, velums, curtains, partitions), textile structures (canopies, shelters, covered walkways), custom covers and tarpaulins, interior/exterior furnishing, textile facades, large-format digital printing, and sanitary protection products. These products serve diverse markets including residential, tourism/hospitality, businesses, industry, agriculture, public entities/collectivities, and architects. SOFAREB manufactures in its Vendée workshop using composite materials including polyester, polypropylene, PVC, and Serge Ferrari technical fabrics, and operates a 3D simulation study bureau for custom project design.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Solar Protection Products (Protections solaires)
• Geomembrane Waterproofing Systems (Étanchéité)
• Flexible Storage Tanks (Citernes souples)
• Textile Structures (Structures textiles)
• Acoustic Insulation Solutions (Isolation acoustique)
• Custom Covers and Tarpaulins (Housses et bâches sur-mesure)
• Interior and Exterior Textile Fitting (Aménagement intérieur et extérieur)
• Textile Facades (Façades textiles)
• Large-Format Digital Printing Service (Impression numérique grand format)
• Sanitary Protection Products (Protection sanitaire)

Quantifiable outcome

• Products reduce interior temperatures and decrease reliance on air conditioning, lowering energy costs
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments7 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and moderate.

• Serge Ferrari GroupcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSofareb is a certified member of the Serge Ferrari Expert Network, a European network of confectionners and installers of Serge Ferrari technical membranes. The partnership provides access to high-quality coated textile materials (Serge Ferrari membranes), continuous professional training, industry expertise sharing, and the Serge Ferrari brand reputation. The network comprises approximately 100 companies across Europe.
• Atout-LingeminorOthersSince 2016, Sofareb partners with Atout-Linge, an association that supports social and professional reintegration of people in difficulty. Sofareb donates its textile offcuts to the association, which uses them to manufacture accessories such as bags and toiletries cases. In 2023, Atout-Linge collected 821 kg of Sofareb's textile waste, and 20 workers benefited from 2,923 hours of training. This partnership supports Sofareb's circular economy and social responsibility objectives.
• French FABmoderateStrategic or Co-development PartnerJoined at the end of 2019. The French FAB is an industrial network launched by the French Ministry of Economy (Bruno Le Maire, October 2017) to unite French manufacturers, accelerate industrial transformation, promote French industrial know-how internationally, and increase the attractiveness of industrial careers. Sofareb's participation enhances its visibility as an innovative French manufacturer.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Dickson: French-headquartered manufacturer of technical textiles for solar protection, outdoor furniture, and architectural applications. Highly comparable to Sofareb in product category (coated technical fabrics, shade solutions) and French geographic footprint, with a larger scale and stronger brand.
• Sioen Industries: Belgian technical textile manufacturer producing coated fabrics, geomembranes, and tarpaulins for industrial, architectural, and environmental applications. Closely comparable to Sofareb in coated/laminated industrial fabric product category.
• Mehler Texnologies: German manufacturer of technical coated textiles for architecture, industry, and military applications. Comparable to Sofareb in industrial coated fabric production and architectural membrane segments, with a larger European scale.
• Sattler SUN-TEX: Austrian manufacturer of technical textiles for sun protection, architecture, and outdoor applications. Closely comparable to Sofareb's solar protection and architectural membrane product lines.
• Heytex: German manufacturer of coated and laminated technical textiles for industrial, architectural, and outdoor applications. Comparable product portfolio (tarpaulins, architectural membranes, technical coated fabrics) to Sofareb.
• Warema: German manufacturer of sun shading systems including exterior blinds, pergolas, and brise-soleil for residential and commercial markets. Closely comparable to Sofareb's solar protection product range with deeper product standardization.

Broad incumbents

• Serge Ferrari Group: French manufacturer of composite flexible membranes used in architectural, solar protection, and industrial applications. Sofareb is a downstream customer via the Expert Network, but Serge Ferrari also competes in finished tensile architecture projects, making it a partial direct competitor and key supplier simultaneously.
• Hunter Douglas: Global market leader in window coverings, blinds, and architectural products. Comparable to Sofareb's interior/exterior blinds, velums, and acoustic curtain segments, but with vastly larger scale and standardized product model.
• Sunbrella (Glen Raven): Global manufacturer of performance fabrics for outdoor shading, marine, and architectural applications. Comparable to Sofareb's outdoor shade sail and UV-resistant fabric products, with a broader outdoor lifestyle brand presence.

Regional players

• Gale Pacific: Australian manufacturer of advanced polymer fabrics for shade, architectural, and horticultural applications. Comparable in shade sail and architectural fabric products, but operates primarily in Asia-Pacific rather than Europe.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCk6hAnYWoIp1i0n4QYrhlZg
• Facebookfacebook.com/SOFAREB
• Instagraminstagram.com/sofareb/?hl=fr
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/sofareb

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 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 SOFAREB