Fermob: Why We Carry France's Most Iconic Sustainable Outdoor Furniture at Comosum

Fermob is a French outdoor furniture company with roots tracing to 1889 — the year the Eiffel Tower was unveiled and the original Bistro chair patent was filed — now based in Thoissey, France, where it has manufactured everything since 1953. The brand's sustainability credentials are specific and verifiable: steel and aluminum materials that are 98% recyclable globally, the first zero-waste painting line in Europe (implemented in 1996, saving 8 tons of paint per year), and Gold Exemplary Recognition from the Sustainable Furnishings Council in 2017. We carry Fermob at Comosum because it is the rare outdoor furniture brand that takes both longevity and material responsibility seriously — combining 130+ years of heritage with verified eco-manufacturing to produce sustainable outdoor furniture that is equally at home in Paris garden or a Brooklyn terrace.

The Story Behind Fermob

The year is 1889. The Eiffel Tower is rising over Paris, the city is reinventing itself for the industrial age, and a small-scale ironworking workshop is registering the patent for a foldable chair designed for one specific purpose: the crowded café terraces of the French capital. That original "Simplex" Bistro chair patent — filed by Édouard Leclerc in 1889 — remains in Fermob's portfolio today, making Fermob the company that literally holds the patent on the French bistro chair. The name itself tells the story: "fer" (iron) + "mobilier" (furniture) = Fermob.

By 1953, industrial production of garden furniture was underway at the Thoissey site in the Ain department, approximately 50km north of Lyon. That same factory, on that same site, is where every piece of Fermob furniture is made today — seventy years later, with no outsourcing, no offshoring, and no concessions to cheaper production methods.

The pivotal modern chapter came in 1989, when Bernard Reybier acquired the company and made two decisive bets: color and sustainability. At the time, outdoor furniture came in white or British racing green. Reybier began developing an expanding palette inspired by nature — Cactus, Rosemary, Acapulco Blue, Honey, Red Ochre — that would eventually become Fermob's most recognizable design signature.

The Luxembourg Collection has its own distinct origin story. Originally created for the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris in 1923 by the city's parks department workshops, the chairs were designed to be lightweight, stackable, and durable enough for daily institutional use. Fermob still manufactures the official Luxembourg chairs for the City of Paris today. In 2004, Fermob commissioned French designer Frédéric Sofia to reinterpret the collection in modern, lightweight aluminum — the result is the stackable Fermob Luxembourg Armchair that is now among the most recognized pieces of outdoor furniture in the world, appearing in everything from the Fermob's sustainability commitment features to Harvard University courtyards, Google headquarters, Apple campuses, and Bryant Park in New York.

The Bistro Chair — seven curved steel slats, foldable, made in France — follows from the 1889 patent and has appeared on terraces from Mexico City to Tokyo. Both collections represent something rare in design: products that are simultaneously historical artifacts and genuinely current furniture.

How Fermob Builds Sustainably

Materials

Fermob's furniture is made from steel and aluminum — two of the most recyclable metals in the world. Across the entire range, 98% of the metals used are recyclable globally. This is not a marketing claim; it is a function of the materials themselves, and Fermob has built its entire product line around them.

For outdoor cushions and seating surfaces, Fermob uses Outdoor Technical Fabrics (OTF): PVC-coated polyester sourced from suppliers with strict sustainability standards. These fabrics are tear-proof, UV-resistant, designed to stay cool in direct sunlight (eliminating the need for additional cushions), and are fully recyclable at end of life. All Fermob packaging uses recycled and recyclable materials.

Manufacturing

Every piece of Fermob furniture is manufactured at the Thoissey factory in France — no exceptions, no subcontracting to lower-cost markets. The commitment to French manufacturing is not merely a heritage claim; it gives Fermob direct control over every aspect of production quality and environmental practice.

In 1996, Fermob implemented the first zero-waste painting line in Europe. The process is precise: every coat is solvent-free, and all paint residue from the production process is fully recycled rather than sent to waste. This saves approximately 8 tons of paint per year. The painting technique itself — cataphoresis (cathodic dip coating) plus electrostatic powder application — penetrates into fine metal cracks and creates a UV-resistant finish engineered to overwinter outdoors without rusting or requiring protective covering. The Thoissey plant has been emission-free in its painting facility since 1997.

Certifications & Recognition

In 2017, Fermob received Gold Exemplary Recognition from the Sustainable Furnishings Council — a non-profit coalition dedicated to sustainability in the furnishings industry. Fermob was the fourth manufacturer globally to achieve this recognition, which evaluates sustainable raw materials, zero-waste painting processes, selective waste-sorting, and eco-design from product inception through packaging. Fermob holds SFC membership and continues to participate in the organization's ongoing sustainability verification.

All Fermob products are fully repairable — individual parts are available for purchase, meaning a chair with a broken slat or bent leg does not need to be replaced entirely. The 24-color palette is developed with UV-resistance testing, scratch resistance, and humidity resistance built in, ensuring the finish holds for the functional life of the furniture.

Why Fermob Belongs at Comosum

The outdoor space is no longer treated as separate from the interior in thoughtful home design — the terrace, garden, or balcony is an extension of the living room, and it deserves the same level of intention. Fermob is the brand that understands this most deeply.

We carry Fermob because it is the rare outdoor furniture brand that takes both longevity and material responsibility seriously at the same time. One hundred and thirty-plus years of heritage, manufactured in France, from 98% recyclable materials, with a zero-waste paint process that no European competitor has matched since 1996. The category of eco-friendly garden furniture is full of vague claims; Fermob's are audited and specific.

The color story matters too. Fermob's 24-color palette — each shade tested extensively for UV resistance, scratch resistance, and humidity resistance — gives customers a genuine way to express personality outdoors, not just grey and beige. That expressiveness, rooted in French joie de vivre, aligns with the idea that sustainable design should also be joyful.

Fermob sits alongside our other sustainable furniture brands at Comosum. For those interested in other design-led outdoor furniture with strong sustainability credentials, our post on Isimar: Spain's Carbon-Negative Outdoor Furniture Brand tells a complementary story. And if French independent design interests you, see our spotlight on Petite Friture: France's Independent Design House.

Browse outdoor chairs, dining tables, accessories, and lighting in the Fermob collection at Comosum.

Explore Fermob at Comosum

Here are the Fermob products currently available at Comosum, selected for their design significance and suitability across different outdoor settings:

• Fermob Bistro Metal Chair — The chair that traces directly to the 1889 patent: seven curved steel slats, foldable, made in Thoissey, France. Available in Fermob's full color palette. The most historically significant piece of outdoor furniture in the Comosum catalog.
• Fermob Luxembourg Armchair — The 2004 Frédéric Sofia reinterpretation of the 1923 Paris parks department original, now in lightweight stackable aluminum. Available in all 24 Fermob colors. The outdoor chair most closely associated with the Jardin du Luxembourg is now available for home terraces.
• Fermob Luxembourg Side Chair — The companion side chair to the Luxembourg Armchair, equally stackable and equally at home in a garden, on a rooftop, or around a dining table. Available in 24 colors with the same UV-resistant powder-coat finish.
• Fermob Luxembourg 31" Square Pedestal Table — The matching Luxembourg dining table, designed to pair with the Luxembourg chairs and complete a coherent outdoor dining set. Lightweight aluminum with a stable pedestal base and the same range of color options.

Browse the full Fermob collection at Comosum →

Frequently Asked Questions About Fermob

Where is Fermob furniture made?
All Fermob furniture is manufactured in Thoissey, France — a town in the Ain department, approximately 50km north of Lyon — at the same factory site the company has operated since 1953. Unlike many outdoor furniture brands that manufacture in Asia, Fermob has never moved its production outside France. This commitment to French manufacturing is central to the brand's quality and sustainability story.

Is Fermob outdoor furniture sustainable?
Fermob uses steel and aluminum — both 98% recyclable globally — as its primary materials, and has operated the first zero-waste painting line in Europe since 1996. In 2017, Fermob received Gold Exemplary Recognition from the Sustainable Furnishings Council, recognizing its environmental best practices including solvent-free finishes, recycled packaging, and eco-design principles. Every piece of Fermob furniture is also fully repairable, with replacement parts available to extend product life indefinitely.

What is the Fermob Luxembourg collection?
The Luxembourg collection is Fermob's most iconic range, originally designed for the Jardin du Luxembourg in Paris in 1923 by the Paris parks department workshops. Fermob still manufactures the official chairs for the Luxembourg gardens today. In 2004, Fermob commissioned French designer Frédéric Sofia to reinterpret the collection in lightweight, stackable aluminum — available in all 24 of Fermob's signature colors. It remains one of the most recognized pieces of outdoor furniture in the world.

What colors does Fermob furniture come in?
Fermob offers a curated palette of 24 colors across most of its collections, including nature-inspired shades such as Cactus, Rosemary, Acapulco Blue, Honey, Red Ochre, Anthracite, and Cotton White. Each color is tested extensively for UV resistance, scratch resistance, and humidity resistance to ensure the finish holds outdoors for years. New colors are periodically introduced as older shades are retired, keeping the palette fresh.

How do I maintain Fermob outdoor furniture?
Fermob outdoor furniture is designed to require minimal maintenance. Most pieces can be cleaned with soap and water, and the steel and aluminum frames can be left outdoors year-round without additional protective covering — the powder-coat finish is engineered to withstand rain, sun, and cold. The company recommends choosing aluminum-frame collections if you are in a high-salt coastal environment or near a chlorinated pool, as salt air can accelerate corrosion in steel over time.