When you create a toy brand, certain decisions are immediately obvious. Manufacturing in France was one of them. It wasn't a question we would ask ourselves later – it was a clear and non-negotiable initial conviction. The real question was: how do we achieve it? And how do we maintain it over time?
At Ma Cabane à Rêves, we've been manufacturing in France from the start. Not because it's easier (it's often more complicated). Not because it's cheaper (it's not). But because it's a choice we made from day one, and one we've never questioned.
Here's why.
Keeping an eye on what we do
Manufacturing in France is first and foremost about control. When our manufacturers are a few hours' drive away, we can check, adjust, and correct. We know the people who make our products. We can ask them questions, see how things are going, and be sure that what reaches children's hands matches what we envisioned.
When you manufacture on the other side of the world, it's different. You receive a container, hope everything is compliant, and discover problems afterwards. That's not the model that suits us.
Our magnets: made in Loire-Atlantique
Our magnetic games are manufactured by a magnet specialist based in Loire-Atlantique. It's a family business, on a human scale — people who have been working with magnets for years, with precise technical expertise: adhesive strength, piece thickness, print quality.
What binds us goes far beyond a simple business relationship. We call each other. We exchange advice. We catch up. When we have a technical question, they have the answer — and vice versa. We really work hand in hand, with transparency and sincerity that make exchanges easy and pleasant. This kind of relationship is not found when placing an order on the other side of the world.
The packaging for our magnetic games is printed in Paris. The same exacting standards: a local printer with whom we can work on details, finishes, and what makes a box beautiful and sturdy.
Our wooden boards: made in Nouvelle-Aquitaine
The wooden magnetic boards are manufactured by a family business specializing in wooden games and toys, based in Nouvelle-Aquitaine. Eco-managed certified wood, strong magnetic surface, colored trim — everything is designed to last.
Here too, it's a relationship of trust built over time. We know each other, we trust each other, and sometimes we call just to catch up. These are people who know their trade inside and out and put their heart into it. That's evident in the final product.
Producing locally also means producing better
Manufacturing in France allows us to produce in small quantities. This is a deliberate choice — we don't overstock, we don't waste. We produce what we need, when we need it.
It's less spectacular than a container of 10,000 pieces. But it's more responsible. And it prevents us from ending up with thousands of unsold items to discount or destroy — a reality that many toy brands experience without talking about it.
Supporting French know-how
There are extraordinary manufacturers in France, specialized and passionate about their craft. Printers who master finishes perfectly. Workshops that work with wood with remarkable precision. Magnet experts who have been doing this for decades.
Working with them also helps them to exist. Every order placed with a French manufacturer means work maintained in France, preserved know-how, and supported local jobs.
It's not politics. It's just what we think is right — for us, for our manufacturers, and for the children who play with our products.
What it actually changes
Manufacturing in France is not a guarantee of superior quality in itself — there are excellent products made all over the world. It's something else.
It's knowing exactly who makes it, how, and under what conditions. It's being able to go and check. It's producing in small series, without overstock, without waste. It's supporting family businesses that have been doing this for years with passion.
And it's a personal conviction that we fully embrace — even when it's more complicated and more expensive.
What about the price?
Manufacturing in France costs more. That's a reality we accept. Our magnetic games are €29 — that's not the price of a disposable toy. It's the price of a game that lasts for years, carefully made by people who know what they're doing and whom we trust.
We think it's a good trade-off. And apparently, so do you. (Thank you.)
Do you want to discover our magnetic games made in France?