Know-how

The poetry of gesture. The touch of the handmade to enhance the material.

From rigorously selected solid wood to the pleated lampshade, the technique of which remains a closely guarded secret: what lies behind every Rispal lamp.

Our woods

From our forests to the workshop

Much of our wood comes from our French forests, oak being the main variety. We have added two species chosen for their natural elegance: American walnut, with its deep hue, and mahogany, which recalls period models.

Six finishes, from natural oak to American walnut, to create a light fixture that reflects your style.

A deep black that lets the vein stand out. The silhouette becomes graphic.

Black-stained wood

Origin : France

Light and bright, the clear grain of the oak left exposed. Dense and stable, it develops a patina over time.

Natural oak

Origin : France

A warm, amber hue, as if burnished by the years. The oak of distinctive interiors.

Vintage oak

Origin : France

The wood of the period models: a deep red with a fine grain, paying tribute to the Rispal lamps of the 1950s.

Mahogany

Origin : West Africa

Deep and dense, almost chocolatey. French walnut at its most sophisticated.

Stained French walnut

Origin : France

A subtle grain, with warm and ever-changing highlights. Natural American walnut enhances the shapes of our lamps and stands as the most exclusive wood in our collection.

Natural American walnut

Origin : United States

The workshop

Each board, selected one by one.

It all begins with the selection of the wood. The boards are chosen one by one, free from knots and imperfections: our pieces often taper to points and very fine, delicate sections that cannot tolerate the slightest weakness in the material.

Next comes the shaping of the piece: the wood is crafted, then sanded by hand, patiently, until it achieves the desired smoothness. Varnishing provides the finishing touch.

Handcrafted work, from the selection of the wood to the final touch, made in France.

The lampshade

The secret of pleated acetate

The pleated cellulose acetate lampshade is the signature of the Mante Religieuse. This bioplastic derived from wood cellulose was manufactured in France by Rodia, a subsidiary of Rhône-Poulenc, until its acetate division was acquired by the American company Celanese in the 1980s and production was moved to the United States.

The pleating technique disappeared with the Rispal factory. No known process (thermoforming, blow molding, extrusion, injection molding, rotomolding) could reproduce it: it took Douglas Mont three years of experimental research to rediscover it in 2017.

Like Georges-Léon Rispal in his time, he chooses never to patent it: a manufacturing secret rather than a public filing.

Today, the acetate is custom-made according to Rispal's own formulation: its elasticity and thickness have been designed for this pleating.

Our responsibility

Luxury that cares for the material

Made in France, without mass production, with partners chosen for the quality of their work and their respect for the environment: for us, this is as much a responsibility as a choice.

Wood largely sourced from French forests, a bioplastic derived from wood cellulose, expert craftsmanship: this commitment gives our lighting fixtures their share of luxury—that of objects you keep for a long time.