Reference Case: OPINEL®

For over a century, OPINEL® has defined what a simple, functional knife should be. Produced in the French Alps since 1890, the brand’s folding knives are recognised worldwide for their clarity of design, reliability and enduring appeal.

While the form has remained largely unchanged, OPINEL® continues to evolve through carefully considered material choices. Their collaboration with CWP is a precise example of how colour and material innovation can enhance a classic product without compromising its identity.

A material collaboration rooted in purpose

The partnership between OPINEL® and CWP has developed over several years, built on a shared focus: combining material integrity with visual distinction.

“We aim to offer wooden handles with originality and character, while maintaining a responsible sourcing approach within Europe.” Françoise Detroyat, Director of Marketing & Communication at OPINEL®

This balance between creativity, consistency and responsibility sits at the core of the collaboration.

Why coloured birch?

CWP’s through-coloured birch offers a combination of technical and aesthetic qualities that align closely with OPINEL®’s product philosophy.

From a performance perspective, birch provides the required strength while maintaining a lightweight feel, which is essential for a folding knife designed for everyday use.

Equally important is the material’s reliability in production. The laminated structure of CWP’s through-dyed veneer ensures consistent quality and dependable bonding, supporting efficient manufacturing without compromising finish.

“Birch is a wood whose mechanical properties meet our requirements: strength and lightness. The consistency and quality of the blocks: no issues with bonding.” OPINEL®

Expanding design possibilities through colour

Beyond performance, colour plays a central role in this collaboration. CWP’s through-colouring process allows colour to run throughout the material rather than sitting on the surface.

This creates a stable and repeatable visual result, which is particularly important in products that are shaped, sanded and exposed to wear over time.

“The wide range of colors allows for great creativity and enables us to offer products suited to different market positions.” OPINEL®

The result is a collection that maintains the brand’s iconic silhouette while offering distinct visual variations for different audiences and contexts.

Application in OPINEL® products

N°08 Pocket Knife Series

CWP’s laminated, through-coloured birch veneers are used in the handles of selected knives within the N°08 series, one of OPINEL®’s most recognised formats. The material allows for precise shaping while maintaining consistent colour expression across production batches.

Table Chic Collection

In the Table Chic dining knife range, the same material approach is applied to a different context, where tactile quality and visual refinement are equally important.

Here, the layered colour compositions add depth and subtle contrast, elevating the dining experience while retaining the natural character of wood.

Colour compositions in practice

OPINEL®’s use of CWP colours demonstrates how layered veneers can create nuanced and distinctive finishes.

Across the range, brown and grey tones remain the most popular, reflecting a preference for colours that balance modern expression with timeless usability.

Material consistency as a design tool

A defining advantage of CWP materials in this context is consistency. Through-coloured veneers ensure that the visual outcome remains stable across machining, finishing and long-term use.

For OPINEL®, this means that design intent is preserved from prototype to large-scale production. This reliability allows colour to function not just as an aesthetic layer, but as an integral part of the product’s identity.