Our History

From French Passion to European HEMA Vision

The Early HEMA Days (2000-2010)

Back when Historical European Martial Arts were still finding their footing, dedicated HEMA equipment simply didn't exist. We all remember those early days - wooden bokken standing in for longswords, paintball masks for protection, and welding gloves for sparring. If you wanted to practice HEMA seriously, you had to get creative.

The Birth of Faits d'Armes (2010-2015)

Renaud Biemans, a HEMA practitioner since the beginning, saw the challenge clearly: How could our community grow if people couldn't equip themselves safely?

It started with a simple blog in 2010, evaluating and listing available equipment for HEMA needs. By 2012, after finding a reliable fencing mask supplier, Renaud created the first e-commerce site - MasqueEscrime.com - offering just two products: fencing masks with white and black bibs. Modest beginnings, but it was a start.

As new manufacturers like Rawlings and PBT began developing HEMA-specific gear, the catalog grew. The site evolved into something bigger - a dedicated brand for Historical European Martial Arts: Faits d'Armes.

Building Trust in the HEMA Community (2015-2024)

Since 2015, Faits d'Armes has become a trusted name across the global HEMA community. Through partnerships with manufacturers and deep understanding of what practitioners actually need, we've built something based on one simple principle: impeccable service from your first visit through delivery and beyond.

The French market taught us everything about building trust with the HEMA community.

Why We Created HEMA Forge

As our European customers grew, we heard the same feedback repeatedly: while they loved our service, "Faits d'Armes" was challenging to remember and pronounce for non-French speakers.

We faced a choice: adapt or limit our impact.

HEMA Forge is our answer - a new brand built specifically for the European Historical European Martial Arts community, powered by the same team that made Faits d'Armes successful.

Advanced Platform for Better HEMA Shopping

We've moved to an advanced Shopify platform to deliver the smoothest possible shopping experience, with optimized shipping rates across Europe, the UK, and Switzerland. Same expert curation of longsword, rapier, and protective equipment - just a better way to get it to you.

Two Brands, One HEMA Mission

Faits d'Armes continues serving the French market with the same dedication that built our reputation. HEMA Forge extends that expertise across Europe - same team, same commitment to quality, same obsession with service.

We're still the practitioners who remember the paintball mask days. We're just better equipped to serve you now.

The HEMA community's trust drives everything we do. That hasn't changed, and it never will.