Victor Lagae founded, together with Louis Carton, a company specialized in handkerchief linens and batiste, in the city of Kortrijk in 1858.

From the farms in the surroundings of the city, the woven linen would be transported by cart to their warehouse, situated close to the train station.

Due to heavy bombing by allied forces during World War II, the company lost all its archives and office buildings.

[1] Like Victor Lagae, entrepreneur Paul Libeert saw an opportunity in opening a trade company of linens, situated near the station of Kortrijk.

The company bought linen from the cottage industry in the regions of Sint-Eloois-Winkel and Meulebeke and brought everything to a central warehouse in Kortrijk.

[2] A few years before[World War II, two of Albert's sons, Raymond and Paul, were elected to take control of the family business.

After the Battle of Belgium, the family Libeert closed the factory, as they refused to manufacture military equipment for the German army.

Because of the market potential at that time for linen weavers the United States, Raymond wanted to go to New York to open a sales outlet.

However, due to bad weather conditions the airplane crashed about 30 kilometers from Gander International Airport in Newfoundland, Canada.

Patrick Lagae, 4th generation after Victor, and Jean-Loup Libeert opened the first discussions on a merger in 1994 and by 1997 both companies merged into Libeco-Lagae.