The history of this former textile company dates back to the late 18th century, when a former French wine merchant began trading cotton, linen, and wool, among other commodities. Initially based in Wuppertal, Germany, the company grew and, under the leadership of a great-grandson, began producing artificial textile fibers using a chemical process invented in 1890 by Frenchman Louis Despeissis. In the early 1900s, two chemists perfected the process and eventually standardized what would become known as the "Bemberg System." Since 1911, this company has held a globally dominant position in the production of cellulose fibers using the cuprous ammonium process, commonly known as Rayon Cupro.

On May 27, 1925, a branch was established in Italy. The location was chosen for its proximity to a lake, which could provide large quantities of lime-free water and also offered convenient drainage for industrial wastewater. The factory, designed by engineer Piero Ponci, began production in February 1927. By 1930, the factory employed 1,000 people.

The main yarn Bemberg produced is cupro, which is obtained by treating cotton fibers with ammonia and copper. It has a very similar feel to silk and is primarily used for women's stockings. The main advantage of cupro is that it can be used with the same machines and spinning techniques, at a much lower cost than silk. The spun product also produces results very similar to those of natural silk.

The production process was initially highly polluting, as the washwater contained large quantities of copper and ammonia that flowed into Lake Orta. This indiscriminate discharge posed a huge problem for Lake Orta, which suffered extensive damage during the plant's early years, between 1927 and 1940, so much so that the fish population almost completely disappeared. Even after improvements in the production process virtually eliminated copper discharge, the copper that had accumulated on the bottom over the decades of the plant's operation, when exposed to the ammonia discharge, became soluble again, and pollution levels remained high.