He was born in Brescia, Italy. After studying design in Milan, he came to Brazil barely 20 years old. Together with his brother Ernesto Hauner, in 1951 he bought Lina Bo Bardi’s and Pietro Maria Bardi’s Pau-Brasil Furniture factory, which was renamed Moveis Artesanal (Craft Furniture). Martin Eisler and Ernesto Wolf were also partners in this factory and it was renamed Forma. Upon his return to Italy, Carlo Hauner opened Forma di Brescia which produced furniture for the Brazilian embassy in that country.