Rotauf Swiss Made
Rotauf Blog
Insights into product development: Sustainability meets craftsmanship
For more than ten years, we at ROTAUF have relied on local production and the highest environmental standards. This is no easy path, as managing our entire production in Switzerland represents an enormous economic challenge. Despite intensive efforts, we have not yet succeeded in meeting these high standards in all areas. The economic conditions and the loss of production partners repeatedly make the development and manufacture of our products in Switzerland a major undertaking. But we are not discouraged. Our goal remains clear: ROTAUF stands not only for sustainable products, but for change in the outdoor industry – driven by our passion for sport, our love of nature, and above all, our respect for people and the environment.
THE CHALLENGE: NEW PATHS IN PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
We repeatedly had to ask ourselves: "Are we on the right path?" Finding local producers in Switzerland is often extremely difficult. Production partners are lost, and we have to restart the entire development process. Product development often takes months until our strict quality standards are met.
And yet we say: Yes, it's the right path! Even if we've had to look beyond Switzerland's borders in some cases, we remain true to our philosophy. Our goal is to continue producing exclusive Swiss-made products and expanding our product range. An impressive example of this vision is our new Merino collection.
MR. URS AND THE ART OF KNITTING: INDIVIDUALLY DEVELOPED - NOT MASS PRODUCTION
To develop our new merino knit sweaters, we once again worked closely with Urs Landis, a master knitter from Turgi, Aargau. Urs embodies our commitment to local craftsmanship. But this path is anything but easy.
At Urs' knitting machines, each sweater is developed from scratch – without pre-made patterns or programs. Every thread and stitch is carefully checked and adjusted until the final product meets our high standards of quality, functionality, and sustainability.
The development of these Swiss-made sweaters is a complex process that continually presents us with new challenges. We want to ensure that our sweaters not only look good, but also meet the highest functional and ecological standards. This attention to detail and patience are reflected in each of our products. The sweaters in the new collection are not just pieces of clothing, but handcrafted works of art, created with dedication and precision.
Swiss Made – Our challenge and our promise
Production in Switzerland is costly and challenging, but we remain true to our philosophy. "Swiss Made" is more than just a label for us—it's a promise that every product is manufactured with care, dedication, and under fair conditions.
"For over ten years, we have been committed to sustainable production according to the highest international environmental standards. Despite all the hurdles, we are convinced that ROTAUF can bring about positive change in the outdoor industry," says Christian, Head of Sales at ROTAUF.
With our new Merino collection, we prove once again that it's possible to produce high-quality products in Switzerland. Every sweater created in Urs's knitting workshop represents Swiss craftsmanship and ROTAUF's values.
Learn more about our collaboration with Urs Landis and the development of our merino knit sweaters in the podcast.
Swiss Made
Urs Landis
Gyro Gearloose of knitting machines
In our podcast, you'll meet Urs, a courageous and creative young entrepreneur from Aargau. With a great passion for craftsmanship, he produces ROTAUF Merino knit sweaters in the Turgi train station building. In a conversation with Mathias Morgenthaler, Urs tells us how he became a knitter through a variety of detours and what shared values ​​he shares with ROTAUF.