8 Swiss Outdoor Clothing Brands You Need To Explore

There are two key reasons why you should choose a Swiss brand for outdoor clothing. One, Swiss products are synonymous with quality, and that’s true for everything from chocolates to wristwatches. Two, Switzerland is a country with gorgeous nature and countless opportunities for exploration of the outdoors.

The locals are outdoors every weekend, and numerous tourists come to Switzerland from all corners of the world to explore the country’s hiking and mountaineering trails. Also, the locals in Switzerland often choose to support the local economy and buy locally produced brands instead of imported goods, which serves to prove that Swiss brands of outdoor clothing stand out from subpar alternatives, and live up to the highest standards!

Mammut

Mammut is probably the most famous clothing brand that originates from Switzerland, and they’re recognizable thanks to their very particular logo. It was first founded back in 1862 by Kaspar Tanner. He was a young ropemaker situated in Dintikon, Switzerland, and he decided to start his own ropemaking business.

The brand produced only ropes for a long time, and they were primarily manufactured for use in the agricultural industry. Mammut would go on to start producing only climbing ropes, and in the 20th century, the brand would start to manufacture jackets, pants, hiking boots, and other clothing for Alpinists made from high-quality and innovative materials.

For more than a century, Mammut has been synonymous with Alpine safety. Even today, they’re still one of the best brands for outdoor footwear, technical climbing equipment, and other outdoor apparel. Products from this brand are pricey, but the quality is exceptional and the durability of their products is some of the best on the market.

Additionally, Mammut has become such a recognizable name in the outdoor clothing industry that you can find its products across the globe. The company employs more than 800 people, and it’s got stores in 40 countries throughout the world.

KJUS

KJUS is a popular sportswear brand that was founded in Switzerland by Lasse Kjus, an Alpine ski champion originally from Norway. The company was founded in 1999 when Kjus noticed that there was a gap in the market that could be filled by outdoor clothing that prioritized function over form.

It quickly turned out that he was completely right, and KJUS became a staple name in the outdoor clothing market. The brand is known for manufacturing clothing for various outdoor activities and using only high-quality materials in the production process.

For the first decade, ski apparel was the main focus of the brand. When it was time to expand the business, KJUS started to manufacture premium golf apparel, which caught the attention of the golf industry rather quickly.

Ski and golf apparel remains the main focus of the brand, but they’ve also got an everyday life line of clothing that includes trousers, jumpers, jackets, shirts, and gilets. It’s worth noting that these aren’t your average lifestyle clothing options; the products are still aimed at active and outdoorsy people, and all the items are manufactured from premium materials that are supposed to keep you comfortable and fresh after long days outdoors.

Maya Maya

Maya Maya is another excellent Swiss outdoor clothing brand. The company is headquartered in Landquart, Switzerland, and they’re known for premium quality sportswear. The brand offers items that are packed with convenient features and made from the best materials in the industry.

One thing that goes to show how much thought is put into every single one of their items is that they don’t have a massive product range. This company takes them when designing new items, and ensures that everything lives up to the highest standards and offers excellent performance, instead of just pushing out new things for the sake of quantity.

Maya Maya clothing is equipped with features that outdoorsy people often rely on, including UV protection, Recco technology, night vision materials, breathability, and waterproofing. They’ve got items for skiing, trail running, mountaineering, trekking, and even for the beach, as well as some other accessories for outdoor gear. Maya Maya also has a line of lifestyle clothing that’s not quite as feature-packed as their more specialized items but can still work for outdoor activities that don’t take place in extreme conditions.

Schoeller

Schoeller is a textile manufacturer headquartered in Switzerland. The origins of this company can be traced back to 1868 when Rudolph Schoeller set up the country’s first worsted yarn spinning. The original company was named after its directors, Chessex, Hoessly, Lang, and Weidlich, and was later renamed Schoeller Textil AG.

Schoeller was a yarn-focused company until 1954 when they purchased their first textile mill. They then started to develop wool blend fabrics with synthetic fibers, and the rest is pretty much history.

Today, this company has offices in both Switzerland and Germany. They manufacture various fabrics for workwear and sportswear and continue to innovate and develop new kinds of materials. Schoeller produces everything from breathable materials for hiking clothes to flame-retardant fabrics for workwear, all the while adhering to the bluesign standard.

In fact, Schoeller was one of the companies that helped develop this manufacturing standard. So, whenever you see a piece of clothing that’s manufactured from one of Schoeller’s proprietary fabrics, you can rest assured that it’s made with environmental and consumer safety in mind and that it boasts outstanding quality and performance.

Mountain Force

Mountain Force deserves an honorary shoutout because they were one of the top Swiss outdoor clothing brands for nearly two decades. Unfortunately, the company discontinued its product line and shut down in 2023, but its products can still be purchased from authorized retailers.

This brand focused on manufacturing high-quality ski apparel. All of their items were designed for excellent performance in cold temperatures, as well as easy movement on the slopes. Mountain Force ski apparel still remains some of the highest quality gear you can get for Alpine skiing, and it will last you a long time.

What’s special about items from this brand is that they always prioritized quality and performance over quantity. A single Mountain Force jacket had to be handmade from up to 350 individual pieces, which could take up to 12 hours to construct. Because of that, Mountain Force apparel was very expensive and available only to skiers with deep pockets.

That’s not the case anymore really, because the retailers that still have it in stock are trying to sell it off as quickly as possible. Most Mountain Force gear is heavily discounted, and you can snag premium products for a fraction of their original retail value.

Jetset

The Jetset company was founded back in 1969 in the village of St. Moritz, which is famous for luxury and skiing. That’s precisely what the company was inspired by, and luxury skiwear was its primary focus.

The brand has since expanded into swimwear and lifestyle clothing, and they’ve been doing really well. Jetset is known for innovative silhouettes, premium materials, and bold designs. Their clothing is an excellent option for people who value both form and function – if you want outdoor sportswear that isn’t just comfortable and breathable but also absolutely gorgeous, this is the Swiss brand for you.

Jetset products stand out with their bright colors and unique designs, and they just serve to prove that Swiss fashion is anything but boring and ordinary. Whether you want a quality bathing suit or premium workout wear, this brand offers items that are comfortable, high-quality, and unique.

Bally

Bally is a luxury brand founded in 1851 in Schönenwerd, Switzerland by Carl Franz Bally. The company started off as a small, family-owned ribbon factory, and it didn’t take too long for them to expand its product range and open stores in countries throughout the world.

The brand is known for luxury clothing, footwear, and accessories for men and women, but they’re not really a proper outdoor clothing brand. The brand does offer some sporty clothing that can work for easy outdoor activities, but they’re more of a lifestyle brand than anything else.

Every Bally item features premium quality and outstanding craftsmanship. Everything they produce is made with the best materials available and feels incredible to wear, from their basic t-shirts to fabulous footwear.

The brand does sell sneakers and lightweight clothing that can work for some easier hikes or just days outdoors but don’t expect to find any proper mountaineering equipment in their webshop. They’ve also got some really great winter clothing, which is absolutely fine for days on the mountain that don’t really include many strenuous activities.

Nikin

Nikin is a sustainable clothing brand founded in Lenzburg in 2016. The company started off with Treeanies (beanies) that were made in China and manufactured from Polyester, and they’ve since shifted towards organic and sustainable materials. Nikin also manufactures everything in its product range (except for the water bottles) in Europe.

This is more of a lifestyle brand, but they do have quite a few options for workout wear and sportswear. Most of their loungewear and sportswear styles are perfectly suitable for hiking, camping, and similar outdoor activities that don’t require too much effort.

One thing to note is that the majority of Nikin clothing is made from organic cotton, a material that is soft, comfortable, and feels excellent to wear, but isn’t really the ideal solution for strenuous outdoor activities because of high absorbency. While this isn’t the ultimate Swiss brand for technical outdoor gear and clothing, if you’re looking for comfortable sportswear and activewear that’s manufactured in a sustainable way, Nikin is absolutely an option you need to know about.