Swiss label
On: What is behind the trendy shoe brand?
Updated 11/13/2024 – 4:55 p.mReading time: 2 min.
Within just a few years, the Swiss brand On has developed from a start-up into a celebrated global brand. But what makes the shoes so special?
They are called the “most comfortable shoes in the world”, famous athletes like Roger Federer and celebrities like Zendaya Jones and FKA Twigs advertise them – we’re talking about shoes from the Swiss brand On.
The young company has managed to make a name for itself within a very short period of time and has shown enormous growth. But how?
On’s shoes were originally developed specifically as running shoes. Ex-athlete Olivier Bernhard founded the brand in 2010 together with his business partners David Allemann and Caspar Coppetti. The aim was to use the specially developed technology “CloudTec” to design shoes with which you could walk “as if on clouds”.
The “CloudTec” shoes established themselves among athletes – and conquered the USA. Anyone who can make a lasting impression in this difficult and highly competitive market has usually succeeded, writes the “Neue Zürcher Zeitung” (NZZ). In this quarter, the continent of America generated almost two thirds of the group’s sales with 396 million francs.
In 2021, the company went public in New York. Just 14 years after it was founded, the Swiss label has a market valuation of around 16 billion dollars – a true success story. And On shoes are no longer just worn by athletes. The brand has transformed into a lifestyle product that people also enjoy using in everyday life.
The innovations that On comes up with also make up part of the hype. The new model “Cloudboom Strike LS” was only introduced in the summer. What’s special about the shoe is that it can be made in just three minutes – using a special spray technique, the upper material is sprayed onto the sole of the shoe.
This technology could revolutionize the way shoes are made. Not only is material consumption significantly reduced, but according to the manufacturer, up to 75 percent less CO2 is emitted during production.
The company had previously faced severe criticism regarding sustainability. At the beginning of the year, numerous media reported that On had his shoes made in Vietnam for 18 francs (just under 19 euros), but sold them at a high price. The cheapest model costs 150 euros, the innovative “Cloudboom Strike LS” costs 280 euros.
However, the company assures on its website that ethical and sustainable principles, which are laid down in a code of conduct, also apply to manufacturers and production facilities. There is also a “Workplace Standards Monitoring Program” to ensure compliance with these standards.
But even the criticism apparently couldn’t affect the brand’s success. Quite the opposite: On even wants to expand. As the “NZZ” reports, the company wants to position itself more as an outdoor brand in the future and “win in the trail running shoes business”. In addition to shoes, On now also offers sportswear, but according to “NZZ” this only accounts for around four percent of group sales – so there is still room for improvement.
