"Je crois en l'avenir de la marque Switcher"

Article Le Matin Dimanche 17 novembre 2024 - Nicolas Pinguely

Tiens, tiens, revoilà Switcher. Les t-shirts frappés d'une baleine jaune sont de retour dans les étals. Almost in catimini. Founded in 1981 by the emblematic Robin Cornelius, Switcher made organic cotton and sustainability its manufacturing brand. The Vaud-based company was left to die, partly in bankruptcy in 2016, but it now has a second life in the Swiss Alps, in the canton of Argovie more precisely. Le point avec Marc Joss, l'actuel directeur général de la marque, qu'il a relancée.

For many people, the Switcher brand no longer exists. However, you can see your T-shirts and pullovers on sale in some shops in French-speaking Switzerland. So the bankruptcy is over?

Yes, Switcher has been relaunched since 2020, with new investors. For my part, I've been with the company since 2001, when I was head of sales. And I believe in the brand.

Really? Are you positive despite the fierce competition in the sector?

Yes, because sales amounted to 20 million in Switzerland before the bankruptcy. Our customer base was solid. Arranging the affairs was a pain and it would have been better to restructure the company. I was struggling at the time to find a solution to save the brand. But the shareholders couldn't reach an agreement. I then continued with a new majority shareholder, the Indian group Sulochana.

Switcher à l'origine était une marque vaudoise, basée au Mont-sur-Lausanne. What are your links with French-speaking Switzerland today?

They are being left for economic reasons. For my part, I lived for quinze years in the Lausanne region and very close to Echallens, in Poliez-le-Grand (VD). Our entrepôt and logistics were located in Penthalaz and Geneva until last year. But since 2023, all operations have been regrouped in Frick, in the canton of Argovie.

Avez-vous encore des contacts avec le fondateur de la marque, Robin Cornelius?

Très peu, la dernière fois, c'était il y a deux ans. Robin Cornelius remains the emblem of the brand and I know that sooner or later there will be an opportunity to see him again. I am very grateful to him, even though I was a little disappointed at the end with the various investors in the brand(in the Netherlands: Robin Cornelius was part of it), as well as with the management in place at the time, who left the ship of the day in the late afternoon.

Do you still employ people in Switzerland?

Yes, we are six people in Switzerland alémanique working for the company, active in logistics, sales, marketing and product development.

Historically, the Switcher brand has played a leading role in sustainable development and organic cotton. Part of its production came from Europe. Is this still the case today, where everything is produced in India? Are you less "vert" than you were at the beginning?

It's the great history that many people talk about, to say that it would be more ecological to produce in Portugal(the major player in the textile sector in Europe) than in India. Oh well, that's not the case. The balance in terms of CO2 emissions of a t-shirt manufactured in India is similar to that of a garment manufactured in Portugal. But transportation has a minimal final impact. In India, they work for us in a closed circuit, the cotton is produced locally and the entire production line is vertically integrated within a distance of 20 kilometers. This is not the case in Portugal, where everything has to be imported from far away to run the factories.

Comment est-ce possible de combattre la concurrence des géants chinois de la vente de fast fashion, comme Shein, qui grandissent rapidement?

Fighting them is difficult. They realize sales of several tens of billions in the world. On our side, we rely on quality and a community of very loyal clients, looking for products that will not be ready after three months. I signal to the passage that the ink used to color the articles of fast fashion is of poor quality and pollutes our waters when they pass through the washing machine. This poses a real ecological problem.

Comment vous situez-vous par rapport aux géants Zara ou H&M?

We are in the light of the years of these giants. However, I note that these mastodons are all inspired by what Switcher proposed in terms of sustainable development, sustainability and respect for social norms. We have had a major impact on the textile industry and have been at the cutting edge. But I can't compare myself to an H&M that generates sales of 20 billion francs on a global scale.

De combien sont vos ventes?

Our sales currently amount to 3 million, and we are targeting a business volume of 5 to 10 million for the next five years in Switzerland.

You are not present in Switzerland?

Yes, that's exactly right. It's a strategic decision, because we don't want to waste our financial resources, which are limited at the moment, on growing abroad. We will consider this as soon as our sales reach the 10 million mark. Sometimes less, that's better.

Quels sont vos produits les plus vendus?

The classic Bob t-shirt is very much in demand. Vendu 21 francs en magasin, this one has been around since 1985 and has a lifespan of more than fourteen years. It's a quality product, the very antithesis of fast fashion.

Do you think that quality is a key factor for the future?

Très clairement, mais à un prix abordable. That's why we use the Indian mainstream. Because the whole world does not have the means in Switzerland to buy a T-shirt costing 60 francs in a shop, even if it is made in Europe, as certain brands do.

Avez-vous des boutiques à vous?

No, we do not have our own stores. We sell our products in a dozen multi-market boutiques in Switzerland, including sports shops, a quintet of which are in French-speaking Switzerland, in Lausanne, Geneva, Fribourg, Neuchâtel, Montana and even Verbier.

Écoulez-vous aussi vos vêtements en ligne?

Yes, we realize 50% of our sales en ligne, mostly on our site. Mais on trouve également nos pulls, trainings et autres articles chez Digitec et Galaxus.