Switzerland in Wool

The design duo Guido Metz and Michael Kindler, together with the rug and carpet manufactory RUCKSTUHL, developed the three-dimensional rug "La Suisse en Laine" (The Switzerland in Wool), inspired by their fascination with mountains. The rug depicts the topography of Switzerland as a relief, made from the wool of the Valais Blacknose sheep. The production is entirely carried out in Switzerland, and customers can make individual customizations. The artwork is presented as part of the exhibition "Swiss Design Classics in China," which promotes cultural exchange between Switzerland and China.

It all started with a call from Michael Kindler to the Swiss rug and carpet manufactory RUCKSTUHL. The fascination with mountains led designers Guido Metz and Michael Kindler a few years ago to combine the most distinctive mountain ranges with gastronomy tableware. Together with the porcelain manufactory Reichenbach, the BergeTeller (mountain plates) were created. Besides the Zugspitze, the plates also feature the relief of the Dolomites region and the famous Swiss Matterhorn, one of Europe's best-known mountains. What was impressively realized on the gastronomy tableware could also be exciting as a rug, Michael Kindler thought, and he was able to immediately inspire RUCKSTUHL with the idea to develop this rug.

The fascination with mountains shaped by natural forces has always captivated people. When tectonic plates collide, valleys and peaks are formed that continually challenge people to climb them. Almost as old as this urge to conquer the highest mountains is humanity’s ability to make textiles and rugs from fibers. For thousands of years, wool has been processed into beautiful and useful objects. For RUCKSTUHL, wool is also an indispensable fiber – it is elastic, dirt-repellent, and ensures an excellent indoor climate like no other fiber.

Since 2018, the rug and carpet manufactory RUCKSTUHL has been producing high-quality rugs from the selected, undyed wool of the Blacknose sheep. The natural wool results in a timeless, authentic, yet sophisticated piece of Swiss craftsmanship. All production steps and participating companies are transparently disclosed as a novelty in the industry. In the design, RUCKSTUHL draws inspiration from the structure of the undyed wool, the texture of the sheep’s fleece, and the original, pure character of the Valais mountain world where the sheep live.

The wool remains in Switzerland throughout the entire production process – from the pastures at the foot of the Matterhorn to the finished product: The sheep come from the Zermatt/Upper Valais (VS) region, with RUCKSTUHL purchasing the virgin wool directly from the breeders’ cooperatives (Direct Trade). At the WOLLSPINNEREI HUTTWIL (BE), it is washed, spun, and further processed according to traditional craftsmanship. The tufting is done using a state-of-the-art robot at RUCKSTUHL in Langenthal (BE), the oldest rug and carpet manufactory in Switzerland. From the mountain meadow to the finished rug: 100% Swiss production.

The delicate relief made from raw materials from Swiss mountain regions, some of which have been severely affected by natural disasters in recent years, is also intended to encourage reflection on the challenges of climate change.

To realize the Swiss relief as a rug, extensive adjustments to the tufting robot were necessary, which the in-house tufting specialist Joshua Baeriswyl (28) implemented independently. Afterwards, Switzerland was divided into eight different elevation levels, which serve as the basis for the robot’s CAD data. After many hours of work, a true masterpiece emerges: a relief rug that highlights the breathtaking and unique topography of the home country of the manufactory RUCKSTUHL in an unparalleled way.

METZ AND KINDLER and RUCKSTUHL create "La Suisse en Laine" as a pure relief in the natural colour of the Blacknose sheep’s wool. Based on this rug, it will be possible to let imagination run free: At the customers’ request, there is also the option to incorporate elements such as lakes, roads, or logos in individual colours into the artwork. Private customers can, for example, highlight the location of their holiday chalet with a desired colour. Companies have the opportunity to create not only an impressive wall decoration for their entrance area or conference room that also absorbs sound but also to depict their subsidiaries, locations, or transport routes on the rug. Additionally, the new product is aimed at public organizations, administrations, or embassies that want to symbolically present Switzerland on their walls.

The rug will be presented to the public for the first time at the opening of the upcoming exhibition "Swiss Design Classics in China" about Swiss design classics at the Today Art Museum in Beijing, initiated by the Swiss Embassy in China under curator Christian Herren. As part of the campaign celebrating the 75th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Switzerland and China, this exhibition and thus also "La Suisse en Laine" will travel throughout China until 2025. Christian Herren is assembling a collection that represents the innovation and quality of Swiss design. The exhibition Swiss Design Classics in China aims to present iconic Swiss design and promote cultural exchange between Switzerland and China. A curated selection of Swiss design classics will be shown, including furniture, everyday objects, Swiss inventions, and graphic design.