Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft

What Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft does

Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft (ZSIG) is a non-profit association (Verein) founded in 1854 in Zurich, Switzerland, serving as one of the country's oldest business associations and representing active and former companies in the Zurich silk industry. Its primary function is heritage preservation and industry representation: the organization funds projects related to the documentation, archiving, exhibition, and study of Zurich silk industry history, coordinates with Swiss Textiles and European partner organizations, and supports contemporary design initiatives inspired by historical silk design. ZSIG does not develop proprietary technology products; its outputs consist of grant-funded programs, the Silk Memory web portal (developed with Lucerne University — Design & Kunst), research publications including the Silk History book project, and support for exhibitions such as the Swiss Design Collection at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich and the Swiss Silk visitor center in Bolligen.

ZSIG's business model is fund distribution rather than revenue generation. Approximately two-thirds of project financing comes from the Lottery Fund of Canton Zurich, with the remaining one-third from ZSIG's own resources and additional support from the City of Zurich. Membership comprises roughly 25 historic and active Zurich silk companies, including Sefar Holding, Zwicky & Co., Camenzind + Co., Gessner AG, and Weisbrod-Zürrer AG, governed by a board of directors led by President Corinna Wydler Trojan. Since 2012, ZSIG's central program has secured over 100,000 textile objects and multiple company archives into public ownership through partnerships with the Swiss National Museum and Cantonal Archives of Zurich, representing one of the most significant textile heritage consolidation efforts in Switzerland.

Name

Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft

Legal name

Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft

Website

https://zsig.ch

Company type

Private

Founded year

1854

Operating status

Operating

Short description

ZSIG is a Zurich-based non-profit association founded in 1854 that represents and coordinates the activities of approximately 25 active and former companies in the Zurich silk industry. It distributes Lottery Fund-backed grants for heritage preservation, archival projects, exhibitions, and contemporary silk design initiatives in partnership with Swiss museums and universities.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Association Services

NAICS

Civic and Social Organizations (813410), Research and Development in the Social Sciences and Humanities (54172)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sustainable & Responsible Supply Chain (ESG, Scope 3) (BPAHAHAM)

Keywords

• Industry association services
• Heritage preservation funding
• Textile archive preservation
• Silk industry association
• Cultural project grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Zürich

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Project Funding: ZSIG is a non-profit association funded primarily through lottery fund allocations from the Canton of Zurich. The organization does not generate commercial revenue but rather distributes funds to qualifying projects that preserve and promote the Zurich silk industry heritage. Funding is sourced two-thirds from the Lottery Fund and one-third from ZSIG's own resources, with additional support from the City of Zurich.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft (ZSIG) is a non-profit industry association that funds and coordinates projects preserving the heritage of the Zurich silk industry. It distributes grants (sourced primarily from the Canton of Zurich Lottery Fund) to qualifying initiatives covering archive preservation, historical research, exhibitions, publications, and contemporary design projects inspired by historical silk designs. Beyond funding, ZSIG represents industry interests, supports networking among member companies, and coordinates with Swiss Textiles and European partner organizations.

Product overview

ZSIG is a non-profit association of active and former companies in the Zurich silk industry, founded in 1854. It is not a product company but rather an industry organization that promotes and funds projects related to Zurich silk industry history, design heritage, and textile preservation. The association coordinates activities with Swiss Textiles and European partner organizations. ZSIG does not offer commercial products or services but provides funding support, archival preservation, and knowledge dissemination through sponsored projects and initiatives.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Project Funding Program (Förderbeiträge) ZSIG's core service is the review and distribution of project funding (Förderbeiträge) to qualifying initiatives related to the Zurich silk industry, including archive preservation, historical research, exhibitions, publications, and contemporary design projects. Applications are submitted via email following ZSIG guidelines.
• Silk Memory Web Portal
• Silk History Research and Book Project (Geschichte der Zürcher Seidenindustrie)
• Swiss Design Collection Exhibition Support
• ZSIG Archive Projects (Archivprojekte)

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 100,000 textile objects preserved in public collections
• +3 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, major and minor.

• Swiss National Museum (Schweizerisches Nationalmuseum)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012ZSIG initiated the 'Preservation and Processing of Zurich Silk Industry Holdings' project in partnership with the Swiss National Museum and the Cantonal Archives of Zurich in 2012. The museum receives textile sources for conservation and inventory management. This partnership has enabled the preservation of over 100,000 textile objects.
• Cantonal Archives of Zurich (Staatsarchiv des Kantons Zürich)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2012Key project partner for archive preservation. The cantonal archives receive paper documents and photographs for processing. Partnership also includes archives in Schwyz and St. Gallen cantons.
• Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts - Design & Kunst (Hochschule Luzern – Design & Kunst)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDeveloped the Silk Memory web portal providing online access to 200 years of Zurich silk design. Collaborates on the book project and design database.
• Archive for Contemporary History at ETH Zurich (Archiv für Zeitgeschichte – ETH Zürich)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSIG supports the preservation of Swiss Textiles association archives through this archive institution.
• Museum für Gestaltung ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHosts the Swiss Design Collection exhibition (since 2025) and multiple ZSIG-funded exhibitions. Also hosted Fashion Drive exhibition and other textile-related shows.
• Textilmuseum St. GallenmajorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner for archive projects including the historical fabric collection inventory project (2016-2018). Also hosts exhibitions like Furor Floralis.
• Central Library Zurich (Zentralbibliothek Zürich)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHouses company archives including Schwarzenbach and Desco collections.
• University of Zurich - Historical Seminar (Historisches Seminar der Universität Zürich)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerArchive seminars conducted as part of the Lotteriefonds project.
• Swiss Textiles (Textilverband Schweiz)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSIG coordinates its activities with Swiss Textiles, the Swiss Textile Association. Also supports preservation of Swiss Textiles archives.
• Swiss Silk (Verein Swiss Silk)majorStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSIG supports the Swiss Silk association which aims to revive sericulture in Switzerland from silkworm to fabric. Supports the visitor and training center with integrated silk manufactory in Bolligen near Bern.
• Maison ShiftmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerZSIG supports Maison Shift, a platform for sustainable fashion and textile design. Located in the Alte Kaserne in Zurich, it serves as a central exchange and meeting place for fashion professionals and creatives.
• Museum für Gestaltung ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSIG supports the Swiss Design Collection at the Museum für Gestaltung Zürich, celebrating the museum's 150th anniversary with a permanent exhibition in the Toni-Areal showcasing design, fashion, and textiles.
• Swiss TextilescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerZSIG coordinates activities with Swiss Textiles, the Swiss Textile Association, and European partner organizations.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Verein Swiss Silk: A Swiss association aimed at reviving sericulture from silkworm to fabric, which ZSIG actively supports. It is the closest functional peer, focused specifically on silk industry revival and education in Switzerland.
• Swiss Textiles (Textilverband Schweiz): The national Swiss textile industry association with which ZSIG directly coordinates activities and shares member companies. Operates as a Verein covering the broader Swiss textile sector, making it the most direct organizational peer.

Emerging players

• Maison Shift: A Zurich-based platform for sustainable fashion and textile design that ZSIG supports. Functions as a complementary hub for textile industry networking and creative exchange, with overlapping member communities.
• Museum für Gestaltung Zürich: Hosts the Swiss Design Collection and multiple ZSIG-funded exhibitions. While primarily a museum rather than an association, it is a central node in ZSIG's ecosystem and a comparable heritage-preservation organization in the Swiss textile/design space.

Regional players

• Textilmuseum St. Gallen: A textile-focused museum in St. Gallen that partners with ZSIG on archive and exhibition projects. Comparable as a regional heritage organization preserving Swiss textile industry history.

Broad incumbents

• Industriekultur Schweiz / Swiss Industrial Heritage Association: Swiss organizations focused on industrial heritage preservation (such as those active in archiving and promoting Switzerland's industrial past) represent a broader comparable peer in the heritage/preservation nonprofit space.
• Fondation Alliance française des industries du luxe (or comparable EU heritage foundation): European foundations funding textile and luxury heritage preservation offer a broader comparable model for grantmaking organizations preserving European textile/craft heritage.

Market position

Strengths3 records

Weaknesses3 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zürcherische Seidenindustrie Gesellschaft