BERNINA of America

Name

BERNINA of America

Legal name

BERNINA International AG

Website

https://berninausa.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

BERNINA of America is the US arm of family-owned Swiss BERNINA International AG, selling premium sewing, embroidery, overlock, and longarm quilting machines through 2,000+ authorized dealers and direct e-commerce to home sewers, quilters, and small commercial shops.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Sewing Machines

NAICS

Sewing, Needlework, and Piece Goods Retailers (45913)

akta.pro primary industry

Sewing Machine & Serger Retail (CRALADAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Garment Care Appliances Retail (Irons, Steamers, Sewing Machines) (CRACADAH), Notions & Sewing Accessories Retail (Thread, Needles, Zippers, Buttons) (CRALADAG)

Keywords

• Sewing machines
• Embroidery machines
• Quilting machines
• Longarm quilting systems
• Overlockers sergers

Headquarters

HQ city

Steckborn

HQ country

Switzerland

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sewing Machines and Embroidery Machines: Sale of domestic and longarm quilting sewing machines, embroidery machines, and multi-needle embroidery systems ranging from consumer to professional/commercial grade
2. Overlockers/Sergers: Sale of overlockers, coverstitch machines, and combination units for professional finishing
3. Accessories: Presser feet, needles, stitch plates, bobbins, embroidery hoops, furniture, and specialized accessories for all machine types
4. Embroidery Software: Sale of BERNINA Embroidery Software 9 (DesignerPlus and Creator versions) and DesignWorks add-ons
5. Dealer Services and Financing: Dealer network provides sales, service, and support; financing programs available for customers

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

BERNINA of America manufactures and sells precision-engineered Swiss sewing machines, longarm quilting systems, multi-needle embroidery machines, and sergers/overlockers, along with embroidery software, presser feet and accessories, furniture, and educational content. Products are sold primarily through an authorized dealer network of more than 2,000 BERNINA Stores worldwide, with accessories and select machines also sold direct via shop.berninausa.com.

Product overview

BERNINA of America offers a comprehensive portfolio of premium Swiss-quality sewing, quilting, and embroidery products. The core product line includes domestic sewing machines organized into Series (3, 4, 5, 7, 8, and 9), each targeting different skill levels and use cases. The portfolio extends to specialized machines including the Q Series longarm quilting machines with Q-matic automation, multi-needle embroidery machines (E 16 PRO with 16 needles), and serger/overlocker lines (L 6 Series and L 8 Series including coverstitch machines). Supporting the hardware, BERNINA provides embroidery software (versions 8 and 9), extensive presser foot and accessory ecosystems, furniture/cabinet solutions, and educational content through the WeAllSew Blog and BERNINA BIG Books reference guides. The product architecture follows a platform-plus-accessories model where base machines can be enhanced with specialized feet, embroidery modules, and software capabilities.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• bernette: Entry-level sewing machines, overlockers, and sergers under the BERNINA family of brands

Products and services

• BERNINA 9 Series (BERNINA 990) Flagship sewing and embroidery machine series for premium home and professional use, featuring the BERNINA 990 with large workspace, large touch screen, and giant embroidery hoop.
• BERNINA 8 Series (BERNINA 880 PLUS) Premium sewing and embroidery machines including the BERNINA 880 PLUS with extensive stitch library, large workspace, and high max sewing speed.
• BERNINA 7 Series (790 ULTRA, 790 PRO, 770 QE PRO, 735 PRO, 700 PRO) High-end domestic sewing and embroidery machines with 10-inch workspace, up to 1,000 spm, Jumbo Bobbin (up to 70% more thread capacity), and 4.3\" or 7\" color touchscreens.
• BERNINA 5 Series (590, 580 Liberty Edition, 570 QEE, 570 QE, 535 E, 535, 500) Mid-range sewing machines with 8.5-inch workspace, BERNINA Stitch Regulator (BSR) compatibility for consistent stitching, and Dual Feed on select models.
• BERNINA 4 Series (495 Liberty Edition, 485, 480, 475 QE, 435) Beginner-friendly sewing machines with 7-inch workspace, up to 900 spm, and manual foot pressure adjustment, suitable as first patchwork machines.
• BERNINA 3 Series (335 Gen. 2, 325 Gen. 2) Entry-level sewing machines with 6.3-inch workspace, automatic buttonhole, and easy operation, marketed as travel-friendly.
• BERNINA Q Series Longarm Quilting Machines (Q 24, Q 20, Q 16, Q 16 PLUS) Professional longarm quilting machines offered as sit-down or frame-mounted configurations for hobbyist and professional quilters working on large quilts.
• BERNINA Q-matic Automated Quilting System Automated quilting system that pairs with BERNINA Q Series longarm machines to enable precise pattern execution through simple automated steps.
• BERNINA E 16 PRO Multi-Needle Embroidery Machine Commercial-grade 16-needle embroidery machine with up to 1,400 spm, 10.1-inch touch screen, extra large 16.1\" x 15.5\" embroidery field, patented Acti-feed™ Tension System, laser alignment, and the industry's narrowest cylindrical arm for tubular items.
• BERNINA L 8 Series Overlockers (L 860, L 850, L 660, L 460, L 450) Professional overlockers with air-threading, differential feed, and high-speed sewing capabilities for garment construction and finishing.
• BERNINA L 890 Overlock/Coverstitch Combo (L 890, L 890 QE Quilters Edition) Combination overlock and coverstitch machine offering versatile fabric finishing, available in standard and Quilters Edition variants.
• BERNINA L 620 Coverstitch Machine Coverstitch machine with illuminated One-Step BERNINA Air Threader, 120mm workspace, up to 1,200 spm, programmable needle stop, and differential feed for professional hems.
• BERNINA Embroidery Software 9 Professional embroidery design software in DesignerPlus and Creator tiers for creating, editing, and digitizing embroidery designs, sold via one-time perpetual licensing.
• BERNINA Embroidery Software 8 Previous-generation BERNINA embroidery design software for creating and editing embroidery designs.
• BERNINA V9 WiFi Device WiFi-enabled hardware device for wireless design transfer to and monitoring of compatible BERNINA embroidery machines.

Quantifiable outcome

• 70% more bobbin thread capacity with Jumbo Bobbin
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature9 records

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Brother Industries: Brother is one of the largest sewing, embroidery, and quilting machine manufacturers globally (Innov-is, Dream Machine series) and competes head-on with BERNINA across consumer to professional tiers.
• Juki: Juki manufactures home and industrial sewing machines; their home sewing line competes with BERNINA's mid-tier and serger categories, while industrial offerings overlap on the professional side.
• Janome: Janome is a major sewing and embroidery machine maker with strong premium positioning (Memory Craft series) and a global dealer footprint; BERNINA's closest direct competitor by category and channel.
• Handi Quilter: Handi Quilter is a dedicated longarm quilting machine maker with sit-down and frame systems, directly overlapping BERNINA's Q Series and Q-matic longarm offerings.
• Elna: Elna is a Swiss-heritage sewing machine brand now part of the Janome group, directly competing with BERNINA across consumer tiers and leveraging a similar specialty dealer channel.
• SVP Worldwide (Singer): SVP Worldwide owns the Singer, Husqvarna Viking, and PFAFF brands and competes with BERNINA across entry-level to premium sewing/embroidery, with particular overlap in the mid-tier.
• Baby Lock: Baby Lock (Tacony Corporation) is a specialist in embroidery, serging, and quilting machines with an overlapping dealer channel and comparable product categories to BERNINA's serger and embroidery lines.
• Husqvarna Viking: Husqvarna Viking is a premium sewing and embroidery machine brand under SVP Worldwide, directly competing with BERNINA's higher Series machines in the same dealer channel.
• PFAFF: PFAFF is a German heritage sewing machine brand under SVP Worldwide, competing with BERNINA in the premium segment with a similar dealer-based distribution model.

Broad incumbents

• Tacony Corporation: Tacony is the parent of Baby Lock and a broader sewing/vacuum/home products distributor; it competes with BERNINA through its sewing machine subsidiaries while operating across adjacent home categories.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/berninausa
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• Pinterestpinterest.com/berninausa
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/bernina-of-america

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about BERNINA of America