schwob
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1872
- HeadquartersBurgdorf, Switzerland
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What schwob does
Schwob AG is a Swiss textile company founded in 1872 and headquartered in Burgdorf, Canton of Bern, operating a vertically integrated business model that combines in-house textile manufacturing with professional textile care. Manufacturing is anchored by a Jacquard weaving mill in Burgdorf that produces bed linen, table linen, terry cloth, kitchen linen, and Le Nouveau Chef chef's clothing (the latter under exclusive Swiss distribution), with in-house cutting, finishing, embroidery and personalization services. The company maintains five wholly-owned industrial laundries in Härkingen, Weggis (Green Laundry AG, CO2-neutral via wood-chip heating), Sementina, Jonen (Jonenthal Wäscherei AG), and Niederuzwil, supplemented by partner laundries including ZWC, Wäsche-Perle, and the German network Servitex.
Schwob serves three primary verticals: hotels and hospitality (pensions through five-star luxury properties), gastronomy and restaurants, and healthcare (clinics, health residences, and senior-living facilities). Its go-to-market is consultative field sales through six regional sales managers covering defined Swiss territories, complemented by a Burgdorf factory store (Fabrikladen) selling overstock to private consumers and the lenouveauchef.ch e-commerce channel for chef's clothing. The revenue model combines one-time textile sales, recurring/usage-based full leased linen service (Mietwäsche-Vollservice) priced per piece or per kilogram, transactional event linen rental, and 100% third-party financing/leasing for buyers. Pricing is quote-based and not publicly disclosed.
The company holds ISO 9001, ISO 14001, Oeko-Tex Standard 100, and FLO-CERT/Fairtrade Max Havelaar certifications, uses 100% hydropower electricity, and reports water consumption of ~6 liters per kg of laundry versus ~30L in household machines. Ownership is private, the legal form is a Swiss Aktiengesellschaft, and there are no external institutional investors or public market listings. Between 2008 and 2019, Schwob expanded its care business through multiple acquisitions and integrations (Schärer AG, Eclipse AG, TexAG in 2008; Jonenthal Wäscherei AG in 2015; Dipra SA and Green Laundry AG in 2019), and celebrated its 150th anniversary in 2022.
schwob firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- schwob
- Legal name
- Schwob AG
- Website
- https://schwob.swiss
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1872
- Operating status
- Operating
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
schwob industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Commercial Textile Services
- NAICS
- Industrial Launderers (812332), Broadwoven Fabric Mills (313210), Linen and Uniform Supply (81233)
- SIC
- Textile Mill Products (2200), Broadwoven Fabric Mills, Cotton (2211), Men's & Boys' Furnishgs, Work Clothg, & Allied Garments (2320)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Foodservice & Restaurant Linen/Apron Laundry (HSAJAEAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Healthcare & Hospital Linen Laundry (HSAJAEAA), Uniform & Linen Pickup/Delivery & Route Service (HSAJAMAD)
Keywords
Where schwob is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Burgdorf
- HQ country
- Switzerland
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices7 records
Markets served
schwob business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Textile product sales: Sale of manufactured bed linen, table linen, terry fabrics, kitchen linen, and professional workwear (including Le Nouveau Chef chef's clothing). Customers purchase textiles directly.
- Full leased linen service (Mietwäsche-Vollservice): Customers pay only for laundered textiles (per piece or per kilogram). Schwob picks up, launders, inspects, replaces damaged items, and delivers fresh textiles. Eliminates customer capital investment, maintenance, and storage costs. Available throughout Switzerland.
- Professional textile care / laundry service: Schwob launders and cares for customers' own textiles, offering individual folding, special ironing, and separate packaging. Customers pay per service rendered.
- Event linen rental: Rental of high-quality linen for special occasions for a defined period, priced per piece and per day. Deposits maintained in various locations across Switzerland for rapid availability.
- Third-party financing / leasing: Schwob offers 100% third-party financing for textile purchases, allowing customers to preserve capital with fixed monthly payments that only accrue when textiles are used. Fully tax-deductible.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Full leased linen service (Mietwäsche-Vollservice) |
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Event linen rental |
| Subscription | Monthly | Financing / leasing option |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
schwob product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Schwob AG manufactures high-quality textiles (bed linen, table linen, terry cloth, kitchen linen, and professional workwear) at its Jacquard weaving mill in Burgdorf, Switzerland, and provides professional textile care services through five company-owned industrial laundries. The core service is the Mietwäsche-Vollservice (full leased linen service), where customers pay only for laundered textiles without capital investment—Schwob handles pickup, cleaning, quality control, replacement of damaged items, and delivery. Products and services are primarily tailored to hotels, restaurants, and healthcare facilities across Switzerland, with a factory store serving individual consumers.
Product overview
Schwob AG operates a unique vertically integrated textile business in Switzerland, combining domestic textile manufacturing with professional textile care services. The core offering consists of high-quality textile manufacturing (bed linen, table linen, terry cloth, kitchen linen) produced in the company's own Jacquard weaving mill in Burgdorf, paired with professional textile care through five company-owned laundries. The Full Leased Linen Service (Mietwäsche-Vollservice) represents the primary service model where customers pay per washed item without capital investment. The Le Nouveau Chef sub-brand offers premium chef's clothing exclusively, while the Green Laundry subsidiary provides CO2-neutral ecological laundry services. Specialty offerings include event linen rental, VitaCare healthcare textiles, and a factory store for private individuals. Schwob holds ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 certifications and produces Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified textiles.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Le Nouveau Chef: Exclusive chef's clothing brand sold at Schwob. Features perfect fit, high functionality, and excellent value. Uses Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified fabrics from Europe, manufactured in Europe. Includes Basix collection through Executive collection. Available at lenouveauchef.ch.
Products and services
- Textile Manufacturing (Textilherstellung) High-quality textile manufacturing including bed linen, table linen, terry cloth, and kitchen linen produced in Schwob's own weaving mill in Burgdorf, Switzerland using Jacquard weaving technology, plus cutting, finishing, and embroidery departments. Textiles are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified.
- Professional Textile Care (Professionelle Textilpflege) Professional washing, care, and maintenance services for textiles across five company-owned laundries (Härkingen, Weggis, Sementina, Jonen, Niederuzwil) throughout Switzerland, including specialized care for hotel, restaurant, healthcare, and residential facility linens. Services include individual folding, special ironing, and separate packaging.
- Full Leased Linen Service (Mietwäsche-Vollservice) Complete linen rental service where customers pay only for laundered textiles delivered back (per piece or per kilogram). Schwob handles pickup, cleaning, quality control, replacement of damaged items, and fresh textile delivery on schedule. Eliminates customer capital investment, maintenance, and storage costs. Available throughout Switzerland with usage-based billing.
- Le Nouveau Chef Chef's Clothing Exclusive chef's clothing line featuring perfect fit, high functionality, and excellent value. Uses Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified fabrics from Europe with hand-crafted designs ranging from Basix to Executive collection. Includes chef jackets, trousers, aprons, and accessories for professional kitchens.
- Event Linen Rental (Eventwäsche zur Vermietung) High-quality linen rental service for special occasions, available for specific periods with pricing per item per day. Used for weddings, galas, and other events requiring premium table and decorative textiles.
- VitaCare Healthcare Textiles Specialized textile solutions for healthcare facilities including clinics, health residences, and public institutions, featuring bed textiles, terry products (towels, bathrobes), and kitchen textiles designed for medical and care environments. Available with custom canton motifs or branding.
- Factory Store (Fabrikladen) Factory outlet in Burgdorf offering selected inventory items, overproduction, remaining stock, single pieces, and articles with minor imperfections to private individuals at attractive prices. Open Wednesday–Friday 13:30–17:00.
Quantifiable outcome
- Large-scale laundry uses ~6L water per kg vs. ~30L in household machines, dramatically reducing resource consumption
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use schwob
Customer profileNamed customers27 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles4 records
schwob technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature4 records
schwob partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- HotelleriesuissecoreSwiss Hotel Association — industry partnership providing Schwob access to member hotels and participation in industry events and programs.
- Swiss Deluxe HotelscoreAssociation of Swiss luxury hotels — partnership connects Schwob with leading luxury hotel customers.
- Relais & ChâteauxminorInternational association of independent luxury hotels and restaurants — provides access to premium hospitality customers globally.
- Gilde (Schweizer Hotelgewerbe)minorSwiss guild of independent hotels — partnership for distribution of hotel supplies including Schwob textiles.
- GartenHotels SchweizminorSwiss garden hotels association — partnership connecting Schwob with boutique hotel customers.
- ibexfairstay.chminorSwiss sustainable hospitality association — partnership supporting Schwob's sustainability positioning with eco-conscious hotel customers.
- VDH (Verband des Schweizerischen Decorations-Gewerbes)minorSwiss decoration trade association — supports visibility in the hospitality furnishing sector.
- Textilpflege Schweiz (textilpflege.ch)minorSwiss textile care industry association — industry networking and standards body connecting Schwob with the broader textile care ecosystem.
- SwissTextiles (swisstextiles.ch)minorSwiss textile industry association — provides industry representation and connections within the Swiss textile manufacturing sector.
- Wäsche-Perle (waesche-perle.ch)minorPartner laundry business — local laundry coverage partner for specific regions in Switzerland.
- Le Nouveau ChefcoreExclusive Swiss distributor of Le Nouveau Chef chef's clothing brand. Products are made in Europe using Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified fabrics. Range from Basix to Executive collection covers all budgets and requirements. Available via lenouveauchef.ch.
Scale indicators7 records
Recent moves9 records
Expansion highlights5 records
schwob competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Elis SA: French multinational and European market leader in flat linen, workwear, and hygiene solutions, operating across ~30 countries including Switzerland. Direct competitor in commercial textile rental and laundry services with a near-identical service model (rental, laundering, pickup/delivery), differing primarily in scale and geographic breadth.
- CWS International: Germany-headquartered (Haniel-owned) European provider of textile and hygiene services, including workwear, mats, and washroom solutions, with established Swiss operations. Directly comparable in offering a route-based B2B textile rental model serving hospitality and healthcare customers.
- Bardusch: German/Swiss family-owned textile services company offering workwear rental, laundry services, and mat services with significant Swiss and DACH operations. Closely comparable family-ownership structure and B2B textile rental service model to Schwob.
- Lindström Group: Finnish family-owned European textile service company providing workwear, protective clothing, mats, and restaurant textiles across 20+ countries. Comparable B2B textile rental model, multi-generation family ownership, and vertical capability similar to Schwob.
- MEWA Textil-Service: German family-owned textile rental company specializing in workwear, cleaning cloths, and mat services across DACH. Comparable family-owned B2B textile rental model with route-based pickup/delivery, though primarily Germany-focused and larger in workwear than hospitality linen.
Broad incumbents
- Hagleitner Hygiene: Austrian family-owned hygiene services company serving hotels, restaurants, and healthcare across DACH with washroom hygiene, textile, and cleaning services. Broadly comparable B2B route-service commercial customer base, but with primary focus on hygiene consumables rather than textile manufacturing integration.
Others
- Berendsen (historical): Formerly independent Swedish/Swiss textile services company with significant Swiss presence (now fully integrated into Elis SA following 2017 acquisition). Historical direct peer in Swiss commercial linen rental; included for continuity of competitive context.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks7 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
schwob social profiles
Digital presenceschwob compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance4 records
schwob financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
schwob leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles11 records
schwob subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries4 records
schwob funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
schwob M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about schwob
What does schwob do?
Schwob AG manufactures high-quality textiles (bed linen, table linen, terry cloth, kitchen linen, and professional workwear) at its Jacquard weaving mill in Burgdorf, Switzerland, and provides professional textile care services through five company-owned industrial laundries. The core service is the Mietwäsche-Vollservice (full leased linen service), where customers pay only for laundered textiles without capital investment—Schwob handles pickup, cleaning, quality control, replacement of damaged items, and delivery. Products and services are primarily tailored to hotels, restaurants, and healthcare facilities across Switzerland, with a factory store serving individual consumers.
Is schwob a public or private company?
schwob is a private company. It is classified as family owned and is currently operating.
When was schwob founded?
schwob was founded in 1872.
Where is schwob based?
schwob is headquartered in Burgdorf, Switzerland, in the Europe region.
How does schwob make money?
Five revenue lines are on record. Textile product sales are the primary driver. The others are full leased linen service (Mietwäsche-Vollservice), professional textile care / laundry service, event linen rental and third-party financing / leasing.
Who are schwob's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Elis SA, CWS International, Bardusch, Lindström Group and MEWA Textil-Service. Hagleitner Hygiene is listed as a broad incumbent. Berendsen (historical) is listed as an others.
Does schwob have an API?
No public API is recorded for schwob.
What industry is schwob in?
schwob's product category is Commercial Textile Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is HSAJAEAC, Foodservice & Restaurant Linen/Apron Laundry, with a secondary code of HSAJAEAA, Healthcare & Hospital Linen Laundry. Its NAICS code is 812332 and its SIC code is 2200.