MADE WITH RESPECT
Switcher remains a Swiss flagship company when it comes to respect, transparency, environmental and social responsibility and sustainability in the textile industry and society.
“Made with Respect” – these words embody Switcher’s identity. Respect and transparency, hand in hand with economic efficiency, environmental responsibility and social solidarity are the key values of the Swiss brand.
Conventional textile manufacturing is tough on both the people who work in it and their land. Issues arise at almost every stage of the process — from genetically modified seeds to the pesticides used in cotton fields; from harsh chemicals used in dyes to massive power consumption by the spinning mills; from consuming huge amounts of precious water reserves to poor working conditions for labour – the challenges are many.
Switcher, with our manufacturing partner “Sulochana Cotton Spinning Mills” ensures that ‘best practices’ with regards to land, people and animals are observed at every stage of manufacturing and product delivery.
With Switcher products you also contribute to reducing plastic waste in India. According to a recent study, 25,940 tons of plastic waste are generated in India every day. Plastic pollutes the environment and some of it ends up in the oceans and in the food of animals and humans.
All polyester yarns from the new Switcher collection come from recycled polyester from PET bottles. 5.5 million PET bottles are processed every day producing 100,000 kgs of PSF. The production process creates PSF in 40+ colours through the dope dyed route without using a single drop of water. They source over 70 percent of the bottles from the local Indian market. This PET recycling prevents the production of even more plastic, because no new crude oil has to be spun into yarn. By purchasing Switcher products, you are also indirectly helping to reuse PET waste in a meaningful way.
RENEWABLE ENERGIES
Renewable energy drives Switcher production. A wind and solar power plant produce 100% of the energy needed. The surplus which is not needed for production are fed into the local grid.
Switcher textile manufacturing is completely supported by Green Energy and no fossil fuel is burnt to power the production.
STRONG SOCIAL COMMITMENT
The Sulochana group of companies stands out not only for its high quality products but also for its social commitment. Sulochana has already planted over 15,000 trees in the vicinity of the Indian city of Tirupur as part of the so-called “Green Initiative”.
The world is not just about human beings. To serve animals that need our love and care, Sulochana created The Thangam Memorial Trust, a joint venture with the Tirupur Municipal Corporation. The centre aims at reaching out to helpless dogs, and creating a home where they are well-looked after. A veterinary hospital manned by efficient doctors, operating 24 hrs provides free treatment to all animals in and around Tirupur. About 3000 vaccinations against rabies and other infectious diseases are provided at concessional rates. Our shelter has nearly 500 dogs and a command of dedicated volunteers. About 2000 animal surgeries haven been successfully executed so far. ABC Program is conducted for Stray Dogs and Animal Birth Control has been done for nearly 7000 dogs till date. Apart from the dog shelter, there is also a cow shed with 80 cows.