Swiss Stories

Swiss Army Knife Workshop

The 'Swiss' army knife – a patchwork product par excellence

History
While the Swiss army knife certainly is a genuine icon of Switzerland, the tale of the first pocket knife, which combined a German idea and a French tool with Swiss production and international distribution, must also be told. Timeless and indispensable, the Swiss army knife remains a cult object for young and old alike, for everyday adventurers and explorers in faraway lands.
Chaque jour, Müller Recycling trie 90 tonnes de bouteilles de boisson en PET en fonction de leur couleur. Le directeur de l’entreprise, Thomas Müller, est fier de la pureté et de la qualité élevée de ce matériau. © Müller Recycling AG

Switzerland leads the way in PET recycling

Environment
Switzerland is frequently commended for its exemplary waste collection, sorting and recycling system. Plastic bottle recycling is just one example of Switzerland's sustainable waste management. Let's take a tour around Müller Recycling, where innovative technologies extend the lifecycle of plastic bottles.
Federal Palace

Everything you need to know about the Swiss presidency

Society
If you have never lived in Switzerland, you may not be familiar with the intricacies of our political system. Our system, which is federal in nature and based on semi-direct democracy, is often described as unique. Switzerland is a federal state with three political levels: the federal government, the 26 cantons and almost 2,000 communes across the country.
Equipe nationale suisse féminine © Keystone

The phenomenal rise of women's football in Switzerland

Society
Switzerland is set to host its first major women's footballing event – the 2025 UEFA Women's Championship. This isn't just important for its global resonance. It also reflects the tremendous rise in women's football in Switzerland, which has seen the number of women players sky rocket in recent years. The Swiss national team, which has been competing at the highest international level, is set to play its second World Cup this summer in Australia and New Zealand. So what's behind this phenomenon? Let's take a look.

by Bertrand Monnard

VANILNOIR

Swiss wheat breeding know-how

Science & Education
Swiss bread is famous for both its quality and diversity, with each region of the country boasting its own speciality. Switzerland's success story is down to the work of its wheat breeding programme, which is more than a century old and continues to produce new varieties for the bread of tomorrow.
Bertrand Gabioud and Yann Sutterlin produce World Championship-winning cheese

Bertrand Gabioud and Yann Sutterlin produce World Championship-winning cheese

Society
The World Championship-winning sheep's cheese is Swiss.

by Lea Huszno

Hugo Koblet

Swiss cycling pros

Society
Switzerland is not just a nation of tennis players and skiers. The competitive cycling scene has also often seen Swiss pros in the lead in the world's most important races. Five powerful pedallers: introducing Switzerland's leading cyclists.