Caran d'Ache: a Swiss story for over 100 years (2024)

1. Caran d'ache
2. Swissmade

In the 18th century, the Guild of Swiss clock makers decided to add a hallmark to their products as a mark of quality. It was only at the end of the 19th century that the designation was formalized. Faced with American competition, the guild decided to create its own certification, known as Swiss made.

Swiss excellence now had legal value.

Swissness itself is not a certification per se, it is a legal review of the “Swiss Made” designation.

Originally for a manufactured product to be considered as coming from Switzerland, its main design stage needed to take place in Switzerland. Also, at least 50% of its production costs needed to be generated in the country.

But in light of many cases of fraud, Swiss Federal law decided to revise the designation in 2017. Known as Swissness, this legislation set a new set of standards that need to be met to benefit from the designation:

• Obtaining the certification is conditional on meeting certain specific and demanding criteria set by ordinance, as is the case with watches.

Caran d’Ache is a Swiss Maison in both its essence and history. All our products meet high quality requirements and an ever-growing desire to push the bounds of creativity.

From the beginning, our products have been conceived and made in our workshops in Geneva, Switzerland and that is not our only Swiss made guarantee of quality:

• We support local suppliers,
•Since 2015 we have been increasing the use of woods sourced in Switzerland,
• All our fountain pen nibs are tested by hand,
• We place compliance with standards and certification (ISO 9001 and 14001) at the heart of our business.

Beyond the Swissness identity, Caran d'Ache is committed to sustainability and to reducing the carbon footprint generated by production processes. Since 2018, we have also been producing «Swiss Wood» certified pencilsfor long-lasting and sustainable writing.

PRESTIGIOUS AND INNOVATIVE SWISS MADE CREATIVE TOOLS

From its beginnings, Caran d'Ache has been reinventing writing and drawing through innovative products that meet the most demanding requirements of the greatest artists. The production of a single pencil has 35 steps, and requires no less than 50 hours of meticulous work. Today Caran d'Ache offers 400 different colors allowing designers and artists to express their creative vision of the world in all its nuances.

Our artisans' meticulous know-how and desire to create drawing and writing instruments has led to prestigious breakthroughs.

In 1931, Caran d'Ache created Prismalo®, the first water soluble color pencil in the world, available in 80 colors. Then, in 1952, Caran d'Ache invented the first wax pastel and named it Neocolor®, which later led to Neocolor® II, the water soluble wax pastels.

The Geneva manufactory pushed the boundaries of artistic innovation even further in 2008 by introducing Luminance 6901®, the most light-fast color pencils ever made.

Caran d'Ache is a brand known worldwide for the quality of its workmanship and sense of precision, down to the smallest detail. Many architects, designers, engineers and illustrators have a strong personal story to tell with at least one of our best-sellers.

One of our star products, the 849 pen, has been re-interpreted many times and illustrates this perfectly. Over the decades, other collections have complemented this writing icon. Ranges such as Claim Your Style, Nespresso or the partnership with the International Commitee of the Red Cross (ICRC) are just some of the new faces of the 849 pen.

With Caran d'Ache, Swiss made reinvents itself and today embarks on a new journey with the release throughout the year of limited edition pens or collaborations with artists.

Pushed by its creativity and desire to write a new chapter in the history of its iconic writing tools in a collaborative way, the Swiss brand works with artists, designers as well as famous Swiss companies and personnalities.

This colorful and inspired collaboration is the result of Alfredo Häberli's childhood memories meeting Caran d'Ache's current innovations and has produced two intense versions of the iconic Fixpencil®. This limited edition brings together all the know-how and love for beautiful things that defines the Swiss family-owned Maison.

For the occasion, the designer has innovated by complementing the Fixpencil® graphite lead with four water soluble pencil leads, making this partnership the very incarnation of the tool’s precision and creative potential.

Caran d’Ache andNespresso have partnered to create theNespresso 849 ballpoint pen made from coffee capsules' recycled aluminum. This partnership between the two Swiss companies underlines the importance granted to Swiss made: the meeting of two century-old companies’ know-how brought together by a common vision, forward thinking and focused on innovation. This lasting creative synergy began in 2017 and has led to several limited editions and continues to be a highlight in the two Swiss Maisons’ year.Wishing to focus on innovation and sustainable development, Caran d'Ache has also designed the Fixpencil® mechanical pencil as well as Swiss Wood Nespresso pencils.

As part of the process, the Nespresso coffee grounds are also reused, while the pencils' colors are reminiscent of the coffee capsules: a visual reminder of the Swiss made approach to recycling which respects the original products and their design.