Vitra: Swiss and Sustainable Design Since 1953

Vitra is a Swiss company renowned for its sustainable design products, a distinctive feature of its corporate culture. Vitra furniture and objects present a special quality, noticeable at first glance, reflecting a history born from a journey we might even call “inner.”

Willi Fehlbaum and the Birth of Vitra

The birth of Vitra began in 1953, thanks to the work of Willi Fehlbaum. After discovering the Charles and Ray Eames seating designs, and recognizing their absolute value, he started producing them.

This partnership endured over time, fostered by a friendship that influenced the company’s future developments. To the creations of Charles and Ray Eames were added those of George Nelson; the three designers are regarded among the leading figures of American modernism.

It was a brilliant and innovative start for Vitra, leading over time to the creation of products that have become true classics in the world of furnishings, never going out of style.

A Close Relationship with Designers

The intense relationship with designers, whom Vitra often refers to as “authors,” has enabled the introduction of extremely original and innovative furnishings, born from sharing moments beyond purely work-related interactions.

These collaborations yield solutions formed through synergy and dialogue, representing both the original vision of each individual creator and that of the Swiss brand.

Over the years, the company has maintained a family-run approach, which has kept it open to experimentation and conversation, without relinquishing a well-defined identity.

Distinctive Traits of Vitra Style and Focus on Sustainability

The distinctive features of Vitra’s interior design products center on design in which no detail is superfluous, with meticulous attention to detail and a minimalist, highly contemporary style. This element impressed Willi Fehlbaum when he first encountered the American designers’ creations and remains central today. The design is not only beautiful and intriguing but also absolutely practical and functional, ideal for everyday use.

Vitra products, designed and developed in Switzerland and then manufactured in Europe—especially Germany—feature a special focus on sustainability, regarded as a core corporate value rather than a mere trend.

Vitra directly monitors raw material sourcing and supply chain organization, overseeing the entire product lifecycle from development to actual production, with the goal of creating items that endure over time.

This commitment was formalized as early as 1986, when the internal team “Vitra and Environment” was established. The ecological mission encompasses energy management across all facilities—from factories to offices—employing solar and hydroelectric power. It represents a 360° innovative approach in the quest for sustainable design furnishings at every stage.