SWISS INSTINCT

Sustainability is at the heart of V-Zug, a Swiss luxury appliances brand that believes climate responsibility ranges from the smallest daily gestures to its larger global ecological goals. In its new Singapore showroom, we learn how the company continues its eco-conscious approach while creating a beautiful space that inspires

- Hong Xinying

Years before terms like “carbon neutrality” and “circularity” became buzzwords, Swiss luxury appliances brand V-Zug was already making sustainability a key part of its brand philosophy. Since 2020, the company has been manufacturing its products carbon-neutrally in Zug and Sulgen in Switzerland, is participating in carbon offsetting programmes, and continues to invest in improvements that make its production processes more energy efficient. Although still not a zero-emissions company, the firm aims to slash its carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2030, and is in the midst of switching to using almost completely renewable energy sources in the future.

In Perthshire, Scotland, V-Zug is also helping with reforestation efforts. It has planted over 800,000 trees since 2020, contributing to the region’s biodiversity, and helping to prevent floods in collaboration with Ripa Gar Foundation. This eco-consciousness even extends to daily-life activities: employees are highly encouraged to take public transport to work, and some furnishings have yet to arrive in the new Singapore showroom as they are taking the longer route by sea.

DO BETTER

This overarching sense of climate responsibility is met with interesting challenges in Southeast Asia, where the recycling infrastructure may not be as sophisticated as in Europe. On top of that, resource-scarce countries like Singapore are heavily reliant on imported materials, which comes with all the associated carbon emissions. And yet every small step can add up to make a bigger difference.