From the World Cup Stadium to Büron: How “Switzerland – Great Since 1291” Is Inspiring the Nation

Sometimes the best stories happen completely by chance.

A soccer game. A federal president. A red cap. And a catchphrase that becomes the talk of the whole of Switzerland within a few hours:

SWITZERLAND – GREAT SINCE 1291

When Swiss President Guy Parmelin showed up at the Swiss national team’s World Cup match against Algeria wearing the eye-catching red cap, the reaction was immediate. Pictures of the cap spread across social media, newspapers, and news sites.

Here at Landjäger.ch, too, it didn’t take long for the first inquiries to come in.

“Do you have this cap?”
“Where can I order it?”
“Can you make a cap like this?”

Our response was typical Landjäger: We didn’t spend much time debating—we just took action.

Today, this has led to more than just the well-known caps. We’ve expanded the idea into an entire collection—featuring various T-shirts as well as versions of the slogan in English, German, and French.

The cap that suddenly had all of Switzerland talking

During Switzerland’s World Cup match against Algeria, Guy Parmelin wore a red cap with the inscription “Switzerland Great Since 1291.”

The phrase is a tongue-in-cheek nod to the world-famous American slogan “Make America Great Again.” The Swiss version, however, confidently flips the message on its head:

Switzerland doesn’t need to become great again. It has been great since 1291.

Various Swiss media outlets picked up on the story and reported on the widespread attention surrounding Parmelin’s cap and its resulting cult potential.

The media took notice, too

Within a very short time, the cap became a media sensation across Switzerland. Numerous Swiss media outlets reported on President Guy Parmelin’s appearance, the eye-catching red cap, and the huge response to the slogan “Switzerland – Great Since 1291.”

Among others, Blick reported in detail on the huge rush for the cap and the swift response from Landjäger.ch.

20 Minuten also reported on Guy Parmelin’s eye-catching cap at the World Cup and the story behind it.

Watson also picked up on the hype and reported on the cap’s origins as well as where similar models—including at Landjäger.ch—are available.

For us, this media attention is a wonderful confirmation of how quickly a spontaneous moment can turn into a story with real cult potential. At the same time, it shows how a Swiss SME with short decision-making processes, in-house manufacturing, and a dedicated team can respond immediately to extraordinary demand.

Orders were pouring in at Landjäger.ch

For us, the story didn’t begin in a conference room or with a long-term marketing strategy. It began with a single moment.

We saw the images, noticed the reactions, and received the first inquiries from customers. It was obvious: People wanted to wear this message. And they wanted it right away.

As a Swiss company with our own textile finishing facilities, we were able to respond. We added the cap to our product line and began production at our facility in Büron.

Then everything happened very quickly.

Demand gained momentum in a way that even surprised us. Within just a few hours, what started as a spontaneous World Cup moment turned into an extraordinary production challenge for our team in Büron.

Handcrafted Instead of Anonymous Mass Production

Behind every order placed in our online shop lies real work.

The caps are finished by hand right here at our facility in Büron. Every single product is prepared, processed, inspected, packaged, and made ready for shipping.

That’s exactly what makes a story like this special to us.

We didn’t just buy a finished product somewhere and resell it. We responded to the demand, organized production, and made use of our in-house textile finishing capabilities.

However, with exceptionally high demand, this also means that production takes time.

Our employees and volunteers are working with great dedication to process the orders step by step. The enormous demand requires organization, flexibility, and improvisation—but it’s precisely these kinds of situations that show what a motivated team can achieve.

From a Single Cap to a Collection

It quickly became clear to us that the story shouldn’t end with just a single cap. The slogan works on various products and, above all, in different national languages. That’s why we took the idea further.

The collection is now available in three versions:

• SWITZERLAND GREAT SINCE 1291
• SCHWEIZ GROSSARTIG SEIT 1291
• SUISSE FORMIDABLE DEPUIS 1291

In addition to the caps, various T-shirts are also available. These include classic premium shirts as well as other styles and cuts. The products prominently display the message and combine the current World Cup excitement with a confident statement about Switzerland.

Discover the entire “Switzerland Great Since 1291” collection now

Why This Slogan Resonates

The success can’t be explained by soccer alone. Of course, the World Cup was the catalyst. The Swiss national team was in the spotlight, and President Parmelin came across as unusually relaxed and down-to-earth.

But the slogan itself has a quality that goes far beyond soccer.

“Switzerland – Great Since 1291” is simple, easy to understand, humorous, and self-assured.

The message works because it’s both a playful nod and a declaration of pride in Switzerland. It can be interpreted politically, but doesn’t have to be understood that way. For many people, it’s simply a humorous expression of Swiss pride and a sense of belonging.

That’s exactly in line with our philosophy at Landjäger.ch.

For years, we’ve been exploring Swiss traditions, Swiss motifs, and modern clothing with a Swiss connection. Our goal isn’t to put traditions on display in a museum.

Tradition should live on. It can be modern. It can be humorous. And sometimes it can even be printed on a red cap.

From Internet hype straight into our production

The speed at which this story unfolded was extraordinary. Normally, collections are planned months in advance. Samples are created, products are photographed, copy is written, and marketing campaigns are prepared.

This time, everything was different. The market was already there. The demand was already there. And customers wanted the product right away.

Our task, therefore, was to turn spontaneous demand into a functioning production process as quickly as possible.

Products had to be prepared, capacity organized, and workflows adjusted. At the same time, we continued to develop the idea and brought additional products and language versions to market.

For us, this is perhaps the most exciting part of this story: a single viral moment gave rise to a Swiss collection in a very short time.

Cult Potential Instead of a Short-Lived Trend

We deliberately do not publish specific sales figures. But one thing is clear: the response to the cap and the resulting collection surprised even us.

Within a very short time, a spontaneous World Cup moment sparked extraordinary demand.

The slogan struck a chord. The cap has cult potential, and the high demand for caps, T-shirts, and language variations shows that “Switzerland Great Since 1291” is more than just a funny slogan for many people.

The media took notice, too

The cap quickly became a nationwide media sensation. Various Swiss media outlets reported on Parmelin’s appearance, the eye-catching red cap, and the high demand for similar products.

For us, this attention was particularly valuable because it shows how quickly a Swiss SME can respond to a current event. We’re not an international fashion conglomerate with lengthy decision-making processes. We’re a Swiss company with a team, our own manufacturing, and short lines of communication.

When we see a good idea, we can act—and that’s exactly what we did.

An extraordinary achievement by our team

Amid all the attention surrounding Guy Parmelin, the World Cup, and media coverage, one thing must not be forgotten: ultimately, the products have to be manufactured and the orders shipped. Behind every single cap and every T-shirt are people.

Our team in Büron is working tirelessly to meet the extraordinary demand. Additional helpers are supporting production, workstations are being organized flexibly, and existing production capacities are being utilized to the fullest.

You can’t fully plan for a situation like this. You can only try to be prepared, make quick decisions, and work together as a team.

We’re proud of that.

Not because everything always goes perfectly. But because everyone pitches in to find solutions and tackle the challenges step by step.

From the World Cup to a Swiss Success Story

What remains of this story?

For us, it’s more than just a cap that enjoyed short-term success. The past few days have shown that Swiss companies can seize opportunities even in a fast-paced digital world—if decision-making processes are streamlined and execution is on point.

It all started with a photo from a soccer stadium. Then came the first inquiries. Then the orders. Then the media coverage, and finally, right here in our Büron office, we created an entire collection featuring caps, T-shirts, and various language versions.

That’s how quickly a spontaneous moment can turn into a true Swiss story.

We’d like to thank all our customers for their tremendous interest and trust. And we’d like to thank our entire team and all our helpers, who work with great dedication to ensure that every order becomes a finished product.

The Guy Parmelin cap got the ball rolling.

We seized the opportunity and continued the story.

SWITZERLAND – GREAT SINCE 1291.

SWITZERLAND – GREAT SINCE 1291.

SUISSE – FORMIDABLE SINCE 1291.

The caps, T-shirts, and language versions are now available at Landjäger.ch.

Discover the entire collection now