Background information
Shower head made in Switzerland: How much home is really in it?
by Stefanie Lechthaler
These pruning shears are legendary
13.4.2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Christian Walker
Why do people cough up 50 francs or more for Felco pruning shears? For that matter, why do people get them tattooed onto their skin? In a bid to find out, I went to the place where these iconic tools are made.
Felco pruning shears are quintessentially Swiss. Cynics might argue that they’re certainly as pricey, pedantic or downright square as Switzerland. But if you delve further into the shears, these preconceptions get well and truly nipped in the bud.
On a mission to do just that, I went to Les Geneveys-sur-Coffrane to discover what Felco has in common with Switzerland. And to figure out why its pruning shears are a Galaxus bestseller.
Precision
I’m sitting on the train to Neuchâtel. As we’re passing Biel, I realise that Felco isn’t just based in any old Swiss town – it’s based in the heart of Swiss watchmaking territory. The heart of precision. Was this a coincidence or by design?
When I put that question to CEO Nabil Francis and Sales Manager François Davin an hour later, Francis says, «It was a coincidence. But a lucky one.» The CEO explains that the company’s founder, Felix Flisch, his wife’s grandfather, came here from Graubünden to complete an apprenticeship as a precision mechanic.
«One day at work, he came up with the idea of making a pair of pruning shears with replaceable parts. However, his boss wasn’t sold on it.»
Flisch founded Felco in 1945. By setting up shop in Neuchâtel, he found a lot of skilled workers – people who brought manufacturing techniques from the watch industry along with them. As a result, they could take the precision the region was famous for and apply it on a larger scale.
This is exactly what I’m keen to see up close.
When we step into the factory, a metallic smell hits our noses. Davin takes two shear handles out of a box. They’re made of 70 per cent recycled aircraft-grade aluminium. «It’s particularly lightweight and high-quality, so we offer a lifetime warranty on it,» he says.
The blades, which we’ll see shortly, are made of 95 per cent recycled carbon steel. «The material’s really durable,» Francis says. This makes my ears prick up, as I’ve read product reviews on Galaxus that mention rusty blades. Francis explains that Felco’s taken a conscious decision not to use corrosion-resistant stainless steel.
«The carbon steel we use is harder and easier to sharpen. If the shears are properly stored and cared for, they won’t rust.»
The air fills with clicking and clacking sounds. We’re about to see the pins that hold the shears’ blades in place. Machines position the pins with an accuracy of 100th of a millimetre – about one tenth the width of a human hair. It’s the only way to ensure that the blade will fit perfectly and deliver a precise cut. This is key; if the shears were to crush stems instead of cutting them, microbes could get into the plant.
Using different sizes of shears can also help you achieve the perfect cut. Lined up on a display stand, we see shears made for large, medium and small hands, as well as left- and right-handed users. Davin explains:
«When it comes to pruning shears, bigger isn’t always better. Instead, the better they fit in your hand, the less force you’ll have to exert.»
Durability
One of the company’s 300 employees seems to be breezing through her work, nimbly putting the shears’ individual components together. The over one million tools Felco produces each year are still assembled by hand. This makes it one of the last Swiss companies specialising in garden tools to carry out this work within Switzerland. It also offers replacements of its shears’ individual components and does repairs.
Many Felco pruning shears last for generations, even withstanding decades of freezing temperatures. «A pair of shears belonging to a shepherd from Valais was buried under an avalanche for half a century,» Davin explains on our way through the factory. «Even after those 50 years, we managed to repair the shears and return them to him.»
High quality, however, comes at a price. The average pair of Felco pruning shears costs about 50 francs on Galaxus, with the most expensive variety fetching up to 300 francs. According to Francis, the price tag needs to be put into context. When you consider the shears’ long lifespan, he says, they’re almost cheap.
«I often say that I’m not rich enough to buy cheap tools.»
Innovation
But in this day and age, is it still enough for a product to just be long-lasting? Our tour takes in Felco’s latest innovations: electric pruning shears for professional gardeners. These contain a small, electric motor that opens and closes the blade. Some models can cut through branches up to 4.5 centimetres thick. «This is easier for people with less grip strength,» says Davin. Felco’s latest shears are also cordless, with a rechargeable battery. If a finger crosses paths with the blade, the motor cuts out automatically.
In the room next door, we watch some robots bustling to and fro. One’s in the middle of drilling holes into some shears’ handles. In the past, it took six or seven people to do this. Today, those people work in product assembly. Davin explains Felco’s managed to retain most of its workforce despite shifting to automation. «Manual work’s still important. We’re always going to have an interplay between humans and machines.» The company’s following the same principle in exploring the ways AI might be able to support production.
Setting an example
While we’re discussing future developments on our way out of the factory, we end up talking about Felco’s competitors. There are plenty of them – and they’re brazen. Francis says:
«We’re the most frequently imitated brand of pruning shears in the world.»
Most counterfeit shears come from Asia and are sold online. Francis and Davin take me to a small museum set up next door. We walk past a display of old tools, as if we’re walking back through Felco’s history.
We stop in front of two pairs of shears. «Can you tell which one’s the real deal?» Davin asks me. I squint at the tools and shake my head.
«To the untrained eye, counterfeits are hard to spot. Most of the time, people don’t notice the difference until their shears stop cutting.»
Upon closer inspection, it’s apparent that counterfeits have loose catches and screws instead of pins. They’re also less precisely made; the logo isn’t sharply defined, and the catches overhang the handles. This is damaging to Felco’s reputation. Consequently, the company’s hired a full-time employee dedicated to pulling counterfeit products from circulation. It also works with lawyers on the issue. On its website, there’s a detailed rundown on how to spot a fake pair of Felco shears.
Modesty
We leave the museum and step outside into glorious sunshine. My gaze falls on the solar panels covering the Felco building’s roof. «The energy we use is 100 per cent green. We only need 2.3 litres of water to make one pair of shears – and we recycle all of our metal waste,» Francis says. Felco’s equally proud of the fact that it employs 25 people with disabilities in its packaging department.
I’m amazed. I’ve never heard any of this before. «Yeah, we’re not the best at marketing,» Davin admits, laughing. «What selling points would you talk about if you were?» I ask. Davin says:
«We could mention that some of our customers get tattoos of Felco pruning shears. Or that Michelle Obama uses our shears.»
Source: felco_official/Instagram
With that, we’re back where our tour started. Davin kneels down in front of a flower bed and pulls a branch towards him. A rose? «A Felco rose,» he says. The company spent eight years cultivating the variety, then released a set of rose-pruning shears to fit the occasion. He holds the branch firmly so that the thorns don’t prick his hands.
I say goodbye to the two men, taking one last look at the Felco rose. It’s white on the inside and red on the outside. Just like the company logo. And the Swiss flag.
Was this a coincidence or by design? The answer’s clear.
Source: Felco
What kind of pruning shears do you use? Let me know in the comments. Or alternatively, go ahead and send me a photo of your Felco shears in action at darina.schweizer@digitecgalaxus.ch
Darina Schweizer
Senior Editor
Darina.Schweizer@digitecgalaxus.chI love everything with four legs or roots – especially my rescue cats Jasper and Joy and my collection of succulents. I’m happiest following the scent of stories about police dogs and cat groomers – or cultivating thoughtful tales in garden flea markets and Japanese gardens.
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