LAUFEN was founded in 1892 in Laufen, a small town near Basel in Switzerland. Since its infancy, the company has specialised in the production of ceramic pieces, handing down the artisanal know-how it has acquired through the generations. An innovative mindset paired with the characteristically Swiss quality of precision has resulted in the creation of multiple pioneering materials, technologies and processes throughout its history. LAUFEN is now an international company that designs and produces complete bathroom solutions created in collaboration with renowned designers encompassing
washbasins,
bathtubs,
toilets, shower toilets, showers, faucets, furniture and accessories. LAUFEN has been part of Roca Group since 1999 and operates in over 170 markets.
Sustainable bathroom solutions with Swiss roots
Guided by its Swiss origins, LAUFEN combines 130 years of expertise with advanced technologies and rigorous quality control to produce pieces that are defined by precision of form and reliability of performance. The company’s production facilities are based in Europe and divided into centres of specialisation to guarantee the highest degree of refinement and functionality. Over the decades, LAUFEN has continually pushed boundaries, pioneering novel materials, technologies and production processes that have represented important industry milestones. The invention of pressure casting, the first wall-hanging toilet, the first floor-standing washbasin and Saphirkeramik, an ultrafine and ultrastrong ceramic material that enables aesthetics that were not previously possible, represent major breakthroughs in bathroom design. LAUFEN harnesses its innate pursuit of innovation to honour its commitment to creating sustainable bathroom solutions, integrating functionalities that reduce water use in its washbasins and toilets and conceiving ground-breaking technologies to minimise the emissions generated at its production facilities. The E-Kiln, the world’s first electric tunnel kiln, fires ceramic bathroom products with zero carbon emissions at the Gmunden factory in Austria. Over 3,000 ceramic products manufactured in the plant are Bronze level Cradle to Cradle Certified® for circularity, a recognition achieved in 2025.
Award-winning designer bathrooms
At the forefront of sophisticated design, LAUFEN collaborates with celebrated creatives for the design of its complete bathroom collections, namely Yves Behar, Andreas Dimitriadis, Stefano Giovannoni, Konstantin Grcic, Toan Nguyen, Palomba Seranfini Associati, Patricia Urquiola, Marcel Wanders and Peter Wirz, in addition to brands like Alessi and Kartell.
ILBAGNOALESSI collection is a part of design history with its emotive forms, which remain just as popular two decades after they were originally designed.
THE NEW CLASSIC is a romantic and poetic expression of the elegant shapes of yesteryear. MEDA, PRO, PRO S and PRO X collections are versatile and timeless bathroom solutions for hotels and private homes, providing aesthetics with an enduring appeal for the majority.
Kartell • LAUFEN collection stand out for its bold use of colour, in opposition to the understated elegance of the LIVING, INO and PALACE collections.
SONAR is inspired by the forms of waves and water, and VAL and LUA highlight the simple and beautiful elegance of geometric forms.
The CLEANET collection of shower toilets represents the epitome of Swiss reliability and functionality, enclosing cutting-edge technologies in elegant aesthetics that integrate with LAUFEN design lines.
Over the course of its history, the design of LAUFEN collections and products has been recognised by international awards, including the Red Dot Design Award, the iF Design Award, the Good Design Award and the Green Good Design Award.
