Products from Swarovski Optik have long enjoyed a very good reputation in the industry. The Austrian family-owned company based in Absam in the Inntal has been manufacturing premium-quality binoculars, telescopes and target optics since 1949. In particular, binoculars with the symbol of the hawk play a major role in observing wildlife. Many environmental protection organizations use the equipment of the Tirol-based manufacturer to record wildlife populations, especially birds, but also predators and wildlife in forests or mountains, in order to develop and evaluate target goals for protection measures or stock management based on hard facts. This results in target groups consisting of professionals such as park rangers, ornithologists, hunters, conservation officers, and hobbyists such as hikers, mountaineers and nature lovers, small explorers included.
Products
The range of binoculars includes several series with different properties, precisely adapted to the specific requirements, with magnifications from 7 to 15 and objective diameters from 21 to 56 mm. The lenses are available in the colors anthracite, black, brown, burnt-orange and green.
The EL series lenses combine solid optics and high-quality workmanship and offer a comfortable weight for excursions or mountain tours. They are the all-rounders in the range.
The EL Range binoculars have the properties of the EL series as well as an integrated rangefinder. Due to the possibilities for individual adjustment, these binoculars are also particularly suitable for wearers of glasses.
The NL Pure line extends the possibilities of the EL lenses to the premium segment and offers, in particular, an even wider field of view. The choice of professionals.
The CL binoculars are lightweight and compact devices for the bag. With the CL Curio, Swarovski offers the lightest and most compact binoculars in its class.
The SLC series binoculars are optimized for difficult lighting conditions such as twilight and darkness. They can still recognize small details even in twilight and offer a particularly contrast-rich image.
The hawk binoculars are ideal for beginners observing nature and especially in the mountains, thanks to their robustness.
The new AX Visio includes AI-supported recognition software as well as a function that allows sharing discoveries and also has a photo and video function.
For children there is the robust MY Junior binoculars with 28 mm optics and seven times magnification in mint colors. The binoculars are available with different optics and in different sizes to cover the diversity of the different requirements.
The second product group includes telescopes with one-piece and two-piece eyepieces, with accessories for lying observation as well as integrated forehead supports and tripod adapters. The same range of dimensions and optical properties also apply to the binoculars.
All binoculars and telescopes are robust, designed for long-lasting use and with the best ergonomic properties. Swarovski Optiken are designed to last "a lifetime". They are repairable and spare parts are still available after years.
In addition, Swarovski Optik offers target sights for hunting use as well as a whole range of accessories, clothing from gloves to full-body outfits and accessories.
The entire range is available through specialist retailers (e.g. photo, hunting and outdoor equipment dealers) as well as through Swarovski Optik stores, the factory sales at the company headquarters and also online in the USA.
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EL Range with tripod adapter -
AX Visio -
BTX Spotting Scope -
My Junior children's telescope -
EL Range, as it is delivered -
Rucksack BP 24 Liter with tripod attachment
Given this clientele and the area of application, it is logical that the manufacturer itself is also close to nature and strives in production and distribution for the smallest possible ecological footprint. And this effort is clearly visible everywhere.
Sustainability as a central priority
Ecological sustainability is a top priority for SWAROVSKI OPTIK. The appreciation of nature is an essential part of the company's philosophy and is reflected in the exemplary environmentally friendly production and in a sustainable commitment within selected conservation projects.
Some conservation measures are immediately apparent, such as the locally adapted building of the company headquarters with a lot of green, grass-covered roofs and generously designed solar areas. Other measures such as the highly efficient, smart climate and heating control, the energy-saving lighting, but also activities in the area of CSR, such as workshops in the immediate vicinity of the production, company-owned shuttle buses as well as a kindergarten are not visible, but contribute to the most climate-neutral production. Just like the canteen "Habicht", which offers seasonal and regional cuisine and also serves as a center for social gatherings. In addition, there are various activities in cooperation with conservation initiatives, NGOs and other projects.
The cooling of the machine hall takes place via hanging ceiling cooling plates. This innovative cooling system saves 25 percent of the otherwise necessary energy compared to room cooling with air ducts. Through ongoing checks and adjustments, the required temperature in the heating circuit has also been gradually reduced. This helps to save over 100 tons of CO2 per year. These measures have reduced the consumption of fossil fuels by around 45 percent within three years (2020 to 2023).
This is also achieved by the strategy of packaging the products being supplied in an environmentally friendly way. This means: paper-based filling material, cardboard adapted to the size and shape or the quantity of the products being packaged, as well as the omission of package tape. The cardboard is produced in the immediate vicinity of the operation, the paper-based filling material comes from the neighboring Oberbayern.
What applies to optics also applies to its accessories, especially cases and bags. These are also produced locally or regionally with a focus on the most favorable ecological balance, both the processes and the used raw materials are largely recyclable or biodegradable.
"By 2028, 95 percent of the total energy consumption should be free from fossil fuels."
Promoting biodiversity
Swarovski Optik is involved in biodiversity projects on all five continents. A prime example is the Swarovski Optik rainforest in Costa Rica.
The company acquired 115 hectares of rainforest on the Osa Peninsula and thus withdrew this area from economic use and deforestation:"For the love of nature - aus Liebe zur Natur - is the motto at SWAROVSKI OPTIK. To live up to this motto, we protect a 115-hectare rainforest on the Osa Peninsula in Costa Rica: the SWAROVSKI OPTIK rainforest. As a first measure, we collect important information about the birds, trees, frogs, bats and other mammals that live here. With further studies and citizen science, we want to gain an even better understanding of Osa's flora and fauna. Our goal is to find out whether endangered or locally extinct species can be reintroduced on the property.
As part of a reforestation project, we are creating ecological gardens for butterflies and hummingbirds. In addition, we are planting various fruit plants that serve as food for mammals, insects and some bird species. In these lush gardens, we want to bring the love of nature closer to people in the future“.
Swarovski Optik also operates further projects in cooperation with state institutions as well as regionally and internationally active NGOs, for example in Kazakhstan, South Africa, America, Georgia, Patagonia, Ethiopia and many other regions. In all cases, the aim is to protect, preserve or restore threatened animal species or entire ecosystems.
But also at home, one is active. That is why the company premises have been designed accordingly, a 460 m² bee- and insect-friendly wildflower meadow on the company premises in Absam, Tyrol, corresponds to this.
About Swarovski Optik
Swarovski Optik is the world market leader in binoculars, telescopes and target sights in the premium segment. The company exports to 92 countries, mainly in Europe and North America. Despite the international orientation, the company is strongly rooted in its Tirol home and is committed to its tradition, which is always oriented according to the instructions and visions of the company founder, Wilhelm Swarovski. This applies to the estimation of employees, the consistent adherence to the highest quality standards and the close contact with the local population, target groups and partners in production and sales.
https://www.swarovskioptik.com/de/de/outdoor/geschichten/unser-projekt-in-costa-rica
https://www.swarovskioptik.com/de/de/outdoor/about-us/nachhaltigkeit-bei-swarovski-optik/projects
