PEACHTREE CITY, Ga. (July 21, 2014)—SIGVARIS, a family-owned Swiss company and leading manufacturer of medical and sports compression garments and stockings, is celebrating its 150th Anniversary this year. SIGVARIS’ North America headquarters is located in Peachtree City, Ga., and the company recently held an event at the Westin Peachtree in Atlanta to mark the occasion. A similar event was also held at the Montréal Science Centre in Québec, Canada, on July 12. Both celebrations included an exhibit showcasing the company’s history as well as a dinner and artistic expression performance that took event-goers through the process of creating graduated compression products.

SIGVARIS History
SIGVARIS got its start in the 1800s, and for more than 100 years the company produced rubber elastic textiles, which sold in Switzerland and abroad. Between 1958 and 1960, company leaders partnered with Dr. Karl Sigg, and the SIGVARIS brand was born. Today, 90 percent of SIGVARIS’ graduated compression products sold in North America are manufactured just south of Atlanta in Peachtree City. Socks and hosiery that feature graduated compression are designed to be tightest at the ankle and decrease in pressure going up the legs. Graduated compression garments help improve circulation and revive tired, achy legs. They also help with the treatment and prevention of varicose veins. SIGVARIS offers three product categories: SIGVARIS MEDICAL, SIGVARIS WELL BEING and SIGVARIS SPORTS.

Every Day a Step Further
“Approximately one-third of all men and women between 18 and 79 suffer from swelling of the legs or veins. In fact, venous disease can affect anyone, particularly if there is a family history,” says Judith Brannan, education and medical affairs manager, SIGVARIS North America. “Other risk factors include an age above 40, obesity, pregnancy, sedentary lifestyle, prolonged sitting or standing, surgery or trauma, infectious disease or use of hormone medications.” Because leg health problems are prevalent medical conditions that are often underdiagnosed, SIGVARIS has been taking steps to help improve leg health on a global level, and this remains a core focus for the organization today.

“Around the world, many individual’s legs are in critical condition. As a company we are committed to taking steps to change how people think about leg health with a new generation of compression garments and stockings,” says Scot J. Dubé, president and CEO, SIGVARIS North America. “Forward thinking and forward moving has been a big part of our philosophy during the last 150 years, and we are taking steps to continue to improve leg health for future generations.”

SIGVARIS offers fashionable compression options designed to fit any lifestyle. For tips on how to keep your legs healthy, or to find your perfect pair, visit sigvarisusa.com. To learn more about SIGVARIS’ 150-year history, see the company’s historical timeline at sigvarisusa.com/en/our-history.

SIGVARIS North America is part of an internationally active medical device group headquartered in Winterthur, Switzerland, that focuses on the development, production and distribution of medical compression garments, including hosiery and socks. SIGVARIS has distribution in more than 60 countries on six continents. For more information, visit sigvarisusa.com.