ISA sleepwear is pricey, but excellent
4/5/2026
Translation: Katherine Martin
Pictures: Martin Jungfer
Cotton pyjamas are a mass-market product. If you ask me, modal ones are better. ISA, a tradition-steeped Swiss brand, has launched a collection made from that very fabric.
The land of nod is made of cotton. At least in Switzerland, where almost all pyjamas are cotton-based. Galaxus’s sleepwear sales rankings make that abundantly clear. My own cotton phase, however, is ancient history. I started wearing modal pyjamas after Zurich start-up Dagsmejan got me hooked on them. The company was early to apply scientific findings to sleepwear, (as the CEO and founder explained when I interviewed him).
Now, the long-established Swiss brand ISA is stepping up to offer an alternative to people pursuing a better night’s sleep. As the editorial team’s sleepyhead-in-chief, I’m obliged to try out the brand’s latest loungewear. The company sends me two pairs – one short, one long. In fact, they’re sent by Thomas Sallmann himself, Co-CEO of ISA and the seventh generation to lead the Amriswil-based company. He knows the drill – at Galaxus, we carefully scrutinise everything. We don’t gush over products in a bid to play nice or boost sales.
As a reviewer, I’m fairly uninterested in the fact that ISA’s collaborating with Michelin-star chef Andreas Caminada for the launch of its new collection. I mean, sure, chefs need a good night’s sleep. But don’t we all? The celebrity factor just doesn’t appeal to me. «Sleep like a Caminada,» says ISA. Now, I don’t know how Mr Caminada sleeps. Nor do I have any desire to imitate him for the purposes of this review. Though I would wager that my bedtimes are healthier than his.
Fine fabric
ISA’s new sleepwear is made of a blend. Ninety per cent of this blend is micro modal, a cellulose fibre derived from wood. Modal fibres are superior to cotton in several ways. They’re stronger, yet softer. Not only that, but they retain their shape and softness, even after numerous washes. You’re probably aware that cotton, by contrast, eventually stiffens, causing the garment to lose its shape.
ISA has added 10 per cent spandex into the 90-per-cent modal-fibre blend – a sensible decision that I think creates a really pleasant result. Including spandex means the pyjamas can be made to a tighter fit, so they don’t develop any annoying creases or wrinkles when you change position in bed.
Tackling global (and bedroom) warming
Modal fabric can be produced in a very environmentally friendly way. For one thing, wood is a renewable resource – ISA procures its material from certified, monitored sources. Wood also requires less land and fewer pesticides than cotton.
What’s more, ISA uses Tencel modal fibres. Tencel is a registered trademark owned by an Austrian company called Lenzing. It uses a special manufacturing process, whereby the fibres are developed in an environmentally friendly closed-loop system. Ninety-five per cent of the chemicals used can be recovered. Plus, the process consumes only half as much water as other methods do. Lenzing has also received independent acclaim for its modal production, and holds numerous certifications.
No more sweaty nights
The modal yarn that ISA uses isn’t just good for the climate and the environment – it’s good for your bedroom environment too. The structure of the fibres absorbs moisture and, more importantly, releases it again. In other words, the sweat you produce at night soaks into the fabric, then comes out the other side. I’ve been sleeping in modal for many years now. I only ever revert back to cotton pyjamas if my laundry schedule gets knocked out of whack. When I do, I definitely notice the difference. Cotton fabric feels slightly damp in the mornings. When I wake up in ISA pyjamas, on the other hand, it feels like they’re fresh out of the drawer – even if it’s been a slightly warm night.
If I wear a pyjama top and bottoms made of modal fabric, my body temperature stays lower than it does when I sleep in cotton nightwear. At least according to my Apple Watch, which records my temperature from my wrist. On cotton nights, it’s 0.1 degrees higher on average. Somewhere out there, a scientist is probably quietly weeping as they read this. While I know these measurements wouldn’t stand up to peer review, I also just have a hunch that they’re right. I wake up feeling much better rested when I sleep in the ISA PJs. It must be because the microclimate between my skin and the fabric is better.
Smooth as silk, with a fit like a running T-shirt
When I try the pyjamas, I’m struck by how smooth the fabric is – even after a few washes. ISA uses an exceptionally fine yarn that’s spun in Germany, more specifically by Gebrüder Otto, a firm based in Dietenheim in the Ostalbkreis district of Baden-Württemberg.
ISA’s pyjama tops and shorts are «modern fit», which is what the textile industry calls a slightly slimmer cut. It’s similar to what you might be familiar with from sportswear. I’m 1.91 metres tall and weigh 82 kg, so I’m a little too slim for an L. At the same time, an M is slightly too short for me. I just don’t have the build for standard sizes. Leg length doesn’t matter on shorts, so I prefer the shorter style.
Made in Switzerland
Once the yarn’s transported from Germany to Switzerland, it’s time for some Swiss refinement. ISA’s factory facilities in Amriswil are equipped with knitting machines capable of making single jersey. To be precise, circular knitting machines with an E44 gauge, as Thomas Sallmann tells me. Without going into too much detail, the needles are very, very fine. There are 44 needles per inch (2.54 centimetres), each creating 44 stitches. That’s more than 17 stitches per centimetre of fabric. For comparison, in fabric used to make hoodies or sweatshirts, you could expect five to ten stitches per centimetre.
After undergoing the knitting process at ISA, the fabric’s finished at a partner facility. In Fehraltorf in the canton of Zurich, a company called E. Schellenberg Textildruck washes and dyes the fabric. This is done «in compliance with the highest environmental and social standards». Like the spinning mill in Germany, the Fehraltorf-based company has a fair few seals and certifications for sustainability and environmental friendliness on its website.
The final part of the finishing process involves singeing the fabric. Granted, that sounds like a bad idea at first. However, having fabric singed by a company with the right specialist knowledge is actually beneficial. Delicate fibres protruding from the fabric are singed off with a gas flame. Flambéed, if you will (looking at you, chef Caminada). Instead of crème brûlée, however, this results in a super smooth, lint-free fabric. A material that’s much less prone to pilling.
ISA’s modal pyjamas also come in a kids version (specifically for boys). Chef Caminada only has sons, so the range unfortunately doesn’t cater to girls. My daughter firmly objects to that. She’s keen to wear «luxury pyjamas» too. You can peruse the rest of ISA’s Caminada range here.
In a nutshell
The recipe for a good night’s sleep
These days, I’m taking the cash I used to spend on suits for previous jobs and putting it towards pyjamas instead. I’m bound to invest in another pair from ISA’s modal collection soon enough. The fabric feels fantastic, almost like silk. They’re so comfortable that on lazy weekends, I sometimes wear them until noon or even later.
Pro
- Coloured cords in the waistband are a nice addition to the design
- The bottoms have handy pockets
- Very comfortable to wear
- Sustainably made, right down to the last fibre
- Mostly made in Switzerland
Contra
- I’d prefer a tighter cut
- Yes, the price… As you’d expected of a Swiss-made product with a celebrity chef endorsement
Martin Jungfer
Head of Content
Martin.Jungfer@digitecgalaxus.chJournalist since 1997. Stopovers in Franconia (or the Franken region), Lake Constance, Obwalden, Nidwalden and Zurich. Father since 2014. Expert in editorial organisation and motivation. Focus on sustainability, home office tools, beautiful things for the home, creative toys and sports equipment.
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