Victorinox I.N.O.X. Paracord
The first commercial paracord watch strap
Commissioned by Victorinox to design a watch strap that doubled as a survival tool — launched at BaselWorld and still in production today.
The brief
Victorinox was preparing to launch the I.N.O.X., a watch built to survive 130 extreme durability tests including being run over by a 64-ton tank. They needed a strap that matched this philosophy — one that communicated ruggedness and outdoor utility without compromising on wrist comfort or production quality. They approached Naimakka, the Swedish paracord brand I founded, to design the first commercial paracord watch strap.
My role
As founder of Naimakka, I designed the watch strap end-to-end: concept development, weave engineering, material sourcing, comfort prototyping, production scaling, and manufacturing handoff. The project was a collaboration with the design team at Victorinox, led by François Nunez and Basile Maeder.
Highlights
- First commercial paracord watch strap ever produced
- Launched at BaselWorld 2014 — the world's largest watch fair
- Seven intricately woven MIL-SPEC strands per strap — each can be unraveled for survival use
- Victorinox guaranteed free re-weaving if used in a genuine survival scenario
- Designed as a limited edition of 1,000 — demand drove production past 50,000+ units
Early development
Process
Engineered a custom weave pattern optimized for wrist ergonomics — balancing cord density for strength against flexibility for comfort across 12+ pattern iterations
Developed a pushpin attachment system and buckle integration that met Victorinox's existing case geometry while supporting the hand-braided paracord construction
Sourced and tested MIL-SPEC nylon cord rated to 550 lbs, the same grade used in parachute suspension lines and NASA's Hubble Space Telescope repairs
Produced multiple prototype rounds, refining the braid tightness, taper profile, and keeper placement through wear testing
Scaled hand-braiding production across multiple colorways (black, green, sand, red) while maintaining consistent quality for the limited edition launch
Final product
Outcome
The paracord strap launched at BaselWorld 2014 as a limited edition of 1,000 pieces worldwide, priced at $625. It was meant to be a limited run — but demand kept growing. What started as 1,000 units has surpassed 50,000+ straps produced to date. It was recognized by WatchPro as a 'Highly Commended Trendsetting Watch of the Year' and reviewed by aBlogtoWatch, Fratello Watches, and Worn & Wound. Victorinox offered to re-weave any strap for free if the owner used it in a real survival scenario. Over a decade later, the paracord strap remains part of the Victorinox I.N.O.X. collection — still in production, still the same design.
Press & recognition
“Highly Commended: Trendsetting Watches of the Year”
WatchPro
“The Naimakka strap adds a rugged, EDC-style that has a distinct and very outdoorsy look”
aBlogtoWatch
“An exceptional watch for the money — surprisingly versatile and comfortable for its size”
Fratello Watches