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The popular saying “the journey is the reward” reminds mountaineers that the summit is usually less important than the path to it. This symbol can easily be applied to sustainability efforts. The term, which has become inflationary, actually describes something that is not static. The transformation into a consistently responsible company is a journey – a journey that has a goal, but if you’re honest, you never really get there – this is also the case at Meindl.
Accordingly, the Meindl brand sees its path to greater sustainability as one that is taken step by step. Or to put it in Meindl’s own words: in many small and large #EcoSteps. Find out what these are in this blog post.
Craftsmanship with tradition
The tradition-rich Meindl brand was quick to adopt a more responsible approach to business: since 1993, the brand has labelled its products as ecologically produced. The family business, which has been based in the Bavarian town of Kirchanschöring for 300 years, is now in its ninth generation and employs over 200 people.
The majority of production takes place in Europe, where Meindl places great importance on continuing the tradition of local craftsmanship and is aware of its responsibility as a local employer: At its headquarters in Kirchanschöring, Meindl has always produced double-stitched and glue lasted outdoor, hiking, leisure and everyday shoes by hand. The craftsmanship is continued by master shoemakers and complemented by state-of-the-art production facilities. There are other company-owned production facilities in Europe, keeping transport routes short and reducing CO2 emissions.
In order to further reduce environmental impact, Meindl uses recycled materials and elements with recycled content as often as possible. In addition, cutting-optimised processes are used to minimise the amount of waste produced during production.
Quality and durability as a basic requirement
At Meindl, the careful use of resources is a guiding principle in product development and production. This is why the Bavarian footwear specialist attaches great importance to high standards of quality, comfort, and durability. After all, a product is only sustainable if it has a long service life. The service life is extended by the repairability of the shoes. Repairs and repairs are carried out by trained shoemakers at our headquarters. Meindl can tell you what can be repaired and how the repair service works. A careful selection of materials makes the shoes not only more robust, but also more environmentally friendly. Meindl does not use PFCs in the materials and care products used in production and is working to reduce the use of solvents in adhesives in production as much as possible.
Family, partnership, down-to-earth
As a family business in its ninth generation, Meindl feels a strong bond with its headquarters in Kirchanschöring, its employees and the partner companies based there. Some employees are already the second generation to work for the traditional brand. In order to improve employee mobility, the company has been providing free employee buses since 1974. After all, commuting often has a major impact on a company’s carbon footprint. The company also focuses on regionalism and long-term cooperation with suppliers and service providers. All suppliers must also comply with Meindl’s Code of Conduct, which sets high social and environmental standards.
Tradition meets modernity: Emission control and energy consumption
Because shoe production still involves a lot of manual labour, Meindl invested early on in state-of-the-art systems to protect employees and neighbors: Since 2011, an exhaust air purification system has reduced total emissions of volatile organic solvents to well below the legal limit. To protect the residents of Kirchanschöring, the shoe specialist also invested in noise protection equipment. By switching to LED lighting, electricity consumption has been reduced six-fold and the use of renewable energy is helping to protect the environment.
Packaging and logistics
In order to further reduce its own ecological footprint, Meindl uses FSC Mix shoeboxes with a recycled content of 70 percent. These are printed by partner companies in neighbouring Austria. Size-specific packaging optimises use during transport. Wherever possible, materials, and resources are sourced regionally, and transport routes between the production sites and the main suppliers are optimised. In this way, resources are conserved by making full use of loading capacities.
Social commitment
Through the Alfons Meindl Social Foundation, the brand supports people in need through no fault of their own in the Traunstein and Berchtesgaden regions. Meindl is also a member of the Friends of the Bavarian Academy for Nature Conservation and Landscape Management.
How Meindl shoes are made:
Identity Series: Regional Added Value and Transparency
A special product line at Meindl is the Identity Series. Since 2013, these high-quality every day, mountain and hiking shoes have been produced with special attention to ecological resource extraction and animal welfare. The special feature: The upper leather used comes from Bavarian and Austrian organic cattle and can be traced back to the respective pasture. The tanning process does not use chromium, which is harmful to the environment and human health, and the leather has been awarded the Leather Working Group’s Gold Standard. Due to the selected materials, quantities of the Identity models are limited.
Shop the Meindl Identity range:
Meindl – a WIR DENKEN UM brand
It is not without reason that Meindl has been awarded our WIR DENKEN UM label. At Sport Conrad, the label is only awarded to brands that follow responsible purchasing practices and have fair working conditions. In addition, WDU brands produce in an environmentally friendly way that conserves energy and resources, pay attention to their transport routes and use packaging sparingly. Find out how the awarding process works here.
Bilder © Meindl