Hands come first at Hestra

For more than 80 years, the Swedish company has been producing gloves that provide warmth, protection and at the same time dexterity to all types of hands in a wide variety of situations. Back then, in 1936, it was the hands of Swedish lumberjacks that Martin Magnusson equipped with high-quality gloves. When a ski slope was opened near the workshop in 1937, Magnusson immediately saw a new market for his robust gloves and entered the ski business.

Skiing nation Sweden

When Sweden became a skiing nation in the 1960s and more and more people started sweeping down the slopes, Hestra gained more popularity in Sweden.

Hestra is now one of the world's leading glove brands in Alpine and Nordic skiing, outdoor and leisure. The development and design of the more than 400 different models is still taking place in the small town of Hestra in the south of Sweden after more than 80 years.

Hestra produces more than two million pairs of gloves annually, which are sold in more than 30 countries worldwide. The materials required for this, such as leather, fabric and wool, are purchased directly by Hestra to guarantee the well-known high quality of the products. Hestra has developed several thousand models over the eight decades of the company's history and all of them have been individually adapted to the specific needs of their wearers. The right balance between durability, flexibility and resistance to cold and moisture is particularly important. Choosing the right leather is also important: freeskiers who use their gloves in demanding conditions need a more robust material than casual skiers.

Quality

Quality is the top priority in Hestra's production, and the company does not rely solely on the high quality products they personally buy from tanneries with which they have long-standing relationships. They also rely on their master glove makers. These are very rare, there are less than a hundred of them worldwide - two of them practise their craft in Sweden and at Hestra. They are Niklas and Anton Magnusson, fourth generation members of the family business. After the selection of suitable textiles, each glove is elaborately handmade by experienced seamsters from up to over 100 individual pieces. In this way Hestra can guarantee a high quality production chain.

Sustainability at Hestra

High-quality and durable gloves are the craft that distinguishes Hestra. Excellent quality and durability make each glove sustainable. The entire production chain is ISO14001 and ISO9001 certified. An annual BSCI inspection of the factories verifies that the most diverse ethical standards are adhered to. Hestra is also a member of the Swedish Chemical Group. In accordance with the EU legislation REACH, Hestra and all Hestra suppliers refrain from using chemicals that are harmful to the environment. This is verified through material tests. The leather used in all gloves is a by-product of the meat industry. All leather and wool suppliers must comply with the "Five Freedoms of Animals". In addition, all wool is from suppliers who do not use the mulesing practice. In order to give the gloves an even longer life, a repair service for defective gloves is available at Hestra.

You can find, among other things, the Ecocuir gloves from Hestra at Sport Conrad

Ecocuir® is a trademark-protected cowhide that is tanned without the use of chrome or synthetic dyes. The leather is saturated with grease to repel moisture. Its beautiful natural colour develops a lovely patina over time.