FLUOROCHEMICAL-FREE SHOE DESIGN

LEAVE NOTHING BUT FOOTPRINTS with Hanwag Eco-Shell Footwear.

The footwear in our Active Winter Collection all combine high functionality with a design suitable for everyday use. These high-quality and highly durable winter boots and shoes guarantee to keep your feet warm and dry in the cold and wet months.

With Hanwag footwear, this already goes without saying. Additionally, though, the Hanwag research and development team has been exploring ways to make our footwear more sustainable.

The role played by fluorinated chemicals is important here. PFCs are harmful to people, animals and the environment They highly persistent – they break down very slowly and remain in the environment for a long time after introduction – short chain PFCs have been found in water and air samples at some of the most remote areas in our planet.

As a sustainable brand, it’s important to us that we produce shoes that function, but also reflect our DNA. We are committed maintaining a special focus on developing sustainable products, including eco-friendly supply chain, production and materials. This is why we decided to make all the new models in the Active Winter 2018/19 product line completely free from fluorinated chemicals. With our new Eco-Shell Footwear, we are taking the first step towards being able make our future production and supply chain free from problematic chemicals.

Eco-Shell Footwear is waterproof, breathable and sustainable.

Hanwag uses absolutely no fluorochemicals to make its new Eco-Shell Active Winter models: PULJA LADY ES, SAISA HIGH LADY ES and SAISA MID LADY ES. In addition, they have a warm lining made of 100% recycled polyester and uppers made from high-quality leather from European tanneries. We have 100% control over the supply chain of our Eco-Shell Footwear products. Hanwag works only with European suppliers. The resulting short transport distances (research and development, raw materials sourced in Europe, production in Europe, sales mostly within Europe) have a positive impact on the product line’s carbon footprint.

Eco-Shell footwear is based on a polyurethane (PU) membrane and is therefore completely free from fluorochemicals. Our PU membrane works as a hydrophilic system, a physiochemical process where sweat, i.e. moisture on the inside of the membrane is transformed into water vapour and transported away to evaporate outside. The new Eco-Shell footwear models in the Active Winter Collection have a three-layer laminate: The outer layer is made from polyamide to protect the membrane. The middle layer is a PU membrane that effectively stops moisture from getting in from the outside, while simultaneously transporting moisture away from the foot. The third (inner) layer is a warm lining made from 100% recycled polyester to protect your feet from the cold.

Sustainability is a matter of the utmost importance to us as a brand, shoe manufacturer and company.

We continually strive to make our mountain and trekking footwear not just more functional, but better in every way. We want future generations to be able to continue to enjoy our mountains, our forests and our meadows, as we enjoy them today.