Four Ways LOWA Supports Sustainability
We’ve all seen those nightmare images of landfills piled high with clothing, shoes, and other household goods. From easily broken plastic items to poorly made apparel, sometimes it can feel like products we buy online and in stores are designed to be discarded.
As an outdoor brand, LOWA takes our responsibility to practice sustainability and protect the people and planet we love very seriously. We’re hikers, mountaineers, trail runners, and nature lovers. For LOWA, sustainability isn’t just about helping the planet. It’s about crafting a better product and protecting the people who make and use it. We work hard to take little steps every day and big steps every year to create durable, well-made products that last for years to come. Because boots belong on the trails, not landfills.
We look at sustainability from a holistic point of view – our materials, our manufacturing, our staff, and beyond. These are just a few ways we support sustainability in 2026. To learn more, read our 2025 Sustainability Report.
1. Investing in Durability
LOWA constructs our footwear with comfort and durability in mind. We build our boots to last from the ground up with unique, long-lasting components like PU polyurethane) midsoles and responsibly-tanned European leather.
Globally and in the US, LOWA connects our customers with repair and resoling services that breathe new life into old boots. In the US, we’ve partnered with Daub’s Cobbler Shop in Laconia, New Hampshire. The staff at this family-owned shop received first-hand training in our Jetzendorf factory to learn how to repair cement constructed LOWA boots like their German counterparts.
Learn more about our US repair program here!
2. Saying Goodbye to PFAS Forever
PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are “forever chemicals” traditionally used in waterproofing. You can find them in things like outdoor apparel, cosmetics and believe it or not, dental floss. We began the process of PFAS-free production in our Outdoor collection in 2025 following many years of development and testing. Shoe components, such as waterproof membranes, DWR coatings and yarns, are now manufactured without any intentionally added PFAS. Our PFAS-free production will be complete by 2027 when we deliver our new Professional collection.
3. Adding More Solar Power
After successfully equipping our headquarters in Jetzendorf, Germany with photovoltaic systems, we are now increasingly relying on the sun’s power at our production site in Bošany, Slovakia. The new PV installation in Bošany covers an impressive area of 9,200 square meters (30,183.73 ft). At full capacity, it covers up to 90% of the site’s power demand. Our goal is to cut our emissions in half by 2027 thanks to this new installment.
4. Creating Safe & Inclusive Work Environments
Since 2023, LOWA has been a member of the Fair Wear Foundation which champions workers’ rights across industries and supply chains. Trust and respect have determined LOWA’s actions for over 100 years. This applies to our employees, our partners, and everyone along our supply chain. To ensure ethical behavior and the protection of people, we rely on clearly defined values, binding standards, and active responsibility.