SCHÖFFEL: At home in the great outdoors

• Brand philosophy

  SCHÖFFEL is more than functional clothing – SCHÖFFEL is a way of life and epitomises comfort in the great outdoors. "Klasse statt Masse" (which translates roughly as "quality, not quantity") is the motto of the brand, which attaches immense importance to the highest quality, especially in items of clothing which take a lot of punishment, such as jackets and trousers. The technical demands of production are high, and for this reason the company works with the best manufacturers. New products are developed with the utmost attention to detail, and new high-tech materials undergo stringent testing before they are used. As well as functional jackets and trousers, the collections for men and women include tops, blouses, shirts and much else besides. The brand guarantees long life and durable quality for its high-class fashions, while innovation and reliability are the hallmarks of its precision-engineered, high-tech functional clothing: the SCHÖFFEL company is defined by its passion for quality.

• History

  The company's history began in 1804 when Georg Schöffel acquired a franchise in the stocking trade. Knitted goods were central to the collections until the 1960s, when men's and children's trousers were introduced, followed from 1974 onwards by anoraks. Gradually the emphasis shifted toward sports, and in 1983 SCHÖFFEL, in conjunction with Gore-Tex, launched a limited edition mountaineering anorak. Thousands were sold, and the style became a huge success. In 1990, Peter Schöffel - the seventh generation of the family - joined the company and made huge advances in terms of internationalising the brand. Today this medium-sized enterprise from Schwabmünchen has outlets in 15 countries.

• Worth knowing

  Sustainability and social and corporate responsibility are crucial to SCHÖFFEL. In February 2011, therefore, the company joined the Fair Wear Foundation, whose mission is to improve working conditions in manufacturing countries. SCHÖFFEL is also committed to conserving the rainforests.