LOWA Outdoor Footwear from Germany
Premium hiking and trekking footwear designed in Bavaria and produced almost exclusively in Europe.
LOWA consciously applies a philosophy of ‘Made in Europe’ to guarantee the best product quality, fair wages and social benefits for employees.
Almost exclusively made in Europe – Main production in Germany, Italy and Slovakia – VISIT BRAND →
| Price | Sustainability | Availability |
| €€€ (Premium) | ★★★ | Mainly retailers – also online |
(€ = budget | €€ = mid | €€€ = premium | €€€€ = luxe) (★★★★★ = heirloom + zero-waste preorder |
European outdoor manufacturing has become rare enough that it now deserves scrutiny rather than assumptions. LOWA stands out because it still keeps production close to home, with manufacturing centred in Europe and only limited exceptions outside it. For buyers who care about where their boots are made, that changes the conversation.
Brand Intro
LOWA is a German footwear brand founded in 1923 by Lorenz Wagner and based in Jetzendorf, Upper Bavaria. The company makes hiking, trekking and outdoor footwear and sells around 3 million pairs per year worldwide. Its production is concentrated in Europe, with key manufacturing in Germany, Italy and Slovakia.
Inspiring Story
A century after its founding, LOWA still builds its brand story around staying close to European production rather than following the usual outsourcing path. That matters because the company links “Made in Europe” not only to product quality, but also to fair wages, social benefits and tighter coordination between development and manufacturing. In a footwear market where global sourcing is the norm, LOWA’s decision to keep most production in Europe has become part of its identity rather than a side note.
Who is this for?
You want hiking or trekking footwear from a brand that still makes location of production a visible part of its identity. You compare materials, durability and build quality before buying, and you prefer a bootmaker that keeps manufacturing largely in Europe.
| Made in Europe | ✅ Almost exclusively Europe-made; main production in Germany, Italy and Slovakia, with limited exceptions in Vietnam and upper production also linked to Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina. |
| Ownership | ✅ LOWA Sportschuhe GmbH; |
| Company size | Large (250+); |
| Durability | Longstanding premium outdoor footwear positioning |
| Positive Fair Wear Foundation Brand Performance Check in 2025; LOWA was described as the first dedicated footwear manufacturer with predominantly European production to earn this recognition. |
DISCLAIMER Sustainability score is subjective. InEurope.eu finds this crucial, but conducts no audits. Assessment based on publicly available information and brand feedback
The information on this blog has been presented to the brand but not yet been verified.
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