Manufacturing good firefighter boots starts in the pasture

European regulations are sometimes surprisingly lax. The individual parts of a shoe or boot can be manufactured anywhere in the world. As long as it is then assembled in the European Union, the finished product is allowed to carry the ‘Made in Europe’ label.

At HAIX® this is not the case! If a HAIX® shoe is labelled ‘Made in Europe’, you can rest assured that it was manufactured 100% in Europe. For the German specialist in functional foot- and workwear this is not just lip service but lived practice and a promise of quality. In addition, ‘Made in Europe’ at HAIX® stands for more sustainability, fair working conditions and the highest quality standards. This also applies to leather, one of the most important materials for the HAIX® firefighter boots. Leather is a natural product and an ideal raw material for making comfortable and safe firefighter boots. Unfortunately, the origin and manufacture of leather is often more than dubious. But not at HAIX®! 

‘Clean, ecologically sustainable and linked with high social standards for employees – these are absolutely essential criteria for the choice of raw materials,’ explains Christian Tasch, Head of Strategic Purchasing at HAIX®. ‘That’s why we’re happy to show you where our leather comes from,’ he says, referring to the Heinen leather factory. This German company has been producing leather for the shoe industry for 130 years while actively practising environmental protection.

Sustainable leather for four generations

 The terracare label created by Heinen meets the highest demand in terms of environment, production and social standards – as does HAIX®. 

‘That was a happy bull,’ says Thomas Heinen, the fourth generation to lead the family-run company, pulling a freshly tanned hide from the pile. No scars, no stains, no unevenness – a piece of leather of perfect quality. Cheap competition from a questionable source is not an issue for him. And there’s a reason for this: Many years ago Heinen imposed the highest production standards on itself with the terracare label.

‘There is no leather that is absolutely organic, eco-friendly or allergy-free,’ says the leather specialist. ‘You always have to be aware of that. But there is an ecologically optimally produced leather. And that’s what terracare stands for.’ Three things are especially important for Heinen when it comes to leather production. ‘We produce it at our German site. The production is as environmentally friendly as can be. And we take our social responsibility very seriously.’

Perfect leather for safe, comfortable firefighter boots 

Heinen’s quality begins with the raw material — with skins originating exclusively from Europe. For the tanning process certified chemicals from European suppliers are used. Processing the skins is subject to stringent controls in terms of environmental and social standards as well as production under safe and controlled conditions. The result is high-quality leather with thicknesses between 1.3 and 3.0mm – perfect for HAIX® firefighter boots of the highest quality.

High-quality leather not only looks good but also offers numerous benefits for the wearers. On the one hand leather boots are very sturdy and durable, because, thanks to the natural, three-dimensional interwoven fibre, leather is very shock and tear-resistant and has great tensile strength. It protects against all kinds of rough edges in everyday work conditions.

At the same time, high-quality leather is like a second skin – flexible, malleable and breathable for the best wearing comfort. But for all its breathable properties, leather also offers natural protection against moisture and dirt. In contrast to most synthetic materials, leather is also convincing as it has better thermal insulation. HAIX® uses all these properties when producing its high-quality firefighter boots, such as the FIRE EAGLE. Because heroes wear HAIX® – and they deserve the best boots possible.

Your Contact Person: Dr Djavid Salehi Regional Sales Manager based in Brisbane d.salehi@haix.com

For more information, go to haix.com/en/made-in-europe-22/