Our story of success – The Löffler Chronicle

Elfriede Löffler founded a company in Ried in 1947, which initially produced mainly pantyhose and ladies’ knitwear. In 1973 Löffler was taken over by Fischer, a ski manufacturer also based in Ried, and the company was realigned. The path to a sporty, successful future began…

Our success story

1973 – TAKEOVER BY FISCHER SPORTS

The Project “Löffler – FUNCTIONAL SPORTSWEAR” is started.

Fischer Sports and Löffler are now sister companies. Fischer is world market leader in Nordic skiing and one of the leading brands in alpine skiing.

1974 – FIRST WINTER- AND TENNIS COLLECTION

For the first time Löffler is exhibiting a winter collection of sweaters and caps at ISPO, the world’s largest sporting goods fair in Munich.

The first tennis collection “Match Maker” is presented in Cologne at the Spoga fair. The product line, which is specially designed for tennis, is discontinued in 1992.

1975 – FIRST CROSS COUNTRY-COLLECTION

Löffler develops its first collection for cross-country skiing.

1978 – BREAKTHROUGH WITH TRANSTEX®

Löffler develops Transtex® – the successful product from the very beginning. The first Transtex ski shirt is produced in series.

In the same year the first outdoor collection is developed in cooperation with extreme mountaineer Peter Habeler. Together with Reinhold Messner and LÖFFLER Transtex®, Habeler was the first person to climb Mt. Everest without artificial oxygen.

Löffler becomes a partner of Gore and starts processing GORE-TEX® membranes for the first time.

1979 – SUPPLIER OF THE ÖSV-TEAM

The long-standing partnership between Löffler and the ÖSV team (Austrian Ski Federation) begins with the provision of functional underwear and ski pullovers.

1981 – ENTRY INTO CYCLING SPORTS

With his first cycling collection Löffler once again inspires with enthusiasm.

1990 – STRONG PARTNER OF DSV

Following the positive experience of the Austrian Ski Association, Löffler is also chosen by the DSV (German Ski Association) to outfit its athletes with functional underwear.

At the same time, Löffler makes the strategically important decision to retain the Austrian production site, to invest and not to relocate production to lower-cost third countries.

1991 – IMPROVEMENT OF TRANSTEX®

Löffler has succeeded in developing a thinner and therefore lighter version of its successful product – transtex® X-LIGHT.

1995 – LÖFFLER & FC BAYERN

The football giant FC Bayern plays in transtex® underwear

By introducing the Continuous Improvement Process (CIP), a new type of corporate culture and management, as well as other measures, Löffler achieves the long-term safeguarding of the production site in Ried im Innkreis / Austria.

1998 – FIRST RUNNING-COLLECTION

With its first running collection, Löffler becomes a full-range supplier of functional clothing for the endurance sports of cycling, cross-country skiing, running and outdoor.

1999 – JACKET GORE-TEX® COLIBRI

The revolutionary Löffler product, the jacket GORE-TEX® Colibri, provides 100% protection against wind and water.

The Ried im Innkreis production site is expanded with the construction of a finished goods warehouse.

2001 – LÖFFLER & HERMANN MAIER

The legendary alpine racer Herman Maier can be won as a testimonial for Löffler.

2002 – COOPERATION WITH SWISS SKI ALPIN TEAM

Löffler becomes the official supplier of functional underwear and ski pullovers to the Swiss Ski Alpin Team.

In addition to the core business ‘sport’, Löffler also pushes ahead with business with industry and public authorities. This is followed by major orders from the police and armed forces, ensuring good capacity utilization and growth for Löffler.

A second finished goods warehouse is in the process of being built.

2007 – IMPROVEMENT OF TRANSTEX®

Löffler transtex® is made even softer and more elastic by an elastane fibre. The new knitting technology ‘Airplus’ enables the production of transtex® light quality.

2008 – INNOVATION HOTBOND®

The innovation – hotBOND® cycling shorts with welded seams – represents a highly elastic connection of materials without needle and thread, and can be produced for the first time using the revolutionary use of ultrasonic technology. This breakthrough marks the beginning of another Löffler success story.

At the same time Löffler presents an extended outdoor collection with innovative jackets, trousers and shirts.

2009 – A GLAMOROUS JUBILEE

Löffler has been in the Austria Ski Pool for 30 years and is the official outfitter of the Austrian national ski teams.

Löffler succeeds in developing the compression underwear C-TEX®.

2010 – COMEBACK OF NATURAL FIBRE

Löffler expands its range to include functional underwear in merino wool.

2011 – PRAISE FROM MANY SIDES

German sports retailers voted Löffler the overall winner in the supplier ranking for 2010.

Löffler receives the award from the Upper Austrian government. Pegasus’ business award in bronze.

GORE-TEX® Active Shell is successfully tested and used for functional jackets.

2012 – INCREASING VIEWING THROUGH CONTINUOUS INNOVATION

Together with the Austrian global fiber group Lenzing AG, Löffler has developed a transtex® fiber combination in which cotton is replaced by TENCEL® – a resource-saving, natural cellulose fiber.

For the second time in a row Löffler is voted overall winner in the supplier ranking by German sports retailers.

2013 – SUCCESSFUL WAY OF LÖFFLER WILL BE CONTINUED

Löffler has once again been voted onto the podium in the German supplier ranking – specialist retailers voted Löffler number 1 in the ‘Bike’ category and number 3 in the overall sports ranking.

2014 – PROGRESS THROUGH COMFORT

The newly developed transtex® hybrid knitting technology now also allows Löffler to design the material structure of selected products differently depending on the body zone.

The athletes of the German Ski Association in cross-country skiing, biathlon, Nordic combined and ski jumping will once again compete in Löffler functional underwear. In addition, eight DSV ski jumpers will start the season with jumping skis in Löffler design.

2015 – EXPANSION OF A FRIENDSHIP

Löffler continues its commitment to the ÖSV. Starting this year, all Nordic teams including the ski jumpers will also wear Löffler thermal clothing.

The STeP certification for sustainable textile production is successfully extended.

Award of the Austrian State Prize for Marketing in the Export Marketing category for the sell-in campaign of Löffler’s transtex® sports underwear in Germany.

A dedicated online shop www.loeffler-shop.at is designed.

2016 – INTRODUCTION OF NEW URBAN LOOK

In cooperation with Gore, Löffler has succeeded in developing another important innovation – WINDSTOPPER® Superlite – breathable jerseys (1BEATS2) that protect against wind and water.
The new URBAN BIKE collection will be another new addition to the spring collection.

Once again Löffler is ranked best supplier in the ‘Textile’ category by the German sports magazine sazSport. Löffler has been on the podium for the last five years, winning four times and finishing third once.

In Austria, too, Löffler was voted top supplier by its customers in the supplier ranking of the sports magazine sazSport and took third place.

2018 – INNOVATION HOTBOND® REFLECTIVE

Löffler’s latest innovation is hotBOND® reflective. Löffler uses the proven hotBOND® technology to bond highly elastic materials using ultrasonic welding. What is new is that these connection points reflect when illuminated by a special processing technique. This means: Maximum freedom of movement without restrictions and pressure or chafing points, plus more safety thanks to 360 degree visibility.

For this innovation Löffler was awarded the Upper Austrian State Prize for Innovation.

2018 – LÖFFLER WINS INNOVATION PRIZE

Löffler was awarded the Upper Austrian State Prize for Innovation for hotBOND® reflective. With the innovative hotbond® technology developed by Löffler, individual parts of a garment are welded by ultrasound. Reflective points can now be incorporated into these welded joints. This innovation is essential for all those who prefer to reflect rather than risk in road traffic.

2019 – PEGASUS FOR LÖFFLER

The silver Pegasus in the category “Success Stories” goes to Löffler! For the second time, the coveted trophy was awarded to Managing Director Otto Leodolter by the President of the Chamber of Commerce, Doris Hummer. The assessment focused on responsibility for the region, successful business operations and sustainable corporate philosophy. Löffler has stood for this for decades and the core brand values “Innovation, quality and responsibility. From Austria” are lived every day.

2020 – LÖFFLER HELPS AT CORONA-PANDEMY

Löffler makes a valuable contribution to the Corona crisis and produces up to 3,000 face masks daily for the health and care sector: Upper Austria, Red Cross and the local hospital.

2020 – LÖFFLER WINS PRESTIGIOUS SUSTAINABILITY AWARD

In the category “first sustainability report” LÖFFLER wins the prestigious ASRA (Austrian Sustainability Reporting Award) for the first publication of our sustainability report.

2021 – ISPO AWARD WINNNER – TRANSTEX® SHELL

The renowned ISPO Award was presented for the 10th time. The most innovative products of the year were sought from the categories Outdoor, Snow sports, Apparel, Fitness and Sustainability and honored with the ISPO Award.

The softshell innovation opus_21 with the innovative transtex®SHELL technology emerges as ISPO AWARD WINNER 2021!

More info about the 3-layer softshell transtex®SHELL manufactured in Austria can be found here.

2021 – SUSTAINABLE DESIGNERS OF AUSTRIA AWARD

BUSINESSART magazine honors Austria’s Sustainable Designers for the 13th time. In 2021, Otto Leodolter and LÖFFLER GmbH will be honored as Sustainable Designers.

Both nomination and selection are carried out by an independent jury of CSR and sustainability experts based on various criteria that must be met in the field of CSR and sustainability.

2021 – NOMINATION TRIGOS AUSTRIA

LÖFFLER is nominated for the most prestigious award for responsible business, the TRIGOS 2021.

The award is given to companies that play a leading role and act as role models for responsible business and sustainability and that contribute to the future viability of the Austrian economy, society and the environment.