Schöffel
Schöffel is a German family-owned outdoor and ski clothing brand founded in 1804 in Schwabmünchen, Bavaria.
Last updated September 23, 2026
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Overview
Schöffel is a German outdoor apparel company whose origins date to 1804, when Georg Schöffel began selling stockings, socks and nightcaps as a travelling textile merchant in the Schwabmünchen area of Bavaria. The business later became a stationary textile retailer and has remained based in Schwabmünchen through successive generations of the Schöffel family. It is one of Germany's longest-established textile businesses and is still operated as a medium-sized family enterprise. The company gradually moved from general textile trading and retail into clothing manufacture and specialist outdoor apparel. It opened its own clothing store in Schwabmünchen in 1950, using the site to present a broader product range. By 1975, Schöffel had become a German market leader in hiking clothing. Its most important technical turning point came in 1983, when it began selling garments using Gore-Tex technology. The first production run, reported at 24,000 jackets, sold out rapidly and helped establish Schöffel as a serious functional outdoor brand rather than simply a traditional clothing retailer. Today, Schöffel develops collections for outdoor, hiking, trekking, ski and related activities. The company emphasizes functional construction, weather protection, comfort and practical design. Its product development is carried out at its Schwabmünchen headquarters, and the group is notable among larger German clothing companies for maintaining an in-house tailoring department. Schöffel Sportbekleidung GmbH is a wholly owned subsidiary of the group's holding company, Schöffel GmbH & Co. KG. The brand has expanded its retail and distribution activities through the Schöffel-Lowa joint venture, established in 2003 with hiking and ski footwear manufacturer Lowa Sportschuhe. The venture operates Schöffel-Lowa stores through a mixture of company and franchise structures in Germany, Austria and South Tyrol in Italy. Since 2019, Schöffel has also participated in ski-clothing rental through Intersport stores. International visibility has been supported by sports partnerships, including cooperation with the Austrian Ski Association, equipment provision connected with the Austrian Olympic Committee, and sponsorship of mountaineers such as Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and Ralf Dujmovits. Schöffel's central brand communication has used the slogan "Ich bin raus" since at least 2014. The phrase refers both to going outdoors and to adopting a less hurried lifestyle, giving the brand a positioning that combines technical apparel with leisure, escape and connection to nature. The company has also sought to address scrutiny of apparel supply chains. After criticism concerning wages and factory conditions, Schöffel joined the Fair Wear Foundation in 2011 and became a bluesign system partner in 2013. Its stated sustainability program includes supply-chain responsibility, lower emissions and product designs that consider recyclability. The company reported a target of halving emissions, including supply-chain emissions, by 2030. A structural reorganization in 2021 expanded group management from two to three members to support internationalization and the development of new business areas. At the beginning of 2025, Jakob Schöffel took over management of the Schöffel Group, representing the eighth generation of family leadership. Schöffel therefore combines a long-established German textile heritage with a contemporary focus on technical outdoor clothing, sporting partnerships, retail partnerships and sustainability.
History
Schöffel traces its history to 1804 in Schwabmünchen, Bavaria. Georg Schöffel initially worked as a travelling salesman selling basic textile goods, including stockings, socks and nightcaps. After building a regional customer base, he established a permanent textile business in Schwabmünchen in 1809, following receipt of a lifetime annuity from the crown prince of Bavaria. The company remained associated with the town and developed through successive generations of the Schöffel family. The business operated for much of its early history as a textile trader and retailer. In 1950 it opened its own clothing store in Schwabmünchen, creating a showcase for the company's product range and marking a stronger move toward clothing retail. During the following decades, Schöffel increasingly concentrated on functional clothing for outdoor pursuits. By 1975 it was regarded as a German market leader in hiking clothing. A decisive technical milestone arrived in 1983, when Schöffel began selling Gore-Tex garments. Its first reported batch consisted of 24,000 jackets and sold out quickly. The introduction helped the company build a reputation in waterproof and technically functional clothing and contributed to its later position as a leading European outdoor and ski-apparel brand. Schöffel subsequently developed a broader group structure. Schöffel GmbH & Co. KG serves as the holding company, while Schöffel Sportbekleidung GmbH is a wholly owned operating subsidiary. The group retains collection development capabilities at its Schwabmünchen headquarters, from design through production, and maintains an in-house tailoring department that is unusual for a large German clothing company. In 2003, Schöffel formed a joint venture with Lowa Sportschuhe, a manufacturer of hiking, ski and mountaineering footwear. Schöffel-Lowa Sportartikel GmbH & Co. KG operates stores using company and franchise formats. By March 2022, the reported network comprised 37 stores: 31 in Germany, four in Austria and two in South Tyrol, Italy. From 2019, Schöffel also offered ski-clothing rental through Intersport stores. The brand's sports profile expanded through partnerships. Since 2009, it has cooperated with the Austrian Ski Association, supplying clothing for alpine teams in competition and leisure settings. It has also acted as an official partner of the Austrian Olympic Committee, providing equipment for athletes and coaches participating in Winter Games. Mountaineers including Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and Ralf Dujmovits have been associated with the brand through sponsorship. Schöffel's public identity has been organized around the slogan "Ich bin raus" since at least 2014. The message uses an outdoor-oriented meaning while also suggesting withdrawal from a hurried everyday routine. It therefore links the technical performance of the clothing with a broader lifestyle proposition centered on outdoor recreation and time in nature. The company faced criticism in connection with labor standards in global apparel production. Research by the Clean Clothes Campaign in 2010 included Schöffel among outdoor companies criticized for low wages and poor working conditions at factories in Asia and Central America. In response, Schöffel joined the Fair Wear Foundation in 2011, supplementing its internal code of conduct with the foundation's labor-practice framework. It became a bluesign system partner in 2013 and later published a sustainability report for 2024. Its stated 2030 objective is to halve carbon emissions, including emissions from its supply chain, while developing new products with recyclability in mind. A 2021 organizational restructuring expanded group management from two people to three, with the stated purpose of supporting international expansion and new business development. At the beginning of 2025, Jakob Schöffel assumed management of the group as its eighth-generation family leader. Schöffel remains a private, family-run German outdoor-clothing company based in Schwabmünchen.
- 2025
Eighth-generation family leadership
[1]Jakob Schöffel took over management of the Schöffel Group at the beginning of the year.
- 2021
Management structure expanded
[1]A reorganization expanded management from two members to three to support internationalization and new business areas.
- 2019
Ski-clothing rental introduced through Intersport
[1]Schöffel began offering ski-clothing rental through Intersport stores.
- 2013
Bluesign system partnership
[1]The company became a bluesign system partner as part of its approach to more sustainable textile production.
- 2011
Fair Wear Foundation membership
[1]Schöffel joined the Fair Wear Foundation in response to increased attention to labor conditions in apparel supply chains.
- 2009
Austrian Ski Association cooperation begins
[1]Schöffel became a cooperation partner of the Austrian Ski Association and supplied clothing to alpine teams.
- 2003
Schöffel-Lowa joint venture established
[1]Schöffel and Lowa Sportschuhe established a joint venture for branded retail operations.
- 1983
First Gore-Tex products sold
[1]Schöffel introduced Gore-Tex products, with an initial reported run of 24,000 jackets selling out rapidly.
- 1975
German hiking-clothing market leadership
[1]The company had become a market leader in hiking clothing in Germany.
- 1950
First company clothing store opened
[1]Schöffel opened a clothing store in Schwabmünchen to display and sell its product range.
Products and positioning
A family-owned German outdoor and ski clothing specialist combining technical functionality, weather protection, in-house product development and an established heritage in textile manufacturing. The brand presents outdoor activity as both sporting performance and a way to slow down and spend time outside.
Outdoor apparel
Outdoor clothing
Schöffel's core outdoor range is designed for hiking, trekking and general outdoor use. It includes weather-resistant shells, insulated garments, trousers, shirts, fleece and other layers intended to combine protection, mobility and everyday wearability.
Technical outdoor apparel · 1983
Gore-Tex garments
Introduced to the Schöffel range in 1983, Gore-Tex products helped establish the brand's technical credentials. The line centers on waterproof and breathable outerwear for hiking, trekking, alpine activities and other demanding weather conditions.
Ski apparel
Ski clothing
Schöffel produces clothing for skiing and winter sports, including ski jackets, trousers and coordinating functional layers. The brand's ski activity is supported by partnerships with alpine sports organizations and by ski-clothing rental offered through selected retail channels.
Outdoor retail · 2003
Schöffel-Lowa retail offering
Through its joint venture with Lowa Sportschuhe, Schöffel participates in specialist stores combining Schöffel apparel with Lowa footwear and related outdoor products. The network operates through company and franchise locations in Germany, Austria and South Tyrol.
Controversies
2010
Supply-chain labor criticism
Clean Clothes Campaign research identified Schöffel among outdoor-apparel companies criticized over low wages and poor working conditions at factories in Asia and Central America. The criticism challenged the gap between the sector's outdoor image and labor conditions in parts of its supply chain.
Cum-Ex transaction controversy involving the Schöffel family
The entrepreneurial family around Peter Schöffel was reported to have invested €5 million in Cum-Ex transactions. The transactions became controversial in Germany because of disputed tax refunds and alleged losses to the state.
Marketing campaigns
- 2014Ich bin raus
Germany · German-speaking Europe
Schöffel's central brand slogan presents outdoor activity as an opportunity to leave routine behind. Its wording supports both a literal interpretation of going outside and a lifestyle interpretation focused on slowing down and reconnecting with nature.
Outcome. The slogan became a continuing central theme of Schöffel's brand communication.
Brand decisions
2021
Structural reorganizationStrategyBackground
Schöffel identified internationalization and the development of new business areas as organizational priorities.
Action taken
The group expanded its management structure from two members to three.
Aftermath
The reorganization was intended to support further international development and diversification.
2011
Supply-chain responsibility responseStrategyBackground
The company faced criticism concerning wages and factory conditions in apparel manufacturing countries.
Action taken
Schöffel joined the Fair Wear Foundation and supplemented its own conduct requirements with the foundation's labor-practice framework.
Aftermath
The membership became part of the company's stated approach to monitoring social standards in its manufacturing supply chain.
2003
Formation of Schöffel-Lowa joint ventureM&ABackground
Schöffel sought to expand specialist outdoor retail while partnering with an established footwear manufacturer.
Action taken
Schöffel and Lowa Sportschuhe established Schöffel-Lowa Sportartikel GmbH & Co. KG.
Aftermath
The venture developed a network of Schöffel-Lowa stores operated through company and franchise formats in several European markets.
1983
Launch of Gore-Tex productsProduct launchBackground
Schöffel was developing from a hiking-clothing specialist into a more technically oriented outdoor brand.
Action taken
The company began selling garments using Gore-Tex technology, starting with a reported batch of 24,000 jackets.
Aftermath
The first batch sold out quickly and helped strengthen Schöffel's reputation in functional outdoor clothing.
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