Boots
1851 – Present
Schonenwerd / Solothurn
There was a time that Switzerland was the largest shoe and boots production centre in the world, led by the Bally Company, with more than 150 million pairs since inauguration. Carl Franz Bally (1821-1899) and his brother Fritz, established in 1851 “Bally” in the basement of their home in Schoenenwerd/AG.
1883 – Present
Davos / Grisons
Franz Heierling, a Davos shoemaker made his first pair of leather shoes for skiers in 1885. He copied the Laupar shoes of some Norwegians who had been teaching skiing to a few locals. Years later, his family fabricated what became known as the Rolls Royce of hand-made leather ski boots.
1885 – Present
Stein-am-Rhein / Schaffhausen
Matthäus and Andreas Henke with Johann Georg Storz, three Germans, set up a shoe factory on the Swiss side of Stein on the Rhein In 1885, this to avoid high custom duties. They employed in 1889 56 persons, in 1911 130 and went public in 1920.
1909 – 2003
Kreuzlingen / Thurgau
Louis Raichle founded his Company in 1909 in Kreuzlingen, close to the German border. It became famous for ski, climbing and recreation boots (represented in the U.S. by Frank Kerner).
1919 – 1977
Wengen / Bern
Fritz Molitor, an Austrian saddler, began work at Wengen in 1912 and as of the mid-20s, made shoes including ski and climbing boots. His son Karl (1920-2014), became a successful ski boots entrepreneur, probably because of his racing triumphs.
Kunzli
1927 – Present
Trimbach / Solothurn
Windisch / Aargau (today)
In 1927, company founder Werner Künzli opened his first atelier in Trimbach, near Olten. He specialised in the manufacture of ski boots. The success of this enterprise led to further developments and to the production of customised footwear for the football, skating, handball and cycling sports.
1932 – Present
Murren
Gwatt / Bern (today)
Fritz von Allmen, ski instructor, a racer and a shoemaker in Mürren, crafted as of 1932 famous boots known for their workmanship and design. The members of the local Kandahar Ski Club appreciated the boots so much that von Allmen could name the Company he founded in 1932: Kandahar.
Spini Giacomo
1938 – ?
St. Moritz, Grisons
Georg Spini of St. Moritz manufactured what he called “Vorlage” boots, thus forcing a forward position. It served some of the Swiss women team, such as Niny von Arg-Zogg, slalom silver winner of the Ski championship (1938). The Spini boots were ultimately sold by Löw, a maker of expensive shoes with their own shops.
Mauron Joseph
1948 – ?
Broc / Fribourg
In 1948, Joseph Mauron, a 21-year-old Swiss shoemaker, didn't like tying and untying his double-tied ski boots (a real nightmare when they were frozen), He tried different designs. His last one was a boot with two leather straps, one to hold the foot firmly and the other to prevent snow from entering it. For the record, Heierling used a heel strap in 1941 to supplement a laced double-boot.
Our information is limited for the following Swiss Ski boot manufacturers.
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