Scarpa

Foundation (1938–1956)

SCARPA was established in 1938 in the foothills of the Dolomite Mountains. Its mission was to unite the best shoemakers in the Asolo area to produce high-quality footwear. The acronym SCARPA stands for Società Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima, or "Associated Shoe Manufacturing Company of the Asolo Mountain Area. Luigi Parisotto began learning shoemaking in 1940 at age 11 and joined SCARPA in 1942. In the early 1950s, he and his brothers founded S. Giorgio, a small workshop producing 4–15 pairs of handmade shoes daily, mainly for local farmers.

Parisotto family ownership (1956–1960s)

In 1956, Luigi Parisotto and three brothers purchased SCARPA. Under their leadership, production expanded from 17 shoemakers to 50–60 pairs per day. By the late 1950s, the company's reputation spread beyond Montebelluna, attracting customers throughout northern Italy.

Expansion into mountaineering (1960s)

Recognizing the needs of Italy's growing climbing and mountaineering community, SCARPA developed specialized footwear. Known for durability and precise fit, SCARPA shoes became popular with early Italian mountaineers. In 1965, an Italian-American importer began bringing SCARPA boots to Boston, making it the first Asolo-based footwear brand exported to the United States.

Product innovations (1970s–2000s)

SCARPA gained international recognition for technical advancements in outdoor footwear.

1970s – Introduced the Rally alpine ski boot.

1970s – Developed one of the first high-altitude plastic mountaineering boots, initially the Grinta, later the Inverno (or Vega internationally). This boot was used in the Himalayas, Antarctica, and adopted by military forces in Italy, the U.S., France, and Spain.

Firsts in the industry:

First company to produce a Gore-Tex boot.