Schöffel

The company was founded in 1804 by Georg Schöffel, who initially sold stockings, socks, and nightcaps as a travelling salesman. In the early 19th century, he built up a customer base in the Schwabmünchen area and laid the foundation for a long-lasting textile business. After receiving an annuity for life from the crown prince of Bavaria in 1809, Georg Schöffel established a stationary textile business in the city of Schwabmünchen.

In 1950, the company opened its own clothing store in Schwabmünchen, which served as a showcase for the product range.

By 1975, the company had become a market leader in the field of hiking clothing in Germany.

In 1983, Schöffel stated selling Gore-Tex products for the first time, of which the first batch of 24.000 jackets sold out very quickly.

In 2021, alongside a structural reorganisation of Schöffel, which aimed to help with the internationalisation of the company and the development of new business areas, the management was expanded to include three instead of two persons.

At the beginning of 2025, Jakob Schöffel took over the management of the Schöffel Group in its eighth generation.

The company slogan "Ich bin raus" (I'm out) has been used as the brand's central theme since at least 2014. The slogan was interpreted ambiguously as an allusion to outdoor products on the one hand and a slower-paced lifestyle on the other.

Criticism

Research conducted by the Clean Clothes Campaign in 2010 revealed that several companies in the outdoor clothing industry - including Schöffel - were paying their employees in Asia and Central America low wages despite high profit margins. In addition, working conditions in the factories were poor. The non-governmental organisation concluded that 'there is a painful gap between the image and reality of the outdoor industry'.

The entrepreneurial family around Peter Schöffel also participated with 5 million euros in Cum/Ex transactions, which cost the German state billions in alleged tax refunds that were never actually paid.