Wolford

In 1949 in Bregenz on Lake Constance (Austria), a city with a genuine textile heritage, the industrialist Reinhold Wolff from Vorarlberg (Austria) and the retail entrepreneur Walter Palmers (1903–1983) from Vienna founded a company called Wolff & Co. KG, focussing on the production of women's stockings made from real and artificial silk. They customized used American Cotton machines specifically for their own purposes, and for the first time processed polyamide fiber into stockings. The following year, the Wolford brand was officially registered. The brand name is a portmanteau of the name of the founder Reinhold Wolff and the city of Oxford. It should be internationally applicable. The international expansion began in the 1970s. In 1988, the company carried out a strategic refocusing and positioned its products in the luxury segment, which continues to today and is still being expanded. In addition to that, in April 1988, the company was transformed into a stock corporation. On 14 February 1995 Wolford went public with the so-called "Lady Share" in Vienna and Paris. The company made its mark over the years mainly due to its new seamless products, e.g. tights and bodysuits, as well as collaborations with designers such as Karl Lagerfeld, Emilio Pucci, Zac Posen, Kenzo, Valentino and Vivienne Westwood. Further, co-operations with photographers such as Helmut Newton, Ellen von Unwerth and Mario Testino contributed to the brand awareness.

Wolford produces tights and stockings for women and men, underwear for women, women's clothing such as skirts, tops, shirts, pullovers etc., as well as accessories. All products used to be manufactured in Europe (Austria and Slovenia) but since the change of ownership in 2018, some products are manufactured in China. Since March 2015, Wolford is a partner of Bluesign Technologies, a global network working for more sustainable production processes and more transparency in the fabrication of textiles.

In September 2018, Wolford launched the first biodegradable pullovers, T-shirts, and leggings. Developed within the Austrian “Smart Textiles” industry initiative, these products are fully compostable. In April 2019, the company received the “Cradle to Cradle Certified™ (Gold)” award for developing technically regenerative (i.e. fully recyclable) products. It will be presenting the first corresponding legwear products in 2020. Wolford is the first and so far the only company in the apparel and textile industry to receive “Gold” certification from “Cradle to Cradle” for developing environmentally compatible products in both categories (“biodegradable” and “technically recyclable”).