The gloves of the future come from Innsbruck

The Tyrolean family business has been impressing with constant innovation for years and is considered a pioneer in the field of heated gloves. The passion for mountain sports is reflected in the products. With the gloves, athletes have a firm grip on their adventures.

From Lienz to Innsbruck
In 1969, the couple Gabi and Werner Zanier decided to start their own business. The deciding factor for the couple to enter the business world was their own interest and knowledge of the importance of gloves in the sports sector. Over the following five decades, the sports goods manufacturer has grown into a globally active company that is still family-owned today. The current managing director is the son Markus Zanier. In 2019, on the occasion of the 50th anniversary, he dared to completely restructure the sports company. Since then, the focus has been even more on the further development of the existing portfolio. The new logo shows the connection to nature and the location was moved from Lienz to Innsbruck. ‚The move to the sports city of Innsbruck brings us closer to our customers,‘ says the CEO, explaining the decision.

Zanier Sport focuses on multifunctional gloves
The company has been producing gloves since day one. Inspired by the heated ski boots that were already available at the time, Gabi and Werner Zanier launched the world’s first heated gloves in 1999. The heated gloves are equipped with lithium-ion batteries that last up to ten hours. Fingers and hands can be kept warm over three different levels. As a further exclamation mark, product series with GPS technology followed. This allows data such as speed, distance or time to be shown on a display on the thumb during the ride and then documented on the computer. The creativity is still evident in today’s models. The gloves are highly elastic, waterproof, windproof, breathable and even have useful functions like a ‚wiper‘ to clean your glasses. These and dozens of other technologies make Zanier Sport gloves a valuable product for many athletes.

Sustainability pays off
In addition to high quality standards and progress in production, sustainability is a priority for glove specialist Zanier. The raw materials come from ‚tirolwool‘, among others. The natural insulation material comes from Tyrolean mountain sheep, whose dense fur is characterised by warmth, insulation and breathability – the best prerequisites for a sustainable glove. Zanier Sport is also the world’s first CO2-neutral glove manufacturer since 2019. The sports company is working with the consultancy Climate Partner to calculate all C02 emissions. The next and also most important step is then to reduce the emissions. ‚We use almost exclusively green electricity, a heat pump and climate-friendly materials,‚ says Zanier. If, despite the great efforts, emissions still occur, the excess is offset by a compensation payment to internationally recognised climate protection projects. With regard to climate protection, Zanier Sport also supports the international Alpine Protection Commission CIPRA, among others.

Excellent glove: Bleed X Zanier Eco Active Glove
Another way to protect the environment is recycling. Zanier Sport has collaborated with the fair fashion label Bleed Clothing to make the vegan outdoor glove Bleed X Zanier Eco from recycled material. After wear, you close the recycling loop by taking the gloves back via partner Sympatex’s Wear-to-Wear system and reprocessing them. The Sympatex laminate is also PTFE and PFC-free, optimally breathable and 100 % waterproof and windproof. The model has already been awarded certificates such as ‚Bluesign‘ and ‚Öko-Tex‘ as well as the ‚Green Product Award 2020‘ and the ‚ISPO Award plus Special Sustainability Achievement 2021‘.

Zanier Sport GmbH generates 95 % of its turnover from gloves. That is why so much heart and soul is put into the products. This dedication ultimately results in gloves that are high quality, comfortable and sustainable.

Further link:

• Zanier

Zanier is a Tyrolean success story. Lebensraum Tirol Holding, in cooperation with its subsidiaries (Tirol Tourist Board, Standortagentur Tirol and Agrarmarketing Tirol), brings special companies, projects, initiatives and people before the curtain. What they all have in common is that they play a pioneering role and act as role models for sustainability and responsible business. They contribute to the sustainability of the Tyrolean economy, society and environment and encourage the dissemination of sustainable change concepts. You can find more success stories here (in German only).