The Gore-Tex membrane for gloves has been around since 1980, the Tyrolean glove brand ZANIER since 1969. For 35 years, no collection of the glove specialist has existed without Gore-Tex inserts.

Two successful family-run companies with courageous decisions.

In 1958, a married couple showed courage and inventiveness in the USA. Bill and Vieve Gore founded W. L. Gore & Associates. Their technology is expected to be a trend-setter for the medical, electrical and clothing sectors. 1970 the first products made of stretched PTFE are launched, 1976 the first GORE-TEX jackets with membrane follow. The first glove membrane launches Gore-Tex in 1980.

In 1969, Gabi and Werner Zanier founded their glove brand ZANIER GLOVES in Tyrol. The demand for high-quality equipment was the basis for the creation of ZANIER glove production – and the common passion for alpine sports. The couple developed the brand over the years with a lot of courage, hard work, a sense of design and innovation into the Austrian boutique glove manufacturer.

Quality standards and innovation spirit unite the two companies.

In the 1980s, ZANIER produced gloves for all kinds of winter sports and supplied the Austrian market with well-known sportswear brands as a general importer. Since 1988 there has been no ZANIER GLOVES collection without a Gore-Tex membrane. 1989 is the year in which the Gore-Tex company feels ready for the famous GUARANTEED TO KEEP YOU DRY ™ promise. It is also one of the hardest years for the ZANIER family business. Company founder Werner Zanier: "In the winters of 89/90 and 90/91, there was little snow in the Alps and there were no snow cannons yet. Two bad winters in a row were tough for us." Werner and Gabi Zanier are also able to survive these seasons without damage, and develop into the market leader in Austria and the top 3 glove supplier in Europe.

Sustainable Partnership and sustainable products.

In 2004, Gabi and Werner handed over their company and their son Markus Zanier continues the values of the brand. The driving force and philosophy remain the same: innovation, partnership and a passion for outdoor and mountain sports. Markus Zanier transfers the company to Innsbruck, subjecting it to exactly the kind of change that a successful brand needs in the 21st century.

Since 2019, ZANIER GLOVES has been the first ClimatePartner certified glove brand worldwide. The family company's sustainability philosophy is based on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The company's efforts are completely transparent and comprehensible for consumers thanks to Climate ID tracking. One of the levers for avoiding CO2: sustainable materials. Since 1996, all Gore products have met the OEKO-TEX® standard, and Gore is also a founding member of the Sustainable Apparel Coalition.

ZANIER GLOVES CEO Markus Zanier: "The widespread use of the new PFC-free and bluesign® certified Gore-Tex insert with 100% recycled textile elements and improved ecological footprint is the next step towards CO2 reduction through the product itself. Not only ecological materials contribute to our carbon footprint. For me personally, longevity is a big issue. We can see how long ZANIER Gore-Tex gloves are in use in our leisure time. Models from the turn of the millennium still keep winter sports enthusiasts warm and dry, I think that's great."

GORE TEX Sales Fabrics Europe Peter Volk-Uhlmann: "Going further, together" is the brand slogan of the GORE-TEX brand. We are therefore delighted that we have enjoyed an intensive partnership with ZANIER as a family-owned glove specialist for over 35 years. The innovative GORE-TEX material platform based on ePE creates an important pillar for responsible performance in ZANIER gloves as well as a successful future and partnership."

Social Media Campaign for the Gore-Tex X Zanier Jubilee

To showcase the durability of the products - and possibly even have them tested in the Gore-Tex laboratory in Feldkirchen - ZANIER GLOVES has come up with a social media campaign for Facebook and Instagram for its 35th jubilee with Gore-Tex. "Our consumers should send us photos of their oldest ZANIER gloves. We are sure that there are countless Gore-Tex models among them. 35 people who send us their gloves will receive a completely new pair of ZANIER Gore-Tex gloves in their size," says ZANIER Marketing Manager Birgit Wiefler.

The glove rethought.

Anyone who believes that it is impossible to constantly reinvent the glove has been proven wrong by Zanier Gloves for decades: pioneer of heated gloves in 1999, gloves with GPS in 2003 and pioneer of new materials and cuts. In October 2022, CEO Markus Zanier filed a patent application for a new product, which he worked on for nine months. The idea for a completely new cut came to him on the descent in the cold after a challenging ski tour: ALPINE PRO GRIP.GTX is the glove solution for all mountain sports enthusiasts who want to combine the positive properties of a mitten with those of a finger glove. The patented 3 Finger Grip cut keeps your hands pleasantly warm thanks to the optimum insulation of a mitten, while the indicated subdivision of the fingers still offers an optimum grip when handling.