SUSTAINABILITY

Taking responsibility for our actions, producing high-quality products, and being socially responsible are essential for LEKI. We were once asked, "Why do you repair all those old poles after so many years of use?" Our answer was brief and to the point: "Because it's the right thing to do."

high end products

We passionately work to create durable products with exceptional value. It is our priority to combine high-end performance with safety and comfort. During the development process, we consult with experts and professional athletes in order to guarantee LEKI's unique level of quality. More than 250 patents are proof of LEKI's level of innovation and quality.

Quality

Most of our products are jointly developed and manufactured in Kirchheim unter Teck in Germany and Tachov in the Czech Republic. This eliminates long supply chains and expensive procurement channels. Making our own products allows us to control all processes and to have transparency in the vertical integration of manufacture. Because we use the most modern production processes and manufacturing facilities, our state-of-the-art technology enables us to manufacture products while conserving resources.

Durability

We work with passion to achieve our goal of manufacturing products that have real added value. Our priority is to combine high performance with safety and comfort. Our constant communication with experts and professional athletes ensures our unique level of quality. The result is intelligently-designed products that customers can enjoy for many years to come. With over 250 patents, LEKI has registered more innovations than almost any other manufacturer in the outdoor industry.

Made in Europe

The majority of our products are manufactured in our state-of-the-art factory in the Czech Republic. The biggest advantages of our European sites are the local supply chains and the short transport routes.

Production Facility in Tachov

This way we are able to monitor the stages of production and control the entire supply chain down to the last detail. The result is LEKI's unique quality. Our best-selling products are manufactured here in our own factory. During the entire production process, LEKI consistently pursues the path of optimizing workflows and enhancing the entire value chain. We rely on our many years of experience and the passion and dedication of our employees. In recent years, LEKI has made massive technical investments in the future of all its production processes and relies on the most modern, state-of-the-art production facilities. This means achieving the highest standards in occupational safety, energy efficiency, and environmental compatibility.

Production Facility in Tachov

Wherever economically possible, LEKI uses the heat generated during the production process to save energy and, for example, to heat our production areas. In this way, the warm exhaust air from our compressed air systems is also sustainably used to control the temperature of the production rooms in the adjacent premises. The filter systems in our plants are also equipped with intelligent control technology, which uses the thermal energy in the extracted air and feeds it back into the sucked-in air. This enables us to achieve energy savings of up to 50 percent during the colder seasons. Wherever, due to technological requirements, it is still necessary to use solvents in the production process, these solvents are captured, collected and then purified and treated in a special plant so that they can be used again for cleaning purposes.

headquarters

Our brand aspires to develop the best poles and gloves in the world. In doing so, we consider it a given that we must be equally mindful of both product quality and the adherence to environmental values . Internally, our processes are regularly subject to inspection in accordance with the energy audit carried out according to DIN EN 16247-1. Through this we ensure that the defined standards are adhered to and optimized along the value chain.

Main Office in Kirchheim

We place a high value on renewable energy sources, which is why we installed the first photovoltaic system in our Kirchheim location in 2005. As a rule, we supply our entire energy needs from April to September with our own photovoltaic systems and even produce a surplus. We're only dependent on additional energy during the winter. Over the course of the year, LEKI generates 7% more electricity than its total energy consumption. This extreme electricity savings also noticeably reduces CO² emissions by over 33 tons of CO² per year. In 2014, we also installed an intelligent and highly-efficient energy-saving lighting system. Since then, we have equipped our production and storage rooms with energy-saving LED lighting. With this sustainable investment, we have reduced electricity consumption from 27,040 kWh/year to 1,508 kWh/year.

KEFF Label

In August 2019, LEKI was the first company in the Esslingen district to be awarded the KEFF energy efficiency label by the Stuttgart Chamber of Commerce and Industry. This certification includes both our new lighting system and our photovoltaic systems. Here at LEKI, we are happy about this award and are also a little proud of having improved our environmental balance. It's nice to know that our efforts to treat our environment as responsibly as possible and to conserve resources have received this public recognition.

Service & Repair

Reliable and durable products are part of LEKI's DNA. We stockpile replacement parts for up to 10 years, so that our products can be repaired and reconditioned after intensive use.

repairs

LEKI products stand out for their highest level of quality and durability. This is why we provide the option of purchasing replacement parts at a later date for a large number of our products. These are generally available for a period of 10 years after purchase, so our products can be repaired and reconditioned after wear and tear.

Service

Sibylle has been working in the Service Department at LEKI for over 25 years: "My greatest pleasure is to make customers happy again by repairing even very old product models. Our customers are often very fond of their poles, for many of them, they bring back memories of someone special or a particularly beautiful time in their lives."

Sustainability in Practice

Sustainability is not a trend for us. It is a fundamental part of who we are and reflects our responsibility to society, the environment, and future generations. We see sustainability as an opportunity to drive innovation, quality, responsible manufacturing, and long-term progress while making a positive contribution to the world around us. We also recognize that meaningful change requires collaboration, transparency, and a commitment to continuous learning and improvement. The report below highlights the progress we have made, the actions we are taking, and the challenges that remain as we continue working toward a more sustainable future.

Sustainability Report

Hemp One Vario

In the summer of 2023, LEKI unveiled the Hemp One Vario, the world's first-ever trekking pole made from sustainable organic material. The Hemp One Vario will be available in limited quantities in the United States by the middle of 2024. The pilot program consists of 250 pairs of poles using hemp grown and harvested by a local farmer in the Swabian Alb, just a few miles from the LEKI headquarters in Kirchheim Unter Teck, Germany.

Hemp One Vario

There is no industrial production yet, so each shaft is handmade by a partner in Innsbruck. The hemp fibers are aligned, inserted into a mold by hand, and finished with a bio-based resin. The final assembly of the Hemp One Vario poles occurs at LEKI's production facility in Tachov, Czech Republic. CEO Matthias Hatt explains, "The Hemp One Vario is, in our opinion, the most sustainable trekking pole currently available in the world. It is the first pole to consistently pursue the use of organic materials to replace aluminum, carbon, plastic, and polyester. The entire concept of the pole is designed with the use of organic materials across multiple components from grip to shaft to basket. With this project, we have taken a big step forward in developing sustainable technologies through fundamental research, and we see a lot of development potential for the future."

Hemp One Vario

Raw hemp fibers are twice as strong as steel, and hemp bends and mends approximately six times better than steel. The sustainable aspects of hemp are tremendous compared to other natural ingredients: it requires little water or land area and nourishes the soil, enabling more secure and renewable harvests. While weighing slightly more than carbon and aluminum poles by just a few ounces, the Hemp One Vario's sustainable properties and strength-to-weight ratio offset this and are groundbreaking in terms of responsibly replacing materials and components used in the traditional manufacturing of hard goods. Thanks to the SpeedLock Plus lever, The HEMP ONE Vario is infinitely adjustable between 110-130 cm and since each pair is made entirely by hand, no two poles will ever look the same.

Hemp One Vario

LEKI first introduced the Hemp One Vario at the ISPO show in 2023 and won the ISPO Award, quoting the ISPO Award Jury: "LEKI is embarking on an exciting new path with the Hemp One Vario. The consistently sustainable approach, incorporating regionally renewable raw materials, can be described as a flagship project. Such innovations enrich the outdoor market on its way towards a resource-efficient and more sustainable future."

The "Hemp" project is part of a larger and long-term sustainability vision. The main focus is developing sustainable technologies through basic research. In the area of hard goods (poles, skis, helmets), the topic of sustainability is particularly challenging due to the materials and composites used.

Hemp One Vario

Pole length: 110 - 130 cm
Segments diameter: 18 | 16 mm
Locking system: Speed Lock Plus
Shaft: HTS 6.5 LEKI Hemp Tec (biobased Composite)

CorTec Technology:
LEKI-proven grip material with a natural cork content of 27%.

Grip core with 25% organic content of hemp fibers

Natural strap made of linen - Made in Germany

Technical functional parts are made of proven materials with the usual LEKI performance

Basket with 25% organic content of hemp fibers

Sustainability in Practice - LEKI Hemp One Vario. Pair of pole images

Sustainability in Practice - LEKI Hemp One Vario. Top portion of pole highlighting grip

Sustainability in Practice - LEKI Hemp One Vario. Showing the manufacturing process with hemp fibers

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SUSTAINABILITY

Taking responsibility for our actions, producing high-quality products, and being socially responsible are essential for LEKI. We were once asked, "Why do you repair all those old poles after so many years of use?" Our answer was brief and to the point: "Because it's the right thing to do."