The Italians love the mountains – and make the appropriate footwear for it, often in family-run companies, where the proximity to nature is part of the DNA from the start. This is noticeable in the products. AKU can be seen as a prime example of this tradition. The production, which has its headquarters in the Italian "shoe Mecca" Montebelluna, is close to nature in all aspects.
The production of outdoor shoes is associated with some challenges. Durability, robustness and weather protection are in focus – but AKU places particular emphasis and is centrally focused on the responsible use of resources and nature. The Italian brand AKU has made it its mission to minimize its environmental impact in every phase of the production process, without compromising quality.
The product range ranges from mountaineering-suitable high-altitude boots to lightweight approach and comfortable trekking and hiking shoes and boots, as well as functional leisure footwear, which is inspired by classic mountain shoes and is perfectly suitable for everyday use and leisure.
The roots of AKU
The story begins in a shoemaker's workshop in the district of Montebelluna, a small town in Veneto, which has carried the myth of Italian sports shoes into the world for over a century. Galliano Bordin, the founder of the company, comes from a shoemaker family in the area and learned the craft of shoe repair and production as a child. The local company gradually and organically grew over time into an internationally operating manufacturer.
In the early 1990s, AKU began exporting the first trekking shoes to Europe
Today, AKU employs over 400 people in Italy and Romania. In 2023, the brand produced a total of 314,500 pairs of shoes. AKU remains true to its traditional values while also focusing on innovation to continuously improve the environmental friendliness of its products. The close connection to the region and long-standing partnerships enable AKU to firmly anchor responsible action in its corporate culture.
Transparency and traceability in the supply chain
AKU carefully monitors every stage of production, and the origin of all individual parts of the shoes is fully traceable. This transparency is facilitated by long-standing partnerships. For example, AKU has been working with companies such as Gore-Tex and Vibram for over 20 years. In addition, 96% of the raw materials come from Europe, with 90% coming directly from Italy.
Responsible leather production
Leather is a central material in shoe production, but has a high CO2 footprint. To reduce this, AKU works exclusively with selected leather suppliers in Italy who meet the highest environmental standards. Many of these partners are members of the Leather Working Group (LWG), an organization that promotes sustainable leather production. In 2023, AKU sourced 85% of its leather from LWG-certified manufacturers.
A good example of responsible leather selection is the long-standing partnership with the Gerberei DANI, from which AKU obtains the Zero Impact leather for models such as Minima and Bellamont III Evo Plus. This leather is tanned without chrome and other heavy metals, which saves water resources and saves energy. In addition, the CO2 emissions of the tanning process are offset by a reforestation project that DANI supports.
Climate-conscious action through CO2 calculation methods
To reduce emissions in shoe production, it is essential to accurately record the current status. AKU has developed a complex calculation method that determines the CO2 emissions over the entire product lifecycle. This makes it possible to analyze every production step and take targeted measures to reduce environmental impact.
The data obtained from this are the basis for "Impacto", an overview that shows retailers and consumers the CO2 emissions of various outdoor shoe categories such as mountaineering, trekking and fast hiking. AKU has published exemplary values for shoe production in Asia and Europe on its website to create transparency and enable targeted CO2 offsetting measures.
V-Light series: An example of responsible shoe production
A prime example of AKU's responsible shoe production is the V-Light series, which includes the models Slope, Superalp and Bellamont. These shoes are completely free of animal leather. Instead, AKU uses 100% recycled microfiber, which is 30% lighter than leather. The Gore-Tex lining is also 99% made from recycled yarn, and the laces are also made from recycled material.
What distinguishes AKU shoes overall is the combination of traditional craftsmanship and genuine commitment to the environment, with full traceability of the implementation. And: AKU mountain shoes certainly look good!
Impacto:https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0705/7312/9996/files/IMPACTO-2023_ENG_rev1.pdf?v=1707384484
Responsibility Report 2023:https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0705/7312/9996/files/AKU_SUSTAINABILITY_REPORT_2024_MR.pdf?v=1718802809
