Sustainability at Sioux

Responsibility begins with long-term thinking

For us, sustainability means using resources consciously, thinking long-term, and taking responsibility for our own decisions. This starts with the product and ranges from the selection of our materials to cooperation with our suppliers, transport routes, and energy consumption at our company site.

Since 1954, Sioux has stood for high-quality shoes, a good fit, and careful craftsmanship. For us, this also includes the aspiration to develop products that are not made for a short moment but will accompany their wearers for as long as possible.

In doing so, we do not view sustainability as a single project or a рекламный slogan. Rather, it is about many specific decisions that, taken together, can make a difference.

Durability begins with the product

Sioux shoes are not short-lived disposable products. High-quality materials, careful workmanship, and a construction designed for durability have been part of our understanding of quality for decades.

Again and again, we receive messages from customers who have worn and cared for their Sioux shoes for many years, and in some cases had them resoled multiple times. Such stories vividly demonstrate what longevity can mean for a shoe.

Because the longer a well-made product can be used, the less often it needs to be replaced. Quality and a long service life are therefore an essential part of responsible resource management for us.

You can find out more about our materials and the manufacturing of our shoes under [Shoe Knowledge] and [Craftsmanship].

Leather as a high-quality natural material

Leather has always been one of Sioux's most important materials. Quality, origin, and careful processing are crucial for us.

The leathers and hides we use are predominantly made from the skins of animals kept primarily for food production or hunted in the case of wild species. The existing hides are thus reused as a valuable raw material. Hides and skins are also considered animal by-products according to the definition of the European Commission; the FAO also describes hides and skins predominantly as by-products of the meat industry. Food Safety

When sourcing, we pay attention to the origin of the materials and primarily work with European raw hides. For geographically determined specificities – for example, with deer or elk leather – other regions of origin may be necessary.

Our quality standards enable us to specifically select leather and use high-quality grades. Further information can be found under [Our Leathers] and [Tanning].

Long-term partnerships instead of short-term procurement

For us, responsibility does not end with the selection of a material. Cooperation with our suppliers is also designed for the long term.

For suppliers outside Europe, binding requirements apply to environmental, labor, and social standards. Our own technicians accompany production on site and control both quality and compliance with our specifications.

Long-term cooperation is particularly important to us. We have been working in partnership with our most important finished shoe suppliers for decades. In some cases, cooperation began with the previous generation and is now continued with their successors.

These long-standing relationships create trust, reliability, and a common basis for continuous development.

Sea freight over air freight

We also try to avoid unnecessary burdens during transport. Goods from non-European production sites are generally transported by sea to Germany.

We only use air freight in exceptional cases when it is necessary due to special deadlines or delivery situations.

Our long-term collection and production planning allows us to use the much more predictable sea route for the majority of these transports.

Less energy at the Walheim site

At our company site in Walheim, we have also significantly reduced our energy consumption through technical measures and a more conscious use of resources.

Between 2012 and 2018, our electricity consumption fell from 223,581 kWh to around 101,131 kWh – a reduction of around 55 percent.

Energy consumption for heating and hot water also decreased significantly during this period: from 508,060 kWh in 2012 to 172,584 kWh in 2018. In total, around 457,926 kWh less energy was consumed in 2018 compared to 2012.

Further measures followed: As early as 2015, the electrically operated air conditioning system at the Walheim site was dismantled. Instead, we rely on targeted ventilation and shading, among other things. In 2019, windows and insulation of the building were also renewed to further reduce energy demand.

These figures show a concrete section of our development to date. At the same time, the responsible use of energy and resources remains an ongoing task.

For us, sustainability also means continuity

For us, responsible business management not only means conserving resources. It also means running a company reliably and for the long term.

Sioux was founded in 1954 and has since been closely associated with its location in Walheim am Neckar. Over decades, the shoe industry has fundamentally changed. Our aspiration has nevertheless remained the same: to develop Sioux further in such a way that the brand, know-how, and jobs are maintained for as long as possible.

This continuity is also reflected in our team. Some employees have been with Sioux for several decades. We have already celebrated company anniversaries of 40 and even 50 years. In some families, the second generation is now working at Sioux.

We are proud of this. Because for us, this is also part of sustainable business: thinking not just about the next season, but about the next years and generations.