JACK WOLFSKIN MARKED BY THE WILDERNESS - 40 years of innovation, weather protection and adventure!

BAPTISM BY THE CAMPFIRE

Forty years ago, most of the remote wilderness of our blue planet was hard to reach. Even at that time, however, a number of intrepid pioneers wouldn’t be stopped. Among this (still small) community of curious explorers who were driven by wanderlust and powerfully drawn to the great outdoors was Ulrich Dausien. He wanted to develop functional outdoor clothing that would allow people to experience the wilderness with greater ease.

It is 1981. Ulrich Dausien is on an expedition deep in the rugged wilderness of western Canada. Somewhere between the Klondike River and Chilkoot Trail, in the very region that inspired JACK LONDON’s famous novel The Call of the Wild, Dausien sits with friends by the campfire. The howl of a wolf pierces the darkness, and it strikes Dausien that the WOLFSKIN is the perfect symbol for his as yet unnamed outdoor brand. The wolf’s fur protects the animal against the elements as effectively as Dausien envisions his outdoor products protecting their users. London lends his first name to the campfire christening – and JACK WOLFSKIN is welcomed into the world!

Dausien comes from a family of booksellers, but he is guided by two other spirits: those of the entrepreneur and the adventurer. A boy scout in his youth, he remains ever hungry for adventure. He is an outdoorsman to the core – yet is continually exasperated by the poor quality of the equipment that is available. Permanent waves and foxtails no doubt enjoy greater popularity during these years than do hiking and the wilderness, but Dausien believes in the outdoor and travel market – and time will prove him right. In the late 1970s, the Hanau native founds an outdoor store and, shortly thereafter, his first private label. He is just 24.

The paw print logo first appears on a product in 1983 – and it remains the iconic hallmark of the brand to this day. The spirit of the still-young company is also expressed in its first brand slogan: ‘Born to be wild!’ Well-known from the film Easy Rider, the song of the same title by the rock group STEPPENWOLF left its imprint on a restless generation. At JACK WOLFSKIN, the slogan stands for the journey into wilderness – and lends a collection its name.

THE DNA:

NATURE AND FUNCTION, Hand in Hand

Even at the baptism by the campfire in Canada in 1981, Dausien already knows what he wants to achieve with JACK WOLFSKIN. His vision is to afford anyone access to functional outdoor equipment. He delves deeper and deeper into the subject – at the cost of his business studies – tinkering with materials, talking to adventurers and developing innovations that revolutionise the outdoor market. The TEXAPORE membrane – which in its updated form remains a highlight of the JACK WOLFSKIN collection – weatherproofs products as early as 1981. The same year sees the launch of the 5-in-1 combination jacket Century, in which the inner jacket can be zipped out and worn separately and also converted into a vest. The versatile design is a huge success for JACK WOLFSKIN. Over the years, many more innovations follow, including the ACS backpack carrying system that combines ultimate ventilation with perfect weight distribution and carrying comfort.

In 1997, JACK WOLFSKIN once again proves its pioneering ingenuity and takes its tent designs into a wind tunnel. ‘Real Tunnel’ tent technology is developed and patented on the basis of extensive testing at the facilities of the automotive expert Porsche.

With his pioneering spirit, Dausien removes the aura of exclusivity from outdoor adventuring. And contrary to all of the artificial trends of the 1980s and 1990s, JACK WOLFSKIN continues to be shaped by experience in nature – and sets its responsible approach to the environment as an unshakeable standard. Sustainability is an integral part of the JACK WOLFSKIN DNA. This is reflected in such products as the ‘Naturhemd’ (Nature shirt) introduced in 1982 and made from 100% cotton without bleach or dyes. The company also invests in projects to preserve nature and the environment. In 1988, JACK WOLFSKIN dedicates itself to the protection of wolves and enters into an ongoing collaboration with the wolf biologist Christoph Promberger, who in 2009 goes on to launch the Foundation Conservation Carpathia for the holistic protection and restoration of the natural ecosystem of the Carpathian Mountains. This project, too, is supported by JACK WOLFSKIN.

As early as 1990, the company states explicitly: ‘JACK WOLFSKIN products embody a way of life and a responsible attitude towards nature, fashion and function.’

THE CONTINUATION

OF THE LEGACY

The spirit of adventure is perpetuated in the endeavours of well-known top athletes. JACK WOLFSKIN supports Arved Fuchs in his circumnavigation of the Americas and his subsequent expeditions. His experience flows directly into the company’s product development – as do his observations on climate change, which strengthen JACK WOLFSKIN’s commitment to environmental sustainability. In the mid-1980s, JACK WOLFSKIN equips extreme mountaineer MISCHA SALEKI on his Himalayan expeditions – the Cho Oyu jacket is named after his successful ascent of the eponymous eight-thousander in the Himalayas. The company also equips MANFRED ELFNER, vice European champion and multiple German champion in sled dog racing, who requires material that can withstand the most extreme conditions. The ultimate in extremes, however, is experienced by a group of mountaineers led by ALEK LWOW from Poland. With JACK WOLFSKIN’s support, they attempt to climb Mount Everest in 1990/91, but are turned back by heavy winds. For these and many other top athletes, JACK WOLFSKIN undertakes the targeted development of highly specialised equipment and clothing. Without exception, these prototypes become the basis for product series that are later found in the catalogue. The professional climber Stefan Glowacz is also engaged by JACK WOLFSKIN as a brand ambassador, and to provide feedback for further product development. Following his success in competitions, he sets out on climbing adventures far from civilisation. JACK WOLFSKIN is a brand for adventurers, world travellers and top athletes – as well as for families, hikers, trekkers, runners and cyclists.

The company thrives as more and more people are drawn to the outdoors. Experiencing new adventures together – that has been firmly rooted in the JACK WOLFSKIN DNA since the beginning. It is natural then, that the product range grows to include, for example, family tents and an expanded children’s product line. The community spirit is also the impetus for the organisation of the three-day outdoor and music festival *WOLFSTOCK in 2001. Like Woodstock, which in its day symbolised the awakening of a young generation, WOLFSTOCK brings people together who share an attitude to life – and shines a public spotlight on the outdoor movement.

DRIVER OF INNOVATION:

SUSTAINABILITY

In 1988, JACK WOLFSKIN introduces POLARTEC® fabrics from Malden Mills and soon becomes the supplier’s largest German client. Five factories in Europe and Asia produce POLARTEC® garments bearing the JACK WOLFSKIN logo. A decade later, in 1999, the POLARTEC® recycling collection is launched as one of the first of its kind on the market anywhere. Incidentally, 2021 marks the 40th anniversary not only of JACK WOLFSKIN, but also of the fabric innovator POLARTEC®. In 2007, JACK WOLFSKIN establishes the Code of Conduct and the Green Book, making them binding for its suppliers. The brand becomes a member of the FAIR WEAR FOUNDATION (FWF) in 2010 and a bluesign© system partner in 2011. PVC is completely banned from production from 2012.

In 2014, the brand goes global, expanding into the Chinese, Japanese and North American markets. Fresh new collections such as PACK AND GO! and 365 also reach younger target groups. And the subject of sustainability is given a further push, bringing milestones like the TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE recycling technology; the disclosure of the entire supply chain in 2014 (with the relevant information made freely available on the corporate website); and Leader status with the FWF, which the company achieved in 2020 for the sixth consecutive year. PFCs are completely banished from the clothing, backpack and bag collections as of the 2019 summer season, followed by all accessories and tents in summer 2020, thus making the brand’s entire range PFC-free.

Today, Felix Neureuther also represents JACK WOLFSKIN’s consequential line – as a brand ambassador and an important part of product development. At home in the outdoors, he devotes himself with blood, sweat and tears to preserving nature so that it can be experienced in its tremendous diversity by future generations as well.

The experience of nature makes a lasting mark

JACK WOLFSKIN launches the #GOBACKPACK campaign in 2017, in which it begins accompanying backpackers worldwide and sharing with them its wanderlust and thirst for adventure. And from 2020, the company takes to the WOLFTRAIL, hiking through mountain and forest landscapes and discovering the wilderness together with the outdoor community. In a very special way, the WOLFTRAIL connects personal experience with community spirit, thus creating unique moments in nature.

‘Marked by the Wilderness!’

JACK WOLFSKIN celebrates 40 YEARS in 2021

In its anniversary year of 2021, JACK WOLFSKIN is celebrating the evolution of its iconic products – from the past to the future – at 40/Years.hmtl. Over the course of the year, protagonists and customers who, then and now, have shaped and accompanied the brand in its spirit of adventure will have the chance to speak.

The brand takes up its own legacy in its 40-year collection. This features memorable retro styles, including the Thunderblaze Jacket, which recalls a true classic, the legendary Thunder & Lightning Jacket from 1994. The ACS (Air Control System), the carrying system that revolutionised the market in 1991 with its clever venting construction, finds its current iteration in the Crosstrail backpack series. Along with the outstanding ventilation as well as optimal weight distribution, the backpacks employ an innovative dyeing process which allows the savings of a large part of the water that is conventionally needed. A collaboration with the Japanese graphic artist Shinpei Naito is a further highlight. To mark JACK WOLFSKIN’s 40th birthday, the internationally celebrated concept designer has created the Capsule Collection NAITO, with brightly coloured prints that incorporate floral and tropical elements.

JACK WOLFSKIN will launch targeted point-of-sale campaigns at specialist retailers this year. In addition, the Heritage Hub at will go online in early March. This brand hub will feature video interviews with company founder Ulrich Dausien and others who have accompanied and helped to define the brand, such as Arved Fuchs. It will also present exciting stories from customers and employees. Leading off will be the (literally) moving and inspiring story of Nick Gardener, aka ‘Grandpa Nick’, who in a period of 1,200 days climbed all 282 of Scotland’s peaks – as a tribute to his wife, Janet, who fell ill with Alzheimer’s disease, and as a way to again find stability himself. Under #markedbythewilderness, JACK WOLFSKIN calls on all outdoor enthusiasts to share their own adventures. Here, customers can present their stories and pictures from the last 40 years.

In this way, the anniversary year of 2021 is capturing JACK WOLFSKIN’s first four decades: 40 years of innovation, weather protection and the spirit of adventure. Wilderness has defined the brand – and the evolution goes on. For the Idstein-based outdoor specialist, 2021 is thus a year of retrospective homage and, at the same time, an occasion to look ahead: in the future, JACK WOLFSKIN will continue to drive the outdoor sector with innovation – and lead the way in shaping a responsible approach to nature.