ALINA.

Alina Schürfeld envisioned a brand that would make a difference, that radiates change towards a sustainable and fair fashion industry. That causes awareness and inspires. A brand with integrity, that is purpose-driven. Melting responsible and sustainable business practices with a strong and unique design aesthetic. This is us. This is ALINASCHUERFELD.

Pioneering a new image of eco fashion, the German brand is epitomized by the fusion of contemporary silhouettes with craftsmanship and sustainability, while staying true to its fresh, independent and progressive approach to design. Value-oriented throughout, Alina works with German and Spanish artisans, carefully crafting her shoes and bags from vegetable- or chrome-free tanned leathers, as well as chrome-free tanned salmon leathers. ALINASCHUERFELD, a remarkable brand that trail-blazes sustainability and fair practices in the world of fashion since 2009.

"We aspire to affect a positive shift in the (fashion) industry, striving for a future built upon the powerful human and planetary principles of respect and responsibility. So how do we implement our mission? We follow our own set of rules!"

PRODUCTION

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Meticulous Craftsmanship.
We consider crafts and skills as a cultural heritage that should never be dismissed. We are working with Italian, Spanish and German manufacturers who are handcrafting our products in the most expertise way due to their own high demand on their art.

Premium Quality.
We believe in well-made, long-lasting products with unique design aesthetics. We do not live by trends but believe in products that go beyond time and place. However our design approach does echo current movements in a very subtle way.

Luxury-grade, sustainable Materials.
We work with chrome-free and vegetable tanned leathers as well as bio-certified salmon leathers. For more info, please see section on sustainable Materials!

Transparency.
We are proud of who we are, whom we are working with, how we operate and in which way we are manufacturing.

SUSTAINABLE MATERIALS

Luxury-grade, chrome-free tanned leather.

From the beginning we have been working with high quality, vegetable tanned and chrome-free tanned leathers, which are sourced from Italy and Germany.
The vegetable tanning process is the oldest and most intricate process among the different tanning procedures. It is an organic method relying on natural vegetable tannins such as extracts of barks, leaves, fruits, berries, roots and wood.

Today, unfortunately, vegetable tanned leather make only 10% of the whole global production of leather. Most of the leathers produced today are chrome tanned, based on heavy metals, which is an environmentally hazardous process of tanning.

The process of vegetable tanned leathers is fairly time-consuming (the hides are soaked in large baths of concentrated tannins over a course of several months - as a comparison, the chrome tanning process is significantly faster and can be done in less than a day) and requires highly skilled craftsmen.

Vegetable tanned leather matures and transforms with the passage of time and thus developes a very beautiful and unique patina. It has a great ability of absorption and desorpion of perspiration, keeping the foot dry and comfortable. It is biodegradable and does not negatively affect the human health, especially important by direct contact with the skin.

Chrome-free tanned Salmon Leather.

The annual consumption of Salmon just in the EU amounts approximately 918 000 tons.

The salmon skins are a byproduct of the food processing industry which were mostly discarded thus leading to an end of their value chain. Added value is given by turning these skins into leather that can be used, for example, in the Fashion Industry. The skins are tanned in Germany 100% without the use of any chrome.
It is kind to the skin, light, rub and color fast and does not need any more care than classic leather. In addition, it is odorless and thanks to the high-quality tanning it is very soft and absolutely robust.
With it's unique structure and natural shading, Salmon Leather offers a beautiful alternative to exotic skins such as python and crocodile.
We mainly use it for the more delicate models in order to accentuate the elegance and aesthetics of the leather (and vice versa - the shoes!). It is an absolutely high-quality, luxurious and authentic material through and through, where sustainability and ecological compatibility fuses with a fashion forward approach.

GOODYEAR WELTED CONSTRUCTION

"A Goodyear Welted construction is mainly used for high quality men's dress shoes“ - Excuse me?

You can find these lines all over the place when looking for Goodyear Welted shoes. But why has it always been mainly men who can enjoy this style and high quality construction? We asked ourselves this question a few years ago with the aim of changing exactly that.

The theories go in the classically conservative direction of assuming that women buy shoes more often and therefore place less value on quality than on quantity. Furthermore, Goodyear Welted shoes are heavier and their weight can be clearly distinguished from cemented shoes. But are these really reasons that should still be applied today? We decided against it and have been manufacturing Goodyear Welted shoes and boots for women since 2014.

Goodyear welted shoes impress with high durability, a fundamental aspect of sustainability. They are easy to repair, can be resoled frequently and are far more breathable than cemented shoes, which seal the shoe and make it impermeable to air.

THE DEVIL IS IN THE DETAIL

We value luxury - grade materials, no matter how small they are! Therefore we team up with companies that share the same values as we do.

Sparkling Swarovski Rivets

We value Swarovski for delivering high quality crystals that are made with respect to people and the environment. Founded in Wattens, Austria, by Daniel Swarovski in 1895 with the vision to generate "a diamond for everyone" by making crystals affordable.

Virgin Wool Lining made by Steiff

Who does not get a heart filled with warm childhood memories when hearing the name Steiff? The company - famous for plush animals and toys - was founded by Margarete Steiff in Giengen an der Brenz, Germany, in 1880. She was one of the First Female CEO's and Entrepreneurs in the World - and a true inspiration to us!

Light - Gold plated hardware

Gorgeous, high - quality, light - gold plated piercings, Made in Italy. It is possible to unscrew them and therefore change position or remove them completely as desired. They can be used to replace the laces and simply add a bold, rock inspired flair to the products.

PACKAGING & SHOP ACTIONS

We also focus on the highest quality and environmental compatibility when selecting packaging materials.

We only offer our customers in store certified organic cotton bags in order to eliminate the use of standard plastic bags (which btw have a general life span of 20 min). The organic cotton bags are reusable and with the stamped pink signet unique and fun - what else do you need?

Further, we also offer cash- and contactless card payments, through which invoices are sent digitally in order to put an end to unnecessary paper waste.

Shipping boxes are used more than once (if possible) - they might not look as nice, but hey! Who cares! Does it not matter what is inside?