Hestra’s Commitment to Sustainability and Craftsmanship

Nearly all gloves can be repaired

says Krisztián Tenke, managing director at Hestra’s factory in Rakamaz, Hungary, which serves as one of Hestra’s repair centres. The factory produces some 40+ Hestra glove models, but the repair service team does not limit themselves to these. “We take pride in our team resolving issues with 57 different models in 2023, with only 19 of them being models we have in our production. This ongoing improvement initiative involves not only repairing gloves but also enhancing our skills in the process.

Every year, a few hundred pairs pass through the nimble fingers of Hestra’s repair team, either in Hungary or at the Hestra headquarters in Sweden. Whether sports gloves or fashion gloves, all are welcome , says Krisztián:

Here in Rakamaz we have the equipment to mend Gore-tex and technical materials, and to fix issues with heated gloves, for example

NEW LIFE FOR THE OLD WORKHORSE

A seasoned pair of Fält Guide gloves is a living (or rather, halfdead) example of the types of tasks the repair team takes on. The gloves have a hole on one thumb and the leather in the grip is heavily worn. Additionally, the seams on the fingers are starting to come apart. The gloves have served in the outdoors for many years, but lately, they’ve mostly been called upon for various heavy-duty tasks. The gloves are likely manufactured in the factory in Hungary. But this particular pair doesn’t end up with Krisztián Tenke and his team; instead, they find their way to Annette Lidén, who oversees Hestra’s repair service in Sweden. With a practiced eye, she examines the gloves.

[quote]This won’t be a problem. I’ll stitch up the seams and replace the leather on the torn thumb. There will be a colour difference, of course; the worn leather has its patina, whereas the repair will be white [/quote]

she explains, adding:

The gloves are very worn in the palm as well, but they’ll likely hold up for quite a while longer, so it’ll suffice  With Annette’s repairs and a new lining, the gloves are ready for a fresh start.

It feels great when you notice how satisfied the customer becomes. Usually, the price is not an issue either; people appreciate being able to continue using their gloves