Guiding brands in the right direction
We do not orient ourselves to standards. We set them. The absolute focus on the product gloves has given us a qualitative leadership position. A position that we use to set the highest quality standards in a sustainable way. Worldwide!
We offer durable products that customers can rely on in any situation, at any time and without compromise – whether at work, in sports or as a fashion accessory. By consistently specialising in gloves, we set the highest quality standards in combination with forward-looking innovations. Numerous awards, patents and ISO certifications speak for the high quality and safety of our products. With many years of experience and the resulting glove-making craftsmanship, we produce excellent products for the whole world – engineered in Austria – always oriented towards the specific needs of the customers.
Over the years
1912
The company was founded by Josef Eska in Bärringen.
Production of classic leather gloves and military gloves.
1936
Production of motorbike gloves. In this time only for the military. The base was a mitten but the thumb and the forefinger (3-finger-glove) were separated. Also gloves with combined fore and middle finger and ring and small finger were made. The advantage of these gloves was that the soldier could easily handle the coupling and brake. It is not possible with a normal mitten.
1936
Paul Loos was a very good glove maker in the company and a famous ski jumper in Bärringen. Franziska, the daughter of Aloisia and Josef Eska, fell in love with Paul Loos. They married in 1936.
1936
Employment of approximately 500 people, managed by Josef Eska and Aloisia Eska as 1st generation.
1945
Expulsion of the family. Paul Loos and the whole company move to Thalheim in Upper Austria. Fine leather gloves and gloves made of doeskin for authorities and the military were produced.
1952
ESKA exhibits at its first trade fair in Austria.
1959
The demands and needs rapidly changed in 1959. The people asked more and more about ski gloves and more luxury dress gloves. It was necessary to produce an alternative to classy dress gloves – the ski glove was born.
1964
Management takeover by Paul and Franziska Loos as 2nd generation. Employment of approximately 120 people.
1965
Construction of a new headquarter incl. a private residence in Thalheim. Employment of 25 glove makers and approximately 80 seamstresses (some of them work from home).
1968
Wedding of Anna Maria Binder and Paul Loos. Mrs. Loos was office team leader and the right hand of Mr. Loos.
1970
ESKA participates at the first ISPO. Paul Loos (Senior Boss) drove with a friend in an old VW-Beetle with a small trailer to the the fair, the exhibition area was near the Bavaria Wiese. His friend was a very good illustrator. The 15m2 booth was also equipped with a small table and a board with a skier, which Paul Loos’ friend drew on-site. The response was very positive and the ISPO was a guarantee for success right from the start.
1980
Paul Loos Sr. began developing the first ESKA firefighting gloves. The first models included the Jupiter and the Mars. From the beginning (1912), ESKA repeatedly produced gloves for firefighting use on customer request, but these were mostly made of leather and no comparison to today’s certified gloves, because certifications did not exist at that time.
1982
The first star of the Jupiter family to emerge in 1982 was a firefighter glove with 3D cutting technology and various fire-resistant components. For example, Kermel was used as the outer fabric and the trim material was made of Schöller. The Jupiter I was an absolute pioneer according to the criteria of the time and achieved the highest certification values.
1983
The brothers Paul and Kurt Loos take over the company management as the 3rd generation.
1990
ESKA received the GORE-TEX license. After years of tinkering Paul Loos (Senior) succeeded in developing a new glueing technology, which prevents that the lining comes off while pulling off the glove. He patented this development and we never changed this technology until today. Every factory uses this manufacturing step.
1991
Paul Loos becomes the sole Managing Director.
1996
The Jupiter I was replaced by the Jupiter II in 1996. Coated Kevlar and fire-resistant Kermel® as well as the Kevlar knit lining were the highlights of this glove. A fire-resistant 2-belt system was also used for the first time.
1997
Relocation to the new ESKA company building in Thalheim (Am Thalbach 2).
2001
The siblings Regina and Paul Herbert Loos take over the company management as 4th generation Managing Directors.
2003
In 2003, the successor Jupiter III was developed, which was absolutely wind and waterproof due to the GORE-TEX 3-layer system. Highlights of the third Jupiter generation were coated Kevlar material for heat, cut and stab protection, heat and shock absorber as well as non-flammable Kermel-HTA for the back of the hand and the long cuff. The lining was initially Kevlar knitted lining, as in Jupiter II, then Mr. Loos Senior developed one that incorporated anti-static, anti-odor and temperature-regulating silver threads. Gloves with a knitted cuff were also offered for the first time.
2012
ESKA – 100 years of innovation & passion.
2015
In 2015, the Jupiter 5* shone as the brightest of all Jupiter stars. This firefighter glove outshines all its predecessors with its newly developed cut protection lining made of Kevlar with steel fibreglass and silver threads. The components guarantee the brave firefighters safety at the highest level even in extreme situations. The Jupiter 5* achieves the highest cut protection level 5 and the silicone-carbon coated Kevlar ensures a top performance level 4 in terms of abrasion. A real revolution.
2017
Start developing bike gloves. Available at retailers in spring 2021.
2017
Enlargement of the logistics center in Thalheim.
2019
The ski glove ARKTIS GTX was awarded with the ISPO Gold Award 2019 und dem Red Dot Design Award 2019.
Jury-Statement: “A leather glove with many useful functions, well thought out in all its details and manufactured with great care.”, Kuno Prey, Freie Universität Bozen-Bolzano
2020
Revolutionary developments in the firefighting and THL sector, because the entire 5F range has been revised and improved. After more than twelve years, ESKA now appears with a new logo on the gloves. The newly developed cut protection lining achieves outstanding values. All achieved, thermal and mechanical maximum values of the 5F gloves are certified after a pre-treatment of 20 washes at 60° C (according to ISO 63306N+A).
Eska Future
The best is yet to come