Burgol Schuhpflege

The shoe care brand Burgol 

Burgol combines tradition and modernity in its shoe care products. On the one hand, all recipes and the design of the shoe brushes are based on years of practical experience and extensive applications. On the other hand, the brand with the castle in its logo (see example below) has also always managed to grow with new challenges and requirements. This means that shoe care products that are already in the range are continuously improved in order to meet both the increasing demands of customers and external factors such as new EU directives. For example, the Premium Shoe Pomade has been launched, which now ideally complements the shoe wax in terms of colour refreshment and deep care of the leather. Moreover, the two polishing cloths "Premium" and "Super Gloss", which were only introduced in 2018, are already extremely popular because of their many superior properties.

In German-speaking countries, Burgol stands for absolute top quality, sustainability and ergonomic work on classic men's shoes made of suede or smooth leather like hardly any other shoe care brand. In the meantime, ladies and wearers of robust footwear - hiking boots, mountain boots, work boots, etc. - have also found a new home. - Various shoe care products from Burgol have been discovered.

Castle Aarwangen

But how did that success story actually begin? Well, Rainer Ersfeld, Managing Director of Freyersfeld GmbH in Constance, played the most important role. In 2004, he discovered a shoe wax more by chance at a shoemaker at Schloss Salem. During this time, only small quantities of cans were sold in Germany and Austria. Nevertheless, convinced of the product and with a promising strategy in mind, he took over brand development, product management and sales within the EU and in the same year secured the word and figurative mark BURGOL in consultation with the then manufacturer. The major fire in May 2009, which destroyed the entire production plant, marked a severe setback. It had to be completely rebuilt. In addition to the production hall, the raw materials warehouse also went up in flames. However, the blow of fate was seen as an opportunity for comprehensive renewal and as the starting signal for the implementation of many long-cherished ideas:

The Shoe Polishing Wax in its few colours and on its own was no longer sufficient for a round assortment of shoe care products. In the following 10 years until approx. 2015 further products and formulations, oriented to the highest demands, were continuously developed for the shoe care line of Burgol. Rainer Ersfeld was the main source of ideas during this dynamic period. For example, the Polishing and hand-drawn Fine Polishing Brushes are unique in terms of quality and durability. This was followed by the Shoe Pomade Cream, Cordovan Cream Polish, Leather Sole Oil, Shoe Cleaner, Dubbin and various products for suede leather care.

As a result, further production sites were successively added in Germany and Western Europe in order to minimize the risk of supply bottlenecks, manufacture new shoe care products and further raise quality standards. In the autumn of 2016, the rights to the name were then assigned exclusively for Switzerland to the former producer.

Since then, the successful path of the premium brand Burgol has continued: with leather milk, the two Polishing Cloths "Super Gloss" and "Premium" as well as the expansion of sales and product presence far beyond the European borders.

By now, 80 % of the Burgol products are made in Germany and the rest in Western Europe.

Since 2019, Burgol has been dedicated not only to classic shoe care but also to sneaker care: the line called "JUNIOR" includes the well-known Sneaker Brush, a new Microfibre Cloth and - as the flagship - the groundbreaking, seminal White Cleaner, which counteracts impurities on rubberised surfaces, such as the tips of sneakers or their sole edges, and leather with "micro earthquakes" instead of chemicals.

2020 was an incredible and eventful year in every respect, which we will remember for a long time. However, even in the hard Corona months we were not idle but creative and at the beginning of the year we launched what is probably the most spacious shoe care box that is mass-produced in Germany.

In the middle of the year, after extensive tests together with our professional shoe shine boys from Berlin, shoe care seminar instructors and top dealers, our Burgol waterproofing spray was added to the Burgol family. Environmentally friendly, completely without propellant gas, but with caring jojoba oil.

In autumn, we were able to complete the one-year-long tests on a product for the restoration of stressed leather, be it for shoes, handbags, belts, cases and leather accessories, and go into production with the BURGOL Renovator, on which we are particularly proud, and deliver it to our dealers in time for the beginning of the year 2021.

Nobody would have expected that in 2021 and especially in 2022 we would have to learn that our lives are accompanied by permanent crises, the end of which is not in sight even at the start of 2023.

Nevertheless, this is no reason for us to remain in a state of shock. In these two years, we have continued to listen to our customers and to work on our product range.

To get started with good shoe care, you need a little knowledge to recognise necessary but also superfluous products. With our new Burgol Shoe Care Set Basic, we make the start into shoe care easier. It contains all the necessary products for the care of smooth leather shoes. We have left out all superfluous products for the start.

With our Burgol Shoe Cleaner, we have a cleaner that works for smooth and suede shoes. To make cleaning suede shoes easier, we have developed an extra suede cleaner. In addition to its excellent cleaning effect, it is gentle on the leather and easy to use. Burgol Suede Leather Cleaner can be sprayed onto the suede leather without propellant gas using a pump mechanism. It couldn't be simpler.

With the new suede leather cleaner, we have also created a set which once again contains all the necessary, but no superfluous products for the care of suede leather shoes. The Burgol shoe care set suede leather contains cleaner, impregnator and three brushes for suede leather.

As a smaller project that was close to our hearts, we have added a particularly large leather shoe shine mat to the range. Now you can care for your shoes even more stylishly. We have our Burgol shoe shine mat made from fine cowhide in Germany.

After a long time, we have also organised shoe shine seminars at our customers' premises again. Two examples: Würzburg and Berlin.

We are entering the year 2023 full of beans, with a new product in the starting blocks. It was planned for autumn last year. Development began as early as February 2022 and took more effort and countless trials than expected. The first production of our Burgol Super Gloss should be ready in the next few weeks.

Almost exactly one year after the start of development, we have made Burgol Super Gloss ready for series production. We prefer to invest a lot of time in a new product and let it be extensively tested in practice than to include a half-baked product in the range.

The first customer feedback and customer pictures show that the effort was worth it.

Our Burgol JUNIOR White Cleaner is now even better! We have combined it with an effective sneaker cleaner to create the new Burgol White Cleaner Plus. No more need for an additional sneaker cleaner. White Cleaner Plus cleans sole edges and other materials thoroughly and gently. Take care of your sneakers more easily with Burgol!

Follow us on our social media channels on Facebook and Instagram and find out immediately when new products from us are launched.