About

Wirth

Our commitment is to offer quality and elegance to female feet.

For more than 70 years in the leather-shoe market, Wirth has maintained the commitment to offer shoes with quality and elegance to female feet. It has been six decades of investments in technologies, researches, production capacity and appreciation of human being, which reflect on the well-being of whom acquires a shoe produced by the company. Based in Dois Irmãos, in Vale dos Sinos (Valley of the Bells), Wirth nowadays has four branches, where thousands of pairs of shoes are produced daily, which assist consumers in Brazil and the world.

Moments of this path of work and success

“It was the end of August (1946) and although it was not very warm, it was a sunny day. I didn’t know what was going to happen. I only knew I wanted to open my shoe shop soon and sell the shoes. I tidied all I had, put the shoes by the window and opened the door. I didn’t put a sign because at that time everybody knew me. I went to the front of the house and prayed everything worked out fine, that God helped me win in life. I promised myself to never be afraid of working. So, I went back home and started the service. Soon the neighbors came, the Bircks, the Backes, the Berlitz, they all wanted shoes for the Kerb”.

João Arlindo Wirth

The story of the Brand begins with João Arlindo Wirth, a young entrepreneur raised in Dois Irmãos, at the mountain region of Rio Grande do Sul, who left home at the age of 15 and learned the occupation of shoemaker as an intern in Sapiranga, a town nearby. After Military Service, he went to work in Caxias do Sul and from there, returned to Novo Hamburgo. “We only worked 8 hours a day. It was not possible to work overtime. So, I saw I had no future”. He returned to Dois Irmãos to take care of his father. Year in which he would take the biggest decision in his life “I’M SETTING UP MY OWN SHOE SHOP”. He began with almost nothing. He didn’t have money, but he had credit: “Give me the leather, after I sell the shoes I will pay you”. It went the same way with the shoe sole: “I bought it from Guilherme Saueressig, a friend who already knew me and believed in me”.

This was the year of entrance and contribution of capital from the partners Ceryllo Henrich and Vegildo Feltes. There was the building of a new building and the production in the last months 1948, went from 3.887 pairs to 9.457 pairs in the following year. After ending the partnership with the first partners, in 1953, Mr. Wirth invited his brother in law, Arthur Wendling to learn the occupation and become a partner of the factory.

First shoe produced

The beginning of exports began in the 70s. In 1971, to United States and in 1974 to European market. Currently, the company exports to more than 50 countries, having as main destinations Germany, England, Holland, France, Russia, USA, Canada, Argentina, Colombia, Australia and Japan.

Current industrial structure

Located in the city of Dois Irmãos – RS – Brazil, the company has approximately 1.100 employees. The structure is composed by the headquarters and four branches, with an average production of 6.500 pairs a day. The main highlight product is the Moccasin.