uvex

Eyewear and Helmets for 100 Years

The family-run company was founded in 1926 by Philipp Winter in Fürth in northern Bavaria. Originally known as Optische-Industrie-Anstalt Philipp M. Winter, it initially produced safety goggles for the workplace. In 1930, the first ski goggles followed, along with eyewear for motorsports and mountaineers – and by the 1936 Olympic Games, some athletes were already using them. In 1956, son Rainer Winter joined as second managing director. Looking for a memorable brand name, he came up with “uvex,” derived from “UltraViolettEXcluded” – the goggles’ UV-protection feature.

The 1970s brought a major boom. uvex established itself internationally and steadily expanded its product range. The first helmets produced in Germany arrived in 1987/88. Today, the uvex group is centered around uvex sports (sports eyewear and helmets) and uvex safety (occupational protection). Development and production take place largely in Germany and across Europe.

The quality of the products is reflected in numerous awards: in 2010, uvex was honored as “Brand of the Century” for its ski goggles. And it’s no coincidence that many top athletes trust the German manufacturer – from the Olympics to the World Cup, uvex is a regular presence.

Today the uvex group employs more than 3,100 people and is present with subsidiaries in over 20 countries – and it remains family-owned. The company is currently run in the third generation by Michael Winter and his sister Gabriele Grau, with the fourth generation already on board.

uvex Protects from Head to Toe

Guided by this philosophy, uvex continuously refines its product range – from ski and cycling helmets to sports and ski eyewear, all the way to protective gear for professional use.

The exchange between these divisions is what uvex sees as a major advantage in development and research. Alongside innovative technology, wearing comfort is one of the company’s top priorities – and its designs consistently set new standards, too.

A prime example is the octo+ technology: the first fully automatic helmet-fitting system uses flexible lamellae to wrap around the head from all sides, adapting perfectly to its shape regardless of helmet size.

Protection for People and the Planet

The company motto protecting people also applies internally – extended by the guiding principle protecting planet to include ecological responsibility. Just how seriously uvex takes sustainability is shown by the German Sustainability Award 2026: the uvex group was named winner in the plastics and rubber industry category.

At its German sites, uvex has sourced 100% green electricity from hydropower (TÜV-certified) since 2014. At the Annaberg site in Fürth, a photovoltaic system with around 2,300 modules also generates electricity for in-house use. The goals are clearly defined: 42% less CO2 by 2030 and climate neutrality by 2045.

This is visible in the products, too: the ski goggle uvex downhill 2100 CV planet uses biobased and recycled materials from the frame to the strap – including biobased TPU, a biobased lens, a logo patch made of apple leather, and a strap made of recycled nylon.

Beyond that, the Rainer Winter Foundation has supported children in need, those affected by illness or disability at home and abroad since 1980 – with a focus on the Nuremberg metropolitan region, where uvex is headquartered.

(Photos: uvex)