Samelin

Samelin has been manufacturing boots for over 75 years, with partners including Rossignol and Dr. Martens. Their boots have been worn by various NATO armies, including those of Germany, Norway, Finland, Estonia, and Latvia. In other words, Samelin boots are as durable and high-quality as it gets. Properly maintained, Samelin boots are a true investment, and you’ll never need to buy new boots again.

Samelin

How our boots are made


Origins & heritage

In 1945, four Tartu workshops—The Future, Koondis, The Community, and Joint Assets—merged to form the Leather and Footwear Combination (NJK). After operating as RAS ELKAR from 1990–1994, the employees founded AS Samelin on 7 February 1994.


What began as a unification of small shops has become Estonia’s benchmark for technical footwear—serving workers, hikers, and defence forces. Around 70% of production goes to Finland, Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Markets that demand reliability in tough weather.


The leather

Each batch of leather is checked by eye, then tested for tear strength and water absorption. Compressed air reveals hidden flaws. A digital table marks damaged spots, and the cutter places pieces to use more good leather and waste less.

Panel by panel

Uppers are stitched with a mix of programmed steps and careful operator control. Fit is set on the right last, then a heat cycle stabilises materials before soles go on.

Construction

Soles are injection-moulded polyurethane, in single or dual density for comfort and grip. A roughening robot preps bonding surfaces. Finished pairs are trimmed, cleaned, inspected, and packed to the correct standard.

Quality & Standards

Production runs under ISO 9001:2015, with military models built to NATO AQAP 2110 since 2017 and supplied to various NATO forces. Most output serves Nordic buyers who demand reliability, safety, and fair, controlled cost.