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Olang History: From a Basement Workshop to Italian Winter Boots
“Worn by angels, designed in paradise by Italians” is Olang’s playful description of its footwear. Behind the slogan, however, is a much more grounded—and rather more interesting—story of technical skill, Italian footwear heritage and one designer’s decision to build a business of his own.
Olang is an Italian winter footwear brand founded by Armando Sartor in 1990 in Selva del Montello, Veneto. From a basement workshop in the Asolo–Montebelluna Sportsystem district, it grew into an international brand known for warm winter boots and selected models with retractable OC System® ice grips.
Rooted in Italy’s Sportsystem district
Olang is based in Volpago del Montello in the Veneto region of north-eastern Italy. It lies within the Asolo–Montebelluna Sportsystem district, an area extending from the foot of Montello Hill towards the Piave River.
Footwear is not simply another industry here. It forms part of the area’s identity.
The first surviving written evidence of commercial footwear production in Montebelluna dates from 1808, when ten shoemakers and footwear manufacturers were recorded as paying tax to the local council. Over succeeding generations, this collection of workshops evolved into an internationally important centre for ski boots, mountain footwear and specialist sports shoes.
This was the environment in which Olang founder Armando Sartor developed his craft.
Armando Sartor: the experience before Olang
Before establishing his own company, Sartor worked as a footwear modellista—a modeller or pattern engineer—for leading sports-footwear businesses.
The modeller occupies a particularly important position in traditional shoe development. It is the modeller who helps transform a designer’s idea into a three-dimensional, properly fitting and commercially producible piece of footwear. The work requires creativity, detailed knowledge of materials and a practical understanding of how footwear must perform.
During his time with Lotto, Sartor worked on footwear for leading sportspeople, including Italian fencer Dorina Vaccaroni and tennis players Tonino Zugarelli and Corrado Barazzutti.
He also recalled one particularly unusual assignment involving Italian luger Paul Hildgartner. According to Sartor, the athlete arrived with approximately 1.5kg of lead shot and asked for it to be incorporated into his competition footwear. Hildgartner went on to achieve Olympic success—a memorable illustration of the highly specialised problems Sartor had been accustomed to solving.
1990: Olang begins in a basement
After spending years developing footwear for other brands, Armando Sartor decided to work for himself.
Olang was founded in 1990 in Selva del Montello, beginning—like several businesses from the surrounding footwear district—in a basement workshop.
From that modest starting point, the company gradually established its own identity. Olang combined the technical knowledge of the Italian sports-footwear industry with a more recognisably Italian interest in shape, colour, materials and appearance.
A local profile published in 2021 reported that Olang had grown from its basement origins into an 8,000-square-metre site between Venegazzù and Volpago. By 2024, the brand was reported to be distributed in more than 30 countries.
That is quite a journey from a small room beneath a house.
A family business with design at its centre
Despite its international development, Olang retained much of its founder-led and family character.
The 2021 profile of Sartor recorded that his daughters were also working within the company: Micaela as a footwear modeller and Francesca in administration. Sartor himself remained closely involved in the creative process and continued personally developing models for future collections.
This helps explain the balance found throughout the Olang range. Its boots are neither purely fashion footwear nor anonymous pieces of winter equipment. They are intended to solve practical cold-weather problems while still being enjoyable to wear.
Olang’s own company history identifies continuous material research, stylistic development and in-house creative work as central to the brand. Its collections have consequently ranged from lightweight trekking and outdoor shoes to classic snow boots, practical winter footwear and more luxurious fashion-led designs.
Italian design meets winter reality
A winter boot has several jobs to perform.
It must insulate the foot, manage moisture, provide support and withstand snow, slush and low temperatures. It must also remain comfortable enough to wear for extended periods. For many customers, it needs to look equally appropriate in a ski resort, on a winter city break or during an ordinary cold-weather commute.
Olang approaches these demands through different combinations of hydro-repellent leather or suede, wool and shearling linings, OlanTex or Breathe Tex membranes and thermally insulating Isowarm insoles.
Not every feature appears in every model, but the principle remains consistent: practical winter protection does not have to look excessively industrial or technical.
Olang and the OC System®
The feature that particularly connects Olang with ICEGRIPPER is the OC System® retractable traction mechanism fitted to selected boots.
The system incorporates ice-grip cleats into the outsole. Using the supplied OC key, the wearer can rotate the mechanism into its GRIP-ON position for additional traction on icy outdoor surfaces. Once back on a normal surface, it can be returned to GRIP-OFF, leaving the cleats recessed.
This removes the repeated need to fit and remove a separate stretch-on traction aid. It also allows one pair of boots to move more conveniently between winter pavements, snowy paths, vehicles and indoor environments.
No traction system can remove every risk associated with ice, and careful walking remains essential. Nevertheless, the OC System is an elegant example of footwear design being used to solve a genuine winter problem—very much in keeping with Sartor’s technical background.
Olang winter boots selected by ICEGRIPPER
ICEGRIPPER is an authorised Olang dealer, sourcing its footwear through Olang’s official UK distributor. Our range concentrates particularly on winter models that combine insulation, weather protection and practical traction.
Current highlights include:
- The Olang Bucefalo OC men’s winter snow boot is a classic calf-height mountain boot. It combines hydro-repellent Eco Elk uppers with a removable virgin-wool liner, an Isowarm insole and built-in OC System traction.
- The Olang Pegaso Tex OC men’s winter boot offers a shorter, more versatile profile. Its hydro-repellent York leather upper is partnered with an OlanTex membrane, virgin-wool lining, Isowarm insulation and retractable ice grips.
- The Olang Montreal OC waterproof leather winter boot is a long-standing ICEGRIPPER favourite. It combines hydro-oiled leather, a Breathe Tex waterproof membrane, virgin-wool insulation, convenient side-zip entry and OC System soles.
- The Olang Morfeo Tex OC men’s winter trekking boot reflects the more technical side of Olang. Its high-ankle design, hydro-repellent nubuck, wool lining, supportive trekking sole and integrated traction are intended for demanding winter walking.
- The Olang Musa Tex OC women’s winter boot demonstrates Olang’s ability to combine function with a more contemporary appearance. It features oiled nubuck, an original shearling cuff, wool insulation, an Isowarm insole, side zip and retractable cleats.
- The Olang Ginevra OC Tex women’s winter boot brings the brand’s more luxurious character to the range, combining hydro suede, original shearling, a Breathe Tex membrane and integrated winter traction.
Availability and sizes naturally change throughout the winter season. You can see the latest selection on the ICEGRIPPER Olang footwear page.
Why buy Olang from ICEGRIPPER?
Good winter footwear is an investment, particularly when it incorporates a serviceable mechanical traction system.
As an authorised dealer and OC System specialist, ICEGRIPPER can help customers choose an appropriate model and size, understand how the retractable mechanism works and look after their boots after purchase.
We also stock OC System replacement cleats, keys and spare parts. For a practical guide to maintaining the system, read our OC System replacement-parts guide. This helps extend the useful life of the footwear instead of treating an otherwise sound pair of boots as disposable when a wearing component eventually needs attention.
That long-term, repair-conscious approach is one more reason why Olang and ICEGRIPPER make natural partners.
Olang history: frequently asked questions
Who founded Olang?
Olang was founded by Italian footwear modeller and entrepreneur Armando Sartor in 1990.
Where did Olang begin?
The business began in a basement in Selva del Montello, within the wider Asolo–Montebelluna sports-footwear district of northern Italy.
Where is Olang based?
Olang is based in Volpago del Montello in the province of Treviso, Veneto, Italy.
Is Olang an Italian brand?
Yes. Olang is an Italian footwear company, and its design and product-development heritage is firmly rooted in Italy. Manufacturing origin can vary between models, so the country-of-origin information supplied with an individual product should always be consulted.
What is Olang best known for?
Olang specialises in winter, snow and trekking footwear that combines Italian design with warmth, comfort and practical outdoor performance. Selected models also incorporate retractable OC System ice grips.
Do all Olang boots have built-in ice grips?
No. The OC System is fitted only to selected Olang models. Look for “OC” in the product name and check the individual product specification.
What has defined Olang since 1990
From Armando Sartor’s early work developing shoes for elite sportspeople to today’s insulated winter boots with retractable traction, the connecting thread in Olang’s history is problem-solving.
The brand has grown considerably since 1990, but its most successful footwear still combines the same essential ingredients: technical knowledge, thoughtful materials, comfort and unmistakably Italian design.
Explore Olang winter boots at ICEGRIPPER.
Historical sources and further reading
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