Pajar is a Canadianfootwear and outerwear manufacturer and retailer that specializes in the manufacturing and distribution of high-quality footwear and outerwear for men and women, manufacturing in Canada, Europe and Asia. The company was founded in Montreal in 1963 by Paul Golbert. Paul found the inspiration for the company’s name by using the first letters of his name, his son’s name and his wife’s name,, respectively. Today, Pajar produces more than 900,000 pairs of boots a year. Their products are exported to more than 40 countries, with European sales done via a regional head office in Amsterdam.
History
The company was founded by Paul Golbert in 1963 after he immigrated to Montreal with his wife and son. Paul was born into a family of shoemakers in Paris, France in 1926. Golbert became a pioneer of the Canadian footwear industry when he began to import Spanish, French and Italian footwear, opening his first showroom in 1967. During this time, he also worked for Tyrol, a Canadian boots company. When the owners of Tyrol died, Paul took their key employees and started his own factory, becoming a producer of Canadian footwear in 1973. The factory, located in the Plateau district of Montreal on the corner of Mount Royal Avenue and Coloniale Street, is still standing today. The company is still entirely family-owned, and is now run by Paul’s son Jacques, and his grandson, Michel. In an article featured in The Montreal Gazette, Jacques explains his family history in a nutshell: “My dad was the third generation in the shoe business, I’m the fourth, and my sons are the fifth. It’s in our blood, shoe manufacturing.” Pajar became the official provider for the Canadian Alpine Ski Team in 1989. Their products have expanded from their original Canadian market to become available worldwide.
Products and Brands
Pajar’s original creations included the Zig-Zag, an après-ski leisure boot that featured a centre-zip and sheepskin lining. The Pajar Canada Heritage Premium collection is manufactured in the same factory that Paul opened in Montreal when he first became a producer of Canadian footwear in 1973. These boots are lined with 100% genuine sheepskin, and are guaranteed to keep feet warm in temperatures as low as -40 °C. Other Pajar collections include outerwear such as rain-boots, a wide variety of winter coats for men and women, socks, bags, hiking boots and more.
