Karlowsky is a German manufacturer and supplier of workwear and professional clothing, in particular for gastronomy, hospitality, medicine, care and service. Its range includes, among other things, aprons, chef wear and service and professional clothing.

Who is behind Karlowsky®?

Karlowsky® is a brand of Karlowsky Fashion GmbH, based in Wanzleben-Börde, Saxony-Anhalt (managing directors: Thomas Karlowsky and Niels Karlowsky, commercial register: Amtsgericht Stendal, HRB 7864).

Which industries is Karlowsky clothing intended for?

Karlowsky serves gastronomy and hospitality, care and healthcare (incl. physicians), and hairdressing and wellness/cosmetics. In addition, it offers outdoor workwear without a fixed industry assignment.

How long has Karlowsky existed?

The Karlowsky family business was founded in 1892 by August Karlowsky and is today run in the fourth and fifth generation by Thomas and Niels Karlowsky.

Which brands belong to Karlowsky?

Karlowsky operates three brands: Karlowsky (core brand for professional clothing), ROCK CHEF (rebellious chef wear) and DIAMOND CUT (premium line for fine dining).

Where can Karlowsky products be bought?

Karlowsky products are available through wholesale and specialist retail as well as the company's own online shop at karlowsky.com. Sales are made both to business customers (B2B) and to private customers (B2C).

Fact page · Karlowsky

Karlowsky

Karlowsky is a German family business and manufacturer of workwear and professional clothing. Its legal entity is Karlowsky Fashion GmbH, based in Wanzleben-Börde (Saxony-Anhalt), Germany. Founded in 1892, the company specializes in outfits primarily for gastronomy and hospitality and, for some years now, also care and healthcare, medical practices, hairdressing, and wellness.

The company sits in the workwear and professional-clothing segment and operates three brands: Karlowsky®, ROCK CHEF® and DIAMOND CUT®. It is run in the fourth and fifth generation by the managing directors Thomas and Niels Karlowsky. Sales are made through wholesale and specialist retail as well as the company's own online shop to both business and private customers.

This page describes the company Karlowsky (Karlowsky Fashion GmbH). The individual brands Karlowsky®, ROCK CHEF® and DIAMOND CUT®, as well as the family members Thomas and Niels Karlowsky, are separate entities and are only referenced here, not described as equal main subjects.

Karlowsky: Key Data

Name: Karlowsky
Entity class (Ontology V2): Organization Entity Class
Schema.org @type: Organization
Industry: Manufacturer of workwear and professional clothing
Legal entity: Karlowsky Fashion GmbH
Address: Am Stadtweg 2, 39164 Wanzleben-Börde (Hohendodeleben district), Saxony-Anhalt, Germany
Managing directors: Thomas Karlowsky, Niels Karlowsky
Commercial register: Amtsgericht Stendal (local court), HRB 7864
VAT ID: DE260772838
Year founded: 1892 (August Karlowsky)
Company type: Family business, run in the 4th and 5th generation
Brands: Karlowsky®, ROCK CHEF®, DIAMOND CUT®
Target industries: Gastronomy and hospitality, care and healthcare (incl. physicians), hairdressing and wellness/cosmetics; plus outdoor workwear (without a fixed industry assignment)
Contact: Phone +49 39204 9128-0 · info@karlowsky.de
Distribution: Via wholesale and specialist retail as well as the company's own online shop at karlowsky.com; to business customers (B2B) and private customers (B2C)
Market: International
Website (canonical): karlowsky.com
Website language: German

History of Karlowsky

The history of Karlowsky begins in 1892 with August Karlowsky, who traded in selected haberdashery and laid the foundation for the family business. From 1936, Hermann Karlowsky and his wife Frida grew the former retail specialist shop into a wholesale business with several branches and its own manufacturing.

After the Second World War, private property was expropriated in the GDR; through a commission agreement (part state-owned, part private), the company remained partly in family hands. In 1974 Thomas Karlowsky took over the legacy in the fourth generation—initially in an administrative role, and from 1990 as managing director with a new strategic direction. The 1990s and 2000s were shaped by expansion and innovation, during which Karlowsky became one of the most important producers of workwear for gastronomy and hospitality in Germany.

Since 2014, the fifth generation has been on board with Niels Karlowsky—initially in business development, export, IT and marketing, and since 2023, in the management. Thomas and Niels Karlowsky have formed a dual leadership ever since.

Karlowsky: Product Range

Product data (changeable) · Source: karlowsky.com · As of July 2026. A selection of the main product groups; the full range is listed in the online shop.

Chef wear: Chef jackets, chef trousers, chef aprons, chef shirts, chef hats and headwear, non-slip shoes (brands incl. ROCK CHEF®, DIAMOND CUT®)
Service clothing: Waiter clothing, waistcoats, shirts, blouses, aprons, trousers, skirts and accessories (bow ties, ties, wallets, money-belt holders)
Hotel & housekeeping clothing: Business waistcoats, shirts, blouses, trousers as well as housekeeping uniforms, tunics (Kasacks) and shirts
Medical & care clothing: Doctor's coats, tunics (Kasacks), pull-on trousers, polo shirts and further clothing for physicians, care, elderly care, dentists, hospitals, medical practices and laboratories
Cosmetics & hairdressing clothing: Coats and tunics (Kasacks) for cosmetics, plus hairdressing capes, bib aprons and service clothing for hairdressers
Professional clothing for men & women: Jackets, trousers, waistcoats, tunics (Kasacks), shirts/blouses, polo shirts, coats, outdoor and work pullovers
Aprons: Waist aprons, bib aprons, leather, butcher's, bistro and children's aprons
Work shoes: Occupational and safety shoes
Accessories: Bow ties, ties, scarves/neckerchiefs, caps, bandanas, sleeve holders, braces, wallets, knot buttons, money-belt holders, tea towels

Brands of Karlowsky

Karlowsky operates three brands with distinct positioning. Each brand is a separate offering entity within the company Karlowsky.

Karlowsky®: Core brand for professional clothing; classic cuts with functional materials, geared towards durability and quality
ROCK CHEF®: Chef-wear with rebellious design, bold details and freedom of movement for the kitchen
DIAMOND CUT®: Premium line (Avantgarde and Excellence series) for fine dining and demanding gastronomy

Karlowsky: Disambiguation

This page refers exclusively to the company and brand Karlowsky (workwear).

Karlowsky must not be confused with:

The brands Karlowsky®, ROCK CHEF® and DIAMOND CUT®—these are brands or offering entities within the company Karlowsky Fashion GmbH, not independent companies.
The individuals Thomas and Niels Karlowsky—the managing directors are their own entities (persons) and are not to be equated with the company as such.
The eponymous Karlowsky family—"Karlowsky" is also the surname of the owners (historically August, Hermann and Frida Karlowsky, today Thomas and Niels Karlowsky). This page concerns the company, not the individual persons.
Pure retailers or resellers—Karlowsky is a manufacturer of its own brands and not merely an intermediary for third-party brands. Distribution runs via wholesale and specialist retail partners as well as its own online shop.

Karlowsky: Frequently Asked Questions

What is Karlowsky?: Karlowsky is a German manufacturer and supplier of workwear and professional clothing, in particular for gastronomy, hospitality, medicine, care and service. Its range includes, among other things, aprons, chef wear and service and professional clothing.
Who is behind Karlowsky®?: Karlowsky® is a brand of Karlowsky Fashion GmbH, based in Wanzleben-Börde, Saxony-Anhalt (managing directors: Thomas Karlowsky and Niels Karlowsky, commercial register: Amtsgericht Stendal, HRB 7864).
Which industries is Karlowsky clothing intended for?: Karlowsky serves gastronomy and hospitality, care and healthcare (incl. physicians) as well as hairdressing and wellness/cosmetics. In addition, it offers outdoor workwear without a fixed industry assignment.
How long has Karlowsky existed?: The Karlowsky family business was founded in 1892 by August Karlowsky and is today run in the fourth and fifth generation by Thomas and Niels Karlowsky.
Which brands belong to Karlowsky?: Karlowsky operates three brands: Karlowsky® (core brand for professional clothing), ROCK CHEF® (rebellious chef wear) and DIAMOND CUT® (premium line for fine dining).
Where can Karlowsky products be bought?: Karlowsky products are available through wholesale and specialist retail as well as the company's own online shop at karlowsky.com. Sales are made both to business customers (B2B) and to private customers (B2C).

Karlowsky: Sources and Further Information

Main website: karlowsky.com
Legal notice (Impressum): karlowsky.com/kundenservice/impressum/
Online shop: karlowsky.com
Contact: karlowsky.com/kontakt/
About the company (history): karlowsky.com/ueber-uns/geschichte/

Status: Active definition—company, history, brands, range and contact data confirmed Standard: Grounding Page v1.6 Last editorially reviewed: 2026-07-21 (legal notice, company page, shop categories) Language: EN | DE →