Our story
Our story
Walk the Walk
GNL was born in Switzerland from a deeply human question:
How can everyday movement feel better - not just in sport, but in life as a whole?
At the intersection of Swiss engineering, observation and well-being, GNL stands for Glide'n Lock: a technology and a philosophy that supports the body where it matters most in everyday movement.
Our history
The insight of an engineer
In the late 1990s, Swiss engineer Jürg Braunschweiler began to question the way conventional footwear interacts with the human body.
Not as an athlete in search of performance, but as an engineer dealing with recurring knee and back pain.
While observing natural movement, Jürg noticed something unexpected:
sand does not resist the foot vertically - it allows it to glide, absorbing the impact and enabling a smooth return to movement.
This realization became the starting point for a new way of thinking in the area of shoe development.
From experiment to breakthrough
Jürg's early experiments were radically simple:
garden hose elements that were manually attached to shoe soles and tested step by step.
Years of research, prototyping and refinement followed - guided by Swiss precision and biomechanical understanding.
Together with his son Eric Braunschweiler, Jürg developed a sole that moves with the foot - not against it.
A technology that initially seemed ideal for running, but revealed a deeper limitation:
Movement in everyday life is not linear, but multidirectional.
The 360°Walk vision
To meet this requirement, the Braunschweiler family went even further.
They developed a three-dimensional 360° cushioning system that adapts to the entire natural walking movement - forwards, sideways and rotating.
The corresponding patent was registered in 2006 and still forms the technological basis of GNL today.
In 2009, the family made a conscious strategic decision:
They left the running category and sold their former patent to On to focus entirely on a bigger vision - everyday wellbeing, longevity and regenerative movement.
It was a turning point:
From performance to life.
Our faith
We believe that walking - the most basic human movement - deserves the same level of engineering excellence traditionally reserved for sports.
GNL does not chase trends.
We build essential tools for everyday life.
Technology first.
Design with purpose.
Well-being over time.
This is Swiss engineering -
made for "walk the walk".
GNL today
Since 2016, Eric Braunschweiler has been taking GNL into the next phase of development, evolving the original technology into a refined, patented Glide'n Lock® system that supports the body throughout the day.
GNL shoes are designed for people who walk, stand, work and travel for long periods of time - for professionals who value comfort, health and design without compromise.
The benefits are not promised.
They are experienced.
Well-being over time.
This is Swiss engineering -
made for "walk the walk".
The GNL Story
The GNL Story
Walk the Walk! From the purpose driven beginning to an amazing sneaker