01 Jan 1950
Heinrich Schäfer is founding the company as a whole sale business selling buttons.
The office takes up some 60 square meters in the basement of his family home in Goldbach, near Aschaffenburg.
1956
Office space downstairs has become too small for the entire staff so the business is relocating to Frohsinnstrasse in downtown Aschaffenburg.
1963
The company is facing another move into a building in Weißenburger Strasse.
In the light of further expansion this will be the company headquarter up to the year 1991.
The workforce now counts 10 staff members.
1972
Horst Harrer – today a majority shareholder- joins the company filling the then newly created position as sales manager.
1978
Transformation of the private company into a limited partnership.
Horst Harrer becomes a shareholder and is appointed Managing Director.
1985
Knopf-Schäfer sees more growth in the fashion-crazy 80s.
Collections are growing larger and buttons – dictated by fashion – are becoming more sophisticated.
1991
Again, premises have become far too small.
The new company headquarters are now established at the present address in the industrial zone of Nilkheim – nicely set up in a modern and spacious company building.
1999
Foundation of the subsidiary Button-House in Hong Kong. Export shares are growing rapidly at the same time.
New European and international markets are being entered with great success.
2000
Company founder Heinrich Schäfer passes away in October, aged 80.
2009
Button-House Hong Kong – which has meanwhile grown to become a significant business in Asia – celebrates its 10th company anniversary.
2010
Knopf-Schäfer celebrates its 60th company anniversary.
2011
Oliver Harrer and Stefan Schäfer are appointed Managing Directors and now form the Corporate Management together with Horst Harrer.
2011
Knopf Schäfer GmbH is awarded with the certificate for good credit rating "CrefoZert" which confirms the outstanding creditworthiness of the business.
2018
Premiere of SMART ACCESSORIES® - for the first time, Knopf Schäfer equips accessories with NFC technology.
2018
Horst Harrer retires after 46 years as a shareholder and from the management.
2019
20th anniversary of Button House in Hong Kong.
2019
Knopf Schäfer and Button House operate climate-neutrally. With the corozzo products, more and more customers are choosing this sustainable raw material.
2020
Knopf Schäfer has 70th anniversary.
2021
The product line real Corozzo receives the GOTS certificate (Global Organic Textile Standard).
