Trampolines: the difference between European and Asian production
The demand for trampolines keeps rising and in many gardens, you’ll already see one. At first sight, almost all trampolines look the same and, as a layman, you don’t immediately see the differences. Yet, every trampoline line is unique. Each trampoline has its own pros and cons, and there’s also a lot of difference in the quality. Today, we make a comparison between European and Asian-produced trampolines.
Quality and production standards
A trampoline is just like a car, the exterior can be so beautiful, the interior has to function well! Nowadays, almost all trampolines are imported from Asia. This way, the European consumer can buy a relatively cheap trampoline. Yet this is not always the best choice. The production of trampolines in Asia is mainly focused on production costs – these have to remain as low as possible so that they can also be sold cheaply. Unfortunately, the quality is very much neglected in the process. Of course, it’s not that Asian-made trampolines fall apart completely after jumping three times, but the quality is still a lot lower than with European-made trampolines. Where are these differences?
European production means that products are manufactured according to European production standards and that European materials are used. Besides the fact that this is a sustainable way of working, it also benefits the quality of the trampoline. Win-win!
European materials
Above, we already mentioned the European materials that are used for production within Europe. Of course, that’s not always the case. At Etan, however, this is definitely the case – for instance, our Etan Premium trampolines contain steel from Italy and strong German PVC. The warranty periods in our Premium line do not lie. You’ll receive a 15-year guarantee on the trampoline springs and frame, 10 years on the steel of the trampoline safety net, and 5 years on the trampoline safety pad and trampoline jumping mat. This shows that at Etan we have faith in the quality of our trampolines.
Logistical footprint
Besides all differences in quality, the logistic footprint is also something to think about. If you buy trampolines from Asia, they are often shipped to Europe via water. An enormously long way! Of course, every mode of transport is not entirely sustainable, but by producing in Europe, you reduce the logistical footprint enormously. Shorter distances, no shipping, and no aviation.
To say that you are a thief of your own wallet when you buy an Asian-made trampoline is going a bit far. Yet the truth is closer than you might think. Import from Asia is very expensive nowadays. Did you know, for example, that it has become more than 10 times as expensive since 2020? Since many trampoline suppliers still want to continue selling, there’s nothing else to do than to accept the expensive transport and still bring trampolines to Europe. These pennies must also be earned back. Suppliers will therefore always reflect these extra costs in the selling price of the trampoline. So, you don’t pay for extra quality, but for completely different things.
With European production, you avoid this problem and let the customer pay for what they really want: quality!
Etan’s own factory in Bosnia-Herzegovina
Etan produces trampolines in its own factory in the heart of Europe, Bosnia and Herzegovina. In this production facility, many men and women work on the trampolines by hand every day. In addition to the previously mentioned production standards, our production can certainly not be called mass production. Attention and craftsmanship are used to create the trampoline that might soon be standing in your garden.
The reason Etan started producing in Bosnia and Herzegovina in 2014 is easy to explain. In the 90s, this country had to deal with a huge civil war. A war of which the consequences can still be seen today. With our production facility, we want to help people. Etan offers its employees a job with a Western salary and education. This way, several Bosnian families can build a stable future.
We hope in this way to have informed you about the differences between European and Asian production. Do you have more questions? Please contact our customer service. They will be happy to tell you more about our European production and all our trampoline lines.
