Why our cartridges travel 600 kilometres rather than 20,000

Where our products are made

For MAUNAWAI, ‘Made in Germany’ is not just a marketing label. It is a conscious decision, made over ten years ago, at a time when many companies still naturally had their products manufactured in Asia.

In 2015, MAUNAWAI began manufacturing the Kini water filter jug in-house in Germany. The reasons were clear: we wanted to control the quality ourselves. Not to depend on suppliers thousands of kilometres away. Not to rely on standards being met that we cannot personally verify. Instead, to do what we do best ourselves.

The next step followed in 2020: setting up our own cartridge production facility in Hungary. We found the ideal conditions at a Hungarian family-run business: motivated staff with technical expertise, an ISO-certified facility and the opportunity to implement our exact MAUNAWAI formula. Since then, we have been producing our filter cartridges ourselves, using our own materials and adhering to our own standards.

Why Europe and not Asia?

It’s a fair question: why not produce where it’s cheaper? The answer has three aspects.

Firstly: quality control. When our cartridges are manufactured in Hungary, we can personally inspect every batch. We know the machines. We know the people who operate them. We know which raw materials are used because we have selected them ourselves. With every new batch, the materials are tested in accordance with food safety regulations. This is not just paperwork. It is responsibility in action.

Secondly: transport routes. A product manufactured in China travels an average of over 20,000 kilometres before it reaches a German household. By container ship, by lorry, through warehouses and transhipment points. Every one of those kilometres generates CO₂. Our production in Germany and Hungary reduces this distance to just a few hundred kilometres. That is a fraction of the distance and makes a massive difference to the environmental footprint.

Thirdly: working conditions. Strict standards apply in the EU regarding health and safety at work, fair wages and environmental regulations. When we say our products are produced fairly, this is not a claim based on trust, but a fact guaranteed by European law.

The goal: 100 per cent EU production

Today, over 80 per cent of our products are manufactured in Germany and the EU. Our stated goal is to increase this share to 100 per cent. To this end, we are working continuously to relocate the remaining supply chains to Europe as well. This is not always easy: some raw materials are harder to source in Europe, and some specialist suppliers are still based outside the EU. But we are prepared to accept this extra effort because short supply chains and high standards are non-negotiable for us.

Maria Knoch put it clearly in an interview with LifeVERDE: “We want to relocate our entire production to the EU to ensure our own quality standards and keep supply chains as short as possible.” This is not a vague declaration of intent. It is a concrete goal we are working towards every day.

The new generation of cartridges: a milestone

An impressive example of our approach is the development of the new generation of cartridges. When we decided to relocate cartridge production to Europe, we didn’t simply carry over the existing formula. We seized the opportunity to rethink everything from scratch. The result: all materials that were previously in granulate form are now manufactured as ceramics. In a complex process, porous yet mechanically stable ceramic matrices are fired at over 1,000 degrees Celsius. This increases the filter surface area and makes water absorption more efficient.

According to our test reports, the water quality of the new generation has improved even further. The results of the resonance analyses and analytical tests demonstrate this impressively. This shows that production in Europe does not mean compromise, but progress.

ISO certification and food standards

Our production facilities are ISO-certified. This means: standardised processes, documented quality controls, regular audits. The materials and raw materials used are carefully checked against European food regulations, not just once, but with every new delivery. The result: every Kini, every cartridge, every PiPrime meets the same high standards, whether it is the first item in the batch or the last.

People, not machines

Behind our production are people. In Germany, in Hungary. Family-run businesses that work with care and craftsmanship. The hand-blown glass container of the PiPrime? Crafted by professional glassblowers, each piece unique. The felt sleeves for our glass products? Sewn from recycled material by a Hungarian family business. These are not anonymous factory workers. These are partners who share our values.

Daniel Knoch, who heads MAUNAWAI’s international expansion, visits the production sites regularly. He knows the teams, he knows the processes, he knows the challenges. That is the difference between a supply chain based on trust and one built on personal relationships. When we say “Made in Germany and the EU”, there is a story, a face, a personal touch behind every word.

What EU production means for you

For you as a customer, EU production offers tangible benefits. Delivery times are shorter because the distances are short. Quality is consistent because we control it ourselves. And if a problem ever arises (a cartridge that doesn’t fit properly, a spare part that’s needed), the solution is just a phone call away. Not on the other side of the planet, but in Europe, in our time zone, in our language.