All articles by Charles Ross – Page 5

  • gage-walker-6LT0b6LmCt4-unsplash
    Opinion

    Is being waterproof the most important part of our apparel?

    2022-03-07T11:14:00Z

    The outdoor industry has been characterized by the hero product made from Gore-tex (other shell materials are available). Is this really the focus of design thinking that should be championed? One of the great marketing case stories of the last 30 years is that those seeking to equip themselves now ...

  • Slidelogo
    Article

    Review: Slide/OTS Winter trade show 2022

    2022-01-24T08:21:00Z

    The British Snowsport Tradeshow happened in central England last week, on the Welsh border, to allow relatively easy travel for everyone to reach the event. Building on previous events, the exhibition had also combined with the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), so those outdoor brands had a chance to demonstrate their ...

  • iStock-1182447205
    Opinion

    Black Friday – is this the guilty secret of fashion, but a wonderful opportunity for the outdoor Industry?

    2021-11-25T16:07:00Z

    The origin of Black Friday was the clearing of dead stock so that the new product, which would reach premium price in the lead up to Christmas present, had room to be displayed. Every product line is meant to sell out, but nothing ever runs that perfectly. Some lines do ...

  • pd jury.6
    Article

    Review: Performance Days / Functional Fabric Fair Fabric Forum Jury

    2021-10-25T09:59:00Z

    …or in other words: what will be seen in a year’s time! Quite a mouthful, but having seen over 1,000 samples of curated fabric swatches over the second half of a week – the Outdoor & Sports industry should be proud that lockdown did not stop the development of fabric. ...

  • OIA 21 Diversity panel
    Opinion

    Review (and general observations) of British OIA AGM

    2021-09-21T10:54:00Z

    This last week saw the British Outdoor Industry (OIA) have their annual gathering (to go through the financial reporting on their trade body) and bring together their membership – based on the principle that if the trade works together, more can be achieved. It was at the same event in ...

  • photo-boards-D0xQQsZovws-unsplash
    Opinion

    Opinion: Sustainability - Have we all got the wrong approach?

    2021-09-07T12:55:00Z

    There is not a single outdoor brand I know that does not have a sustainability policy – if anything, the term sustainability has been used for such a wide range of applications even I end up confused as to what it really means. There are two common definitions: the ...

  • MV0919_EOS_583
    Opinion

    Opinion: Outdoor by ISPO webinar, co-hosted by the EOG

    2021-08-24T05:31:00Z

    At the end of last month, there was a webinar about the show in October, which will happen outside the regular buying window for brands selling to retailers. The European Outdoor Group (EOG) had already spoken to their membership and would host up to 100 shell-scheme stands supporting the event. ...

  • OutDoorByISPO_hr_7311
    Opinion

    Opinion: Outdoor by ISPO – See you there!

    2021-07-07T09:58:00Z

    There is much debate around the new date of the Munich show as it seems to make no sense to have a gathering after the forward order books close. However, I think those who leap to this conclusion should have retired with the dinosaurs. Last week I was fortunate enough ...

  • OTS-Logo-CMYK@72dpi
    Article

    Review: Outdoor Trade Show (OTS) 2021

    2021-07-06T11:46:00Z

    From Tuesday to Thursday, retail buyers came to browse the assortments of more than 120 brands, from big players like Mammut to perennial market players like Helinox and new ventures like Dirtbags. Source: Charles Ross Andrew Denton, CEO OIA, opening the Sustainability Breakfast Over three days, the ...

  • Performance Days - Digital Fair December 2020_1
    Opinion

    Digital is here - but what is it missing for the Ingredient Sourcing Industry?

    2021-04-23T08:11:00Z

    The one positive thing agreed is that Covid-19 has accelerated the transformation to digital. It has offered more than a stop-gap solution, but has it provided a complete solution? If this question had been asked 18 months ago, everyone had made plans for a digital version this decade, but not ...

  • gemma-chua-tran-6tHTXiSRUi8-unsplash
    Opinion

    Opinion: The drip feed of the new product releases of this millennium

    2021-04-07T03:08:00Z

    As this decade starts to establish itself after the restricted conditions around the beginning of last year, there is a call out to Build Back Better. What this means is the re-establishment of the Outdoor Industry as Covid comes under control. However, the big change crept in while everyone was ...

  • fahmi-ariza-fW8Z_lHzg4E-unsplash Kopie
    Opinion

    Biodegradability: The next battle in the war of greenwashing?

    2021-02-15T09:37:00Z

    One of the main incoming extra features attached to synthetics this spring is biodegradability. Synthetics have come in for much criticism as they are seen as the primary source of plastics in the ocean, so would it make sense to have the visible part of them break down quicker: Is ...

  • zoe-schaeffer-D_VjFp1ds1Y-unsplash
    Article

    ReGenerative Agriculture: How natural ingredient sourcing can create a climate positive garment

    2021-02-11T08:18:00Z

    ReGenerative Agriculture (ReGenAg) is becoming a buzzword with several brands: Patagonia is using this type of cotton, Finisterre is sourcing the wool, Timberland – the leather, while The North Face (TNF) has already launched product using this wool but is currently integrating the cotton within their supply chain. The trend ...