Columns – Page 2
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Opinion
ISPO has all the magic ingredients – so why not the footfall that celebrates the pulse of the industry?
Having missed Outdoor by ISPO last summer and just heard negative comments about it, I wasn’t sure what to expect at ISPO Munich in early December. However, even before the show started, my schedule was already full (in fact, overfull) for the first two days, so I was only able ...
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Opinion
Before we sell more new stuff – can we do something about ‘broken’ waterproof shells?
The linear business model of this industry is to make-sell-disown product. This is not the much-heralded circular business model frequently spoken about. The facts are that the industry makes the most profit by selling stuff. If a product gets returned under warranty, it is often easier just to replace it ...
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Opinion
Day 0: Textile Sustainability Class 101
A deep dive into sustainability took center stage at the Functional Fabric Fair, fostering collaboration and solutions for the outdoor industry.
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Opinion
Mark Held: OutDoor – a time for decisions
This message by Mark Held, former EOG President, urges the outdoor industry to embrace OutDoor’s revamped model, which offers new, cost-effective opportunities.
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Opinion
Doing the Right Thing: Perhaps the search for new loses sight of the horizon
Charles Ross discusses the shift towards PFC-free chemistry, the industry’s role in environmental impact and how brands can refocus for sustainable change.
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Opinion
Materials Matter: The Textile Exchange conference delivers what is required from an NGO
Textile Exchange gathers global experts to advance material sustainability, tackle recycling challenges and address overconsumption in textiles. OIC columnist Charles Ross was in Pasadena and shares some insights.
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Opinion
Performance Days: Moved up to another level?
3,838 people came through the doors to Performance Days in late October 2024, the two-day ingredient sourcing event at Messe Munich last week. The event in March of this year had a 2,999 footfall – which was a show record attendance in itself. At a time when some shows are ...
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Opinion
Functional Textiles Shanghai: Getting the buzz back to what shows offer
FTS brings key sports and outdoor textile players together for dynamic discussions, highlighting innovations in sustainable materials.
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Opinion
EOS 2024: Particularly good, but are we our own worst enemies?
At the 2024 European Outdoor Summit in Cambridge, leaders reflected on sustainability achievements, emphasizing the need to celebrate industry successes more often.
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Opinion
The waterproof jacket: What the outdoor industry should focus on
OIC’s columnist Charles Ross explores the evolution of waterproof jackets, highlighting the balance between performance and sustainability in the outdoor industry.
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Opinion
What’s in the diary: Which events are worth attending?
Readers who have followed this column for a while will know I have a slightly different incoming channel of information than most in the outdoor industry. Some of this information is valuable, while some is too off-topic to be applicable. This is the feedback I receive. Although I am an ...
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Opinion
The churn is the concern. Is the answer as simple as this?
My most frequently asked opinion around the textile industry is what to do as individual consumers want to reduce their footprint. Their real question is which brand is best to patronize if something new has to be bought. This is a valid question, as without profit coming into the industry, ...
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Opinion
Gorpcore – the new Athleisure?
Those of us who have been in this industry since the last Millennium will remember the switch to professionalism in the 1990s when the company founders brought in business specialists to develop their brands. Outwardly, this meant that production was relocated to the Pacific Rim, but it was also the ...
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Opinion
Consumers seek solace outdoors: Key trends and insights from OR Summer 2024
Discover how the outdoor industry is evolving with trends from Outdoor Retailer Summer 2024. From casual outdoor fun to fashion-forward gear and sustainable practices, learn how consumers find solace and cope with modern life outdoors.
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Opinion
Recap: OTS 2024 Sustainability Breakfast
The British Outdoor Trade Show summer event has copied the principle of the European Outdoor Group’s (EOG) gathering on the second morning of the show to get interested people in the same room to focus on a subject. Whereas OutDoor by ISPO has migrated to the whole reach of the ...
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Opinion
Purpose; Passion; Profit – what counts most?
Those students who I have taught know I am a fan of Malcolm Gladwell – someone I first met in person 26 years ago in Colorado. Best known for his Tipping Point and also Outliers books, I always recommend Blink as an important text to read. The latter is about ...
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Opinion
Emma Zwiebler: Why movement is the best prescription for a healthy workforce
In this opinion piece (originally published on the WEF Agenda blog), Emma (Mason) Zwiebler, CEO of WFSGI, examines the growing cost of physical inactivity and what employers can do to help employees integrate physical activity into their workday.
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Opinion
Opinion: (CSR) Standards – Worth the effort?
Ana Kristiansson prompted a lively debate on LinkedIn around “Are Certifications Bullsh*t?” and it has been interesting to follow the multitude of comments on the platform. Ana is one of the good guys, and the post highlighted that not everything is that straightforward. Perhaps my main conclusion is that everyone ...
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Opinion
The bad reputation of the textiles industry: Are we ever going to get rid of the misconceptions?
Our columnist Charles Ross comments on EOG’s recent announcement that the first project funded through its Impact Accelerator Fund (IAF) initiative will focus on improving access to renewable energy in Taiwan and will be led by an organization called Act Renewable.
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Opinion
Corporate social responsibility - could this be a way to reduce staff fluctuation?
There has been a culture change towards employment in my lifetime: no longer are workers expecting jobs for life. The change has already happened but is sparking something greater with those affected. My graduating students realize they need work skills and know that a period of attachment with a brand ...
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