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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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Opinion
Accessories at Performance Days: It is the little things that make the difference
In terms of ingredient sourcing, the brand names associated with a product can tell a lot about it. If a jacket is made from Gore-Tex, you know that it is using some of the best materials (which usually means the item has a higher price point). The same association is ...
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Opinion
An open letter from Mark Held on the future of outdoor trade shows
The European Outdoor Group (EOG) asked Mark Held, its co-founder and former President, for his take on the situation regarding trade shows as a whole. In response, Mark wrote an open letter to the industry from his own perspective.
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Opinion
Design: This Industry’s most underused superpower?
In the run-up to the Performance Days in Munich, our author Charles Ross is wondering whether we might be overlooking the most obvious solution to our problems…
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Opinion
The circular economy: How well are outdoor brands actually doing it?
The buzzword of the corporate social responsibility teams has now been part of the diction for a decade – but how have brands fared with circularity? Has the word become as meaningless as sustainability has (which means all things to all people)? Circular economy is also being greenwashed The most ...
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Opinion
Recap: The British Snowsports trade show Slide/OTS Winter
Telford hosted the British Snowsports trade show Slide/OTS Winter again, but this time with MCS (who provide the back-office services for the Outdoor Industries Association) in the organizer role. Imagine a smaller version of ISPO – but with the snow, brands included and a lower price for being there. A ...
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Opinion
The Rise of the Intelligent User: Are brands keeping up?
Our columnist Charles Ross looks back on the past year and takes a closer look at the new generation of consumers, with whom he can relate as a former gear nerd himself, but whose modern consumer universe looks a little different than it used to.
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Opinion
Ingredient sourcing shows: The future of trade shows or just nerd nirvana?
Is there a future for trade shows? Our event aficionado Charles Ross thinks so, if they make one big change. And one show is leading by example.
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Opinion
From Evolution to Revolution – Performance Days 2023
Performance Day’s Functional Fabric Curator Alexa Dehmel and “fabric nerd” Charles Ross present a picture diary and summary of October’s event.
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Opinion
Opinion: A recap of EOS 2023 in Berlin
The European Outdoor Summit, the annual gathering of the Outdoor Industry, is the closest thing offered to expand the thinking of the trade – and it does a pretty good job of it. Anyone looking for inspiration from within the market will be in the vicious circle of trying to ...
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Opinion
Product design in the outdoor industry – where to start
Charles Ross’ resume of more than 25 years blends work with outdoor brands, teaching roles on fashion and sportswear design courses at various universities, and his own love of all-things performance fabric related. He is therefore the ideal person to answer the question: How can we improve the future of ...
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Opinion
Trade shows: “Sometimes the value cannot be beaten”
After OTS in the UK, Charles Ross still sees value in trade shows. The best bring leadership, collaboration and are moving with the Industry.
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Opinion
The mountain and the metaverse – Synergy or contradiction?
Following our interview with Christoph Engl, the CEO of Oberalp, conducted at the 5th Oberalp Summit, we present a follow-up article by sportswear expert Alexa Dehmel, who looks at the event on the topic of “Metaverse” from a designer’s perspective.
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Opinion
What makes the perfect industry award jury?
A long-standing member of many award committees in the outdoor industry world, Charles Ross explains what makes a good industry award jury
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Opinion
Earth Day: For hippies, greenwashing, or a real opportunity for brands?
With many brands marking the occasion, will Earth Day become just another gimmick? Our expert shares how brands can meaningfully take part.
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Opinion
Sustainability Reports: Greenwashing, job creating, or doing good?
For those who want to find them, outdoor brands are now producing reports about their impacts. Just like a business has to produce its company accounts on a regular basis to demonstrate that they are operating legitimately, there is now a push for more than just profit-and-loss financial figures. Fortunately, ...
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Opinion
Opinion: A Rab solution for the non-perfect world of CSR impact ratings?
Rab (the U.K. outdoor brand owned by Equip Outdoor Technologies) has announced it is introducing an agnostic rating system on its product in the hope that it will persuade others to use something similar so that the public image of the industry is more consistent with what the public wants ...
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Opinion
Opinion: DeGrowth is not about the companies – it is the user
A report inspired by both the European Outdoor Summit in Annecy and the Blue Earth Summit in Bristol.
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Opinion
Sponsorship: Perhaps this is how it can be most effective?
Sponsorship can take place in a wide variety of forms, but should usually pay off in terms of marketing targets. Charles Ross shares what he sees as missed sponsorship opportunities in the Outdoor industry, and which have had unexpected success. He also illustrates that doing the right thing can be all that matters.
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Opinion
Opinion: Is it all just Greenwashing? Criticism of sustainability data threatens industry improvement
Last month the Norwegian Consumer Authority (NCA) challenged Norrøna regarding “misleading environmental claims” as a result of the brand’s use of outfacing information from one of the modules included in the Higg Index. The challenge was based on the fact that the Sustainable Apparel Coalition (SAC) had included older data ...