All REI articles
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ArticleREI to offer non-gendered own-brand products to promote inclusivity in the Outdoors
US retail chain REI Co-op announced the launch of its new spring line of gear and apparel, which also includes the brand’s first non-gendered apparel assortment for adults. Additionally, REI shared plans for its in-house brand to move beyond a gender-specific designation where it makes sense. As part of this ...
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ArticleREI reduces workforce
In a memo to affected REI Co-op employees, CEO Eric Artz announced that the US outdoor retailer will have to cut 357 jobs. This affects 200 employees at headquarters, 6 in S&CS, 30 in Experiences and 121 in distribution centers. “The coming days are going to be tough as we ...
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ArticleDIY repairs: 12 brands making repairs easy
Our listicle highlights the outdoor and sporting brands and retailers who are already helping consumers repair their own outdoor gear at home.
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News briefsREI cuts 275 retail jobs
U.S. outdoor retailer REI Co-op is cutting 275 of its 12,300 retail jobs as part of a broader plan to update its brick-and-mortar business model. The company’s employees were reportedly informed of the layoffs through a memo by REI’s VP of Stores, Mary-Farrell Tarbox, on Oct. 12. The cuts primarily ...
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ArticleREI Co-op Studios to release new co-produced films this fall
REI Co-op Studios, the in-house content division of US outdoor retailer REI, has announced the release and expanded distribution of several feature films, shorts and podcasts. The projects include “Canary,” a documentary about climate that will be released in the US on Sept. 15; “Frybread Face & ...
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News briefsREI wants every American within 5 minutes of outdoor space
REI Co-op has announced a multi-year, nationwide initiative across the U.S. to ensure that every person has immediate access to outdoor spaces. Dubbed “Outside in 5,” the community-led project will support local projects and national legislation. The co-op will also be putting $5 from every co-op membership into the REI ...
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ArticleU.S. Outdoor Industry Association launches PFAS phase-out advisory service and program
The U.S. Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) has launched its new Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition (CCMC), a comprehensive program, working group and advisory service that provides OIA members with strategies, scalable action plans and solutions for thoughtfully phasing out PFAS and other harmful chemicals in their products, and guides members ...
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ArticleOutdoor brands top desirable resale items in latest report
U.S.-based ThredUp, an online resale service provider and platform for women’s and kids’ apparel, has released its eleventh annual Resale Report. The report examines the current market as well as the expected value of the sector. Although based on American consumers, it is expected similar figures would apply in Europe, ...
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ArticleTrove releases first Brand Resale Index for 2023
Trove, the U.S.-based service provider whose technology powers the resale services of several sporting goods manufacturers, has released its first Brand Resale Index, titled “Defining the Resale Experience.” The index is the first report of its kind, agnostic to the resale platform provider, and it evaluates the adoption of leading ...
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ArticleREI updates product standards for its vendors, addresses climate change, bans PFAS and more
U.S. outdoor retailer REI Co-op has released its latest Product Impact Standards report to promote more sustainable and inclusive business practices. The report is the third since 2018, and the latest guidelines were developed in consultation with partner brands, building on three key areas: Addressing climate change, promoting inclusion in ...
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ArticleNew OIA study: How to save money and reduce emissions
Five members of the U.S. Outdoor Industry Association’s (OIA) climate action corps have now released the results of a jointly commissioned study on the feasibility of electrifying the textile and apparel industry. Burton, New Balance, Patagonia, REI Co-op and W.L. Gore’s fabrics division partnered with the OIA for the study, ...
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ArticleShoes and sustainability: For Aku footwear the two belong together
Sustainability in the footwear industry is still in its infancy but one pioneering Italian brand isn’t shying away from the difficult issues
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News briefsNew resale platform for Canada Goose
Canada Goose has launched a new DTC secondhand offering powered by Trove, the service provider who also runs the secondhand stores of Patagonia, Lululemon, REI, Arc’teryx, On and Allbirds. Canada Goose’s new authorized reselling platform “Canada Goose Generations” is stocked with post-consumer product that is traded in online. Items are ...
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News briefsREI to close its stores permanently and forever on Black Friday
U.S. outdoor specialty retailer REI Co-op has announced that its Opt Outside movement for all employees will be permanent. On this Black Friday and every other Black Friday in the future, the co-op will forgo profits and sales at all stores and instead pay its more than 16,000 employees to ...
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ArticleREI's Path Ahead Ventures launches first founders of color support program in the U.S.
U.S. retailer Recreational Equipment, Inc. (REI) is launching its Navigate accelerator program with an inaugural cohort of six companies. Path Ahead Ventures partners with founders of color as they further their growth in the outdoor industry, offering them a 16-week program that provides funding, mentorship, curated programming and access to ...
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News briefsREI expands its adventure travel program in the U.S.
U.S. retail co-op REI is expanding its line of multi-day adventure trips, guided day tours, rental outlets and adventure centers as part of a multi-year strategy to get 3 million people outside each year. Consumer interest in the outdoors and related activities has surged across the country in recent years, ...
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News briefsFull Circle Everest Expedition summits and sets a sign of diversity in climbing
Seven members of the all-black climber’s team of the Full Circle Everest Expedition reached the summit peak on May 12, 2022, roughly 60 years after the first U.S. citizen climbed Everest for the first time. The Full Circle Everest Expedition (counting eleven experienced climbers) set out to make history with ...
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News briefsNRDC rolls out eliminate PFAS campaign targeting Columbia Sportswear
The U.S.-based activist group Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), together with the U.S. PIRG Education Fund, have launched a new campaign urging Columbia Sportswear to eliminate per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) chemicals from their products and supply chain by 2024. The campaign will engage everyday consumers through a petition drive ...
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ArticleThredUp debuts Recommerce 100 report, sees rapid growth of brand’s resale programs
U.S.-based company ThredUP, a large online resale service provider and platform for women’s and kids’ apparel, shoes and accessories, has started a monthly index that tracks which brands and retailers have launched resale programs and monitors their potential impact on the planet. The monthly Recommerce 100 report, conducted by the ...
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ArticleIf OR moves back to Salt Lake, could an exhibitor boycott loom?
Several outdoor companies announced Monday they would boycott the Outdoor Retailer (OR) trade show events if they were moved from Denver to Salt Lake City. Their reasoning is that they suspect the Utah state government has unacceptable plans for some state national monuments and public lands. The announcement came after ...
