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Former Thule CEO appointed to Hestra’s board
Magnus Welander has been appointed to the board of the Swedish company Hestra Gloves. Welander joins Hestra after 14 years as CEO of Thule Group. Under his leadership, the outdoor company has achieved impressive growth, with an increased brand presence and several new product segments. Before Hestra, he spent many ...
New study shows circular strategies can help outdoor brands grow while reducing carbon emissions
Confirming what many already suspected, a new study released by Trove and the impact intelligence platform Worldly has concluded that circular strategies can lead to significant carbon reduction in the fashion industry, and crucially, also for Outdoor brands.
Expert talks, Footwear and more at Performance Days
With one week to go before Performance Days, Charles Ross shares some last minute insights into what to expect.
Lycra releases Planet Agenda Update and reports sustainability progress
Fiber and textile technology provider The Lycra Company has released its second annual Planet Agenda Update and Global Sustainability Scorecard Summary for the fiscal year 2022. The documents report on the progress the company has made toward achieving its 2030 sustainability goals, as announced in last year’s release.
U.S. outdoor industry praises launch of American Climate Corps
On Sept. 20, the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) celebrated the Biden administration’s historic action to launch the American Climate Corps, which will be tasked with building a clean and climate-resilient economy and promoting a strong outdoor workforce.
Icebug starts collaboration with Danish supplier of sustainable leather
By using fully traceable leather from Scandinavia, Swedish footwear manufacturer Icebug can further reduce its carbon footprint. This is possible thanks to a collaboration with Spoor, a Danish company specializing in sustainable leather.
Columbia Sportswear releases 2022 Impact Report
Columbia Sportswear Company has released its Impact Report 2022, which highlights the company’s performance and progress across the three pillars of its corporate responsibility strategy: Empowering People, Sustaining Places and Responsible Practices.
Houdini expands circularity platform, launches “Houdini Circle”
Swedish sportswear company and sustainability pioneer Houdini is expanding its circularity platform, opening “Houdini Circle,” the first retail concept of its kind, in Stockholm on Sept. 28.
KMD Brands’ FY results marred by poorer consumer sentiment in Q4
Strong sales growth from all three of KMD Brands’ brands – Rip Curl, Kathmandu and Oboz – was offset by weaker results in the year’s final period ended July 31. Annual Ebitda rose 11.2 percent to 200.1 New Zealand dollars (€117.1m), but net profit was essentially flat at NZ$36.6 million ...
R Raymon and Pierer New Mobility part ways
The first rumors of a separation surfaced when the R Raymon bicycle brand, founded by German bicycle industrialist couple Susanne and Felix Puello, was not featured at this year’s Pierer New Mobility booth at Eurobike in Frankfurt. Now Pierer New Mobility and the Puellos have announced they are going their ...
Cycling industry veteran joins POC as new CEO
POC, the Swedish manufacturer of helmets, eyewear, protective equipment and apparel founded in 2005, has appointed Derek Bouchard-Hall as its new CEO, effective immediately. He succeeds Jonas Sjögren, who served as POC’s CEO since early 2017, and will be based at the company’s Stockholm headquarters.
OIA seconds the UK government's new physical activity initiative
The British Outdoor Industries Association (OIA) said it is very pleased to see the publication of the UK Government’s policy paper, “Get Active: a strategy for the future of sport and physical activity” launched last week. The UK Government announced it will join forces with former sports stars, health professionals ...
PrimaLoft introduces new durable synthetic insulation
PrimaLoft, Inc. has introduced its latest innovation, PrimaLoft Utility. PrimaLoft Utility represents a new design approach and sets “new benchmarks in durability within the realm of synthetic insulation while also providing unparalleled ease of use and care.”
REI 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 & Me,” a narrative ...
UTMB launches new sustainability roadmap, “UTMB for the Planet”
UTMB Group has launched “UTMB for the Planet,” a new action plan focusing on regenerating our planet and UTMB communities. The project builds on the actions in place at the Dacia UTMB Mont-Blanc since 2003. UTMB for the Planet will guide all the sustainability actions of UTMB Group and will ...
Rotor taking a hit in revenues
Rotor, the Spanish manufacturer of bicycle components, had the best year in its history in 2022, when revenues fell just shy of €22 million, improving by 30 percent on the previous year, but things have since slowed. The first half of 2023 produced a 25 percent drop in sales, and ...
Zero Waste Europe calls for legal framework banning the destruction of unsold fashion items
Zero Waste Europe, a network of European NGOs working toward a zero-waste future, has published a new paper that asks for a legal framework banning the destruction of unsold fashion goods. The paper, titled “A Zero Waste Vision for Fashion -Chapter 1: All We Need Is Less,” points to the ...
VF Corp collaborates with winner of Redress Design Award 2023
VF Corp and the Hong Kong-based environmental NGO Redress have announced the winner of the Redress Design Award 2023. The award is the world’s largest sustainable fashion design competition and aims to provide a platform for emerging fashion designers to advance the circular economy in the fashion industry.
The final program of EOS 2023 in Berlin
The European Outdoor Summit (EOS) is held annually for around 300 delegates to learn more about and discuss the issues that we, as an industry, collectively face. The topics are always related to industry needs and focus on current and future economic, technical and social trends, to develop a theme ...
Performance Days 2023: Still asking the big questions around fabrics
Charles Ross gives us a sneak peek into the next edition of Performance Days, Performance Forum and how both reflect the industry’s biggest issues.
Trade show organizer Raccoon Media acquired by investment company
Cuil Bay Capital, a new U.K.-based investment firm led by exhibition entrepreneur Doug Emslie, has announced its first investment with the acquisition of a majority stake in U.K.-based Raccoon Media Group. Raccoon was founded in 2016 and achieved great success with the launch of the National Running Show. Since then, ...
VW’s financial service takes a stake in Pon’s bike leasing subsidiary
On Sept. 4, the Volkswagen Group announced in a side sentence at a press conference (much of which was about cars and less about bikes) at the IAA Mobility press day in Munich that it planned to enter the bike leasing business. Pon Holdings B.V., a company familiar with the ...
Vista Outdoor announces public filing to spin off its outdoor product brands
Vista Outdoor Inc., the parent company of 41 sports and outdoor brands, filed a public registration statement on Form 10 with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on Sept. 5, 2023, in connection with its previously announced plan to separate its Outdoor Products and Sporting Products segments into two independent, ...
KSR Group files for court-supervised restructuring proceedings
Austrian two-wheeler wholesaler and importer KSR Group announced on Sept. 6 that it will file for court-ordered restructuring proceedings. Due to increased energy prices, high inflation and the loss of customers’ purchasing power, the economic situation has changed drastically over the past year in the markets served by the family-owned ...
Mips acquires 25% in US sensor tech firm
Swedish helmet safety specialist Mips AB has entered into an agreement to acquire 25 percent of Dallas, Texas-based sensor technology company Quintessential Design, Inc (Quin Design) for $7.3 million. Quin is an ingredient brand for event detection technology and has been providing specialized sensor fusion and software for helmet brands ...
Pierer reports strong H1 sales and revenue, PTWs offset bicycle sales
Pierer Mobility AG achieved record sales of EUR 1.39 million in the first six months of the year (+20.2 percent compared to the first half of the prior year). This result is mainly due to the excellent development of the PTW (Power Two-Wheelers = motorcycles and e-bikes) business.
Von Dewitz chosen as CEO of “Female Allstar Board”
For the third time, German business magazine Handelsblatt and the consulting firm Bain & Company chose outstanding female players in business for the Female Allstar Board. The initiative aims to help ensure more women are represented in leadership positions.
New Swedish Wool Standard paves way for sustainable textile industry
Half of the wool produced in Sweden ends up in waste, while Swedish brands in fashion, outdoor and home textiles are actively seeking sustainable textile materials. In response, The Swedish Wool Initiative is introducing the first Swedish classification system for wool. The new Swedish Wool Standard simplifies the sale and ...
Application phase for Fjällräven Polar starts end of October
In April 2024, Fjällräven Polar will offer 20 people from all over the world the chance to experience a 300 km expedition through the Arctic tundra of Scandinavia. For five days, the adventurers will steer their dog sleds through the vast icy landscapes, immersing themselves in a world completely different ...
SBTi report: 87% more companies set science-based goals in 2022
The Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) reported a sharp rise in companies setting science-based targets in 2022, with 87 percent more having their targets validated (1,097), more than the entire previous seven years combined (1,082).
