Speaking with brands about their challenges with supply chains this year, you hear the word "whiplash" thrown around pretty often. "Roller coaster" comes up a lot, too. Both feel highly appropriate. In March and April, as retailers shut down and consumer demand for outdoor ...read more
VF Corporation released its 2020 Inclusion and Diversity Annual Profile to the public in recent days, providing an in-depth look at the company’s global efforts to create a highly inclusive culture that celebrates the diversity among its 50,000 employees. The report—the first ...read more
Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web Icebreaker vows to be 100 percent plastic-free by 2023. “We want to change the conversation around how clothes are made and the synthetics within them and make the information accessible to enable more conscious purchases,” ...read more
This year, icebreaker celebrates 25 years of creating world class natural apparel, challengingthe status quo on how clothing is made and what it is made from. Not only leading the charge with its transparent, ethical and sustainable practices, icebreaker has initiated a long term ...read more
The Reveal Global Media Conference wrapped up the first day of its two-day program this afternoon, showcasing new products from brands like Cotopaxi, Hoka One One, and Mountain Hardwear in seven hours of Zoom presentations curated for more than 300 registered journalists. Hosted ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com The North Face today opened a new store in the SoHo neighborhood of Manhattan, New York, after unveiling an updated global retail strategy. The brand is ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com Tariffs are hurting our industry: The Trump administration just announced a new 10 percent tariff on $300 billion of Chinese imports, taking effect on Sept. 1. ...read more
The world is facing a plastic crisis: The once-pristine beaches of Bali are so overwhelmed by trash, they're totally unrecognizable; videos of sea turtles having plastic straws removed from their noses are going viral; and tiny fragments of plastic have been found in even the ...read more
Could backpacking insurance increase your time outside? More and more people are cutting down on their time outside to avoid the high healthcare costs often associated with the industry. After being injured himself, Charles Merritt developed an on-demand accident insurance ...read more
Last year, the Super Bowl, one of the largest events in the country with more than 100,000 attendees, sought to keep 90 percent of waste out of landfills and send 10 percent to a waste-to-energy plant. Due to its magnitude, some were skeptical. But they pulled it off. Now, it's ...read more
After years of discussing sobriety and what it means in the outdoor industry, Shannon Walton and Stacy Bare hosted the first sober happy hour in July at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market. They expected maybe 25 people to show up, but more than 100 attended to network in the ...read more
If you read anything today, make it Industry Buzz. Here are the latest headlines: Woot, woot for the little guys! Jennifer Scism and David Koorits, founders of gourmet camp-food company Good To-Go, received Maine’s Small Business Manufacturer of the Year Award. The couple ...read more
Every layering system starts at skin level. And whether it’s wool, synthetic, or a little bit of both, there’s no shortage of brands who make great baselayers. But that doesn’t mean we can’t chime in on our favorites. So tell us, who do you think makes the most killer baselayers? ...read more
Eight years after becoming the first wool company in the world to incorporate traceability into its products (with its innovative “Baacode”), and just two months after announcing its acquisition by VF Corp., New Zealand’s 22-year-old Icebreaker turns the spotlight on its own ...read more
So many great brands, so little time. The world is brimming with awesome outdoor socks. Whether its because of quality, colorways, fit, customer service, brand story, or something else, tell us: Which is your favorite sock company? We narrowed it down to ten great options: Farm ...read more
Icebreaker announced today that it has been acquired by VF Corporation. The U.S.-based company owns many big name brands, including SmartWool, Vans, The North Face, and Timberland. The terms of the deal were not disclosed. Founder Jeremy Moon says the inspiration for starting ...read more
Camping World has acquired a Chicago-based, family-owned chain, Uncle Dan’s Outfitters. The specialty retailer sells outdoor gear, apparel, and camping supplies. Brands include Patagonia, The North Face, Canada Goose, Icebreaker, Merrell, Mountain Hardware, and Hydro Flask. ...read more
It is 2017, and we are now #adultsummercamping. Don’t judge: That’s pretty much the No. 1, unspoken rule of the wild and wonderful new CamelBak Pursuit Series. It is the opposite of the “Gore-Tex Vortex” you’ll find in places like Boulder, and it’s a beginner outdoorist’s ...read more
We, the independent specialty retail shops, did all the legwork to create these customers. Without us, these companies wouldn't be here. I’m not sure there are many vendors that could survive without us, so I’m trying to help vendors balance capitalizing on the opportunities ...read more