Founded in 1990, Smartwool is a global maker of apparel, accessories, socks and slippers. Headquartered in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, Smartwool LLC operates as a subsidiary of V.F. Corporation, which also owns Altra, Icebreaker, Timberland and The North Face.
Smartwool has established a reputation for giving back to the community. For Black Friday 2018, the company made news by pledging donations to nonprofits Protect Our Winters and SOS Outreach. Likewise, Smartwool employees expressed their advocacy by donating to Colorado families experiencing food insecurity, members of the military serving overseas, and underserved youth around the country.
VF Corporation, the parent company of Smartwool, Timberland, and The North Face, announced today that it has signed a definitive merger agreement to acquire the direct-to-consumer streetwear company Supreme. The deal is set to be completed before the end of the year. Supreme, ...read more
Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web Avalanche beacon under scrutiny: A popular piece of avalanche safety equipment, the Pieps DSP Sport beacon, faces claims of malfunction from customers. Some are urging Black Diamond, which acts as a North American ...read more
Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web Vote the assholes out: Patagonia hid a provocative message on the back of some clothing tags this season. People just recently noticed, and the revelation is now making waves on the internet. [BACKPACKER] Body recovered in ...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' Honoring Mark Satkiewicz: Smartwool and SBT GRVL have partnered to host a month-long cycling event to raise money for the Mark Satkiewicz Memorial Fund. Dealing with race on the slopes: Among all skiing participants, 88 ...read more
Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web VF’s social consciousness: The parent company of The North Face and Smartwool snagged the top spot on Barron’s List of Most Socially Conscious Companies. Representation on public lands: Surveys of national parks show that ...read more
Mark Satkiewicz, partner at SBT GRVL, former GM of TOMS, and former president of Smartwool, passed away this weekend after a suspected cardiac incident during a bike ride near his home in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Satkiewicz was 51 years old. A much-heralded leader within the ...read more
L.L.Bean wades into U.S. wholesale: The legacy brand has announced that, for the first time, it will enter into wholesale partnerships in the U.S.—starting with Nordstrom, Staples, and the sporting goods store Scheels. [Business Insider] Coronavirus in Yellowstone: Tests have ...read more
The spring buying process is sure to be an interesting one this year, as retailers affected by the pandemic assess how much, if any, new product they can take on, and brands try to find ways to get their new offerings in front of buyers without the help of traditional trade ...read more
As outdoor leaders begin to speak out against racial injustice in the United States—once again brought to light by the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis—SNEWS is collecting their statements in one place. Our list currently includes the following voices: Access Fund, American ...read more
The best of SNEWS: Top stories we've published recently Coronavirus throws spring travel into chaos: The pandemic has changed life for everyone. See what industry professionals are saying about their travel plans. Queer identity and the outdoors: Venture Out Project founder Perry ...read more
Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at [email protected]. Stay up to date and get Industry Buzz delivered to your inbox by signing up for our newsletter. Have you met our new editor? Andrew Weaver joins the SNEWS staff. rygr expands staff and client ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at [email protected] To #OptOutside isn't enough, REI's CEO says. For the fifth time this Black Friday, REI Co-op will close all its stores, process no online payments and pay all ...read more
When the venerable Denali closed its doors in July 2019, leadership’s reason was that they “could not find a responsible path forward.” It got me wondering, what does it mean to be a responsible retailer today? To be successful, outdoor specialty shops have to offer much more ...read more
I'm riding a Stromer e-bike that goes up to 30 mph, yet Eric "Hende" Henderson biking with a trailer full of packrafts and gear is still hard to keep up with. We're pedal pushing along a 10-mile stretch from his office to the Boulder Reservoir for a mellow morning of paddling ...read more
Today Grassroots Outdoor Alliance announced the roster of finalists for its 2019 awards, which celebrate the very best in specialty outdoor retail. The winners will be crowned at the group’s Connect buying show on Saturday, June 8, 2019, in Knoxville, Tennessee. Awards are given ...read more
Luis Benitez is leaving his leadership post at the country's second-ever outdoor recreation office in Colorado for VF Corporation, the biggest company he helped lure to the state during his four years. Benitez will will become VP of government relations and global impact for VF, ...read more
Full disclosure: Gear is a wicked subjective thing. Always has been, always will be. To curate this list, our team of hardcore—and highly opinionated—gearheads pored over hundreds of new product launches, reading the specs and sifting through the marketing promises. We zoomed in ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at [email protected]. A trail runner was attacked by a mountain lion in Larimer County on Monday afternoon. But it's the mountain lion that didn't survive. With bare hands, the runner ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at [email protected]. Patagonia updated its mission statement from “Build the best product, cause no unnecessary harm, use business to inspire and implement solutions to the ...read more
Anyone who bumped into Carol Momoda was always glad they did. Just the sight of her made people smile and her laugh made them smile even bigger. Described as a larger-than-life personality, Momoda was an icon in the outdoor industry and worked at REI, Lowa Boots, and Smartwool. ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at [email protected]. Feral Mountain Co.'s new Denver location is opening this weekend! Read more here about what you can expect of Jimmy Funkhouser's revamp. Outdoor Research is ...read more
Smartwool announced it has hired Josh Novis as its Canadian Sales Manager, a new position created to allow Smartwool to better serve its customers in Canada. Canada is the fastest growing region globally at Smartwool. This team expansion shows how Smartwool is continuing to ...read more
In a roundtable with reporters Wednesday afternoon, VF Corporation CEO Steve Rendle brought his company’s decision to move to Denver in line with the conglomerate's employee-centric ethics, attributing the move to a push to attract and keep talent in a location that matches ...read more
