This story originally ran in the Summer 2020 issue of The Voice. To read the free digital issue, access it here. A few years ago, as the trade war with China heated up, Mark Wolf decided he had had enough. Already frustrated with theft of his company's intellectual property in ...read more
Industry headlines: Intriguing reads from around the web Building anti-racism in the outdoors: Transforming the industry will require immediate, deliberate, and sustained action. [Outside Online] MEC in trouble: The Canadian retailer announced more layoffs as a direct result of ...read more
The Trump administration handed a small victory yesterday to outdoor brands hurting from the ongoing trade war with China. A new round of product exclusions has exempted some key categories of outdoor goods from tariffs imposed by the White House. The newly excluded products ...read more
A little less than a month after outdoor companies with Chinese supply chains got some relief from a preliminary trade deal, they’re now reeling from work stoppages caused by the coronavirus outbreak. Large outdoor apparel companies VF Corp. and Columbia Sportswear are losing ...read more
Last week, the 2020 Outdoor Retailer Snow Show brought thousands of vendors, retail buyers, athletes, journalists, and nonprofit professionals together in Denver to get up close and personal with the newest and most important developments in our industry. Over three days, ...read more
"No, we can't move." By Kay Martin, CEO of BOCO Gear BOCO Gear has a unique business model: We offer customized, high-quality performance headwear delivered within 35 days, for as few as 35 units at a time. We made this happen through an exclusive agreement with our factory ...read more
In early January, we found attorney Andrew Grant in his element: In the previous week, almost six feet of snow had pummeled Washington’s Snoqualmie Pass, a cluster of ski areas 50 miles east of Seattle. Even better, he’d just dropped his two young kids in lessons and ducked into ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com. A royal order: The Queen of England is tired of single-use plastic and recently banned its use at all Royal estates. Plastic straws are being phased out. ...read more
Last week, President Donald Trump shared welcome news on Twitter: The U.S. and China reached the first phase of a trade deal and is forging ahead on a second phase. Because of the negotiations, a 15 percent tariff on outdoor apparel, footwear, and equipment on List 4B slated for ...read more
The outdoor industry is closely watching the Trump administration's trade deals, given the unfurling of several rounds of tariffs over the last two years. Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) recently provided two updates for members. North American Free Trade Agreement After ...read more
Outdoor businesses are running out of wiggle room for tariffs on all types of products, as duty after duty gets added to the cost of doing business with China. Some brands are turning to their last resort—raising prices. “The China tariffs are looking more and more like a giant ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com. Joe Prebich, formerly of Native, Fjällräven, and most recently, Mammut, is planning "exponential growth" for Eyebobs, a Minneapolis-based designer eyewear maker. ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com New trade developments with Thailand and China: Outdoor Industry Association's Rich Harper provided an update this week, with news of the U.S. preserving ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com TGR goes green: Teton Gravity Research announced that they have flipped the switch to 100 percent local green energy at their Wilson, Wyoming-based headquarters. ...read more
Should negotiations between China and the U.S. stay on track, outdoor businesses could be spared from multiple tariff hikes over the next two months. On Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he had reached "phase one" of a trade deal with China, one that includes a halt ...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 update: The U.S. Trade Representative's latest list of Chinese products granted exclusions include singlespeed adult bikes, motorized skateboards, ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com Xero Shoes on tariffs and moving manufacturing out of China: “It’s a really challenging and dangerous thing to do, and especially for a small business. You’ve got ...read more
Despite pleading by numerous outdoor businesses, the Trump administration has imposed even more tariff increases with some starting as early as Sunday. It's "the worst possible time," according to a group of 160 trade associations who sent a letter to the president on Wednesday. ...read more
Columbia Sportswear Company's great hope is that consumers never have to think about a tariff, Chief Administrative Office Peter Bragdon said. But the trade war with China doesn't seem to be cooling anytime soon and tariffs are top of mind for many outdoor businesses. "Enough ...read more
New data from Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) shows that gear brands have paid more than $1.5 billion more in tariffs since September compared to the previous year due to the ongoing trade war with China. That number is expected to multiply once an additional 10 percent tax is ...read more
The tariffs on Chinese imports just keep coming. President Donald Trump last week announced that the U.S. will impose 10 percent on $300 billion worth of products—a fourth round in the trade war—which could include all outdoor apparel, footwear, tents, sleeping bags, skis, ...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
Summer Market 2019 was just my third Outdoor Retailer show, so the experience still leaves me a little giddy and starstruck. This time around I met some of the founders behind my favorite brands, chatted with my Instagram heroes, and also cruised the show floor— attending panel ...read more
Keep up by reading Industry Buzz. Here are today's top headlines: Have a news tip? Email us at snewsedit@aimmedia.com Outdoor Industry Association released this statement regarding the recent restart on the U.S./China trade talks: “We welcome news that there is a pause in the ...read more