Volume 19 I ssue 1 | SPRING 2022 www.insideoutdoor.com SO MUCH SUMMER WOOL PIONEERS Monetize Your Wi-Fi Campers Disperse S/S ’23 NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE
SHOP ONLINE AVENTON.COM LIMITS? never heard of ‘em. Sinch: A rugged & compact folding ebike equipped with fat tires and a front suspension to tackle rough terrains.
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 4 BRAND WATCH 24 Adding trust to traceability 24 Dickies doubles online conversion 25 Rise of the UnNew 26 A Show for Specialty The Big Gear Show’s biggest differentiator could be its small, specialty mindset By Martin Vilaboy 28 JYOTI Foods Fulfills the Need for On-the-Go Nutrition By Brady Hicks IN-SEASON 30 The Drive to Disperse At-capacity campgrounds have created a boom in dispersed campers By Martin Vilaboy 32 Spring/Summer ’23 New Product Showcase 6 Editor’s Letter 8 Rep News & Notes 50 Ad index START ‘EM UP 10 Locate lost gear 10 Sustainable sole 12 Kids get a fresh start-up 12 ’70s sweater style TECH SAVVY 14 Monetize Your Store Wi-Fi By Bruce Christian THE ADVOCATES 18 Pioneering New Trails for American Wool By Glenna Musante C O N T E N T S SPRING 2022 INSIDEOUTDOOR MAGAZINE www. i ns i deou t doo r. com Volume 16 I ssue 5 | 2021 Di rector y OUTDOOR RETAIL 2021 VENDOR DIRECTORY A to Z A 21 R RY Volume 19 I ssue 1 | SPRING 2022 www.insideoutdoor.com SO MUCH SUMMER SUPPLY CHAIN SHIFTS WOOL PIONEERS IONEE Monetize Your Wi-Fi ti e Campers Disperse er Di r S/S ’23 NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE S ’2 30 14 18
caused by rubbing ESSENTIAL ALLERGEN FREE ©2022 Body Glide MADE IN THE USA prevent blisters, chafing, raw skin TO 44074-U Outdoor Military Sports Travel NEVER WET OR OILY ® Running years 25 for more than YOUR INVITE HERE
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 6 BACK TO BUSINESS IN SLC As much as the outdoor community was behind the move, Denver simply didn’t work out as a home for Outdoor Retailer and its summer and winter expos. Before show operators Emerald could fully settle into the new digs and dates in Denver, the entire tradeshow landscape abruptly shifted under its feet. Trends that largely threatened massive, traditional conventions greatly accelerated, and it became nearly impossible for OR to fit the capacity of Denver’s spacious Colorado Convention Center. A move back to Salt Lake City and the Salt Palace Convention Center became almost inevitable. And whether the return was a result of market shifts or the potential for mismanagement, it may be in the best interest of both show organizers and showgoers. For the attendees and exhibitors traveling to a large outdoor B2B gathering, downtown Salt Lake simply makes a lot of sense. As someone who has spent way too much of the past decades attending or exhibiting at B2B events in most of the major cities across the country, I’d argue that no major venue is without its major problems. Salt Lake, in the years it played host to OR, consistently was one of the easiest and most affordable areas to business travel in and out of. At the risk of sounding like a Utah visitors’ bureau, a trip to Sale Lake meant an airport that’s relatively quick to navigate and close to downtown. Costs for T&E items around the city were moderate to low compared to larger and other mid-sized cities. And unless things have changed significantly since OR left SLC the first time, the downtown area offers ample options to eat and drink that are within walking distance of the Salt Palace, while there might be more small and independently owned options to eat, drink and shop than even in Austin, Texas. Salt Lake certainly lacks the hotel choices of a place such as Denver, Orlando or Las Vegas. But we’re confident the number of hotel accommodations in downtown Salt Lake won’t be any issue post-COVID. A return to the OR attendance numbers that stressed hotel room supply in the mid- to late-2010s will require an impressive turnaround by Emerald executives, to say the least. Speaking as a person who thankfully also has traveled to ample of the natural wonders this country has to offer, the many places one can find outdoor relief or host a demo near downtown Salt Lake speak for themselves. While few areas can match the outdoor majesty of Colorado and the recreational opportunities near Denver, you can get from downtown Salt Lake to the bottom of a mountain quicker than you can get out of the rush hour traffic of most large urban areas. While the politics admittedly are sticky, from a purely logistical (and perhaps selfish) perspective, it’s hard to argue with Emerald’s move back to the Salt Palace. For an outdoor B2B gathering at the current size and momentum of Outdoor Retailer’s summer and winter expos, it’s simply a logical place to set-up camp. And for showgoers, if nothing else, the are a lot worse places to business travel to an expo. From the Editor Martin Vilaboy Editor-in-Chief martin@bekabusinessmedia.com Bruce Christian Contributing Editor bruce@bekabusinessmedia.com Brady Hicks Contributing Editor brady@bekabusinessmedia.com Percy Zamora Art Director percy@bekabusinessmedia.com Rob Schubel Digital Manager rob@bekabusinessmedia.com Jen Vilaboy Ad Production Director jen@bekabusinessmedia.com Berge Kaprelian Group Publisher berge@bekabusinessmedia.com Anthony Graffeo Publisher anthony@bekabusinessmedia.com Beka Business Media Berge Kaprelian President and CEO Jim Bankes Business Accounting Corporate Headquarters 10115 E Bell Road, Suite 107 - #517 Scottsdale, Arizona 85260 Voice: 480.503.0770 Email: berge@bekabusinessmedia.com © 2022 Beka Business Media, All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in any form or medium without express written permission of Beka Business Media, is prohibited. Inside Outdoor and the Inside Outdoor logo are trademarks of Beka Business Media
© 2022 The Chemours Company FC, LLC. Teflon™, Teflon EcoElite™ and any associated logos are trademarks or copyrights of The Chemours Company FC, LLC. Chemours™ and the Chemours Logo are trademarks of The Chemours Company. From nature. For nature. Our changing world calls for more sustainable solutions. So we created the first-ever plant-based non-fluorinated water repellent, with performance worthy of the Teflon™ brand. Teflon EcoElite™ finish from Chemours.
8 InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 Outdoor sales rep association 360 Adventure Collective, which has hosted regional events for sales reps and retailers for more than 40 years, heads to Greenville, S.C., this month to host its Southeast Summer Expo. The event, scheduled for June 20 to 23, 2022, at the Greenville Convention Center, will host more than 450 product lines. 360 Adventure Collective’s emphasis is on “providing conveniently located, cost-effective expos and encouraging connections through an intimate, open booth format,” said the group, setting its smaller regional shows apart from the larger national alternatives. This year, 360 Adventure Collective is leaning heavily into its regional roots to ensure its expos have an even smaller, more intimate feel. “More outdoor brands than ever are looking to regional trade shows to broaden their reach to local retailers,” said Stacey Gellert, executive director of 360 Adventure Collective. “In fact, we’re excited to welcome back signature outdoor brands such as Patagonia and The North Face for the first time in several years.” New this year, a special 360 Adventure Collective vendor committee has come together to incorporate new ways to add value to its trade shows. The Southeast Summer Expo will include free registration online or on-site, a complimentary lunch buffet each day, and on-site entertainment from a local band. “The 360 Adventure Collective trade show is where my agency gets things done,” said Ditta Hamby, key sales representative at Gravy Sales. “We connect with our current dealers in an open and friendly format and can show our whole portfolio of brands to one dealer without racing from booth to booth. It is very efficient for both the dealer and the rep. The open booth format allows for easy connection with new prospects, and the friendly chatter in the aisles lends to a great vibe.” Prior to the Southeast Southern Expo, 360 Adventure Collective kicks off its trade show season with the Mid-Atlantic Summer Expo at the NJ Convention Center in Edison, N.J., from June 14 to 16. The association then wraps up the month with the New England Summer Expo at the DoubleTree Hotel Expo, Armory & Ballroom in Manchester, N.H., from June 21 to 23. Part of an effort to strengthen its foothold in the North America market, Bollé Brands Group has promoted Myrosha “Myro” Daley to the position of vice president, head of specialty sales in NAM. Daley will spearhead the sales organization for Bollé Brand’s Sport & Luxury Specialty channels throughout the North American market. The company distributes Bollé, Serengeti, Bollé Safety and Spy Optics. In his last seven years working for SPY+ and Bollé Brands, Daley has been a large part of developing the Canadian market for the organization, said Peter Smith, CEO of Bollé Brands, while during the last several years, he took over the management of key accounts in the U.S. market and rebuilt the sales team in the U.S. Northwest. Zeal Optics Names Colombo NA Director of Sales Jesse Colombo has joined the Zeal Optics family in the role of North American director of sales for the brand. In the role, Colombo will draw on his industry experience to structure the sales strategy for the brand and develop a coordinated approach for growing Zeal across North America, said the company. “In addition to spending many years as one of the top Maui Jim account executives, Jesse has strong outdoor and action sports industry experience,” said Zeal president Ben Peters. “He has been instrumental in growing sales at Maui Jim by partnering with numerous accounts of all sizes and fostering growth through incredible service and tailored approaches to meet each retailers’ business needs. More importantly, he is drawn to Zeal’s company pillars of corporate responsibility, quality and customer service. We have no doubt he will bring our brand into a new realm of success.” Colombo, who describes himself as being solidly in Zeal’s demographic, will focus on supporting and growing ties with Zeal’s existing retail base in 2022 and growing it across the sun, goggle and optical channels with the new line of products and technologies that Zeal is releasing. "A major part of what drew me to the brand,” said Colombo, “are its pillars of Use Less, Give Back and Explore More, and my start is ideally timed to support the Shades For Seas campaign to clean up our oceans and waters, a cause, like the others Zeal supports, that I am passionate about.” 360 Adventure Heads to Greenville this Summer Daley to Direct Specialty Sales at Bollé Brands Daley of Bollé Brands Group
9 InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 Krimson Klover Promotes Dumont to VP of Sales Krimson Klover, an activewear clothing company created by women for women, announced the promotion of Victoire Dumont to the newly created position of vice president of sales. Dumont has been with Krimson Klover for three years, previously serving as director of sales. Dumont joined Krimson Klover from the New York fashion industry in December 2019, starting four months prior to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenge of commerce during COVID-19, Krimson Klover has gained new retailers and has experienced significant growth from 2020 to 2022. A key strategy for that growth includes the expansion of its spring business into multiple sports making Krimson Klover a full four-season brand. Additional strategies have been the deepening and refining of its regional agent network, the addition of a worldwide distribution network, while at the same time emphasizing the Krimson Klover story and brand positioning. Dumont’s key responsibility and goal is to continue to grow the distribution of the brand globally and strategically by region and by channel. Big Agnes earlier this year announced that End2End Outdoor has won its annual Rep of the Year Award, which celebrates the brand’s top-performing sales group. End2End Outdoor’s Conner Larsen and Marissa Binkoski are credited for the award, with outstanding performance in the South-Central and Midwest territories. “This was an incredibly difficult decision as many of our sales groups performed strongly in 2021, but End2End rose to the top,” said Craig Hatton, director of North American sales for Big Agnes. “Conner and Marissa took on a whole new territory last year and saw impressive growth across the board. We’re thrilled to celebrate their performance after such a stellar year.” Big Agnes’ Rep of the Year Award honors the brand’s top performing sales group, based on regional growth and overall performance. End2End Outdoor grew the brand’s Midwest and SouthCentral regions by 22 percent and 30 percent, respectively, and managed to double bookings for 2022. Larsen, who founded End2End Outdoor in 2017, hired Binkoski in 2021 to focus on the Midwest region. Together, they renewed a multitude of relationships with dealers while selling-in key expansion categories for the brand. “End2End not only saw highcaliber sales growth, but also stood out as a leader for their strategies and responsiveness,” continued Hatton. “We appreciate all the hard work from all of our reps this year and we look forward to another strong year of growth.” Good To-Go Names VP of Sales Maine-based dehydrated gourmet meal brand Good To-Go recently named Matt Andrews as its vice president of sales. Andrews joins after 16 years at fellow Maine brand, Sterling Rope Company. During his time at Sterling, Andrews served in various customer service roles, managed the North American outdoor retail channel, was the sales director for the global outdoor distribution channel and, most recently, coordinated all international sales for Sterling’s parent company, Vertical Supply Group. In his new role, Andrews will help formalize and implement the brand strategy for growth and assist the sales team in day-to-day operations. Additionally, he will coordinate with the marketing and customer service teams to help provide the best possible customer experience and brand presentation. “I’m thrilled to join Good To-Go at a time when there are so many successes to celebrate and even more opportunities ahead,” said Andrews. “As we continue to build out our team, I’m looking forward to working together to elevate the brand and expand our channels.” Big Agnes Honors End2End as Agency of the Year Krimson Klover’s Dumont
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 10 Sustainable outdoor apparel brand LIVSN Designs has launched an equity crowdfunding campaign in partnership with the Wefunder investment crowdfunding platform. Through Wefunder, both accredited and nonaccredited investors can invest in LIVSN Designs throught the purchase of preferred stock. In March 2021, new U.S. investment regulations went into effect which now allow startups to raise up to $5 million from unaccredited investors and unlimited funds from accredited. “Our customers are incredible, providing feedback, support and taking a genuine interest in the brand’s growth, and Wefunder creates a whole new opportunity for them to secure equity as we grow,” said Andrew Gibbs-Dabney, LIVSN Designs founder and CEO. “With the new investment regulations that went into effect in 2021 we see a lot of potential for LIVSN as well as other early-stage outdoor brands.” LIVSN has a history of success with crowdfunding. The most recent – 2021’s Kickstarter launch of the Ecotrek Trail Pant – raised more than $500,000 and became the biggest crowdfunding raise to date for an Arkansas-based company. The goal of LIVSN current Wefunder campaign is $1 million, with about $350,000 raised as or May 20, 2022. Since its founding in 2018, LIVSN’s has seen steady growth with both retail partners and direct-to-consumer channels and is currently sold through more than 75 independent retailers. In 2021, the company surpassed the $1 million sales mark, opened a new office and showroom space in Bentonville, Ark., and made several key hires to manage marketing, logistics and customer success. Building upon the foundation of its flagship product - the Flex Canvas Pants - LIVSN has since introduced the Ecotrek Trail Pant and Flex Canvas Shorts, and several new products will be introduced in 2022, including the brand’s women’s range, said the company. According to the folks at Karmik Outdoors, 86 percent of outdoor enthusiasts have lost something of value in nature while 76 percent have found lost gear in the field. Karmik Outdoors strives to connect these groups with its weatherproof, durable and lifetime guaranteed decals that can be attached to any valuable outdoor belongings. Citing the limited power of battery-powered GPS and Bluetooth trackers, Karmik says it offers an easy-to-use and economical “midtech” solution to a common problem. All users have to do is register the unique QR codes on the Karmik website, then, if something goes missing Karmik incentivizes the return of the item through a built-in reward, chosen by the user. “People want to do the right thing, and Karmik gives them that opportunity,” said Robert Gillingham, Karmik Outdoors CEO. Gaining attention from footwear heavy hitters including Kodiak, Timberland, Merrell and Vans, Canadian cleantech start-up Evoco is looking to reimagine the materials used in their line-ups. The company is utilizing plant-based and carbonreducing technologies to produce a patented high-performance eco-foam alternative to traditional footwear end-use applications. Evoco’s FATES insoles and midsoles currently being incorporated into the lineups of leading footwear brands, for instance, are made with eco-foams that are up to 80 percent plant-based and USDA and GreenCircle certified. “We’re not here to mislead or make ‘green claims’ about our products,” said Jason Robinson, CEO and founder of evoco. “Our mission is to close the loop on unsustainable goods – for good; meaning that our brand partnerships need to reflect our commitment to creating a sustainable impact on culture and climate today, and for future generations.” Designed with enhanced mechanical and strength-based properties, Evoco technologies offer brand partners CO2 savings without compromising superior compression, comfort and overall performance, said the company. LIVSN Turns to Equity Crowdfunding Karmik Outdoors Has Solution for Getting Lost Gear Back Sustainability Start-Up Shaping Future of Footwears’ Soles Start 'em Up
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 12 When outdoor industry veteran and Town Hall CEO and co-founder Robin Hall was faced with a move to Denver for her previous job, she took stock of her priorities and passions. They boiled down to community, kids and the planet, she recalled. “Leaving Steamboat and this community in Northern Colorado, which my family has made our home for the past 13 years, was not something I considered,” said Hall. She realized this was an opportunity to create a livelihood and company that reflected her values and could make a positive impact. Robin and her fellow founders, Jay Lambert and Joe Solomon, looked to create an outerwear option for kids that was not shrunk down versions of adult styles or made so cheaply that they wear out before being outgrown. Made of recycled materials and designed to keep kids warm, dry and comfortable for hours of outdoor fun, the cofounders are adamant that the gear they create contributes to raising planet-positive kids and endures through multiple hand-me-ups (more coveted than a hand-me-down). Town Hall’s inaugural collection included four styles: the Mountain Town winter jacket, Around Town cold-weather jacket; the Down Town Puffy and the Mountain Town Winter Pants. SRPs range around $150. Expected for this fall are a fleece layer and an insulated bib. Hall described the collection as “Packed with smart features for active kids. Our look is current, clean and fun, not juvenile. We spend hours listening to and wear-testing with our mountain town kids to ensure we are meeting their wants and needs.” Common features include recycled fabrics and insulations, grow seams which are easily removed to extend length, pockets and details sized for small hands and quality materials and construction built to endure through multiple hand-me-ups. When Delaine & Co. founder Scott MacKenzie’s vintage wool ski sweater sparked a lively exchange on an Alta chairlift back in March of 2020, it was a lightbulb moment for the lifelong entrepreneur. That particular sweater was given to him by his parents back in 1976, and it not only held up but outperformed the inexpensive synthetic mid-layers that dominate the mountain today, said MacKenzie. A short time later, Delaine & Co. launched a full line of classic merino wool ski sweaters for women and men featuring bold colors, domestically sourced materials and ski Americana style. “If you’re out skiing in our sweater without your significant other, you’re going to have to be on your best behavior, because you’re going to attract attention,” said MacKenzie. “But seriously, there’s no better mid-layer than a tightly knit, fine merino wool sweater.” All Delaine sweaters are manufactured in the U.S., from 21-micron merino wool from Climate Beneficial verified wool. Each wool garment made from Climate Beneficial fibers contributes to a rigorous climate-positive land stewardship program in the U.S, said the company. “First and foremost, we wanted to make the perfect downhill skiing mid-layer, for skiers by skiers,” said MacKenzie. “And it’s easy to feel good about doing that when we’re doing it with high quality sourcing and manufacturing right here in the U.S.” For winter 2022, Delaine is offering four styles for women and three styles for men, each in two colorways. Prices range from $270 for crew neck pieces to $315 for the heavier full zips. Woman-led Apparel Start-up Looks to Inspire Kids to Love Outdoors Delaine & Co. Launches American Merino Ski Sweaters Start 'em Up
® THE SENECA DRAGONFLY MK2 MULTI-PUMP AIR RIFLE FROM AIR VENTURI BLENDS PATENTED TECHNOLOGY WITH CLASSIC STYLING, CREATING A TRULY REVOLUTIONARY SHOOTING EXPERIENCE. AVAILABLE IN .177 AND .22 CALIBER, THE DRAGONFLY MK2 IS CAPABLE OF THE POWER YOU NEED TO TAKE SMALL GAME AND PESTS WITHOUT THE DIFFICULTY THAT USUALLY COMES ALONG WITH OPERATING A MULTI-PUMP AIR RIFLE. WITH MOST MULTI-PUMPS, THE MORE YOU PUMP, THE MORE DIFFICULT EACH PUMP BECOMES. WITH THE PATENTED BUTTERFLY HIGH EFFICIENCY PUMP SYSTEM, THE DRAGONFLY MK2 PUMPING EFFORT IS REDUCED TO A MANAGEABLE 15 LBS PER STROKE AND IT ENSURES THAT THE EFFORT FOR EACH PUMP REMAINS THE SAME WHETHER YOU PUMP IT 3 TIMES OR ALL THE WAY TO THE MAX OF 15 STROKES. VISIT: AIRVENTURI.COM OR CALL (216) 292-2570 TO START YOUR ACCOUNT - MULTI-PUMP PNEUMATIC - PATENTED BUTTERFLY HIGH EFFICIENCY PUMP SYSTEM - HARDWOOD STOCK - BOLT-ACTION REPEATER - UP TO 950 FPS AVAILABLE IN .177 OR .22 CALIBER
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 14 By Bruce Christian What if a retailer had access to a solution that would allow it the opportunity to create and send different individual messages targeted to each customer the comes into the store? From a marketing perspective, it sounds like the ultimate advantage, and this capability is available now by using data gathered through a store’s Wi-Fi and then using the data to sell products. It’s called monetizing your Wi-Fi. “This is really changing the game,” said Shawn Nace, sales engineer for Telesystem, an Ohio-based provider of communications, networking and security. “You’re changing the conversation from having that Wi-Fi being a CAPEX and OPEX for a business to something that is going to provide real insight and breakthrough revenue streams for the business.” Almost every place of business nowadays has Wi-Fi, whether it’s a restaurant, a retailer, a large entertainment venue such as a baseball stadium or a basketball arena, said Nace. “And they all have Wi-Fi not only for their employees but for their customers.” In turn, Wi-Fi has become a large expense for businesses, but they need it to ensure their employees and customers can operate hand-held devices, laptops and even point-of-sale devices. “Customers need the Wi-Fi so they can browse the internet, use social media and other things, perhaps take phone calls while they are in your place of business,” Nace said, and then presented the twist. “But what if you can use that same infrastructure you have in place to create new revenue streams; to engage your customers more effectively; to learn more about your customers?” Wi-Fi can be used to access valuable data and analytics that can help build detailed visitor profiles, which allows the company’s marketers to better understand, for example, how visitors are moving around a space. Typical customers that could benefit from this kind of information include retail, health care, municipal governments, office spaces, hospitality, restaurants and large public venues and malls. License to Wi-Fi Nace said the solution Telesystem offers is a software as a service (SaaS) that lives on top of the Wi-Fi TECH SAVVY Monetizing Your Store Wi-Fi
www.NationalCleanUpDay.org What would happen if everyone picked up at least one piece of litter on National CleanUp Day? SIGN UP FOR LOCAL EVENTS IN YOUR AREA From Coast to Coast, organizations and individuals alike join forces to clean up our parks, trails, beaches, mountains and open spaces.
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 16 infrastructure – above the wireless access point. The solution has three licensing option: Enterprise License – The solution that provides the analytics to elicit feedback from customers and gather intelligence about those consumers to allow more effective target marketing. Wayfinding License – A niche solution that helps with pinpoint accuracy within a foot or two, making it a great navigation or geolocation tool. Presence & Location License – A solution that provides information based on location. “Since it is a software as a service, it is licensed like everything else that we are selling technology-wise,” Nace said. The solution is licensed per access point per month and is very similar to how Telesytem licenses its UCaaS services or SIP trunks per user per month. “So, the cost might be $50 to $60 per access point, and when Telesystem provides the access point, we’re about $25 per month if you want to layer that on top of an existing infrastructure,” he continued. “We’re also going to be able to connect that solution with your existing CRM. Part of the goal of this solution is that engagement analytics are able to glean details, glean information about your visitors,” Nace added. The information that can be gathered could include how often a customer is coming into a location, the time of day a customer visits a business, visitor demographics, what a customer might “like” or dislike, and their social media history. “Why is this information important?” Nace asked. “It allows the marketing officer to tailor the messages to the demographic, the age range, or even to change the marketing to attract other people who don’t fit the demographics that are being measured.” He continued, “So, I want to gather all that information and connect it to my existing CRM whether that’s Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics or whatever. I can also engage customers when they come to my venue by way of texting.” For example, the store manager or company marketing person may recognize a repeat customer and send a personalize text that welcomes her by name and thanks her for her patronage. “It’s all about engaging and learning about the customers more effectively and then targeting them with very pinpoint marketing as opposed to broad strokes,” Nace said. “It’s taking the guess work out of the marketing.” The Enterprise license allows for sending questions or quizzes to customers, which allows for immediate feedback. For example, a fitness center might recognize one of its members enrolled into a cardio class. When the class is complete, the center might send out questions regarding how the attendee enjoyed the class or provide further information on the instructor and future classes. With the Presence & Location License, a person shopping in the men’s department of a large store or mall could be targeted by the store’s social media manager with individual information or even a coupon for a value-add or accessory to a recent purchase. Telesystem also can help create splash pages to customize messages and to target certain demographics. Nace said companies with several venues can use a single pane of glass to manage the entire experience and monitor all the venues at once. If it all sounds like an intrusion to privacy, Nace explained that when customers sign onto the building’s or retailer’s Wi-Fi, they are asked to agree to the “terms & conditions,” which explains that their information is being gathered to provide a better experience. m TECH SAVVY Please indicate current statu & Inclusion Training... Top Three Opportunities from Retailers Implementing Location Analytics in the Time of COVID (Selected Differences) Already have DI training... Developing DI training... Currently or soon to be... Do not have plans for DI 0% 10% 20% 30% Source: Multimedia Plus Enhanced customer loyalty FMCG GM Fashion, Specialty, Brand Optimized return on inventory investment 47% 27% 62% 44% 33% 27% Top Three Opportunities from Retailers Implementing Location Analytics in the Time of COVID (Selected Differences) Source: Retail Systems Research Enhanced customer loyalty FMCG GM Fashion, Specialty, Brand Optimized return on inventory investment A faster, more efficient supply chain Enhanced employee loyalty Taking advantage of new selling opportunities Faster time to action in responding to incidents Indoor reconfiguration planning 47% 27% 62% 44% 33% 27% 38% 27% 27% 31% 39% 31% 31% 45% 27% 19% 36% 31% 16% 9% 23% Email vs SMS Marketing Email SMS (texting) Average open rate 18% 98% Average click rate 2.6% 19% Source: Podium
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 18 The Advocates By Glenna Musante Pioneering New Trails for American Wool In the shadow of the Cascade Mountains on Oregon’s high desert, from her home on the vast Imperial Stock Ranch, Jeanne Carver is carving a new path for American wool. It doesn’t lead to a new land. But it does create a destination for gear and apparel brands searching for a transparent source of high-quality, sustainably raised American wool. In 2017, Carver and her husband Dan were the first sheep ranchers in the United States to adopt Textile Exchange’s Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) for their 32,000-acre ranch, where sheep have been present since 1871. In 2018, with brands knocking on the door for traceable, sustainably produced wool, they launched Shaniko Wool Company, a farm group organized to expand the availability of RWS-certified wool grown in the USA. In addition to providing clear guidelines for humane animal husbandry in the raising and shearing of sheep for wool production, the RWS also sets standards for land management and worker welfare. Through Shaniko Wool Company, Carver is now leading an industry expansion of the RWS in the U.S. The ranchers in Carver’s fold are the only sheep growers in the U.S. harvesting wool grown under the standard’s exacting requirements and the only ranchers approved to supply RWS wool in the U.S. and North America. The work they are doing is literally changing the domestic wool landscape in terms of enhanced land management. In turn, Shaniko Wool Company has given major brands, such as Ralph Lauren, a source of American-grown wool with a pristine, verifiable sustainability story that they can use in the marketing of their products. This includes the sweaters and wool hats worn by the U.S. Olympic teams at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Balance is the Essence of Movement, Movement is the Essence of Life.™ The Original Pro Fitter 3-D Cross Trainer A timeless classic that started it all Tri Level Slant Board Calf & Ankle Stretching Wobble Boards 16” & 20” Ankle ROM & Injury Prevention Active Office Board Use Anywhere You Stand Solid Margins, No Minimum, Secure Wholesale Website, Drop Ship Optional Made in the Rocky Mountains since 1985 Our unique line of products are: • Innovatively designed to stand the test of time. • 100% functional and Made in Canada. • Proven in 1000’s of universities, gyms, and PT clinics across America. Made in Canada Healthy Customers Buy More Gear 100’s of Boards, Balls, Bands for Clubs, Homes & Office Fitter Internaitonal Inc. 3050 - 2600 Portland St S.E. Calgary, AB, Canada T2G 4M6 The Highest Quality Products, for the Highest Quality of Life. Keep your customers healthy and ready for the outdoors, with Fitterfirst products. Contact us to Start your Account 1.800.fitter1 sales@fitter1.com www.fitter1.com
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 20 Shepherding the RWS in North America is also the manifestation of a passion that both Jeanne and her late husband Dan have had for Oregon’s high desert and America’s storied west. A Pioneer’s Homestead Claim The Imperial Stock Ranch has a long history as a producer of fine merino/rambouillet wool. It was founded in 1871 by Richard Hinton, a pioneer born on the Oregon Trail, and is the only privately owned ranch in Oregon recognized as a National Historic District that is still operating. The ranch has been in continuous operation producing sheep, cattle, grain and hay since its founding. By 1900, Hinton’s homestead claim, along what later would be named Hinton Creek, grew into the largest land and livestock operation in Oregon. During the 1880s, the sheep industry grew rapidly in Oregon, and the semiarid interior region of the state – where the ranch is located – was well-suited to raising fine wool sheep. Over time, Hinton built the Imperial Stock Ranch’s reputation for fine grade wool, and when his son James took over the ranch in 1915, they had 35,000 head of sheep and 1,000 head of cattle. Many of the original buildings that supported this massive operation are still in use today. A New Legacy When Dan Carver bought the ranch in 1988, he felt a deep responsibility to honor the legacy built by the stewards of this land who came before him. “He wanted to do the best job he could,” said Jeanne, “and went to agencies like the Soil and Water Conservation District and the Natural Resource Conservation Service for help.” Working together with his agency partners, “they spent about a year conducting assessments and establishing a monitoring program,” she said, “and wrote a comprehensive plan to manage the entire operation, with the health of the ranch’s natural resources as their number one goal. They called it a Conservation Management Plan. “At about this time we learned that only two salmon had returned to spawn in Buckhollow Creek, which begins on our land and is a major tributary to the Deschutes River,” she added. Buckhollow Creek was historically an important spawning stream for salmon. Working collaboratively with agency partners and other landowners in the basin, the salmon population returned, Carver said, “and went from the brink of loss to a thriving population. There is no greater motivator than to be part of something like this.” The plan also helped restore and preserve the ranch’s vast grazing lands. The Standard According to Jeanne, the Carver’s involvement with the RWS was a natural next step given their longstanding commitment to the land and animal stewardship. In 2017, The Imperial Stock Ranch became the first sheep ranch in the world certified under the RWS. And since certification of her ranch, Jeanne has worked with Textile Exchange to bring other sheep ranches in the U.S. into RWS certification. “The Responsible Wool Standard is an industry tool designed to recognize the best practices of farmers, ensuring that animal fiber comes from farms with a progressive approach to managing their land, and from animals that have been treated responsibly,” said Liz Mamo from Textile Exchange, which is an NGO dedicated to developing transparent sustainability standards for the global textile industry. “[It] ensures that animals are treated with respect to the Five Provisions [established by Textile Exchange] to promote positive welfare outcomes,” Mamo added. “The demand for certified wool is encourThe Advocates Jeanne Carver tending to her flock In 2017, The Imperial Stock Ranch became the first sheep ranch in the world certified under the RWS.
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 22 The Advocates aging more farmers to reach certified status, which means that their sheep are not only not subject to mulesing but also are managed to meet all the other animal welfare requirements of the RWS including animal health, animal handling, living environment and more.” RWS certification – which is conducted through a detailed, third-party audit – can be expensive, and to make it more accessible to sheep ranchers in North America, the Carvers formed Shaniko Wool Company to help lessen the cost for member ranches. This farm group currently includes nine ranches. It was named after Shaniko, Ore., which during its heyday in the early 1900s was known as the “Wool Capital of the World.” “We formed the company to scale the supply of RWS wool for brands manufacturing in the United States that wanted a U.S.-supply of high-quality wool,” said Carver. “And we chose the name Shaniko Wool Company to honor the deep heritage of wool ranching in this region and in western America.” Ranches in the farm group are able to sell their wool at a 10 percent to 20 percent premium over the typical price of wool grown in the U.S. “It’s more profitable for them,” said Carver, “because brands are willing to pay more for wool that has the RWS certification. “Because of our experience taking our harvest to product stage and into the marketplace, we understood why traceability and third-party oversight would be important to brands and their customers,” Carver explained. In the 1990s, offshoring of the U.S. textile industry contributed to a significant reduction in the number of sheep ranches in the United States. It was a difficult time for the Carvers. Overnight, they lost their wool buyer – a company that had been buying wool from the ranch for 100 years – and were suddenly faced with the stark possibility that sheep could disappear from their land. To stay in business, they changed their business model and began looking for new markets for their wool. That experience forced them to reinvent how they took their wool to market and in the process, they ended up building a broad network of new customers. Those lessons learned – and the contacts they made – have become another point of value for the ranchers that join the Shaniko Wool Company farm group. Shaniko Wool Company buys their wool and then moves it through the supply chain, marketing and selling it. Carver’s role at Shaniko Wool Company also includes education and training, guiding the paperwork and documentation required for certification, conducting internal audits and providing an economical way for ranches to earn RWS certification. Andree Soares, manager of Talbott Sheep Company in Los Banos, Calif., is one of the ranchers in Shaniko Wool Company Farm Group. She was referred to the Carvers through another rancher in the group and after several conversations and a great deal of research decided to sign on and commit to the process of becoming certified. “The reason we did this, was because after I became aware of the program and Jeanne’s support for it, and for the ranchers, it was a simple decision,” she said, adding, “everything about the RWS supports the values I have with regard to how animals should be treated.” The land management and sustainability components of the RWS were also important to her. Quantifying the Impact For your typical ranchers, key numbers play a critical role in the daily management of flocks and profits. This includes the appropriate herd numbers compared to the healthy capacity of the land, the cost of labor to help care for the ranch, the cost of buying and maintaining farm equipment, upkeep of the buildings, the cost of feed, profit margins from the sale of the wool harvest. It’s a lengthy list. Those numbers are important to Carver and the ranchers she works with, but other measures are just as essential. For her, this includes the number of salmon returning to the Deschutes River, the annual number of tons of wool sheared and sold under the Shaniko Wool Company brand, the number of U.S. ranch acres certified to RWS land management methods, the number of tons of CO2 sequestered each year through proper land management and the growing of wool and other measures that indicate the health of the land is trending forward. It’s a little-known fact, but wool is largely made up of CO2. In fact, roughly half of every wool fiber is CO2. And that has become another Carver leaning against the side of one of the ranch out buildings
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 23 number she and farmers in her group are beginning to measure. Currently, the ranches in her farm group represent about 2.5 million acres of land in the western U.S. and 35,000 head of merino/rambouillet sheep. In 2022, Carver estimates those ranches will harvest approximately 170 tons of RWScertified Shaniko Wool Company wool. But RWS certification isn’t limited to sheep ranches. “The U.S. textile supply chain is now getting involved in the RWS, [and] supporting the use of the RWS logo on products,” said Carver. “Up until now, brands could say they had sourced RWS certified Shaniko Wool but could not put the logo on their finished goods. That will change. In the last month, a wool scouring and combing mill, two spinning mills, one dye house, and two knitting manufacturers in the U.S. have gone through RWS audits in order to certify the full traceability of their wool and content claims.” According to Textile Exchange, much of this has been done by or with help from Jeanne Carver. “She is not only a U.S. pioneer for Responsible Wool Standard but also a global pioneer,” said Mamo. “She [runs] the first ranch certified in the world. Jeanne has been a huge advocate for RWS and has now built an entire certified supply chain in the U.S. She is also well aligned with Textile Exchange’s Climate+ strategy and is spearheading action through Shaniko Wool Company Carbon Initiative.” Although Carver’s work helping U.S. sheep ranchers harvest RWScertified wool began with a dream grounded in the American pioneer spirit, the result of her work addresses current and urgent climate and textile industry supply chain issues. “Our goal is to measure the actual impacts of our ranching practices [and] determine the net carbon budget of each ranching operation and our aggregate whole. The health of the land has never been more critical to a growing group of stakeholders, including brands,” Carver added. “And truly, it is the concern of every citizen around the world.” m SCARPA RIBELLE TECH 2.0 HD Ph. © Mathis Dumas H=>ry NEXT LEVEL WATERPROOFING The insight that steered HDry's technological development is simple: move the waterproof and breathable barrier as far outside as possible to block the ingress of water to the outermost layer and prevent its penetration inside the shoe or equipment item (also on gloves and backpacks). The HDry waterproof and breathable membrane is directly laminated to the inner side of the upper by a patented 3D lamination process and machinery, sealing the material and all seams in one step (tapeless). Water cannot penetrate the outer surface, so the boot stays much lighter, and feet remain dry and comfortable in any weather condition. HDry membranes are PTFE-free, PFC's free and OEKO-TEX STANDARD 100 certified. The HDry 'b5' membrane is 53% BIO-BASED, reducing use of petrochemicals. HDry Nort h America - P h . 203-543-2340 - g h s h o ld ings@gmai l .com -www. hd ry.com Inside the 120-year-old facilities at Imperial Stock Ranch
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 24 Stockholm-based TrusTrace has introduced a low-barrier SaaS solution for the product traceability and supply chain transparency efforts of fashion and retail brands. The company describes its TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance as “a one-stop solution that enables near real-time traceability at the material level.” The solution covers a spectrum of requirements for material compliance including documenting the percent of certified vs. non-certified material content and supporting different chain of custody models, covering single as well as multi-component products. TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance “gives brands granular visibility into product sustainability metrics, ensuring compliance with standards and regulations and enabling streamlined decision-making and tighter integration with suppliers worldwide,” said company executives. “The solution directly addresses emerging industry methodologies and pending government regulations that will require brands to base sustainability claims on verifiable and precise data.” Global sports brand adidas is one of the first large companies to adopt TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance, after providing early input on its development. Adidas’ work with Trus- Trace focused on the solution integrating seamlessly with enterprise systems such as PLM and purchase order and supplier management systems to minimize the need for manual intervention. Being able to track materials in a standardized, digital and scalable way helps adidas to create more transparency on its sustainability goals, said the company, which includes moving to 100 percent recycled polyester by 2024 and having nine out of 10 of its articles featuring a sustainable technology, material, design or manufacturing method by 2025. “As part of its commitment to sustainability, adidas has worked with TrusTrace to gain more visibility into our complete supply chain down to the materials level,” said Katja Schreiber, senior vice president of sustainability at adidas. “The information gleaned from TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance will help us to create even more transparency of our sustainability efforts.” “In the midst of global greenwashing and challenges with unsubstantiated claims, brands and regulators are moving quickly to instill confidence among consumers that products are, indeed, as sustainable as they claim to be. Brands that want to establish near real-time traceability at the lot level by mapping the movement of raw materials to finished goods – and automatically calculate the sustainability metrics of those goods – now have a proven solution in TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance,” said Shameek Ghosh, CEO of TrusTrace. By linking all purchase orders to production steps, certificates, supplier declarations and quality reports on the TrusTrace platform, TrusTrace Certified Material Compliance helps brands manage risk and compliance and allows them to prove sustainability claims with confidence, said Ghosh. Near real-time traceability allows brands to capture data from supply chain transactions as products and materials move through the value chain, meaning that finished goods have traceability information already associated with them when they arrive at market, allowing brands to easily tell the story of their products’ origins and material integrity to consumers, retailers and regulators. The solution also can help identify material waste in the supply chain by intelligently calculating discrepancies between inputs and outputs, said TrusTrace, thereby supporting greater efficiencies in production while keeping waste out of landfills or otherwise harming sustainability efforts. Aimed at offering a personalized fitting experience, workwear and apparel brand Dickies has seen a whopping 94 percent increase in conversions since implementing 3DLOOK’s size and fit recommendations on Alibaba Group’s Tmall global platform in China, while also driving up satisfaction rates and Net Promoter Score (NPS), said California-based 3DLOOK. Dickies rolled the solution out in May 2021. Tmall’s active consumers tend to be digitally savvy Gen Z shoppers, said 3DLOOK, suggesting a need for a unique, engaging customer experience. According to market research conducted by consulting firm Bain for Dickies, 87 percent of all surveyed customers report the tool has improved the shopping experience and would like to see the size and fit recommendations added to more products. The study Brand Watch Adidas Strengthens Traceability with TrusTrace Dickies Doubles Conversions with AI-based Virtual Fitting Solution
InsideOutdoor | SPRING 2022 25 More than 45,000 pieces of outdoor clothing and goods found a new home in 2021 thanks to Geartrade’s UnNew recommerce marketplace. Nearly 17,000 outdoors goods have moved through the recommerce marketplace in the first quarter of 2022. The 20-plus-year-old company believes its resale statistics point to increasing awareness and acceptance of the resale market among outdoor gear consumers. It’s not a far-fetched notion, especially considering consumers’ need to stretch dollars and the current supply chain issues challenging traditional retail channels. Online resale leaders ThredUp recently estimated the secondhand market would double in the next five years, when it will reach $77 billion. ThredUp estimated that 33 million consumers purchased secondhand apparel for the first time in 2020, and three-quarters of them plan to increase their spending on reused apparel during the next five years. Meanwhile, a 2021 Jungle Scout survey found that about one in three U.S. consumers reported to looking for pre-owned items online, with 44 percent claiming to have purchased or sold used equipment online during the last 12 months. About two-thirds of that took place through Amazon. “At Geartrade we’ve always considered the outdoor industry’s climate impact as our most important challenge to face,” says Aaron Provine, Geartrade president. “When you look at the amount of gear we have kept in circulation, we’re both proud and daunted by the numbers. Over 45,000 units in a single year is incredible, but also proves how far we have to go as the collective outdoor industry.” Of the 45,590 pieces of used gear recirculated by Geartrade in the previous year, 21,201 were apparel. And according to ClimateScience.org, creating 1kg of fabric releases 20-23kg of greenhouse gasses. Assuming the average weight of a single apparel piece is 250g (the weight of a lightweight shell), Geartrade estimates it helps reduce the carbon footprint of the outdoor industry by 106,005kg of greenhouse gasses – which would be required to create 21,201 new pieces of gear based on this weight assumptions. “In concrete terms, that’s the equivalent amount of carbon sequestered by 1,753 tree seedlings grown for 10 years, according to the EPA Greenhouse Gas Equivalencies Calculator,” said Geartrade executives. Apparel was by far the most sought-after item on the UnNew marketplace, said Provine, with bike, ski and climbing gear filling out the second, third and fourth spots. For vendor and retail brands looking for opportunities in recommerce, Arrive recently expanded its existing enterprise rental platform to include resale. While most resale platforms are focused on a customer take-back model as their core driver, Arrive’s primary focus is turning the major returns problem that retailers and brands face into a revenue-driving channel. With The Arrive Platform, Arrive builds and manages the circular commerce experience design and technical infrastructure, takes on all rental and resale inventory management and offers a fully branded customer support experience. “We know that roughly 25 percent of e-commerce orders are returned and there are a significant percentage of those returns that cannot be resold full price. Instead, these returns are often sent to off-price retailers, brand outlets, or even destroyed,” said Rachelle Snyder, Arrive CEO and co-founder. “Our model accepts these rejected returns where we refurbish, clean and grade them to be resold directly on a branded resale e-commerce site – ultimately turning a cost center into a profit center for our partners.” Geartrade Helps Keep More Than 45,000 Units Away from Landfills in 2021 Brand Watch also found that 94 percent of surveyed consumers rate sizing as the key barrier to purchasing garments online, reiterating the need for solutions to measure online customers and remotely match them with well-fitting garments, said 3DLOOK executives. Overall, the independent research concluded that the tool had “made a positive impact on Dickies brand image and was perceived to be strong in delivering a young and innovative image and sense of style.” Dickies also was able to reduce its customers’ reliance on support staff and improve the efficiency of the purchasing process, since about half of all support questions received are related to size, said the company. To use the solution, shoppers on Dickies Tmall store select a product, clicked on the measurement widget, and let the voice assistant guide them through the quick photo flow. From two photos — front and side — 3DLOOK’s technology obtains landmarks and more than 80+ measurement points using a patented combination of computer vision and 3D statistical modeling and compares the results with product data to determine the best size and fit for the customer’s body. Size and fit recommendations on 3DLOO
insideoutdoor.comRkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NTg4Njc=