The popular outdoor brand and early innovators of “ultralight,” GoLite relaunched this week under new ownership that plans to honor and extend the original brand’s purpose-driven legacy in far-reaching ways. “More than just a technical apparel company, the new GoLite will pair powerful humanitarian and environmental initiatives with an earth-friendly clothing collection that marries outdoor performance and athletic functionality,” said the company in a release about the relaunch.
The new GoLite is funded by a Taiwanese-based holding company which now includes Seattle-based sales and marketing, operations out of Wichita, Kan., and an international supply chain. The company said the new structure offers the brand a host of benefits including vertical integration, financial stability, and green textile innovation.
GoLite says it will produce sustainable performance products that “enable active explorers to do more in the outdoors with less.” Making ultralight product that is light on the planet is just part of the new business model. Foundational to GoLite is a mission to leverage product sales – along with new company resources, materials, processes and partnerships – to power charitable and environmental impact, announced the brand, said GoLite executives.
GoLite’s key brand impetus, GoAid, was born from the inspiration to integrate humanitarian initiatives directly into the business model. In collaboration with leading International relief organizations, GoLite is utilizing company resources to manufacture and distribute medical uniforms and to jumpstart micro-enterprise programs that empower local communities across the globe. GoLite officially launches spring 2019, however the brand has already donated 12,000 GoLite manufactured uniforms to Medical Teams International health workers as they care for hundreds of thousands of refugees in Uganda. Uganda is the first of many GoAid programs.
“We’ve been inspired by many companies doing serious philanthropic work around the world,” says Josh Clifford, GoLite Brand Manager. “When we set out to reintroduce GoLite, we knew we wanted to play a significant role in this movement. We decided the best way to demonstrate our commitment was to prove it before we sold a thing. The technical shirts we give away are the ones we are most proud of.”
The company also announced a GoResponsibly commitment to utilizing the latest sustainable fibers, finishes and manufacturing processes throughout the line, while simultaneously working to develop new solutions. Core earth-friendly launch collections include the GoLite Re and ReGreen assortments made with Tzu Chi-Certified PET.
“More than 80% of the introductory GoLite product line is developed from environmentally preferred, recycled and low energy production materials and processes,” shares Caroline MacMillan, GoLite Design Director. “We are fully committed to improving upon these percentages every season.”
GoLite products merge outdoor performance and athletic functionality into a new category the team coined “Outletics.” The five key outletics focus areas include:
– earth-friendly
– lightweight
– active function
– outdoor/athletic
– systems approach
GoLite stated “a firm commitment to specialty retail” with plans in place to visit key retail partners in their stores leading up to and following an official launch at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market in Denver.
