The OutDoor Industry Award will be presented for the eighth time during OutDoor 2013, Friedrichshafen, Europe’s specialist tradeshow for the outdoor sector. This year’s award-winners will be able to accept their awards on the evening of the first day of the show. The “Outdoor Celebrity of the Year 2013” will also be honored once again – that prize goes to someone who has made a special contribution to the outdoor industry.
The OutDoor Industry Award is given for functionality, innovation, durability and sustainability. The design and innovation competition is hosted by Messe Friedrichshafen, while iF is responsible for the organization.
Entries can be submitted online in the following categories up until June 6, 2013:
- Apparel / Helmets / Shoes
- Backpacks / Travel luggage
- Mountain-climbing equipment
- Camping equipment
- Sleeping bags
- Accessories
- Products with high ecological and sustainable value
- Material innovations
- Accessories
A panel of experts – consisting of Felix Bächli (Bächli Bergsport AG, Nänikon/Switzerland), Mark Held (European Outdoor Group, Zug/Switzerland), Frank Wacker (Outdoor Magazin, Stuttgart/Germany), Graham Thompson (Trail Magazine, Peterborough/Great Britain) and Alix von Melle (expedition mountaineer, Munich/Germany) – will meet in Hannover on June 25 and 26. They will decide which entries will receive this year’s award. After that, the Gold award winners will be selected from among all the prize winners.
In the evaluation, the jury will focus particular attention on the following criteria: degree of innovation, design quality, workmanship, choice of materials, environmental compatibility, sustainability, functionality, utility, safety, trendsetting character and brand value/branding.
The awards ceremony is scheduled to take place on July 11, 2013 during the OutDoor Show in Friedrichshafen. All the award-winning products will be on display in the foyer during the show.
Also, a person who has made a significant contribution to the outdoor industry will also be honored for the eighth time running: international trade journalists and representatives of the outdoor industry decide who will become the “OutDoor Celebrity of the Year 2013”. Last year, this honor went to Josef “Sepp” Wagner, the senior partner at Hanwag, an outdoor footwear manufacturer in Vierkirchen near Munich.
