Textile Insight

IN THE MARKET | OR + SNOW SHOW What's New, What's Next 6 • Textile Insight ~ March/April 2018 textileinsight.com One Down, Two to Go in Outdoor Retailer 2018 Show Schedule. By Emily Walzer It's a new day," said Schoeller Textil CEO Siegfried Winkelbeiner, explaining that with clothing and equipment together, the new Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show felt similar to the massive, and extremely popular, European ISPO trade event. David Parkes, founder, Concept III Textiles, said, "It was time for a change and to combine the show. It's new but there is familiarity here, testament to the fellowship of the industry." Others agreed that the inaugural Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show was a success. The Denver debut garnered praise for the good energy inside the Convention Center, and drew positive reviews for the Mile High City's accommodations, restaurant scene and outdoor-friendly Colorado vibe. According to event organizers 11,000 retail buyers reg- istered for the Show that featured 1,000 exhibiters. And it felt like a big show; a vast range of softgoods and gear previewed on three large floors. The two trade groups – Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) and Snowsports Industries America (SIA) – did a good job integrating different memberships. As a result it seemed less like a combined show, and more like a new show. Now attention turns to a three show schedule going forward: a January Outdoor Retailer + Snow Show, a summer Outdoor Retailer and an Outdoor Retail winter show in November. There is a lot of chatter in the textile community about this "3 show issue." Textile execs will likely commit to exhibiting at Summer OR in July 2018, but all bets are off after that. Financial concerns and timing conflicts are two factors often mentioned. Textile suppliers large and small are giving careful consideration to budgets and how to make a case for another trip to Denver in the Fall. Some may bring a scaled down booth; others say they may set up offsite meetings. But would not showing up in November mean losing booth space established at the previous Shows? Another wrinkle is a Performance Days show set to launch in New York City this July, with dates overlapping with OR Summer Market. A third topic top of mind for textile execs post-Denver is a lack of clear communication from OIA. They say it would be beneficial if OIA would articulate specifics about the nature of the November fair. What category will be the priority? Is it an equipment-focused fair? And if so, how do textiles fit into that scenario? Execs are hoping that Spring will bring answers. Force of Nature As for trends and tech on the Show floor this January, wool was a winner. Merino's ability to meet consumer desire for natural solutions that provide performance with a contemporary aesthetic is adding to wool's status in active/ outdoor. Creative applications in knits and wovens as well as linings and insulation fill were featured in everything from footwear to outerwear. Woolmark is launching an innovation prize in the category of "Performance," in part- nership with adidas. The Woolmark Company Performance Challenge will be an annual competition open to students across Europe and North America. Leather is another category to watch in the season ahead. "The performance characteristics are real, and modern tanning is building in eco capabilities," stated Mike Dodd, Pittards. "People are thinking 'natural,' and when we talk about sustainability we stress leather as a renewable resource." Recycled Advances Brands and suppliers are keen on "recycle" as the con- sumer-friendly word of choice to advance environmental awareness and offer something new to the market. For Fall '18 there is recycled wool (beautifully done by Nau); recycled down (Downlite's recycled down/Repreve blend); recycled Gore-Tex seen in a face fabric on a jacket by Mammut; and performance insulations from Polartec and PrimaLoft featuring post-consumer recycled fibers. Not to mention growing use of "GRS" (Global Recycle Standard) in everyday textile conversations. Unifi launched its Repreve Champions of Sustainability awards recipients; the inaugural program recognized brand and textile partners that helped Unifi recycle 10 billion plastic bottles to date. The company has set a goal to recycle 20 billion bottles by 2020 and 30 billion by 2030. O Sorona blends nature with performance.

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