Footwear Insight

Trend Insight Consumer is a feature within Footwear Insight that delivers research conducted on the MESH01 Platform. MESH01 collects data from a select panel of sports enthusiasts. For information on the Mesh1 Platform, contact Brian Bednarek at 603-766-0957 or brian.bednarek@mesh01.com. For more information on Trend Insight Consumer and how your company can participate, contact Jeff Nott at 516-305-4711 or jnott@formula4media.com. When it comes to performance and sport footwear, the conventional wisdom is that the majority of consumers rarely — or even never — use what they buy for its intended purpose. And with the rise of athleisure, the blurring of the line between what's performance and what's just great gear for everyday life has only accelerated. So we went right to the source, and asked active consumers between the ages of 18 and 55 how they buy their performance gear — and how they use it. And the results were illuminating. e majority (63 percent) of respondents said they wore their performance footwear apparel equally for leisure as they did for sport, with 31 percent saying they kept their performance gear sport-specific (and only 6 percent saying they wore it primarily for non-sports activities.) But even if people are making active-ready gear part of their everyday, they're looking for the real thing: 81 percent of respondents said the brands they purchase are performance based. n e survey, conducted by MESH01, included 144 respondents, male and female. CARPE TRENDEM THE HOOK-UP: Sport Footwear and Apparel Purchasing Decisions S E I Z E T H E T R E N D ! TRENDINSIGHT We surveyed 144 consumers. Here is what they told us. Visit trendinsightmag.com for our surveys in footwear, sports, outdoor and product design. When you are shopping for your footwear and sports apparel, please select the sentence that you most agree with. 31% 63% 6% I wear my footwear and sports apparel for its specific end use, sport activity only. I wear my footwear and sports apparel equally between my sports activity and non-sports related activities. I wear my footwear and sports apparel primarily for non- sports related activities. Selected Comments I wear my sports apparel on the weekends. I wear my running shoes all week. Female 46 I choose footwear and sports apparel that can fit in both at the gym and out in public. Form and function are key to me. Male 36 When I'm playing sports, I do wear that apparel. However, just as often as I play those sports, I also like to wear sports apparel and footwear for everyday use because they are comfortable. Female 20 Sportswear is a reflection of a lifestyle. My lifestyle is fitness. Female 48 Running footwear tends to be the most comfortable, so as long as I'm not going to a wedding, why not enjoy it off the trails as well? Male 43 I wear my running shoes casually, but not my apparel. Male 26 I never wear my running shoes unless I'm "running" in them. Shoes develop physical characteristics when using them for everyday use that can affect my running since I walk different than I run. My feet are doing an entirely different job for me. Female 27 My worn out shoes are worn for non-sport activities. I do minimal non-sport activity in my newer running/ sport footwear. Female 43 Running shoes for road. Trail shoes for trails. Male 48 I exclusively wear my running shoes for running, trail running shoes for trail running, tennis shoes for tennis, etc. When I've run too many miles in a pair of shoes, they become my go-to walking / errand-running shoes. I invest in the right shoes for the right sport, so it would make no sense to wear them out while doing something else. Female 33 Selected Comments I'll wear any brand as long as it fits great and performs how I need it to for the activity in which I am participating. Female 32 I wear whatever looks good. I don't aim to be brand- specific. Female 27 For the most part I will stick with the same brand, especially if the brand logo is visible on the clothing. Female 26 Mixing brand names is known as a fashion faux pas. I may do so during a workout but not in a leisure setting. Male 33 I like different brands for different things. Nike: I love their tights and sports bras, hate their shoes. Altra: I love their shoes, don't really like their apparel. Female 28 As long as it matches, I'm fine with whatever brand. I go by performance of the clothing item, not brand. Female 35 If I have Nike on top it's going on bottom as well. The same goes for whichever brand I happen to be wearing. Male 36 I tend to be very brand-specific when it comes to running shoes, because I've run in a lot of brands and have learned over the years which brands fit the best on my feet. In terms of clothing, I'll wear whatever fits and looks the best! Female 33 I like a few different brands and like to match them by color sometimes, not just by brand. Female 38 If possible, I will match brands, but sometimes it does not work out that way. Male 32 I mix and-match brands. Female 19 I do like certain brands, like Nike, Adidas, The North Face, etc. But if I see a product on the shelf that just vibes with me or a company has values I agree with, like using sustainable practices, I will most likely purchase that product from that company instead. Female 26 Agree 22% Disagree 78% I tend to be brand specific from head-to-toe. 30 • Footwear Insight ~ January 2020 footwearinsight.com

• Cover