sportstyle

D etermining what the consumer wants in the months and years ahead is really anybody's guess because if there is one thing we've all learned during our collective COVID experience in 2020 it's that even the best-laid plans can quickly go out the window. However, there are a few things we do know: People are exercising more: Survey's show "exercising more" tops the 2020 New Year resolutions list and three in four Americans intend to exercise more this year than last. Everything from sales of running shoes to searches for activewear and plans for home gym renovations are tracking in the mid-to-high double digits. COVID-19 has energized individuals to get outside in unprecedented numbers: Sales of ski season passes are surging. Alex Moser, director of mar- keting/communications at Seven Springs Mountain Resort, reports season pass sales up 150 percent with 20 percent accounting for new passholders. Snowshoes and nordic equipment are trending; rental reservations and store sales are strong and the winter boot category is growing. Off-the-slopes exercise is climbing, too. NPD reports year over year sales of outdoor sports equipment up 12 percent, and cycling up 41 percent. Home is where the action is: Behavioral shifts to remote work, online learning and a decline in travel has resulted in the home becoming the new hive for activity. Not surprisingly, health & fitness equipment sales are up 54 percent. Sartorial standards are changing: Activewear is now a standard issue, everyday wardrobe staple. Online searches of activewear items are up 59 percent, according to LYST Insights, State of Fitness Fashion: Activewear 2020 report. 2020 sales of leggings were up 21 percent in the U.S., compared to the same period in 2019, according to the WGSN trend forecasting agency that also reports that the rise in leggings sales is about more than just comfort — "leggings celebrate women's natural shape and parallels the trend of inclusivity and body positivity." Favorable Demographics: Millennials are buying homes, having kids and focusing on family oriented recreation. "This bodes well for weekend activities like camping, paddle sports and day hikes," states NPD Outdoor Sports analyst Dirk Sorenson. Messaging shifts from aspiration to achievable: The term "transitional" in a textile context takes on new meaning in 2021. New activewear collections are now described as versatile enough to go "from screen to outdoor," replacing the "trail to cock- tail" mantra of years past. "Safety" and "education" are buzzwords in welcoming novice enthusiasts to outdoor sports. Big box retail eye active outdoor: Kohl's senior executives are doubling down on both segments with expanded product ranges, Footwear Insight reports. The retailer counts active athleisure apparel, footwear and accessories as key components of its broadening Active and Leisure Outdoor offerings whose in-store space will grow nearly 20 percent next year. On deck for a March 2021 introduction is Kohl's new athleisure brand, FLX, with both men's and women's assortments. Also, the retailer intends to expand the presence of Hanesbrands-owned Champion in its stores. These trends are reflected in textile developments slated for the season ahead. "Global living has changed, from how we work, and how we dwell to how we exercise," comments Belinda Burt, product PERFORMANCE FOR ALL A NEW ERA OF ENTHUSIAST CREATING TEXTILES FUNCTIONAL & FIT FOR A MORE CASUAL & DIVERSE ACTIVE OUTDOOR PARTICIPANT BY EMILY WALZER sportstylemag.com March 2021 ~ sportstyle 25

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