sportstyle

O utdoor participation trends have shifted over the past two years. And performance apparel brands, who remain laser-fo- cused on sustainability, style and fabric tech, are also designing with an evolving consumer base in mind. The Outdoor Foundation's 2021 Outdoor Participation Trends Report found that upwards of 7.1-mil- lion more Americans took part in outdoor recreation in 2020 than the previous year, with a widening base of skill and interest levels. Even with these encouraging numbers, the report also revealed gaps in diversity and stagnant female participation, identifying a real opportunity to make the outdoors a more welcoming and accessible place. The increasing range of wants and needs from the growing base of outdoor participants, as well as a desire to invite a more diverse population to participate in outdoor recre- ation, is driving product creation for Fall 2022. "Inclusivity is influencing style and design in the outdoors industry," explained Maggie Meisinger, Smartwool's Manager of Strategic Communications. "At Smartwool we believe everyone should have access to products that enable transformative moments outdoors, regardless of race, color, gender identity or expression, disability, and body shape and size." John Gage, co-founder at Appalachian Gear Company echoed this point, saying, "One of the primary style trends we see upcoming in 2022 is a re-working of 'fit' standards to be more inclusive of a wider variety of body shapes." Randy Schwartz, Senior Merchandising Manager at Marmot explained further, saying, "Consumers are moving more and more into versatility. Outdoor enthusiasts aren't just picking one lane of activity like they used to. They want to be able to do anything at any time, and our gear needs to reflect that." What's more, the evolving participation num- bers and demographics, also mean there are an increasing number of voices calling for greater scrutiny on the industry's impact on the planet. In 2022, sustainability initiatives are pushing companies to new heights in an effort find a way to keep both Mother Nature and the modern consumer happy and healthy. Here, we look at some key trends, new innovations and standout apparel products to look for from a variety of outdoor brands in the coming year. Ibex: Ethically Sourced Innovation Combining style and tech, the new WoolAire Hoody ($285) from Ibex is lightweight and packable, designed for high alpine pursuits. It's a water resistant merino-fill puffy jacket with high warmth-to-weight ratio. The Ibex WoolAire Hoody uses ethically sourced merino-fill — 12 • Outdoor Insight • January/February 2022 outdoorinsightmag.com AIMING HIGH Innovation, sustainability, and inclusivity lead the way in performance outdoor apparel for Fall 2022. By Mackenzie Havey

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