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We surveyed 400 consumers. Here is what they told us. Somewhat Likely No Somewhat Important Some Impact Very Likely Sometimes Footnote: 11% responded "not returning to office." Footnote: 18% responded "my office has a dress code." Very Important Large Impact Not Likely At All Yes Not Important At All No Impact If your office does not require a dress code, do you dress in active/athletic apparel and footwear to go to work? How important is it that your active/athletic apparel and footwear crossover into other categories of your wardrobe? How big an impact has Covid's Work From Home (WFH) trend had on your personal dress code? If/when you return to an office, how likely will active/athletic apparel and footwear remain an element of your work outfit? 25% 48% 14% 40% 23% 17% 49% 32% 52% 35% 38% 28% COMFORT & VERSATILITY TOP SHOPPERS' PURCHASING PRIORITIES N ot only do consumers believe that active/athletic apparel and footwear is appropriate for office wear, but they are very likely to make these items a core element of their work wear as offices reopen. For example, 74 percent of survey takers give a thumbs up to wearing active/athletic clothing and shoes to the office. A key factor driving this trend is greater awareness of the value of functional fabrics. During the pandemic individuals came to better understand the crossover potential of exercise wear to everyday attire in products made with performance materials, with comfort playing a major role. For instance, when asked to rank a list of fabric features, survey participants rated "Comfort" the overwhelming favorite, garnering four-times as many top picks as second ranked "Durability." Respondents also named "Breathability," "Stretch" and "Wicking" as the most important textile performance features. Not surprisingly all three attributes connote comfort. ese days shopping decision-making seems less about fashion trends and shopping style, and more about a belief that quality active/athletic apparel and footwear is a worthy investment for a contemporary wardrobe. This survey conducted by MESH01 included 400 respondents, men and women active and outdoors. Trend Insight is a feature within sportstyle that delivers research conducted on the MESH01 Platform. MESH01 collects data from a select panel of active and outdoor enthusiasts. 44 • September/October 2022 sportstyle • sportstylemag.com

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