Textile Insight

F or textile firms exhibiting at the January Outdoor Retailer/ Snow Show, as well as those that opted out, it's fair to say that a main takeaway from this year's Winter Market is that you can't repeat the past. Returning to Salt Lake City is one thing, re-creating a big top event, with gridlock attendee traffic in the aisles and standing room only 7 a.m. breakfast seminars is an- other. By all accounts the recent event was a smaller, quieter OR, with "community" a key aspect. Perhaps this style of gathering is the way forward for the industry. And if that suits what today's outdoor business wants, that's great. But it may not be the right fit for textiles. "I had 10 appointments and although they were all good, I usually have 50," commented Chris Parkes, president, Concept III Textiles. "e OR show used to be the hub of the industry; It was the fulcrum. You went there in good times and bad times, and you were able to get a pulse of the industry. ere was no traffic, halls were bare and there was no energy or momentum." Parkes added, "Will there be a (OR) show going forward? Yes. Will it be the hub of the industry? No." Another long-time Outdoor Retailer textile exhibitor, Kristen Draper, president of Draper Knitting, explained, "We did not go to OR and have consciously moved away from it since we felt the show was not going in the direction we were interested in and going back to SLC was the nail in the coffin. I have not heard from one person who said they went and did not see us." Polartec, PrimaLo, Schoeller, Cordura, Hyosung Global Merino, Pertex, and Suedewolle also did not exhibit. As a relative newcomer to the Outdoor Retailer show, making its industry debut at the January 2020 event, NexTex Innovations took a strategic approach to exhibiting at Winter Market. Company CEO Chad Lawrence, shared, "We went into the show knowing it would be smaller in attendance than in previous years. So, to add some excite- ment and to bring the Outdoor community together, we created a Wasatch Winter Bash that featured live entertainment, refresh- ments, and installations by local artists. It was a true celebration of the value and authenticity of the relationships we've made in the Outdoor market. We can always be thankful for the outdoors, the friends, and the memories we make in this industry!" Industry Stats & Winners e overall U.S. outdoor industry is up five percent from a year ago October 2021 with sales of $27.9 billion, according to recent NPD data. "Folks are going back to the gym and returning to pre-pandemic fitness routines," explained Dirk Sorenson, market analyst outdoor, NPD. "It's not all outdoor focused." Annual activewear sales are up one percent to $38B, while athletic footwear was down five percent at $27.5B, according to NPD surveys. e biggest growth in the activewear sector for the year ending October 2021 were "sweats" (shirts and bottoms) along with "seasonal clothing" that includes jackets, coats and parkas at $180M. Asked about demographics of outdoor consumers, Sorenson explained that right now the demographic skews older, with a higher income and that this trend will continue to grow. He added that NPD found outdoor specialty stores' U.S. sales rose seven percent year-over-year to $7.9 billion for the 12 months ended in November. In recent years, Outdoor Retailer has featured its Innovation Awards ceremony on the second night of the show. e winner of this year's Product of Year was Woolaid's biodegradable adhesive bandages made from merino wool. Allied Feather & Down was selected as finalist winner for the company's ExpeDRY Ultra Dry Down. n Back to the Future? Salt Lake City Hosts a Muted Outdoor Retailer/Snow Show. IN THE MARKET / TRADE SHOW SCENE 10 • Textile Insight ~ Winter 2023 textileinsight.com KEY ACTIVITY INVESTMENTS Large format gym spending has returned to pre-pandemic levels. This has not offset interest in outdoor and engagement in snowsport. Source: The NPD Group Financial Transaction Data, Innovation Lab 2022 2019 2019 2019 2020 2020 2020 2021 2021 2021 2022 2022 2022 CAMPSITE RESERVATIONS SEASON SNOW PASSES LARGE FORMAT GYMS Wasatch Winter Bash hosted by NexTex generated a great crowd. +20% +6% +5%

• Cover