Three of the industry’s biggest brands have announced changes at the top.Faced with ongoing change in retail, the impact of technology on their respective businesses, and a global business where key international markets have more growth potential than a mature North America, Nike, Under Armour and Adidas all announced key changes to their executive suites last week. (Read More)
Athletic brands will be unable to offset sales from last year’s fourth quarter, predicted Matt Powell, senior industry advisor for NPD Group, the Port Washington, NY research firm. His comments came after a Q3 saw gains by sport lifestyle footwear driven by the likes of Crocs, Birkenstock and Dr. Martens. (Read More)
Jared Robins, president of NoSweat, says the start-up is aiming to raise $1.5 million in Series A funding by the end of 2020. Performance, safety and hygiene are the pillars of the Minneapolis company. NoSweat makes performance headwear liners that you can peel and stick inside your headwear. The company is focusing on R&D and becoming a performance brand tied to its name.
Started as a college project by its founder and his stepdad, a college hockey official, NoSweat’s initial perspiration solution was cut-up maxi pads installed inside a player’s helmet. As the product ($6.99 retail for 3, $17.99 for a 12-pack) has evolved into a series of peel-and-stick performance liners in various shapes for hats, visors, helmets and hard hats, the company has attracted professional athlete investors from the NHL’s TJ Oshie to NFL wide receiver Golden Tate and the PGA’s Stewart Cink.
With current distribution focused on ecommerce and golf shops, the PGA Tour Superstore and subscription box services, Robin says NoSweat’s future distribution and R&D are focused on big boxes such as Target and Dick’s Sporting Goods and performance applications within specific industries and sports such as construction, the military and cycling.
Senior executives from Puma, VF Corp. and Rocky Brands discussed the impact of the ongoing U.S.-China trade war on their respective businesses last week. (Read More)
REI, under new CEO Eric Artz, for the fifth consecutive year will close all of its stores on Black Friday (Nov. 29), process no online payments and pay all employees for the day. But this year, the national co-operative is asking its 13,000 staffers and 18 million members to go a step further for the outdoors and join a nationwide clean-up effort throughout November. (Read More)
Mueller, who first began selling athletic first aid products to high school, college and professional sports teams as a side business 60 years ago, died in his sleep on Oct. 19. He was 85. (Read More)
Mercer Amsterdam introduce a new Vegan sneaker made entirely of Piñatex, a leather alternative derived from the leaves of a pineapple plant. The company says the manufacturing process for the style, the W3RD Vegan Pineapple Silver, ensures low production waste and strengthens the local economies in the Philippines. (Read More)
OluKai opens its first two company-owned retail locations in Hawaii on the island of Maui and O’ahu. Both stores will feature broad assortments of signature premium leather sandals and shoe and sneaker designs for both men and women. (Read More)
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