A typical outing in British Columbia’s Coast Mountains–the backyard testing ground for the ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ outdoor apparel brand–runs through forest trails, passes under rain-soaked pines, and ascends technical traverses before reaching exposed rocky ridges above timberline. This diverse and demanding landscape is a prime example of the type of terrain ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s trail shoes are designed for. While they have been making trail running shoes for eight years, only recently has their Norvan line emerged as solid contenders in the space, with three models delivering lightweight performance on valley-to-summit adventures.

´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ began making its footwear line in 2015, an anticipated natural step after the company was bought by Salomon in 2002. In the early days, ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ relied extensively on Salomon’s footwear expertise. But now it has a new design independence gained from corporate shifts and, mostly, from the confidence inspired by ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s steady growth. The ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ footwear that has survived are athlete-directed choices, with an emphasis on durability and cross-functionality.

“Our athletes are about breaking boundaries in the mountains, moving across several activities to accomplish their missions,â€� says Ovidio Garcia, ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s vice president of footwear. “We strive to provide them with the best tools to excel in that environment and augment their performance and experience.â€� Garcia understands the importance of testing their prototypes in the mountain terrain for which they are designed and his team spends a lot of time with athletes, observing and gathering insights on how to improve the shoes.

Unlike other apparel manufacturers that foray into footwear, ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ wanted to build from its expertise, rather than simply adding its logo to another brand’s shoe design—like Patagonia once tried with Merrell—or bringing in another manufacturer’s footwear team. The Norvan shoe line reflects the brand’s devotion to its design ethos that welds together architecture, engineering, ergonomics, and a good dose of mountaineering expertise.

The brand, coming from an apparel and gear perspective, has always had to “build with what we have,â€� says Greg Grenzke, senior director of advanced concepts and footwear originator with the brand. ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ has frequently had to push its machinery and materials to adapt to new applications, ones not originally envisioned, and created spliced-together “Frankenmachinesâ€� to crank out novel end products that solve real-life foot issues and concerns.

“The shoes represent a collaboration, one born of the constant dialogue we athletes have with the design team—we tell them what’s working and what’s not working,â€� says ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ Run athlete Adam Campbell, who I was fortunate enough to pace during an exciting part of the 2015 Hard Rock 100. Campbell also takes the footwear team into the coastal range so they can personally see and feel the product in its natural habitat.

“I would say the thing that brings people into our community is appreciation for the highest performing equipment and apparel—and also the most beautiful,� says Garcia. “Every shoe and detail in our product serves a purpose.�

We found these three models from ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s Norvan line to excel when the purpose is trail running.

Super-Light Scrambler: Norvan SL 3 ($160)

Weight: 6 oz
Stack height: 19 mm heel / 12 mm forefoot (7 mm drop)

This is the ultimate approach shoe, best suited for nimble prancing on rocky surfaces when you want precise foot placement. The “SL� stands for super light, and they live up to the name. Weighing in at a mere six ounces, there isn’t a lighter off-road shoe currently available.

Lightweight materials and a minimalist design make the SL 3 flexible and agile on rocks and roots, delivering a fleet-footed feel but requiring a ginger touch when maneuvering challenging trails and technical descents. The firmly responsive EVA and Polyolefin midsole blend gave sparse cushioning, but delivered sufficient buffering to not get bruised from the excellent underfoot feedback. An embedded, .7mm-thick TPU film from the arch forward provided some assuring protrusion protection while allowing unfettered flex.

The superior flexibility lends itself to easy rock face “smearing,� qualifying them as one of the best shoes we’ve tested for runs that entail scrambling and sustaining traction. One tester proved it by running and climbing the “Buckets� route on the Second Flatiron above Boulder, Colorado. As a nod to their climbing roots, the Norvan SL features integrated medial collar loops so the shoes can be clipped to a harness when swapped for mountaineering boots or bouldering slippers, although the utility of the shrunken, ornamental feature is negligible. The MegaGrip Vibram outsole with 3.5mm lugs is fully functional, however, and provides a grippy hold reminiscent of LaSportiva’s run-climb offerings.

The upper’s secure and flexible grasp promotes the SL 3’s quick and nimble running performance. The coated recycled polyester upper was extremely breathable and shed moisture rapidly while maintaining a snug midfoot grip, reminding one tester of when he used to wrap his arches in athletic tape before donning cross-country spikes. Credit that firm foothold to the alternating pattern of wide and narrow lacing loops across the flexible forefoot. Another tester appreciated that the narrow midfoot hold still allowed for splay in the broad toe box. The thin laces also tucked nicely in the lace garage, evidence of ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s Salomon roots, and the thin, stretchy knit collar helped to prevent trail grit and gravel from entering around the ankle.

While we don’t recommend the SL 3 for running an ultramarathon, given their minimal midsole cushioning, all our testers felt they were superb for short ascents, for dancing over rocky terrain, and for swift runs on any trail for those who prefer only a whisper of weight and protection.

Smooth, Steady Cruiser: Norvan LD 3 ($165)

Weight: 9.2 oz
Stack Height: 29 mm heel /23 mm forefoot (6 mm drop)

´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s go-to shoe for a wide variety of trail surfaces, the LD 3, or “long distanceâ€� shoe, is aptly named. The EVA and Polyolefin midsole is quite substantial, yet not so thick as to qualify as oversized or maximalist. Fortunately, the cushioning felt muted and “non-squishyâ€�—even a bit bouncy—and provided a balanced, comfortable, and moderately responsive ride over varied terrain. Testers reported that the dependable shock absorption also didn’t seem to fatigue or pack down over long runs.

The LD’s ride is not unlike Salomon’s comfortable and versatile Ultra Glide 2, which is high praise on its own, but the Arc’Teryx fit is also more sculpted to the foot and more finessed, thanks to a foam tongue and internal foot wrap. The supportive, highly-breathable, lightweight upper has enough volume for wider feet, and allows for foot expansion from heat or distance. The sole, outfitted with 4 mm lugs made of Vibram’s MegaGrip, served well on most surfaces, from challenging, rocky singletrack to paved roads, exuding an assuring steadiness.

The LD isn’t the performance vehicle of the SL but the two shoes are intended for different purposes: one ought not compare an SUV to a race car. The SL is intended for a mix of running, scrambling and climbing, whereas the LD’s goal is to deliver comfort on the run—which it does without compromising its competent performance.

Climber’s Running Shoe: Vertex ($180)

Weight: 11 oz
Stack Height: 25 mm heel / 17 mm forefoot (8 mm drop)

´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s Vertex falls more on the mountaineering side of the spectrum, and was the least runnable of the models tested. It features a smart, sock-like upper that employs a knit collar to keep scree or other trail flack from ankle intrusion. The “360-degree randingâ€�—a supportive band around the shoe’s perimeter—and the welded support zone around the heel and instep reflect the shoe’s Alpine heritage and functionality, but reduce the shoe’s flexibility. And the plastic rock plate integrated into the midsole at mid to forefoot leaves the shoe feeling “boot-yâ€� and too stiff for a flowing heel-to-toe transition.

The Vertex is, however, durable and protective, and its compressed EVA midsole with anti-abrasion wrap and microfiber lining provide plenty of shielding from protrusions—as in, it’s bomber. The rigid outsole is complete with a 4mm lug pattern of Vibram’s MegaGrip and a friction zone in the forefoot for better traction on rock.

One tester’s question summed up our impression of the Vertex: “Perhaps these shoes are designed more for climbers than for runners?� Not only do they feel more suited to scaling a wall than running a 10K, unless I were a climber and had just come down from some daunting physical effort, perhaps with a patina of chalk on my hands and dirt on my legs, I wouldn’t feel comfortable wearing the Vertex to a coffee shop for fear of qualifying as a poser.

That said, if you are that climber and want to run in and out from a scramble, the Vertex is a stable, protective, durable, and relatively light hybrid that will take on any terrain.

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If you want fresh tracks and perfect waves, plenty of adventure films offer those. If you want to contemplate the theory of relativity with your outdoor action, you want Creation Theory. The new film from ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ offers up an Arctic adventure with a cosmic twist.Ìý

In Iceland’s Westfjords, four creators come together to take viewers on a journey you’ve never seen before. Griff Washburn of the band Goth Babe, surfer Pete Devries, and snowboarders Elena Hight and Robin Van Gyn gather under the Arctic sun to play and to explore, well, the universe. The film, directed by Ben “Sturgeâ€� Sturgulewski, poses a simple—albeit complex—question: What is the source of creation?Ìý

The 20-minute film is a different breed of outdoor adventure media. While there are still the beautiful action shots of snowboarding, surfing, and landscapes that Sturgulewski is known for—he’s been making ski films for 15 years—there’s a good chance the film will make your brain hurt in the best way possible.Ìý

The Backstory

When Sturgulewski learned that ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ was interested in making a film about the convergence of music, surfing, and snowboarding, he was all in—as long as he could go where his mind wandered. From there, the stars began to align for him to be the one to do it. ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ was keen on the musician being Washburn, and Sturgulewski’s friend, filmmaker Ben Moon, had just released a separate film about him. Things naturally just started to fall into place.Ìý

“I told [´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ] early on that I would prefer to do something a little far out and asked if they were down for the ride,â€� Sturgulewski says. “There was this beat of silence, and I was like, ‘Oh, they are not along for the ride.’ Then, they were like, ‘That’s exactly what we want to do. The weirder the better for us.’â€� Sturgulewski was surprised by their level of support and, with that, dove deep into the cosmos.

Big Questions

The film is structured around the concept of interstellar creation, space, and time (a.k.a. Einstein’s general theory of relativity). “I wanted to explore the idea of creation on the grandest, most macro level possible: the birth of the universe,â€� Sturgulewski says. The idea was to highlight the differences in how energy can operate and explore where the energy required to create actually originates. From this lofty perspective, the film transitions to the micro perspective of individual humans taking that energy and harnessing it to do their thing, like surfing Arctic waves, snaking turns down rock-lined couloirs, or writing a song. In short, how do we get from the big bang to these different forms of human creativity and expression?Ìý

Making the film was kind of a crash course in astrophysics for Sturgulewski. He watched out-there TED Talks and YouTube videos about topics like particle physics and black holes. “I wrote the narration in many late nights. I went down lots of rabbit holes,� he says. He juxtaposes dazzling illustrations of the universe created by visual artists with slow-motion footage and high-octane drone shots. His goal during the month he spent in Iceland over two shoots was to get everyone in a headspace where they could really reflect on why they do what they do.

It worked. In Creation Theory we hear the athletes and Washburn explore topics we don’t typically hear about from them: making sense of the human experience and how to find purpose, joy, and connection within it. “We were exploring some far-out concepts, and I kind of unloaded on them these ideas of gravitational waves and how they were tapping into these really grand forces,â€� Washburn says. “People don’t generally think about that, so it was just fun to put people in a different environment.â€�Ìý

An essential element of the film is the soundtrack. Washburn took inspiration from his time surfing in Iceland to create a handful of tracks for the film, including Goth Babe’s recently released song “Surfing in Iceland.� (Goth Babe launched an EP alongside the film’s release on November 4.)

Crash Course in Relativity

Back home in Gold Hill, Colorado, Sturgulewski dug into the edit with co-editor Aidan Haley. It took an entire summer to work through footage and navigate those cosmic internet rabbit holes.

“I had known about space, time, and relativity, but I didn’t fully understand them,� Sturgulewski says. Space and time are fluid, he says, and they change depending on where in the world we are—gravity has a slightly different effect on the top of a mountain than it does by the ocean. “If you can accept that the world is this place to be molded and you can create your own space and time, I think it can expand your brain a little bit in terms of what you’re able to do and what you’re able to achieve.�

Creation Theory joins a suite of exciting new films from ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ that folks will soon be able to watch. Powder hounds will want to catch Yours Truly, featuring pro skier Cole Richardson ripping around British Columbia. In Nexus, five pairs of female skiers—and an all-female crew—explore the transformative power of the mountains. Good Medicine follows six adventurers around Norway, Sunbirds offers an ode to winter on Canada’s Gaspé Peninsula, and Unfinished Business chronicles Greg Hill’s attempt to summit and ski all 20 peaks on British Columbia’s Spearhead Traverse. In Balkan Express, we follow along on a cycle and ski adventure across Eastern Europe. This Is the Motherload documents two friends as they raise adventurous kiddos throughout changing seasons and changing lives. .Ìý

Epic athletes. Ambitious feats. Spellbinding places. Countless stories and endless inspiration, all in one spot. , coming from the mountains to a screen near you.

The post The Making of ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s New Film: ‘Creation Theory’ appeared first on ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Online.

Eddie Bauer is getting into the used-gear game. With the brand’s expansion of its program this month—which now offers resale products at huge markdowns, as well as gear rentals—the company joins a growing movement to make the outdoor space more inclusive and environmentally sound by eschewing the “new, new, new� mantra of the past.

“Our goal with the (Re)ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø program is to provide a more accessible option for getting people outdoors, as well as reducing our environmental footprint,â€� vice president of Eddie Bauer marketing, Kristen Elliott, told OBJ. “The program allows us to bring technical apparel and gear to more people at an approachable cost, and ensure more people have the outdoor experiences they want.â€�

Eddie Bauer is only the latest in a growing list of brands using circular commerce to offer affordable products to more customers and keep goods out of landfills.

Here are five other companies with similar programs.

Patagonia

Through Patagonia’s program, customers can trade in their worn and torn Patagonia clothing, which is then patched and resold, in exchange for store credit. The mismatched colors from the scrap fabric used to patch tears is touted as a selling point. (And, in truth, some of the of old Patagonia gear are pretty cool.)

REI

Who doesn’t need more REI gift cards? Co-op members get one when they trade in clothing through the retailer’s program. Pieces are assessed, cleaned, and then put back into the world through REI’s .

The North Face

Returned, damaged, and defective North Face clothing is repaired and offered at discount prices through the company’ program—which, like Patagonia’s, leans hard into the funky, bohemian vibe that cutting up clothing and sewing mismatched parts back together inevitably produces. Clothing that has been patched is sold as its own dedicated collection, called .

´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ

Feeling entrepreneurial? The “dead birdâ€� company allows customers to sell used ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ clothing and gear themselves through itsÌýÌýprogram. Customers using the program receive a give card good toward purchases online and at Arc’teryx’s retail locations.

Stio

³§³Ù¾±´Ç’s program pays up to 25 percent of original retail value for used Stio pieces that customers send in. Participants receive a credit that can be used for purchases at Stio.com or any location.

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Every now and then, competitors in our industry join forces to do something important together.

The latest of these partnerships, announced today, involves Ortovox and Arc’teryx. The two brands have teamed up to create an avalanche airbag system they’re calling a “new benchmark for mountain safety.”

The new technology, LiTRIC, represents one of the lightest avalanche airbag systems on the market—just 2.4 pounds—powered by a lithium ion battery that holds 60 hours of charge and works for at least two inflations.

According to Ortovox and Arc’teryx, the technology will allow both brands to create new gear that will markedly improve both experience and safety for backcountry skiers and snowboarders.

“It’s been such a unique process to partner with a great brand and competitor like ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ to rethink avalanche airbag safety for a greater cause,” said Tom Mason, U.S. brand manager at Ortovox. “The LiTRIC airbag system is the product of two companies that are maniacally obsessed with building the highest-quality equipment.”

The heart of the system is a new two-layer airbag balloon that separates an air-holding inner bladder from an outer nylon outer shell—a design that results in a lighter, more packable balloon that doesn’t sacrifice durability.

Both Ortovox and Arc’teryx will release new pack lines this fall that incorporate the technology.

From Ortovox, we’ll see three models: the Avabag LiTRIC Tour ($1,300-$1,400), specifically designed for touring in 28-, 30-, 36-, and 40-liter sizes; the Freeride ($1,250-$1,350), slightly lighter and offered in 16-, 18-, 26-, and 28-liter sizes; and the Zero ($1,200), a minimalist 27-liter pack weighing just 4.3 pounds, designed for day tours.

Arc’teryx will incorporate the system into a new line of packs that will feature an avalanche-tool pocket, a helmet-carry system, a sternum strap with safety whistle, waist belt with stash pocket and ice-clipper slots, and a dog-bone tool attachment. LiTRIC packs from Arc’teryx will be available in 16-, 32- and 42-liter models, for $1,700, $1,800, and $1,850, respectively.

Upon announcing the release of the new system, Ortovox and Arc’teryx also announced that they’ve taken the steps to get LiTRIC bluesign certified. That certification, the companies say, ensures the product’s “manufacturing [is] performed with the lowest possible impact on people and the environment and with the most responsible use of resources.”

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The next time you go to buy a new piece of gear from a brand or retailer online, there’s an outside chance you’ll be offered a gently used version as an alternative. You can thank the recent explosion of the used-gear marketplace for that.

According to research from online resale platform ThredUp, the pre-owned outdoor gear market is projected to balloon to roughly $75 billion by 2025—an eye-popping figure for a trend still young in the industry. Historically, only a select few brands offered used products for sale through their traditional channels. In recent years, though, that tide has started to turn.

“It’s an incredible value proposition for those that can do it,� said Dylan Carden, consumer analyst at William Blair, a Chicago-based financial services firm. “This is moving at breakneck speed and it’s a way for companies to circumvent a disrupted supply chain.�

Whether you call it “resale,� “recommerce,� or “used gear,� the idea is the same. Selling used gear serves the dual goals of keeping product out of the landfill and capturing business from customers seeking second-hand goods at a discount. Third-party companies like eBay and Poshmark have long provided a home for this type of commerce, but now outdoor brands are increasingly taking control of the process.

Jumping on the Used-Gear Bandwagon

The basics of brand-controlled used gear sales are fairly straightforward. Companies either work through a service platform like Trove, which helps brands sort, repair, and resell products, or they use peer-to-peer (P2P) software like Recurate, which integrates into their online stores. P2P software provides the functionality for a consumer-driven marketplace, where customers list and sell their own gear, with brands taking a percentage of each sale.

“The evolution [of recommerce] is so hard to quantify,� said Asha Agrawal, managing director of corporate development at Patagonia, whose role includes overseeing the brand’s Worn Wear recommerce business. According to Agrawal, hunting for used gear has “emerged as a favored way to buy among certain cohorts of customers,� a trend that confirms consumers don’t always need shiny, new things. “They often prefer the value and the stories from used [gear],� Agrawal said.

The recommerce game in the outdoor industry looks different depending on the company, its products, and its scale. The big names with lots of inventory (and customer returns) can use a service like Trove to get deadstock and archival items into the resale marketplace quickly. Smaller or more niche brands that don’t have as much product on hand may fare better with P2P services like Recurate, where customers essentially run the marketplace.

“Our demand [for used gear] is far outstripping our supply,” said Peak Design founder and CEO Peter Dering, whose company used Recurate to build its new Peak Design Marketplace, a space for customers to buy and sell used Peak Design gear directly within the brand’s website.

Peak Design is a prime example of a niche brand that benefits from a dedicated customer base and thrives in a specialty online marketplace. According to a 2020 survey the brand circulated among its online customers, 27 percent of Peak Design shoppers own ten or more of the company’s products, and half of its customers were already buying and selling used gear online before the Peak Design Marketplace was up and running.

On the other end of the spectrum, large multibrand marketplaces target the masses, from casual shoppers to brand-dedicated diehards. REI’s Good and Used, which launched in 2018 with Trove handling some of the technical aspects of gear resale, is one such marketplace. Last June, both Cotopaxi and NEMO Equipment announced resale partnerships with the platform, which helped those brands achieve a quick entry into the space.

Wooing New Customers

Ken Voeller, REI’s director of circular commerce and new business development, says that beyond keeping existing outdoor gear in use longer, resale provides important avenues for customer acquisition and retention. “In 2021, we sold north of a million used units,� he said. “That’s up significantly from 2019 [the last year of ‘normal’ sales before the pandemic hit]. It lowers the barrier to entry to getting outside, and we see our trade-in offering as a way [for customers] to stay engaged with REI.�

This cost consideration is potentially transformative for higher-end brands like ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ, whose steep pricing is often a challenge for new-customer acquisition. Used gear lowers that barrier and is already proving successful with customer conversion, according to ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ VP of Recommerce Dominique Showers. “We are seeing tremendous engagement from a younger audience looking to enter into the outdoor activities we design for,â€� she said.

And it’s not all online. ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ and Patagonia are both making efforts to bring used-gear sales into brick-and-mortar retail spaces. ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ recently opened its first ReBird store in New York City, which has a dedicated section for repairs and recommerce. Patagonia has integrated Worn Wear into various retail concepts—including two full-floor takeovers at stores in Brooklyn and Denver for the 2021 holiday season.

The Climate Angle

Environmental impact is another oft-touted benefit of used-gear resale—and those claims aren’t hot air.

“The bulk of Patagonia’s emissions—95 percent—come from the supply chain, and most of that is material manufacturing,� Agrawal said. “Through our Worn Wear program, we’ll continue to offer customers clothes with 60 percent lower emissions than new.�

NEMO Global Distribution and Sustainability Manager Theresa Conn says that the company’s recent lifecycle assessment found that more than 80 percent of associated carbon impacts for a tent occurred before the product left the factory. “As the bulk of the greenhouse gas emissions are tied up in the product itself,� she said, “our goal is to keep products in circulation for as long as possible.�

Of course, this doesn’t take into account the bigger dilemma of developing an economically viable way for outdoor brands to produce less in the first place, which would prevent more emissions at their source. But building channels to keep gear circulating in the wild longer is definitely a step in the right direction.

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One day last summer, Anne Wiper, Smartwool’s vice president of product innovation, found herself in her kitchen, jamming old socks into her Cuisinart. On average, a garbage truck’s worth of textiles is thrown away every second, and Wiper knew that socks are one of the most discarded items. She wanted to see what would happen if she blended some up. What would the consistency be? Could they be repurposed into something new?

Dozens of outdoor brands have been exploring creative ways to keep their gear out of landfills, either by upcycling scrap material into new items or by collecting, repairing, and reselling used products.

“There’s business value and environmental value,� said Amy Horton, senior director for sustainable business innovation at Outdoor Industry Association. “The outdoor industry is in a unique position for reuse. We make gear that’s meant to last a long time and stand up to quite a bit of wear and tear.�

The concept of upcycled outdoor gear goes back at least to 2009, when JanSport launched a collection of backpacks made from the scraps of old packs returned under warranty. Since its founding in 2014, Cotopaxi has made scrap materials part of its aesthetic. In 2019, Patagonia launched its ReCrafted program, making new products from remnants of its old clothes. This spring, NEMO introduced the Chipper, a foldable seat cushion made of foam scraps reclaimed from its sleeping pad production, and Fjällräven announced a collection called Samlaren (Swedish for “gatherer�), which uses surplus fabric to make funky, multi-toned jackets, backpacks, and totes. The trend is gaining traction in tech, too. In March, a British sustainable design company called Gomi launched a portable speaker made from the repurposed battery cells of Lime e-bikes.

“It’s great to see all of these brands piloting ways to reclaim materials and remanufacture them into something else,� Horton said. “But to really scale it throughout the industry you have to think about whole new business models that allow you to grow without being dependent on making new stuff from new materials.�

And that’s precisely what many outdoor companies are trying to do. No brand has turned upcycling into a cash cow as of yet, and the collections are typically small, niche, and short-lived. But the potential is there: the Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that $100 billion worth of textile fibers are thrown away each year. Upcycled products can also appeal to a broader customer base—Fjällräven’s Samlaren collection, for example, is sold at retailers like Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters.

This pursuit of circularity—where a product is kept in use for as long as possible and then recycled—is accelerating in the outdoor industry. In 2019, the resale market grew 25 times faster than traditional retail, according to GlobalData Retail. Younger consumers are especially drawn to secondhand stuff. Traditional retailers like REI have vast inventories of used gear, and third-party vendors like Trove and The Renewal Workshop help brands refurbish and resell their used apparel and gear.

“Each one of our products has a footprint,â€� said Corey Simpson, communications manager for Patagonia, which launched its Worn Wear program in 2017. “We want you to buy it for the right reasons, care for it, repair it when needed, and give it back to us at the end of its life for recycling.â€� In May, ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ announced its ReBird platform to sell used, repaired, and upcycled gear. “It’s a growth opportunity,â€� said Katie Wilson, ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s senior manager for social and environmental sustainability. “And it’s legitimately good for the environment as well. I hope we can transform ourselves into a business that does more good the more we grow.â€�

As for Wiper’s blended-up socks, turns out they make great stuffing. Smartwool collected tens of thousands of old socks and will use them to make dog beds it will sell come fall. It’s the pilot program of the brand’s sustainability road map that envisions 100 percent circularity by 2030.

“This is just the beginning,� said Alicia Chin, Smartwool’s senior manager of sustainability and social impact. “We want to spin old socks into new yarn to make beanies, gloves, and even new socks.�

Sometimes moving forward looks like going around in a circle.

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A new circularity program from ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ, whose name derives from the first reptile to develop wings, has taken flight.

The Canadian outdoor apparel and equipment brand, a division of Amer Sports, this week launched a program called ReBird, which includes three components: the sale of upcycled and repurposed products; the sale of used ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ gear; and the offering of care and repair services to keep gear out of the landfill.

In addition to allowing customers to buy used ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ items and repair their own items through the brand’s care and repair service, the ReBird program includes three new upcycled products. The Stowe Windshell is made from end-of-the-roll materials reclaimed during the production process, while the brand’s Upcycled Tote and the Upcycled Pouch were crafted from post-consumer materials and gear that’s no longer usable.

´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ said ReBird “marks an organization-wide commitment to shift away from a take-make-waste economy by continuously seeking to adopt and evolve a circular way of operating. It also contributes to the brand’s science-based targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 65 percent by 2030.â€�

“At ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ, we have always built products that last, and durability is crucial to how we see ourselves contributing to a more circular economy and achieving our global climate goals,â€� said Katie Wilson, senior manager of social and environmental sustainability. “It enables us to do fun work like make new product from old, resell used gear, and repair. While some of this work has been happening as long as we’ve been in existence, some of it is brand new.â€�

Wilson told ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Business Journal that ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ will measure the ROI of ReBird with a unique set of metrics. It’s not about hitting a specific financial target or achieving a certain number of units upcycled, repaired, or sold. Instead, the program’s goal is about simply doing the right thing, being a better steward of the environment, and offering customers a way to reduce, reuse, and recycle.

“The ROI for us with ReBird is in increasing the amount of business we do in this new lower carbon approach,� she said. “We’re learning by doing, and we know that in order to meet our science-based targets on emissions reduction, we need to do more of this kind of work: upcycling, reselling, and repairing products.�

Upcycled and repurposed gear, as well as information on the brand’s care and repair service, are available on the ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ ReBird website. Used gear is available on this site, and the brand is also hosting three used-gear pop-up shops in New York and Chicago this summer.

The move comes at a time when other brands are making similar moves. Patagonia, for example, late last year launched its “Buy Less, Demand More� initiative that promotes pre-owned outdoor products. And the resale and used gear marketplaces continue to boom as consumers look for less expensive ways to get quality apparel and equipment.

Now, add ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ to the mix of brands looking to make a difference by repurposing unused materials and selling used gear to reduce waste from the apparel industry.

“To us, circularity means continuously seeking to design out waste and pollution from our systems and to respect the resources of our finite planet,â€� Wilson said. “ReBird is one way that ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ is bringing this to life.â€�

The post Arc’Teryx Debuts Comprehensive Circularity Program appeared first on ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Online.

There are jobs—and then there are jobs. You know the ones: the gigs that make coming to work about so much more than punching the clock and collecting a paycheck.

The ones that fill the workday with camaraderie, a sense of purpose, and just plain fun. It shows in the policies and perks a company offers, in ways big (health insurance, parental leave) and small (ski days, free gear). And they pay off—big time—for employers, who can count on loyal, productive employees who feel invested in the company’s success.

Here are just a few of the ways leaders in this industry go above and beyond for their workers. We hope employers and employees alike will consider this a menu of inspiration for greater workplace satisfaction. To say the past year has been a challenging one for businesses across the industry is an understatement. But despite all the hurdles, we still wouldn’t want to work anywhere else. This is why.

We asked industry members to nominate their workplaces for providing a superior employee experience. After combing through all 165 responses, these are our favorite ideas worthy of imitation.

Play ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø

CASE STUDY: Darby Communications, Asheville, NC

As any veteran of summer camp knows, getting out into the wilds together builds lasting bonds. So this boutique PR firm throws an annual staff campout, taking employees on a (paid) overnight excursion that has included paddling to an island campsite, fly-fishing lessons, tubing, and whitewater rafting over the past four years. “It builds community on our team, so there’s a deeper connection between us,� said Vice President Angie Robinson. The pandemic forced the team to cancel last year’s trip, but Darby replaced it with smaller outdoor gatherings, and when it’s safe, “We’re planning on a blowout camping trip to bring back the tradition in a big way,� said Suzanne Hermann, media relations director.

Pro tip: The financial barrier to this sort of retreat is low, points out Robinson. Camping is cheap, and Darby takes advantage of its clients’ gear and services (like whitewater guiding), so the total cost is only $200 to $300 per year for nine employees.

Bring Community to the Cafeteria

CASE STUDY: Skratch Labs, Boulder, CO

Every month, 29 full-time employees of nutrition/sports drink company Skratch Labs are invited to a communal breakfast at the office, courtesy of founder Allen Lim. Some staffers play sous chef, helping whip up Lim specialties like savory rice porridge, breakfast salad, and egg tacos. “In the same way that a family is closer when they share meals around the table, we are a better team when we do the same,� said CEO Ian MacGregor. Since last spring, the communal dining has shifted to live cooking lessons for employees at home. “We prep and ship all necessary ingredients to each of our team members, then we all get on a massive video call and learn to make something,� said MacGregor.

Pro tip: Even if you don’t have a full kitchen or a cookbook author for a founder, as Skratch Labs does, you can still break bread as a team: Think regular takeout gatherings or voluntary potlucks.

Embrace Inclusivity

Brands across the industry are beginning to meet the moment by ramping up DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) efforts.Ìý

Hit the Slopes

In what other industry do you get formal permission to go skiing when the pow is fresh? Here are just a few of the businesses that allow—nay, encourage—playing hooky on a snow day: Backbone Media, BoldBrew, Burton, Hala Gear/CKS Online, Meteorite PR, and Stio.

Commit to Fighting Climate Change

CASE STUDY: BioLite, Brooklyn, NY, and Peak Design, San Francisco, CA

BioLite (maker of camp stoves and lights) and Peak Design (a camera gear and travel bag brand) took their sustainability missions to the next level in 2018 with the launch of their Climate Neutral nonprofit. The organization helps other brands measure their total carbon footprints—from sourcing to manufacturing to shipping—and then offset them with carbon credits, earning certification. In 2019, 146 companies joined the program, representing a sizable commitment to reducing carbon emissions. “Climate Neutral makes me so proud to be a part of the organization,� said BioLite Ecommerce Operations Manager Joseph Caravaglia. Hyden Polikoff, treasurer at Peak Design, agreed: “I want the place where I put my time and effort to embody my values.�

Get Creative when Challenged

CASE STUDY: Mustang Survival, Burnaby, BC

When the pandemic hit last March, industry members counterpunched. Mustang Survival was one of them, switching from making its usual dry bags, drysuits, and ocean racing gear to churning out hundreds of thousands of waterproof/breathable protective gowns for healthcare workers (many other brands swiftly did the same with masks and eye shields). Not only did the pivot provide crucial PPE to hospitals across Canada, but it also allowed Mustang to hire 50 new employees (31 of them were still with the brand as of press time). “We set up a school and ran new hires through extensive training on sewing and taping,� said Mark Anderson, VP of engineering. “They learned skills directly transferrable to the apparel we make.�

Be Generous with Vacation Time

CASE STUDY: Roads Rivers and Trails, Milford, OH

Every winter for the past six years, as long as she’s been working at specialty retailer Roads Rivers and Trails, Manager Olivia Eads (pictured below on Pikes Peak) has taken at least a month off work to go climbing. Owners Bryan Wolf, Joe White, and Emily White highly encourage it with unlimited (unpaid) vacation time for all staff. “We get the shifts covered and we make it work,� said Wolf. In 2019, employees averaged 40 days off apiece—“and that’s just outdoor trips, not Christmas,� Wolf noted.

Welcome Fido

Embracing pups in the office— when we go back to the office, that is—pays off for both dogs (more walks) and employees (research shows that the presence of a furry friend reduces stress and boosts self-esteem). A few businesses that make room for our best friends: ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ, Kelty, Nemo, Ruffwear, and Xero Shoes.

Spread Profits Around

Some workplaces give everyone a different kind of promotion. All employees at ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø (OBJ’s parent company) get stock options, which increase with strong performance or a promotion. “It’s critical for creating alignments [between employees and the company] and incentives,â€� said CEO Robin Thurston. When the company does well and hard work pays off, employees benefit, too.

Encourage Exploration

CASE STUDY: Cotopaxi, Salt Lake City, UT

How’s this for an antidote to job turnover? After 18 months, employees of this B Corp apparel and gear brand can cash in on their first of two “bucket list stipends�: $1,000 to use on a dream trip anywhere in the world. After five years, the reward bumps up to $5,000. Recent employee trips have included touring Morocco, cycling the French Alps, and a fish-spearing, coconut-gathering survival excursion on a remote Caribbean island. “Number one, we need to be able to attract and retain talent, and this is a unique perk,� said founder and CEO Davis Smith. “And secondly, we want to make sure our employees are living the values of the business. We’re building a brand around adventure and exploring the world.� Cotopaxi has spent nearly $100,000 on its bucket list payouts so far, he says, but, “These things pay for themselves—you don’t have to pay higher wages to convince someone to join the team, or [deal with] rehiring.�

Pro tip: Cotopaxi helps employees make the most of their trips by holding learning sessions on topics like getting involved in local communities and traveling on a shoestring budget. “Within the team, there’s a constant sharing of travel deals,� said Smith. “If you keep your eye on deals, $1,000 can cover a trip somewhere really fun.�

Get Gear in Our Hands

CASE STUDY: NRS, Moscow, ID

Paddling gear can be expensive, as NRS’s employees well know. But lack of capital won’t ever stand in the way when someone pulls a rafting permit, thanks to the brand’s “company use� stash of rafts, frames, coolers, stand-up paddleboards, inflatable kayaks, and drysuits. Employees can check out the gear for free. “We’ve had employees go on Grand Canyon trips, and they were able to get everything they needed and disappear with it for 18 days,� said Steve Farley, key account manager. In 2019, 130 employees dipped into the stash for a total of 880 checkouts.

Pro tip: Appoint someone (or a small team, as NRS does) to manage the gear sign-out process and keep items clean, safe, and organized.

Give Us Long Weekends

The Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics offers half-day Fridays, and in summer, Outdoor Prolink switches to a four-10s schedule. Nobody’s head is really in the game at 3 P.M. Friday anyway.

Support Employees’ Life Goals

CASE STUDY: Outdoor Gear Exchange, Burlington, VT

Employees who get five years under their belts at this retailer have extra reason to celebrate: They qualify for its Living the Dream program, which awards a $5,000 grant for pretty much anything that makes their lives a little easier. “Originally, it was to go on a dream trip,� said Brian Wade, executive director of retail and service. But the list of acceptable uses has ballooned over the years to include down payments on homes, childcare, a new vehicle, or paying off debt. “I can’t think of anybody who hasn’t figured out a way to use it,� he said.

Pro tip: How does OGE afford it? “We just do it,� said Wade, noting that the total expense is a fairly small line item on the budget. “It’s nice to honor the people who’ve put in time. And the emotional impact of getting a lump sum is really great.�

Support New Parents…

CASE STUDY: ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø PR, San Francisco, CA

In a country where his seven-person PR firm doesn’t legally have to provide any break for its new parents, owner Gordon Wright instead offers the best parental leave policy we’ve seen in the industry: six months of leave at 80 percent salary, moms and dads alike. “It feels like theÌýright thing to do,â€� Wright said. That kind of investment pays off in ways both tangible (an attractive carrot when looking for new talent) and intangible, says Senior Account Executive Kelsey McGraw. “Gordon and all the managers believe family comes first,â€� she said. “They care for my well-being, and I don’t want to disappoint them. I want to work that much harder to see this company be successful.â€�

Pro tip: Doing without a key employee for six months poses challenges, but Wright notes that hiring a freelance substitute can help any company keep chugging along.

…And Not-So-New Parents

CASE STUDY: Patagonia, Ventura, CA

Parents industry-wide could be forgiven for daydreaming about a job switch to Patagonia. For one, there are the on-site daycares (in Ventura and Reno), which together care for 200 kids and offer tuition discounts based on income. “Being able to nurse my son at daycare rather than pump every three hours was so huge,â€� said Amy Garrahan, southwest sales manager. AndÌýif a primary parent needs to travel for work while a baby is still nursing? Patagonia covers travel expenses for a caregiver.ÌýPro tip: Half of the brand’s daycare program is covered through tuition; 75 percent of the rest is recouped via tax credits, improved productivity, and employee retention. Companies that can’t add their own programs can still help parents with daycare stipends and more flex time options.

Bond over Workouts

Good: allowing employees to head out for a midday sweat break. Better: organizing group runs, yoga classes, bike rides, and even surfing sessions (like Nemo does on the New England coast) during the workday for communal exercise, stress relief, and team bonding in one fell swoop.

Make Fitness Easy

CASE STUDY: Wolverine Worldwide, Rockford, MI

Spin classes, pickleball, pickup volleyball, and basketball: All in a day’s work at Wolverine. Opened in 2019, the on-campus, 29,000-square-foot The Rock facility also offers an indoor track, group fitness classrooms, and cardio equipment. Plus, membership is free for all 600-plus employees of eight brands. “Not only does it help in getting people excited to work for Wolverine, but having a variety of activities available is really key for blowing off steam,� said Merrell Senior Marketing Manager Lauren King.

Pro tip: Building an entire gym might not be in the cards. “But figuring out things that might not cost a lot of money, but add a lot to culture, is.� See #16 and #18 for ideas.

Give Cash for Ski Passes

Or gym memberships, yoga classes, and other wellness perks of choice, as sales agency Caraway & Co. does ($150 per employee per year).

Invest in Employee Healthcare

CASE STUDY: Waypoint Outdoor, Seattle, WA

Perks like gyms and company bike rides are great, but a real commitment to employee health should be built on a foundation of high-quality, affordable health insurance. This sales agency for brands like Klean Kanteen and Smartwool takes that to heart, covering 100 percent of premium costs for its employees. That’s made a huge difference for sales rep Carly Morava, a cancer survivor who’s been with the company for three years. She’d wanted to switch careers from retail to repping, but was afraid she wouldn’t be able to afford the insurance she needed. Unlike other workplaces she’d considered, Morava said, “Waypoint pays for everything, and it’s a really good plan.�

Help People Climb the Ladder

CASE STUDY: KEEN, Portland, OR

In a workplace just as on a mountain, sometimes the right guide can make all the difference. That’s why Keen added formal mentoring to its benefits. The Career Compass Program matches eager employees with seasoned volunteer “coaches� for structured career advice and development. Pairs meet twice a month to set goals and track progress. Though the program is open to everyone, says Global Communications Manager Mindy Montgomery, women make up the bulk of the participants—“Research shows that women utilize formal mentoring programs more because men have greater access to informal mentoring opportunities,� she noted. Senior Compliance Specialist Elsa Clements credits the program with helping her land a promotion in 2019. “It was super-valuable in giving me confidence,� she said. She worked with her coach on strategies for putting her best foot forward, and “It was really good for me to have that framework when I sat down with my manager.�

Pro tip: Career Compass facilitators consider applicants’ communication style and personality when setting up pairs. “If the participant and coach have trouble communicating, they’re going to have a hard time forming a connection,� said Montgomery, “which is a crucial component to a successful coaching relationship.�

Support Education

Help us advance by springing for certifications, courses, conferences, and skills clinics. Take Vail Resorts: Employees can apply for a $2,500 Educational Ascent Grant to fund a college degree (vocational to Ph.D.) or certificate (such as EMT).

Let Employees Drive Improvements

CASE STUDY: Hydro Flask, Bend, OR

Hydro Flask holds its own kind of holiday two or three times a year: the Better Future Day. Each one features a menu of activities for employees to choose from, all conceived and planned by fellow employees. Recent options have included guided meditations, art workshops, public speaking courses, and SUP sessions. “It could be anything from, ‘It’s time to reorganize our shelves’ to ‘Let’s bring in an expert on a topic like racism and have a difficult discussion,’� said Lucas Alberg, senior manager, PR and brand communications. Continually working on company culture is a bedrock value for Hydro Flask, says Senior HR Generalist Ryan Combellick, “but if it’s something that’s just coming from the top down, it can feel forced.�

Pro tip: Don’t overthink the scheduling, and just do it. “There’s never a good time for this, but it’s imperative that you make it happen,� noted Alberg. “Productivity may be lost that day, but it’s taking one step back and two steps forward for the company.�

Encourage Clubs

Supporting an employee resource group (ERG), a club dedicated to a particular identity or interest—from working parents to sober employees to members of specific ethnicities or religions—cultivates belonging and community. VF Corp. has put significant resources into its ERGs since 2017.

Make the World a Better Place Far Away…

CASE STUDY: Superfeet, Ferndale, WA

When this insole brand decides to give back, it goes big. Superfeet donates 1 percent of its profits to charity, including an ongoing public-health service trip to Guatemala to build latrines and rainwater-capture tanks for small rainforest villages. “I wanted our employees to be engaged with the charities we’re working with,� said Director of Outreach and Fit Jeff Gray, who runs the program. “How can we get down on our hands and knees and get dirty and make a difference? It’s about writing the check, then also diving in.� The brand has taken eight to ten employees on the (fully paid) trip for the past four years, an opportunity that has proven so popular that Gray has to pull names out of a size-17 running shoe to select participants. Superfeet’s commitment to nonprofits builds loyalty and helps attract employees, said Gray: “So many are grateful to be able to work within this culture.�

Pro tip: Got the cash—or the time—to donate? Choose beneficiaries carefully, says Gray. He screened a number of nonprofits before choosing six to support based on how well their core values matched Superfeet’s. “Then you can build that relationship, bond, and do some great work together,� he said.

…And Closer to Home

CASE STUDY: Big Agnes, Steamboat Springs, CO

For a company making gear tailored for use on the trail, volunteer trail maintenance felt like a natural way to live out brand values of land stewardship and community involvement.

So Big Agnes zeroed in on the Continental Divide Trail, which passes within two miles of company HQ, officially adopting the 72 miles from nearby Rabbit Ears Pass to the Wyoming border in 2018. Since then, the brand has organized several trail work days on their section every year. “It’s a cool opportunity to see the owners of the company really caring about our public lands, and [having] the employees be part of that,� said Product Developer Paige Baker. And though the point of the trail work is giving back, it doesn’t hurt brand image with customers, either, says co-owner Len Zanni, who notes that the marketing team produces blog posts and publishes catalog essays about the project.

Pro tip: Scale give-back projects according to your workplace’s size and goals. “Think about what you care about, then figure out what organizations or areas could use your help, and how much help you can lend,� said Zanni. “If you’re a smaller organization, maybe you can put someone on a nonprofit board, or donate money or time.�

Remote Work Policies that Work for All

When the pandemic ends, many will still appreciate the flexibility to work remotely. Evans says the best policies let employees work wherever they’re most productive. Her company, The Ready, traded its office for monthly stipends for home office upgrades, co-working spaces, or rent for optional group offices.

Fair Profit Sharing

Sharing success fosters an environment of collaboration, not competition. Email marketing firm ConvertKit diverts a chunk of its profits to a shared pool that’s distributed to all through a formula that gives a little extra to those with the longest tenure.

Employee Connection

One easy way to help build connection among virtual workers: Start meetings with a five-minute check-in, prompted with questions like, “What was your weekend highlight?�

Self-Set Salaries

Want employees to really feel they’re being paid what they’re worth? Let them choose their own salaries, like tomato-packing brand Morning Star has done for decades—and make all of them public.

The post 29 Ways to Build a Happier Company appeared first on ºÚÁϳԹÏÍø Online.

As of October 2020, Instagram registered over a billion unique monthly users. If a picture truly is worth a thousand words, then a wide-reaching Instagram account is—well, it’s valuable. But how can outdoor companies make the most of an audience waiting on the other end of a screen?

We examined and chatted with some of the biggest outdoor brands on the photo-sharing platform to find out what works for them.

GoPro (@gopro)

Follower count: 17.7 million

Date joined: March 22, 2012

Total posts: 6,120

Account Overview

When it comes to outdoor brands on Instagram, GoPro easily leads the pack. Almost four times more users follow GoPro than other brands like The North Face and Patagonia. The company keeps its users engaged, too—videos on GoPro’s page regularly notch hundreds of thousands of views, and photos generally amass close to one hundred thousand likes, outperforming brands with similar follower counts like Starbucks and Calvin Klein. GoPro generally posts on the account twice a day, with posts spaced apart by several hours.

Useful Strategies

There’s one thing you won’t see on GoPro’s Instagram: Any of the company’s products. Rather than focusing on the cameras themselves, the page highlights what’s in front of them, posting everything from skiing backflips to scuba dives to airplane stunts. GoPro saves the flashy product photos for its website, but on Instagram, the brand sells experiences—experiences their cameras can document.

The North Face (@thenorthface)

Follower count: 4.8 million

Date joined: February 14, 2011

Total posts: 427

Account Overview

The majority of The North Face’s Instagram posts can be broken into two categories: product-focused and athlete-focused. The brand’s product-focused posts look like a classic advertisement: The product and TNF logo are front and center. Captions for these posts tell users what the product is, how it works, and where they can get one. Athlete-focused posts feature partnered athletes in action, and don’t stress as much about brand recognition—in most of these posts, it’s tough to tell whether the athlete is even wearing TNF gear. The account posts three to four times a week, and mixes up video and photo content.

Useful Strategies

Senior director of digital brand management Zeena Koda says the alternation between product advertisement and “brand content�—athletes, outdoor images, and storytelling—is intentional. In fact, while it’s not an exact science, Koda has a rough benchmark for the breakdown.

“I think a 60-40 balance is healthy, but it’s never that clear-cut,� Koda said. Her goal is to feature “brand content� in about 60 percent of TNF’s posts, while the other 40 percent highlights specific TNF products.

Patagonia (@patagonia)

Follower count: 4.6 million

Date joined: May 17, 2012

Total posts: 2,757

Account Overview

Like TNF, Patagonia posts content three to four times per week. The page is extremely photo-heavy, and video content generally involves some sort of call to action. Patagonia also posts a significant number of call-to-action graphics highlighting the climate crisis and environmental justice.

Useful Strategies

Patagonia’s Instagram bio simply reads, “We’re in business to save our home planet.� The philosophy is evident in the brand’s posts, which tend to focus on sweeping natural landscapes. If humans are in Patagonia’s posts, they’re often small or far away, framing the outdoors as a space commanding awe, wonder, and respect. True product advertisements are rare on Patagonia’s Instagram—even Patagonia’s well-known logo barely makes an appearance on the page.

Timberland (@timberland)

Follower count: 3 million

Date joined: June 23, 2011

Total posts: 3,671

Account Overview

There may not be a more direct opposite to Patagonia’s Instagram page than Timberland’s. Timberland’s Instagram is about one thing: boots. Boots on models, boots floating in mid-air, boots in boxes. Name a way to display a Timberland boot and it’s probably on the company’s Instagram. Posts come like clockwork—exactly one post a day, usually hitting the profile by mid-morning.

Useful Strategies

“We want people to arrive at our social media pages and see what they love [our products], but also learn about what we stand for,� senior director of marketing Mike Isabella said in a statement.

Timberland does feature a number of social-justice-focused graphics on its page, but products drive the majority of the brand’s content. It’s a strategy that seems to work, in terms of engagement. When the boots take up nearly the entire frame, posts regularly hit tens of thousands of likes, and posts that feature models’ full bodies or otherwise draw away from the boots generally struggle to crack ten thousand likes.

Tentree (@tentree)

Follower count: 2.4 million

Date joined: March 30, 2012

Total posts: 568

Account Overview

The eco-focused apparel brand has a unique distinction as the only company on this list younger than Instagram. Like The North Face, tentree uses Instagram partially as an advertising venue—the page displays models wearing products from sweatpants to face masks. The rest of the account’s posts feature landscape shots and deforestation-awareness graphics similar to TNF’s ‘brand content.’

Useful Strategies

In terms of engagement, tentree’s nature-focused content significantly outperforms product advertisement on the page. Posts like this one depicting a glass-walled forest bedroom amass likes in the tens of thousands, while product-focused posts usually top out at several thousand.

REI (@rei)

Follower count: 2.3 million

Date joined: July 30, 2012

Total posts: 4,791

Account Overview

REI’s Instagram feed is all about people in the outdoors. This may not seem revolutionary for one of the country’s largest outdoor retailers, but as other brands have opted for product-focused posts or landscape photos without people, most of REI’s posts bring humans and natural spaces together. These posts generally perform well, usually reaching five-digit like counts. REI’s less frequent, landscape-only posts perform similarly, while the account’s few product advertisement posts hover around five thousand likes.

Useful Strategies

There’s a not-so-secret weapon at play in boosting engagement on certain REI posts. Every so often, REI will caption a photo with a question, like “Why do you hike?� or “What are some of your silver linings from 2020?� Posts with a simple question in the caption drive hundreds of people to the comments section; by comparison, most other posts see between 30 and 50 comments. Questions boost likes, too—posts captioned with questions generally rack up thousands more likes than similar posts without questions.

Oakley (@oakley)

Follower count: 2.2 million

Date joined: January 19, 2012

Total posts: 184

Account Overview

Like Timberland, Oakley’s Instagram page is dominated by product-focused posts. Goggles and sunglasses are always the focal point, and while accounts like Patagonia and TNF place their products against a natural backdrop, Oakley’s posts are mainly close-up facial profiles. The eyewear brand is one of the least prolific posters on this list, uploading content at most three times a week.

Useful Strategies

Rather than models, Oakley leans heavily on the allure of professional athletes wearing its products to boost engagement—athletes like cricketer Rohit Sharma, the focus of three posts that each cracked one million likes. It certainly helps that Oakley is partnered with the NFL, and superstar players like Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson are featured prominently on the page. NFL-related posts often rack up hundreds of thousands of likes, a massive engagement number for an account with just over two million followers. Non-NFL athletes help engagement numbers, too: Snowboarder Jamie Anderson and other snowsports pros appear in several well-performing posts.

YETI (@yeti)

Follower count: 1.5 million

Date joined: July 20, 2012

Total posts: 2,413

Account Overview

Like many of the outdoor apparel and gear brands on this list, YETI’s Instagram posts focus on its products in use. In terms of engagement, most of YETI’s posts perform similarly, hovering around six to nine thousand likes. The account doesn’t flood the timeline with posts, sending an image or video out roughly once a day.

Useful Strategies

When it comes to product advertisement, YETI’s posts are reminiscent of product placement in a movie or TV show. Posts don’t advertise a specific product like The North Face’s do; instead, most posts focus on a larger scene—an ice fishing trip, a duck hunt, a day at the beach—with a YETI product included and prominently displayed. The YETI logo catches the eye in almost every post, but rather than advertise a specific cooler, say, posts advertise YETI as a brand.

Salomon (@salomon)

Follower count: 933k

Date joined: July 24, 2013

Total posts: 2,270

Account Overview

Salomon’s Instagram focuses heavily on the company’s two best-known product lines: skis and running shoes. The page is image-heavy, generally using video content to profile featured athletes. Likes are generally consistent between five and ten thousand, and the account generally posts once per day.

Useful Strategies

Salomon’s page is one of the most product-focused on this list—whether on ski tips, shoe tongues, or bindings, the Salomon logo is visible in nearly every post. Most products are identified in the caption for consumers to find them easily, and almost all are depicted in action.

´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ (@arcteryx)

Follower count: 932k

Date joined: February 7, 2012

Total posts: 2,801

Account Overview

´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ, similar to brands like TNF and tentree, posts a mix of product advertisement and athlete-driven content. Engagement patterns for ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s content are opposite these other brands, though—´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s product advertisement posts generally outperform landscape shots and athlete profiles by a few thousand likes or more. The account posts about once a day, and generally alternates posts between its content categories.

Useful Strategies

Like many of the brands on this list, ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ runs secondary, geographically-localized Instagram accounts alongside its main account, which director of brand experience Jurgen Watts credits with expanding the brand’s social media reach.

“Our strategy as a company is to develop… localized Instagram channels for our communities,� Watts said. “If you live in the Bay Area, we want to make sure that there’s a Bay Area feed that is very localized.�

Compared to ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s main Instagram channel, these localized accounts have significantly lower follower counts—generally not more than a few thousand followers. Some posts from ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ’s main feed will show up in these smaller channels, but posts also feature athletes wearing ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ gear in recognizable local spots.

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The guilt of e-commerce is real. On Cyber Monday this year, U.S. shoppers spent a record $10.8 billion in less than 24 hours, generating an incredible amount of packaging waste in the process.ÌýFor outdoor industry consumers—people who care about the environment and sustainability—reckoning with that kind of excess hits close to home.

“I cringe when I throw something away these days,â€� said Mitch Barlas, president of RePack North America, a returnable and reusable packaging company. “I know that when we throw things away they don’t just disappear—there’s a cost involved.â€�

RePack, the brainchild of Juha Mäkelä, was founded in Finland in 2011 in order to alleviate the waste generated by online shopping. Finland is the world’s leading paper pulp producer, but Mäkelä knew paper wouldn’t be around forever. Inspired by Finland’s bottle return system, he envisioned RePack as a shipping alternative to single-use poly mailers and cardboard boxes. For half a decade, the company has successfully replaced both for more than 100 companies throughout the European Union.

Last January, RePack launched its reusable mailers in the United States, and shortly thereafter launched in Canada due to demand (there, the company is working in partnership with Canadian Post). Although RePack’s North American client roster remains small and primarily consists of fashion brands, all of its pilot runs have been successful.

“We’re finding that when someone receives their order in a reusable package, there’s this a-ha moment. They don’t have to make that trip out to the garbage can with all this packaging,â€� said Barlas. “For the end-user, there’s a connection with the reusable packaging that translates back to really strong brand loyalty and recognition that the brand cares about the environment.â€�

The Lifecycle of a RePack

Made from 100 percent recycled plastics, RePacks are woven polypropylene (think Ikea bags) that come in three sizes, all of which can be sealed to half or three-quarters of their maximum size depending on what’s being shipped. Companies that sign on with RePack are provided the reusable mailers and instructed on how to use them, a process that is similar to sealing a giant envelope with a strip of tape (which RePack provides). Although they’re ideal for softgoods large and small—clothing, boots, hiking backpacks—the mailers are water-resistant and can accommodate hardgoods like ski goggles and lanterns, too.

“Scandanavian Outdoor, one of our first RePack users in Europe, has been experimenting with shipping hardgoods rather than just softgoods and apparel,� said Barlas. “They use eco-friendly content protection within the envelopes.�

Substantial and durable, RePack packaging can be used anywhere from 20 to 50 times. Once they get to the end of their lifecycle, the worn-out packages are upcycled into reusable shopping bags. Companies can opt to pass on some or all of the cost, about $3.70 per use, to customers. Once a company fills an order, the end-user folds the packaging down into a small envelope, sticks on the included return label, and drops it off at any USPS location. The envelope is then sent to RePack’s warehouse in Salt Lake City, where it’s cleaned and distributed back to brands. Every time a RePack goes through the system, its carbon footprint shrinks.

“RePack reduces packaging trash from shipping by 96 percent,� said Barlas, adding that the company is developing a new sealing solution to replace tape in 2021. “Even considering the return trip to our warehouse, RePack lowers overall carbon emissions from shipping by up to 80 percent, depending on the type of single-use packaging you’re replacing.�

Getting on Board

All of RePack’s clients are united by a desire to reduce their impact, and many employ fair-trade practices or use low-impact materials as well. Getting listed on RePack’s online participant directory is one of the benefits of joining up.

“Our best clients right now are companies that are thinking deeply about the environment and taking concrete steps to mitigate climate change,� said Barlas, noting that most end-users share those beliefs and are excited about RePack, despite the additional cost. “We’re here to help them dive deeper into sustainability.�

In Europe, plenty of outdoor brands are using RePack, including Salomon, which is currently in the midst of a holiday test-run. Barlas sees the U.S. outdoor industry and its customer base as an ideal market for RePack. So far, however, no American outdoor companies have signed up.

“I’ve personally talked to ´¡°ù³¦â€™t±ð°ù²â³æ, The North Face, Mountain Hardwear, and a couple other smaller brands,â€� said Barlas. “But what happens—and we see this fairly often with large-scale brands—is that the idea is presented to the fulfillment team and they don’t want to be bothered. That’s what happened at The North Face. We got very far with the CEO of [TNF’s parent company] and then it gets to one of their fulfillment centers and the director said no way.â€�

Barlas remains optimistic that companies will come around, but he says it’s going to involve leaning on operations teams.

“RePack does require a slight change for fulfillment and operations but we’ve modeled it after a poly envelope so it’s not too deep a dive,� he said. “We’re also offering a lot of support and hand holding.�

2021 Forecasting for RePack

In January, RePack will launch with a high-volume luxury fashion retailer, the first test of its scalability in the U.S. Thanks to half a decade of successful operations in Europe and two strong manufacturing partners in Asia, the company remains optimistic that taking on larger clients, and thus higher volumes, won’t present a problem. RePack is also in talks with the USPS to negotiate a lower rate for reusables and is considering opening two more distribution centers stateside.

“Reusable packaging is new to everyone, including us, and we want to do it collaboratively,� said Barlas. “We want to help brands implement it, because the ultimate winner is our planet. That’s what’s at stake here.�

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