Puma and Helly Hansen have released a new collab of performance apparel and footwear for the winter, including a range of jackets, tights and footwear. Footwear includes the Puma Voyage Nitro Helly Hansen, a trail running shoe with grippy rubber and a lockdown fit, and the Puma Velocity Nitro Helly Hansen, a light and responsive road shoe using the brand’s Nitro foam cushioning.

Dahlgren Socks, which was purchased earlier this year by Canadian distributor In-Sport Fashions, is back with a whole new collection for this fall. The brand’s return to market includes novelty styles, iconic brand silhouettes and vibrant color ways. Dahlgren socks are made in the USA, feature Alpaca fibers and are designed to offer durability and moisture-wicking properties. The brand’s patented Dri-Stride technology combines the absorbing qualities of Alpaca fiber and Merino wool and the wicking capabilities of synthetic fiber. The Fall 21 collection is available now on the brand’s website.

‍Footwear Unlimited, the Fenton, MO parent of Baretraps, Spyder Footwear and The Frye Company Footwear, has hired Jon Hanson as EVP/GM for Spyder Footwear. The 20-year industry veteran most recently served as Director of Sales for all outdoor brands at Amer Sports.

‍Huntsman Corporation announced that it has developed a new thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which is fully recyclable, UV protected and can be extruded into a film and then easily expanded into foamed sheets. The special grade of IROGRAN TPU was developed by Huntsman, in conjunction with the Shincell New Material Company Ltd, which is using the material to create foam sheets that are then used in insole, midsole and forepart insert applications by some of the world’s leading footwear brands. Designed as an alternative to EVA, Huntsman reports that the new material has high energy return properties and provides long-lasting cushioning performance.

U.S. retail traffic on “Super Saturday” (Dec. 18), the last Saturday before Christmas, is projected to be 148 million consumers, according to the National Retail Federation/Prosper Insights & Analytics. The consumer total is down slightly from 150 million in 2020 but up from 147 million shoppers in 2019. The same survey found that 65 percent of shoppers will continue visiting retail through the end of 2021 to take advantage of deals and promotions (42%) and use gift cards (24%).