Veja has launched its first hiking shoe, the Fitz Roy. Designed to be a durable, technical hiking shoe, the Fitz Roy has a wide sole with multi-directional lugs. The shoe is made in Brazil, with 43% of the material being bio-based and recycled. It features the brand’s new Trek-Shell upper material, made with 100% recycled polyester and treated with a PFC-free durable water repellent. The $245 shoe also has a rocker shape and rock plate made from 53% sugar cane. 

Vietnam’s footwear production industry took a hit last week when Taiwan’s Pou Chen Corp., a supplier to both Nike and Adidas, announced it would cut 6,000 positions at the Ho Chi Minh City factory because of weak demand. Half of the job cuts were scheduled to take place on Feb.  25 with the remainder sometime later this year. The anticipated eliminations represent 11.9 percent of the factory’s workforce. Vietnam was the largest sourcing country for Adidas in 2021, accounting for an estimated 40 percent of the Three Stripes’ footwear production. The country, which exports footwear to more than 100 countries, realized 6.3 percent growth in year-over-year footwear export dollars in 2021 to $17.8 billion.

360 Adventure Collective has announced its summer show schedule of regional sales rep shows for the outdoor industry. The schedule includes a brand new 360AC Experience in April with an emphasis on camping, climbing, and hiking. 

The summer schedule for 360 Adventure Collective includes:

• 360AC Experience: Camp, Climb, Hike – April 11-12 – Chattanooga, TN
• Mid-Atlantic Summer Expo – June 6-8, 2023 – Edison, NJ
• Southeast Summer Expo – June 19-22, 2023 – Greenville, SC
• New England Summer Expo – June 20-22, 2023 – Manchester, NH
• 360AC Experience: Paddlesports – September 12-13, 2023 – Charlotte, NC
  

For more information, visit 360adventurecollective.org or email Stacey Gellert at staceyg@360adventurecollective.org.