The team behind the Darn Tough Vermont sock brand is aiming to disrupt the sock industry with the launch of a new sock brand called Wide Open – The Wide Width Sock. Launching in October 2023, Wide Open will offer quality socks with style, durability, and stretch to fit wide feet, ankles, and calves. Wide Open embraces “that bodies come in all shapes and sizes and believes socks should too.”

Launching in six heights: no show, quarter, mini crew, micro crew, crew, and boot, Wide Open socks will be available online starting October 1^st at www.wideopensocks.com and at brick-and-mortar locations in July 2024. Every pair will be backed by Darn Tough’s Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee. Pricing will be in line with Darn Tough’s current MSRPs.

Columbia Sportswear has hired Woody Blackford as SVP/Chief Product Officer for the Columbia brand where he will coordinate all product aspects of apparel, footwear, accessories, and equipment for the label. He previously worked for 14 years at Columbia Sportswear, including a stint as VP of global design and innovation where he invented the brand’s patented Omni-Heat technology.

Allbirds, which is five months into a “strategic transformation plan” it announced in March, reported an operating loss of $29.6 million in Q2 as total sales fell nearly 10 percent to $70.5 million for the three months ended June 30. U.S. sales declined by 14 percent to $50.7 million but rose by 4 percent in all other markets to $19.7 million. The San Francisco company improved its quarterly, year-over-year gross margin by 670 basis points to 42.8 percent on lower inventory write-downs, lower freight and logistics costs, and higher mix of international sales that was partially offset by lower ASPs.

Fila USA anticipates a big FY23 operating loss. Parent Fila Holdings Corp. lowered the annual outlook for its U.S. segment this week when reporting the company’s overall Q2 results. FY23 consolidated revenues at Fila USA’s are now forecast to fall between 40 and 50 percent year-over-year, instead of a prior estimate of a 20 to 25 percent decline. Fila USA, which is aiming to reduce its year-over-year inventory level on Dec. 31 by 30 percent, is now expected to report a consolidated FY23 operating loss of 160 to 180 billion Korean won that is equivalent to a loss of $119.8 to $134.8 million dollars.

Fila USA’s Q2 operating loss was approximately $57.7 million as the brand was impacted by increased promotional activity in the market and worked to move more excess merchandise through discount channels. Revenues fell 22 percent to the equivalent of $68.5 million as the unit experienced “conservative orders” from retailers and higher promotional activity in the market.