Latest Print Issue
Performance for All: A New Era of Enthusiast
Determining what the consumer wants in the months and years ahead is really anybody’s guess because if there is one thing we’ve all learned during our collective COVID experience in 2020 it’s that even the best-laid plans can quickly go out the window.
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What to Watch in 2021
From Spiber’s Brewed Protein to Yakima Chief Ranches’ breeding of new hop varieties, innovation is brewing in the material world. While there aren’t yet game-changing textiles derived from beer, demand for highly-functional eco-alternatives along with wider acceptance of biotech offerings...
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Stopping the Flow
Tons of plastic end up in the sea every year and hundreds of thousands of pieces of plastic waste now float in every area of the oceans. Coastal regions are major contributors to this problem; According to recent statistics, 80 percent of ocean plastics originate from these locales.
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History of Cloth
In her new book “The Fabric of Civilization: How Textiles Made the World,” Virginia Postrel highlights how textiles shape our existence. Each chapter in her book represents a stage in the textile journey and outlines ways in which fabric drives technology, business, culture and politics.
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Audience Expansion
With hopes of better times ahead in 2021, brands are broadening their horizons. Whether extending into an entry-level product, reaching into a related category or plucking new collaborative partners, the ultimate goal is to keep people moving and harbor brand health.
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Everyday Adventures
Brand execs weigh in on the key outdoor and work boot trends to watch for in 2021. “Athletic inspired. Work brands are realizing there is a large portion of consumers that have never worn a boot and look at them as being heavy and uncomfortable...
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The New Outdoorist
A long time ago I was working with European outdoor apparel design teams that wanted to define their work through the eyes of the end user. We used two basic groups to represent the differing points of view and referred to them as the recreationist and the enthusiast.
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