Can Sports like Trail Running Save Sports Brands from the Middle Squeeze?
Alex Pesjak
Future Backward Strategy & Brand-Led Transformation VP Brand | Innovation | Change | Circularity | Platform | Ecosystem | Newsletter #EcosystemEspresso | ex-Coca-Cola | ex-Mondelez |
The ultimate sustainable sport or the SUV of Shoes—City Style, Mountain Cred
Un Espresso per favore!
It is weekend and I am glad you take a sip of Future-Backward Strategy AND Brand-led Transformation inspiration for the platform ecosystem economy.
This is #EcosystemEspresso #64!
Two subjects today - interrelated:
A. Personal Note: why I leave consulting soon!
B. Trail Running: The ultimate sustainable sport or the SUV of Shoes—City Style, Mountain Cred
A. Personal Note
You might have noticed that I am less frequently writing. Simple reason. Allow me to explain to my subscribers (thank you, for those not wanting to bother, please feel free to scroll down):
I have narrowed into spaces, they fit my purpose: (1) Energy transformation (2) Circular Economy waste & recycling (3)Sports and Outdoor (4) Retail. Sport is my true passion, this is why I live in the mountains in the area with the highest density of ski resorts worldwide, near the Arlberg.
I am in the recruitment process for some players in the market, which has become quite a time consuming AI-enabled battle on supply and demand side alike.
> Your intros to great companies are welcome! <
What: I am happy and grateful for #introductions to powerful and professional #sportwear companies that love winning sustainably.
Why: Their brand, business and portfolio need brand-led strategy, transformation, innovation, commerce and ecosystem expertise in a circular platform economy. Disruption is coming from the edges as you can see in this #Espresso. Hence, please tell your #ATS not to filter for sports industry years of experience, but rather change experience :-).
Where: Office base between #Zurich, #Bolzano and #Munich, global scope.
How: Roles, in which I will create Speed and Scale include: Chief Transformation or Circularity Officer, CMO or Brand Director, DTC...
Please find recommendations and CV in LinkedIn. More details in the process with cover letter, Frontier OpsTM|Hub innovation and change at the frontier.
So, enough on personal.
THANK YOU for 1154 Subscribers!
Please give this #Espresso a like & a comment!
Quote of the Week:
“Trail running is the ultimate sustainable sport — no lights, no noise, no waste — just human movement powered by the earth.”
— Rickey Gates, 2019
Let′s take a sip right now!
B. The ultimate sustainable sport or the SUV of Shoes—City Style, Mountain Cred
Please check the Arc'teryx Equipment Showcase towards the end!
Why this all matters?
A Personal Story: From Snowboarding long before Trail Running
Let me take you back to 1986. I was sitting on a chairlift, carving down the slopes on those long, slim skis we all used back then — dressed in dull, non-functional ski gear. All of a sudden, I heard a strange noise coming from below. I looked down and saw something I’d never seen before — three guys on snowboards.
I turned to my friend and asked, “What is that?” He said, “I think those are snowboards.”
At that time, snowboarding was brand new — rebellious, loud, and a bit wild. We were wearing those neon lilac and electric green outfits that the industry has tried to bring back over the years — but somehow, it never quite caught on again. But back then? We owned it. Snowboarding felt fresh, exciting, and different. The year after, of course, we were on snowboards too — part of that early wave of disruptors on the mountain.
Over time, snowboarding lost its attraction. Skiing fought back with the invention of carving skis and a more refined segmentation into styles like freeriding, ski touring, and all-mountain skiing. Skiing adapted, diversified, and ultimately reclaimed the spotlight.
Now, I’m wondering — could Trail Running be heading toward a similar disruptive path? Like snowboarding in the ‘80s, trail running feels like a cultural shift, not just a sport. And maybe, just maybe, it could go even further.
Let’s dive into that idea — and why trail running might just be the next big thing for your brand and most importantly business €€€. I give you a run down across these 10 points:
1. Trail Running is trailing up!
I selected one sport frontier, #TrailRunning. It serves as a dig site on what seems to be happening in the market and how cards might be reshuffled again.
Note: The brand new 2025 version was launched 2 weeks ago. It cost USD 475 for non-members, member download for free: https://sfia.users.membersuite.com/shop/store/f147b189-00ce-c644-c3fe-0b47ebabdede/detail
Trail Running has a high fit with this top intensity user group!
Google Search - Trend up to doubling vs. 2020. So, trail running is happening!
2. A user you will love in your brand franchise!
Growth: Participation in Trail Running has seen significant growth, with numbers rising from 13.2 million in 2022 to 14.8 million in 2023—a 12.3% increase.?
Demographics: Trail runners are predominantly between the ages of 25 and 44, with 36.5% identifying as women. These people have intense jobs, no time and money. Hence, they are like Mountainbikers. As tourists they consume and spend, because they sweat and burn calories!
Other research highlights Trail Running’s appeal to middle and upper-class, highly educated males, though female participation is rising (e.g., 2024 studies show 40% female trail runners in some regions, compared to 20% in mountain biking). So, to attract "families" this will be more interesting for tourism and sportswear brands alike.
3. Climate change favours trail running in the mountains & around cities alike
Reduced Days of Snowcover: The trend is obvious. So both skiers need alternatives earlier in the year as well as ski resorts. Given profits are so much higher in winter at the moment, it is essential to develop products and experiences with bikes and Trail Running alike next to classic hiking offerings.
When many readers (and the author) will no longer be here...
Differences between future (2071–2100) and past (2001–2020) model output in absolute days. The dark brown is -100 days!
Snow Cover Duration: Between 1971 and 2019, the Alps saw an average decline in snow cover duration of approximately 5.6% per decade.?
? Snow Depth: Linear trends from 1971 to 2019 indicate decreases in snow depth for most stations from November to May.?
? Fresh Snowfall: Over the past century, fresh snowfall in the Alps has decreased by about 34%, with a notable decline observed after 1980.?
? Temperature Increase: Over the last 50 years (1968–2017), the European Alps have experienced winter warming of 0.3 to 0.4?°C per decade, more pronounced at lower elevations.
Invest in Green Season and Green Sports!
So, what I call the green season will be there for longer! I see this in many strategies already today, especially in resorts that cannot price due to the guest structure. I also see shifts that were done successfully, like in Leogang, Graubünden etc. where green and white seasons are equal.
Reduced Carbon Footprint: Urban Trail Running minimizes the need for long-distance travel, thereby reducing associated CO? emissions:
The main driver of CO2 in the tourism is mobility today. This will be solved in the next 10-15 years with FSD and the transition to electricity. But staying at home is creating even less impact.
4. Trail Running and Ski Resorts: A Natural Partnership
There are clear parallels between Trail Running and other mountain sports like skiing and biking. The existing infrastructure of winter tourism — such as ski lifts, alpine lodges, and trails — creates a unique opportunity for trail running to grow rapidly within ski resort areas.
Tourism loves trail running
See for example Stubai, a beautiful region here in the Tyrol. Roland Volderauer as Tourism Manager for the region for the first time in 2017 launched the event. 850 participants, a lot of coverage and social credibility with beautiful pics and experience are just one example in the industry.
Events like the Ultra-Trail du Mont-Blanc (UTMB), launched in 2003, attract over 10,000 runners annually, generating significant economic impact—estimated at €20 million for the Chamonix region alone.
Environmental Preferences: A majority (57.2%) of Trail Runners prefer undulating trails, with men showing a higher preference for steeper terrains compared to women.
For example, long-distance trails (34-44 miles) studied in the U.S. showed economic multipliers of 1.5-2.5, meaning every dollar spent by tourists generates $1.50-$2.50 in the local economy.
Socially, Trail Running fosters community engagement and cultural connection, as seen in eco-cultural trail projects like the “Seven Hanging Valleys” in Portugal, which integrate natural and cultural landscapes to enhance visitor experiences while promoting sustainability. I am not sure, one can run here. But this is actually I point I will pick upon later with late majorities not having to run this, but wanting to be part of it.
Enduro MTB (my passion) is more challenging
Many regions have done a better job than #Austria in creating shared trails and co-existance.
Trail Running and Nature - some watch outs
Studies in Norway show Trail Running can disrupt wildlife, such as wild reindeer, leading to calls for better trail management to balance tourism growth with ecological preservation.
Safety concerns and cost need to be factored in as well. Management strategies include hardening trails, restricting activities, and using signage to mitigate impacts, ensuring trail running supports tourism without compromising ecosystems.
Erosion and other issues are to be addressed. Research suggests formal trails, when well-designed, reduce environmental damage compared to informal trails, which cause more severe erosion (e.g., 16.48 m3 of soil erosion in Nerang National Park).
Rock- and mudslides are increasingly bothering, so trail safety is essential.
Tourism anyway needs to frame products (see above Algarve). And once they are there they also attract the crowd in a channeled way. Not addressing the demand will lead to negative externalities.
5. High intensity of usage and diverse needs for more product
While all these black bar charts are from US data, it is about helping leaders in the industry making clear priority decisions.
Runner’s Shoe Rotation:
Runners often maintain multiple pairs of shoes to cater to different training needs and to extend the lifespan of each pair. Anecdotal evidence suggests that runners may have:
(sources: SingleTrack World, Supwell)
This rotation implies that a dedicated Trail Runner might own between 4 to 6 pairs of running shoes at any given time. Different jobs will increase intensity of use while driving further penetration as the adoption for the sport overall increases!
Trail Running Sport Adoption
I would say we are still in the early adopter phase. So, this is the highest intensity user bracket with the innovators. The intensity of running means high tear and wear.
It is like with MTB. You need different solutions for weather, season, surface, training, race etc. Hence, the AOV and frequency of purchase should be attractive. (I do not have access to topical data at the moment).
Trail Running Shoe Typologies
Salomon, one of the pioneers of the first wave of Trail Running has declined it down:
E.g. "Grip" segment offers multiple shoes with different product features and designs.
The risk is that companies are falling into the trap of fragmenting too strongly too early. Think #Tesla where there are very few models and colors. This drives scale and favorable production lot sizes. Thus profitability and focus for operating model aspects and customers.
You first need to build relevance, credibility, with visibility in-store and in-use!
6. Trail Running is a lean sport - Shoes, Apparel, Accessories, but it needs the right brand
Shoes and whatever you have to get started
When talking to runners, they almost always point out that they enjoy only needing a pair of running shoes. Now while Trail Running on the mountains needs more to be ready for weather and cold, it is still lean.
Hypothesis: It is not sufficient to just add a different sole you need a brand with credibility and critical mass!
It is a matter of brand relevance. I let you judge some visuals in this newsletter and examples. Not all products and brands seem to have power and momentum, especially for this still very much early adopter crowd!
Adapting the brand strategy
Many brands just add Trail Running as another sport (Sport variant - generalists). Adidas went a different approach which I think for a generalist is more promising, although again many sports are aggregated again under #Terrex: 阿迪达斯 #Terrex is the outdoor sub-brand in the hybrid branded house and house of brands. Just like #5TEN (an M&A in Mountain DH biking) the brand is used as stand alone, with no or discrete Adidas endorsement. I think a promising job as generalist brand.
Powerful branding to establish this new sub brand, growing up from Adidas corporate mother brand.
Interesting: Trail Running is branded most prominently, while other products still feature the 3 stripes of the mother or corporate brand:
Showing the construction to consumers is another way to drive credibility and relevance supporting higher prices. Common in skiing since decades.
Top skiers are brand testimonials. Interesting that women were more prominent making addressing future growth brackets. Also design has a female touch, a trend we also see in "women only"-brands, like LaMunt from Oberalp Group .
This screenshot is in German and shows how many sports are already served by #Terrex: Hiking, Trail Running, Wintersports, Apparel, Outdoor shows.
Who will win? The right future backward brand strategy and for most companies brand-led transformation:
Scenario 1: Brand x Product Specialisation
Strategic Questions:
Scenario 2: Communication Approach vs. Brand Credibility
Scenario 3: Hero Sport vs. Sport Variant
I will not break this down and create more 2x2 matrix graphics as I want to make sure the top 10 list in this newsletter do not get even longer.
7. The brand opportunity starts with the shoes!
You cannot run with normal shoes pending on the terrain. Hence, the new solutions are an attractive starting point to make inroads into this new sport @.
My very good friend @Johann has been working in sports retail for 45 years. He is an endurance athlete on bike and has been running forever. He has seen many things come and go. He introduced me to the product side of this sport. As a person with direct customer interaction in mountain resorts in a top sports shop he knows what to demand: Innovation.
Looking at the images it is obvious that the new functional design language is all about soles. Hence, differentiation and functionality are hard. Watching some of those models, you can see the more generic or traditional approach (it feels like a running shoe we have been seeing or using since decades) and few are really very different. Here below the variables to develop products:
Trail Rrunning Gear Variables include (non-conclusive list):
Talking to sales staff at DYNAFIT it was obvious that preferences are very subjective and individual; also driven by running occasion like practice, training and race as well as terrain and season there are differences. Notably, also the wish to feel the ground or to be well cushioned (like on clouds).
8. Trail Running as launch and entry strategy
Many of the trend brands above you will never ever have heard of, if you are not into Trail Running. Many are new to the market and leverage the trend as launch platform. Some others have been around for over a decade or more. Some built credibility successfully, others struggle.
My hypothesis: Like On Running other new brands will become leaders in Trail Running to then expand into other categories and become large sportwear players in relatively short-timer. This will especially eat into the business of mid-tier and non-profiled brands.
The race is on - is history repeating?
DYNAFIT achieved a similar status many years ago in #skitouring from race to free. It carved out the niche, led and sustained a nice premium. Just like back then, new brands enter the market in Trail Running, prices are higher vs. other sport shoe categories.
In 2015, the price premium for ski touring equipment over alpine skiing was approximately 50%-70%, reflecting its niche status and higher R&D costs. By 2024, this premium has decreased to 30%-50%, driven by economies of scale, broader brand participation (e.g., K2, Atomic), and consumer willingness to pay for eco-friendly or hybrid gear (65% of consumers in 2024 favor sustainable options). I cannot fully validate this data!
When Benedikt B?hm took over management of DYNAFIT in 2003, revenue was around 2 million euros. By 2021, this had grown to 120 million euros, with a continuing upward trend (Source: Electrified Magazine)
I could imagine that trail running will follow a similar trajectory, but far faster given competition is global from industry giants like PUMA Group 阿迪达斯 to 耐克 AND new entries that rewrite the script. Not all will survive but they change the rules.
See below examples of PUMA Group with high pricing on top models, but still far off some of that niche players. The designs feel more familiar than with some of the new entries. And that might be exactly the challenge to overcome in a generalist brand.
My friend Johan was mentioning that this distinctiveness is what innovative and specialized retailer are hunting for. A development that is the consequence of Omnichannel retailing and price transparency. I see similar developments also in skiing goggles or other areas.
Other model featuring DISC closure at attractive prices.
Looking at these challenger brands - they open the spectrum into super-premium and more fashionable:
Some of the pricing is really extreme. This will help the industry in general, especially in the more urban crowd. Please see point 10 in this #Espresso.
Development Stages of Trail Running: Waves and Key Brands
Trailrunning is not new. Could we talk about three waves, like in Coffee? Let me just recap as reference what are challenger brands. Well, it is not necessarily a matter of years in the sport!
Wave 1: Pioneering Phase (1980s-1990s) – Establishing the Category
Wave 2: Mainstream Growth (2000s-2010s) – Performance and Accessibility
Wave 3: Modern Evolution (2015-Present) – Sustainability and Style
Today′s disruptors could and few will be tomorrow′s power brands
Looking at the #ON journey starting from Running it now broadened into 5 core sports and still has years of expansion up the sleeve. Backed by (1) clear strategy (2) great leadership and culture (3) infinite resources, this could be repeated!
On are consistently holding the brand together by focusing clearly on a unified brand destination (or, if you prefer, proposition)—always aligned across footwear, apparel, and accessories: Built on innovation (with Swiss engineering), design, sustainability.
Few brands out there have such a clearly articulated and communicated future backward growth strategy that is brand destination led. Combined with great execution this is a benchmark to me for most others.
Especially, given #PE and #Retailers might grab and go! See Decathlon Retailers start being brand and market makers!
From Narrow to Broad
There is a lot of potential for new brands with focus and subsequent expansion once you have your brand-led destination in place like On:
All brands have learned the game. See On with their expansion into 5 core sports, own stores, Omnichannel and growth with apparel. The template is there. What On does differently is the excellence in strategy, execution and capital based on a strong culture. How would you have been able to trail towards CHF 3B in only 15 years?!
Consequently un-profiled brands without growth momentum and clear strategy will be first forced into price competition and then out! No matter what size they have today! Building critical mass fast will increasingly important. Huge brand portfolios and sport variant coverage without critical mass could be risky for some players in the market.
155 items across few products and some color variants is a lot but still manageable for Arc'teryx Equipment
9. The bigger sportswear context and trends 24-25
Save Sports Brands from the Middle Squeeze
Opportunity - Brand as Identity and Lifestyle
I am my brand
Those consumers that are still active are treating sport as part of routine and lifestyle. Doing sports is a matter for the WHO and performance of a society avoiding negative externalities of unhealthy lifestyles - 1,8B people, 2x India according to McKinsey is not moving. And 500M people might join the list causing cost of USD 500B to health systems.
Sport is an identity shaping and self-image vehicle. That is what sport brands in general have always been about. Consequently the brand strength in the sector is high. Sport is high involvement. Consequently it is not a surprise that so many niche brands have success with their "divide and conquer" strategies where generalists find it hard to follow and be relevant.
Can supply chain efficiency alone drive sustainable success?
In my view not. It is a short-term, partially survival tactic. The winners operate differently. Strategic also on their offensive game:
Challenge: high stock levels, inflation, consumer spending and tarrifs keep all on their toes.
Business Model Innovation: Leading brands reduced production costs by 15% via localized manufacturing since 2022.
Circular is business as a driver, not a cost!
Outdoor brands do lead fashion industry in their commitment to circular and sustainable behaviour. Why? Because their customers and leadership care. Many are still family owned, they produce and design where outdoor is happening. Here in Europe especially along the Alps.
Product and Brand Innovation: 65% of consumers will pay a premium for eco-friendly sportswear in 2024. This number has come down in 2025.
R-Strategies & Recommerce: leading brands integrate circular solutions into the offerings. Some bold, some weak moves.
Supply Chain - first and multi-life: Can optimizing logistics achieve 70% reusable/recyclable products by 2030?
With the current push on supply chain optimisation, better Data- and AI-enabled optimisation, companies and brands should straight away move into the optimising for circular supply chains for the multi-life ecosystem. Then the customer promise of Trail Running as "the most sustainable sport" can be delivered against and customers can be locked in for more.
Circular is no longer so hard
In our global database we can see that circular tech is enabling already very well circular transactions across the 9 R-Strategies:
Circular Tech is enabling dedicated strategies across the multi-life ecosystem. However, companies need to move beyond ESG reporting only. In this sector some players have moved late, but start learning fast. You can find more about this subject in other LinkedIn posts.
10. Trail Running Equipment to get people to move - the SUV-effect
No mountain, but high penetration across the world. My analogy between the rise of SUVs in urban environments and the potential mainstream adoption of trail running shoes in city fashion might be insightful to you?!
Global SUV Market Share:
SUV Usage in European Cities:
Parallels with Trail Running Shoes:
?
In summary, the evolution of SUVs into urban life showcases how products designed for specific functions can gain broader appeal. Trail running shoes, with their inherent utility and distinctive look, are poised to follow a similar trajectory, potentially becoming a fashionable and practical choice for city residents.
Can non-moving people unlock a new opportunity for transformation?
What Platform Sneakers might be or have been for fashion, Trail Running shoes might be for people that do not move today. But like SUVs they will love the versatility, functionality, cool looks. Why would SUVs be so well penetrated in cities, where the majority of global citizens live. It will not be the city roads for sure ;-).
The real cost of obesity vs. new incentives
Wearables, Gamifaction, Social and moving off the #Performance part can get people to move more. Societies should be spending money here rather than ex-post in the medical systems which are broke. With a growing non-sporty crowd this is the biggest risk to sport and outdoor brands. It is like in the beer market. You cannot escape penetration losses for long-term growth impact.
Given this outlook, some brands already have moved from sports to leisure and vice versa. Brands like Arc'teryx are further driving their Urban expansion, the?likelihood in the mid-term is high that one brand cracks it, but might regret it later but much richer in the meantime. Nevertheless, too much urban is dangerous long-term. These are the trade-offs for the strategists.
ILLUSTRATIVE CASE - HOW IS IT ALL COMING TOGETHER?
HOW CAN INCUMBENT BRANDS BE RELEVANT AND THRIVE? – (all sourced from Arc'teryx Equipment )
Arc'teryx is a great example of staying relevant and making inroads in trail running (I do not have access to share data). Why does this seem to click?...
a. Setting Trail Running as priority
Right moment to talk. New products. On landing page the current highlight.
b. Trail is more than #Race and #Performance:
Especially the integration of #Everyday is what is smart (see point 10 above)!
c. Trailrunning with focus and repeatability
Sustainable growth requires repeatability. The approach the Arc'teryx is following can be scaled in line with geo-expansion and other sport-variant expansions. They have done this before, basically:
This is powerful for any business and especially here in this busy market. Most strategies are identical - it is the focus and perfect execution that makes the difference!
d. Brand-led transformation to circular product offerings
Circular and sustainability is not communication, it is integrated into the brand destination!
?Just like Apple added privacy to the brand core - also Arc'tery is doing so via Circularity.
R1 – Rethink
Action: Arc’teryx is fundamentally rethinking its design and production processes to prioritize sustainability and circularity.
Initiatives:
? ReBIRD? Platform: Launched in 2021, ReBIRD? is Arc’teryx’s dedicated platform for circularity, encompassing upcycling, resale, and care and repair services.?
? Design for Durability: The company emphasizes creating long-lasting products to reduce the frequency of repurchasing and minimize waste.
R2 – Reduce
Action: Arc’teryx is committed to reducing its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and overall environmental footprint. Reduce is also the new fabrics with 戈尔公司 like ePE - 35% GHG with great performance.
Initiatives:
? Science-Based Targets: In 2020, Arc’teryx set targets to reduce absolute Scope 1 and 2 GHG emissions by 65% by 2030 and Scope 3 GHG emissions by 65% per unit of value added by 2030, using 2018 as the base year.?
? Material Innovation: The company is investing in the development of lower-impact materials and improving energy efficiency within its operations and supply chain.?
R3 – Reuse
Action: Through its ReGEAR? program, Arc’teryx facilitates the resale of used gear, extending the lifecycle of its products.
Initiatives:
? ReGEAR? Platform: This re-commerce platform allows customers to trade in and purchase used Arc’teryx products, promoting product reuse.?
R4 – Repair
Action: Arc’teryx offers comprehensive repair services to ensure products remain functional and in use for as long as possible.
Initiatives:
? ReBIRD? Service Centers: Located within select brand stores, these centers provide care and repair services to customers, fostering a culture of product maintenance.
R5 – Refurbish
Action: The company refurbishes returned or used products to meet quality standards before reselling them.
Initiatives:
? Product Refurbishment: Through the ReGEAR? program, Arc’teryx inspects, cleans, and repairs used gear to extend its usability.
R6 – Remanufacture
Action: Arc’teryx repurposes materials from end-of-life products into new items, reducing the need for virgin materials.
Initiatives:
? ReCUT? Program: This initiative upcycles end-of-life and excess raw materials into new products, such as totes and pouches made from reclaimed GORE-TEX jackets.
R7 – Repurpose
Action: The company transforms materials from non-functional products into new items with different functions.
Initiatives:
? Upcycled Products: Arc’teryx creates new products, like the Upcycled Tote and Pouch, from materials salvaged from non-repairable items
R8 – Recycle
Action: Arc’teryx incorporates recycled materials into its products and ensures that materials can be recycled at the end of their lifecycle.
Initiatives:
? Material Recycling: The company uses recycled materials in product manufacturing and designs products for recyclability.
It is a brand architecture task - solve it properly right out of the gate!
Here now visuals for you to better understand great execution and strategic excellence: the functional leadership and durability match perfectly well circularity with its R-strategies! This creates brand resonance.
Overall integration with high fit to the brand equity. The functional products driven by engineering and meticulous attention to detail limit the risk of #greewashing perception.
Proof points:
Arc’teryx was an early signatory to the UN-Fashion Industry Charter for Climate Action, a member of the Outdoor Industry Association’s Climate Action Corps, a co-founder alongside the Pembina Institute of the Catalyst Business Coalition and one of the first 400 companies to set a verified Science Based Target
Program 1: # ReBIRD? is design for circularity – the home for all initiatives in care and repair, resale and upcycling. They call it: ReBIRD? is a hub of initiatives where we are bringing circularity to life.
Scope: ReBird encompasses care and repair (ReCARE), upcycling (ReCUT), and resale (ReGEAR), aiming to shift from a take-make-waste model to a circular economy.
Smart branding with link to the brand icon!
Program 2: # ReCARE? makes it easy to take care of your gear. So it can continue to take care of you. Ensuring your things last is the simplest way to care for our planet. We invoke the power of care and repair, through support, service and tips, to scale small gestures of preservation to great effect (source Arc’teryx).
Program 3: #ReGEAR?, an evolution of their recommerce, focuses on trading in functional gear, refurbishing it to meet performance standards, and reselling it to extend product lifecycles =business!
Imagine buying back and selling the same product after good grading and supported by a strong AI enabled disposition engine - you can make profit over and over again without the environmental impact. At the same time you become more relevant for customers without advertising the new stuff.
Arc'teryx is in a unique position as the color and cut spectrum is more function than fashion driven. So, your black ALPHA SV will be relevant today and tomorrow. Given that the cover most R steps, the product should be traded in in good quality. Gore membrane do the rest!
Working with Resale as a Service on a different subdomain: https://www.regear.arcteryx.com/
--> VIDEO: Find out more here: https://www.regear.arcteryx.com/pages/why
Trove is powering the RaaS model: rove partnership began in 2019 with the launch of Used Gear, which later integrated into ReBird in 2021.
CHECK THIS OUT!
In my last EcosystemEspresso #63 I was writing about those Circular Platforms and Tech:
Program 4: #ReCUT? diverts rescued textiles into unique and coveted pieces. From rubbish to resource, ReCUT? is the act of creating new paths out of dead-ends. Redirected remnants and unusable garments are crafted into ready-made statements. Created by ingenuity, inspired by what’s at hand and limited by nature (source Arc’teryx).
So what, now?!
Can Sports like Trail Running [Product, Circular, Service, Event, Business Model Innovation] Save Sports Brands from the Middle Squeeze?
This is not just another new collection or promotion. This is a brand (R)evolution. The industry needs leaders that see this and act in the transition far more strategically!
What are your answers to my question of this #EcosystemEspresso?
Feel invited to correct, complement. These are my personal opinions. And nobody is right, please share your perspective, then the content and results will be better!?
?
Please also feel invited to get in contact with me on: [email protected]
Enjoy the week and share, like and comment.
Thank you!
Alex
?
#ANDfutuerproof
#EcosystemEspresso
#future_backwards_strategy
#brand_led_transformation
Sources and Inspiration: