Outdoor Industry Compass

European Outdoor Week in Italy: What is there not to like? By Charles Ross2026-04-17T13:37:00 In his latest column, Charles Ross looks ahead to next month’s European Outdoor Week (EOW) in Italy, examining why the revived event could restore meaningful industry dialogue and momentum.

Teijin Frontier develops new stretch polyester yarn without elastane for sports and outdoor wear By Outdoor Industry Compass Editorial Team2026-04-15T06:30:00 Teijin Frontier introduces a new stretch polyester yarn designed to enable fully polyester performance textiles with elasticity, recovery, and functional properties.

Mizuno’s ultra ambitions meet the trail By Outdoor Industry Compass Editorial Team2026-04-15T06:24:00 Mizuno enters the high-performance trail segment with the first “super trail” running shoe, Neo Accera, combining cushioning, energy return and Vibram traction for ultra-distance racing.

Alo steps beyond yoga with trail debut By Outdoor Industry Compass Editorial Team2026-04-14T09:17:00 The Californian brand enters the running category with its new Alo Trail, marking a further push beyond its yoga-focused roots into performance footwear.

(Yet) Another one on sustainability: The latest Work in Progress report from Patagonia By Charles Ross2026-04-13T16:12:00 Charles Ross examines Patagonia’s latest report, using it as a lens to question overproduction, circularity and the industry’s persistent gap between sustainability claims and real-world impact.

EXECUTIVE CHANGES +++ Nike’s Chief Innovation OIfficer Tony Bignell is stepping down after less than a year, marking the third leadership change in the role in under three years and underscoring ongoing instability in the company’s innovation function +++ Oberalp has strengthened its North American marketing team by hiring Laurel Walker as Marketing Manager and promoting Alex Pasmann to Marketing Specialist to support brand growth and market expansion +++ CORPORATE AND M&A +++ Citadel...

Unifi honors brands advancing circular textile innovation 2026-04-07T15:18:00 Unifi has recognized brands and mills advancing circularity through recycled materials at its ninth annual Repreve awards.

PRODUCT & MARKETING +++ Forloh’s new US-made Combat Wool Crewneck combines merino wool and Cordura for durability, comfort and odor resistance, featuring a movement-focused design and biocide-free antimicrobial technology +++ Guidefitter has expanded its partnership with Rocky Brands by adding The Original Muck Boot Company and Xtratuf to its platform, extending access to its network of more than 194,000 verified outdoor professional +++ Buff is expanding its Spring/Summer 2026 performance...

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Vastnaut opens pre-orders for AI-powered exoskeleton 2026-04-03T08:45:00 A wearable exoskeleton designed to reduce physical strain in demanding outdoor environments is now open for pre-order.