By Thomas J. Ryan and Eric Smith

<span style="color: #999999;">The Editors from SGB Executive present the third and final installment of SGB’s Annual Survey that gauges what the leaders in the active lifestyle market are projecting for 2020. The Editor’s posed two questions for this year’s survey: What gives you optimism and What causes you concern in the coming year?

To read Part One click here and Part Two click here.

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»Annie Agle, Director of Brand and Impact, Cotopaxi
 While the Outdoor industry contends with all of the same unknown questions around macroeconomic trends, the industry as a whole will likely continue to grow, especially as younger buyers step into more wealth and look to purchase items which facilitate experiences and adhere to rigorous sustainability and social standards. As a company we feel well-positioned within the industry to leverage our mission and design to continue to connect with our community of customers.

Externalities around political leader-lessness and economic dips are a big concern, both from our company standpoint and also from the heartfelt standpoint of our mission. There are a lot of uncertainties around the election, political direction, and tariffs. That said, we feel grateful to be within in the outdoor industry, which is an industry of supportive peers, who happen to compete at the customer level. When it comes to alignment around critical philosophies, we see eye-to-eye with most outdoor companies and are honored to make common cause within them to use our business power to help secure a more positive and stable future.

Our customers and success as a brand are daily sources of optimism. Every purchase of a Cotopaxi item suggests that today’s citizens are investing in conscious capitalism. Our community of support is woke to the realities of fast fashion and inequality, and are choosing to support a better way of operating as a society.

»John Benedict, Co-owner, Playmakers
After a strong 2019, we at Playmakers are cautiously optimistic for 2020. I don’t need to remind anyone of the challenges and headwinds facing brick & mortar retailers, but we still feel very confident that we can compete and thrive.

We are going to continue to strive to get better in a number of areas. First, improving our online experience. We have a new website that should let our customers see what we have in store and purchase it online if they choose. Or, we may choose to deliver the shoes or apparel items right to the customers’ door, pizza-delivery style like our friends at Big Peach Running Company. The bottom line, make it easier for the customer to do business with us.

We are going to build on our “YOU are Giving Back” initiative which helps to show how customers’ purchases aid us in giving back to our local community. This has been very effective with younger customers who want to know more about who they are doing business with.

We will also continue to give our customers more reasons to visit Playmakers by expanding our popular Good Form Running, Good Form Walking and Stretch, Strengthen and Role classes, as well as our Sip and Shop events with key vendors.

Technology is certainly important at retail! We have twp types of foot scanners in the store. One that is static to measure the foot and pressure points and the other to analyze the gait while in motion. We’ll also have a new “Recovery Lounge” that will feature products from NormaTec, Addaday and TriggerPoint.

Finally, and most importantly, we need to get better at delivering an exceptional experience for each and every customer that walks through our door. Our staff needs to continue to grow and learn and to connect with our guests in a meaningful way. We will accomplish that through our internal connection and fit process initiatives.

»Eric Carlson, Global Brand Director, Smith
 We believe that there are many positive factors helping the snow industry—increased season pass and daily ticket options, greater appreciation and dedication to outdoor activities by individuals and families and greater options for ‘resort’ experiences. 

By far the biggest concern is climate change. With so much volatility in the season start and end dates with snow conditions in general, there is a strong question mark for people to commit to skiing and snowboarding. Another concern is on affordable housing in and around the resort communities that drive the winter experience. 

With so many people searching for outdoor experiences, there is a great opportunity to connect throughout the year in ‘four-season’ experiences. If we can support them to get outdoors in winter, spring, summer, and fall, we should see a greater dedication to the mountain and outdoor lifestyle.

»Dave Dutch, CEO, OrderMyGear
 2020 will see continued acceleration for technology-fueled innovation and modernization for every industry, particularly the team dealer, decorator and promotional products industries.

The “Amazon Effect” on consumer expectations and the ever-increasing pressure on profit margins for customized apparel are two significant trends that companies in our industry have their eyes on. OrderMyGear is in a unique position to provide technology solutions to these issues and empower businesses to approach our market with not just confidence but with excitement.

There are three primary reasons we feel optimistic about our industry as we look towards 2020. First, the industry is full of resilient, forward-thinking, and customer-centric business owners. They see the value in using technology to deliver positive buying experiences that meet their customers where they are, effectively building stronger relationships and lasting loyalty. Second, technology is becoming more intuitive and powerful, changing the way consumers live, work, play, and connect. Technology shrinks the world and enables companies to reach more customers to grow their business while offering those customers the conveniences they have grown to expect in their daily lives. Third, folks entering the workforce are talented, customer-focused and technologically-savvy. Our diverse team at OrderMyGear brings together a multifaceted group with a range of disciplines to build leading solutions that power the growth of the companies we serve.

We envision 2020 as a pivotal year for growth and modernization. Those that invest in technology and make the customer experience simple, will thrive in our dynamic industry.

»Joe Dudy, VP and CFO, Wilson Sporting Good
The rate of change in our industry continues to be significant, and I think change and continual disruption are our new normal. To not only keep pace, but to play a leading role in this change, we will operate with a greater level of agility and be highly opportunistic across our business.

We see two key trends coming together over the next five years. The first is the rise of modern or digital channels, and the second is the growing culture of sports lifestyle. To capitalize on these trends, we expect to see the industry invest in digital technology across their businesses – from product development and design to consumer engagement – as well as leverage consumers’ growing passion for living a sports life. For Wilson, a historically hardgoods-focused brand, this will translate into becoming much more sophisticated in modern channels and our merchandising strategies.

Our players expect to be able to shop anywhere and engage with us directly, at any time and in any location, and seek an exceptional brand experience at every touchpoint. We’ll look to meet them wherever they are online and offline with deeper, authentic, and more dynamic connections.

We are increasingly adopting a retailer mindset for our business. We will focus on a constant stream of campaigns, stories, and frequently refreshed product offerings that will not only engage on the performance benefits of Wilson products but also how we fuel our players’ lifestyles. The influence of sport on culture is profound, and there is a significant opportunity to bring our brand to the forefront of that global conversation.

What concerns me? Challenges in retail and the continued decline in sports participation, and physical activity overall, are concerns for our entire industry. We hope the digital transformation we are going through culturally will be one that we as an industry can take advantage of and evolve how we engage consumers in their personal sports journey.

Further, we must make play fun again. We must help people see that any level of physical activity is good for the individual and society. At Wilson, we are working with several partners to make playing sports more accessible to children, as well as participating in industry-led initiatives that provide schools and families with incentives to offer more sports and physical education programs.

And, we’ll continue to push our innovation programs to discover, design, and create more exciting and dynamic sports experiences that consumers feel they must try.

What makes me optimistic? We see some stabilization in sports participation, especially in team sports like Baseball, Softball, and Basketball, as well as in individual sports such as Golf. And there is a rise in specific sports, particularly in several Racquet Sports and in Basketball. These are positive signals that people are returning to the courts and fields.

We’re energized by the product experiences we can create with our digital platforms. In 2019, we launched Wilson Team Shops. This online platform allows us to create custom shops for teams filled with custom Wilson gear. This creates a highly personalized experience for coaches, players, and partners while alleviating gear ordering and distribution pain points for coaches and athletic directors. Through these custom stores, we can offer exclusive product offerings, loyalty programs, and spirit wear – becoming the one-stop-shop for a team and its fans.

Further, our leading product customization platforms continue to be highly successful across all our sports. We are working to make those product offerings and player experiences on these platforms more rewarding.

And we are very optimistic about the strength of our brand around the world. It’s incredibly motivating to see the passion people have for Wilson and the unique relationship we have with athletes. It is the strength of that relationship – both with individual players and with communities of players – that drive our team to come to work every day. Our continued investments in technologies allow us to take that passion to the next level and revolutionize how sports equipment is developed and manufactured.

»John Gaither, VP Product, Feetures
We are very optimistic about 2020!  We experienced healthy growth in 2019 across all channels, and we believe we have great opportunities to build on that momentum this year. The stronger retailers in our core channels of run, footwear and sporting goods specialty are growing their business despite increased online competition. We think those retailers who do a great job of servicing the customer, offering a curated product mix and providing great in-store experiences, are going to continue to be successful. We feel lucky to be a part of an industry that is all about supporting an active lifestyle and believe the number of consumers who pursue an active lifestyle is going to continue to grow. Additionally, our product category (socks) is really healthy. We think this is because more and more consumers are discovering the benefits of premium performance socks. This leads to more opportunities but also increased competition. Outside of our industry, we recognize that the uncertainty of an election year can create apprehensions in the marketplace; however, we’re hopeful that any related headwinds are short term and won’t have a material impact on our 2020 results.

»Ken Hicks, CEO, Academy Sports + Outdoors
I have a good outlook on the industry for the year ahead. The consumer is interested in an active lifestyle and in apparel. This is an Olympic year, which always gets people excited about sports. There is a lot of interest in the upcoming pro and college football playoffs, and basketball is as competitive as ever. We are also seeing more people specifically interested in outdoor living. Additionally, the sport, field and outdoor key brands are all in high demand. So, if you are a sports person, a fan, or someone who just enjoys being outdoors, there is a lot going on to support the industry. 

While there is a lot of good going on, there are things we have to manage. One of the biggest is the tariffs because it’s an uncertainty that makes it difficult to plan. If they go through, they will make products more expensive. We also will have to manage higher expenses in areas including labor, logistics and utilities. But, I am optimistic because the consumer is confident and shopping. They are having experiences and fun which is what we sell.

We have a unique combination of a strong assortment of brands and activities with a good value message. While there are challenges, we are positioned well in our business in the growing part of the country because of great brand loyalty. We also have a good position with our digital business to serve our customers; however, they like to shop—in-store, online or a combination, which was missing for us in the past. All of these give me confidence in our industry and Academy Sports + Outdoors in particular.

»Alison Hill, Managing Director, LifeStraw
I am optimistic about the year ahead. What gives me optimism is that the outdoor industry has always been progressive when it comes to conservation, climate and protecting our wild places. In this past year, we saw an emergence of greater and broader activism in this space from the hundreds of brands that joined the Plastic Impact Alliance to collectively try to reduce our plastic footprint at our industry’s biggest trade show to the over 80 brands that have joined Climate Neutral and pledged to fully offset their 2019 C02 emissions. We joined both.

We see these initiatives as a reflection of growing consumer awareness and our market. In 2019, LifeStraw launched its first home product, a water filter pitcher that provides the same hardcore protection we provide in the outdoors and additional protection for more than 30 contaminants found in U.S. tap water. This also is a response to preventing single-use plastics through a safer and better-tasting alternative to tap water. We are continuing to innovate our products and supply chain to reduce plastic use and to offer options to consumers enabling them to choose safer reusable options.

What concerns me is the continued lack of diversity and opportunities for women to ascend to leadership positions. We partnered with The Voice in the HerVoice column to provide a platform to discuss key women’s issues. We have a long way to go. Collectively, we need to find better paths for women and being with young women just entering this industry.

»Colleen Logan, VP Marketing, Icon Health & Fitness
We’re very optimistic about the industry because it’s now clearly connected fitness and fitness tech is not a trend—it is the way of the future, and that’s what makes us very optimistic about the future of fitness.

We recently raised $200 million for the express purpose of growing our iFit brand. Connected fitness seems to be the term the media (both business and sport) have settled on to describe fitness equipment that also has streaming workouts to a touchscreen on the product. Our iFit technology on NordicTrack and ProForm home fitness and FreeMotion club products is certainly “connected fitness”, in fact, we invented that category and have many, many patents covering it; however, the iFit version of connected fitness is a definitive level up in that our streaming workouts are also interactive. That means iFit streaming workouts control the various metrics of fitness equipment: speed, incline, decline, and resistance. That provides consumers a hands-free experience with workouts that are created by our iFit personal trainers. Workouts stay fresh and because they’re progressive, consumers really make progress and achieve their goals. 

Other brands such as Peloton provide simple streaming workouts—the consumer still has to adjust their bike or treadmill manually. iFit’s technology is why our membership has exploded in the past two years and why we are focusing on rapid expansion with the capital raise. Connected fitness and fitness tech are not a trend—they are the way of the future, and that’s what makes us very optimistic about the future of fitness.

We’re optimistic because we have a nice balance of channels of distribution. Retailers like Best Buy now carry fitness equipment in a new Connected Fitness in stores and online. Consumers can find our products in other retailers like Dick’s Sporting Goods, Scheels, Walmart, and also online at our branded websites and Amazon.

»Matt Lyon, CEO, HydraPak
Now that fears of an imminent recession and trade wars are receding, it feels like the industry is focusing on another year’s extension of the bull market. I anticipate confidence coming back and the focus to return to marketplace innovation and differentiation. For us, that means a good year.

Other than the previously mentioned fears, I am watching closely for disruptive M&A activity, for the continued health of the stainless-steel bottle market and trends in corporate evolution to keep up with the continued drive towards e-commerce and DTC sales.

»Michael Magerman, President and CEO, United Sports Brands
With Shock Doctor, McDavid, Cutters and Nathan brands, United Sports Brands experienced exceptional growth in 2019, and our unique portfolio of brands is well-positioned for a strong 2020 as well. According to a recent report from the SFIA, athlete protection is projected to be the leading sporting goods growth space for the next five years. We continue to evolve our retail and field partnerships and are poised to do great things that will benefit athletes and consumers.

We can’t control everything, so issues like tariff increases and the shifting retail landscape are factors we will have to do our best to be prepared for. But the people of United Sports Brands inspire me and make me optimistic that 2020, and the years to come, will be awesome. We have the best, brightest, most talented, caring, hardest working, and most passionate people I have ever worked with. With their dedication and our solid position, I know our best is yet to come—athletes can count on that.

»Michael Millenacker, CEO, Royal Robbins
As we enter the new decade, one thing we can count on is that 2020 will bring an accelerated amount of change. Royal himself wasn’t big on scouting the rapids ahead. He always told me that things always change as you get into them so be prepared as possible and clearly envision the outcome.

With that in mind, 2019 was about preparing a new foundation as we solidified our vision of being the most sustainable travel apparel brand on the planet. During our first full year as part of the Fenix Outdoor family, we were able to synergize our back-end functions, make significant investments in people and marketing and massively accelerate on our sustainability journey. We are now well-positioned to thrive amidst the change in the coming decade.

One concern we have is that while we believe travel is imperative for a healthy planet, it helps people to better understand the world around us and its boundless diversity. But “sustainable travel” isn’t just a contradiction in 2020, it’s near impossible. That’s ironic because we think travel makes the world a healthier place—it’s a connection for us to develop empathy for different cultures and concern for the unique challenges they face.

Humans need to keep traveling, and traveling sustainably needs to be easier. We are going to bring this conversation forward in 2020 in an effort to inform and bring focus to an important purpose for our brand.

»Shawn Neville, CEO, Boa Technology
As a semi-eternal optimist, I am quite bullish on 2020 for our industry for a few reasons. 1)  Brands/Retailers are continuing to invest both in product innovation (fortunately many with the Boa Fit System) and evolution of their “go to market” omnichannel (old school term for bricks & clicks), and consumer engagement; 2) In volatile times, the outdoor and sporting goods industries have tended to perform counter-cyclically as a safer haven for consumers and investors, and 3) Global Trade tensions are better than a year ago and although there are still concerns, there appears to be some light. 

Unbridled growth and focus on e-comm versus the balance of experience/engagement in-store and online concerns me. Consumers spend more on average in-store versus online do to impulse purchase behavior and tend to build stronger affinity for brands with both online and in-store experiences. Also, I applaud brands taking a stronger stand on how and where they are distributed. 

My optimism is always rooted in possibility and with the continued growth of consumer spending in emerging markets, EU settling down a bit, and the USA in a solid position, the next two years should yield solid growth. 

»John Peters, BPT Works
Brands will be forced to get creative when it comes to acquiring new customers. The three-headed distribution highway that is Amazon/FB/Google is becoming more saturated especially with the rise of digitally native brands (DNBs). These DNBs are not created equal nor are they funded to the extreme like Allbirds or Away. As a result, we expect more brands to get creative with how they find customers. One example we’ve spoken about to investors and at conferences is the youth sports opportunity. Lake Point Sports, where hundreds of thousands of athletes compete, is one example of acquiring affluent customers with a sound ROI.

In 2011, Marc Andreessen famously said, “Software is eating the world.” This quote is finally spilling over into the active lifestyle industry. Technology’s impact on sports and connected fitness is clearly here to stay; however, just as fast as we’ve seen investors deploy lots of capital into these fields, we’ve seen tracking and quantifying every movement become a commodity. 2020 will be the year people ask more and more: Big Data, So What?

Everyone’s a wellness company. When we delivered the keynote at the Fitness & Active Brands Summit in LA, we made sure to include some stats around wellness and why everyone is now a wellness company. The reality is, there are lots of companies today with unjustifiable valuations and as a result, they’re turning to larger industries to grab share. Wellness is a $4 trillion dollar industry and still growing. We expect more active lifestyle companies (Nike) to get into wellness in a big way in 2020 and beyond. 

In the second half of 2019, we started to see some softness in the booming boutique fitness market. We expect this to accelerate and see fatigue in this market. The interesting thing about boutique fitness is that it really started to take off right after the recession and the industry hasn’t looked back since. The question we’re asking ourselves is ‘Will consumers be willing to, or able to, fork over $30+/class if we head for another economic downturn’?

»Peter Sachs, GM, LOWA Boots LLC
The good news is that the consumer keeps spending—probably fueled by low-interest rates on credit cards and full unemployment—that should lead to a reasonably strong year. The bad news is that consumer spending has now reached $14 trillion in consumer debt, the national debt is now twice what it was pre-tax cut, tariffs (which does not directly affect LOWA except that we are guilty by association), we have a presidential election coming up which is sure to be contentious, and our world retailers are still closing shop at record paces. In our industry, we have trade show chaos making us evaluate when and where we will meet with our customers. All of this leads to concerns about the future. 

With regard to LOWA specifically, we have some core products that continue to resonate with consumers and have introduced new products that bode well for 2020/21. We control our manufacturing so are not likely to have too much merchandise leading to excessive closeouts and reduced margins. We have introduced some technology making it far easier for dealers to find product availability, place orders and get relevant product information and marketing support. Added all up—cautiously optimistic.

»Bill Sinoff, GM, Evolv
Beyond the usual challenges of running and growing a sustainable brand and business, the uncertainty around larger economic and trade policies is clearly a big concern. The timing of the reset, the severity, and its duration, are clearly difficult to predict. Running a fiscally responsible organization is always criticality important and will be paramount for us moving into 2020.

Economic concerns aside, it’s hard not to be wildly optimistic going into 2020. Climbing continues to explode in popularity and climbing shoes are arguably the most endemic piece of climbing gear. With an amazing parent organization like the Oberalp group, great product, a great team, and a brand that can help shape a new narrative for past, present and future generations, 2020 is looking amazingly bright.

»Dave Spandorfer, Co-founder and CEO, Janji
I’m cautiously optimistic about the year. The economy is doing great, Americans are putting their dollars where their (active) passions are and the movement toward buying experiences and buying social goods continues to grow. That’s great for Janji. We focus on social consumerism, experiences and changing the world through running. But, I also think, it’s great for the future of the country.

That being said, we’re in the midst of the longest bull market in American history. That could portend a great year to come with positive trade news and low-interest rates or an inevitable market crash that could throw this entire sector in jeopardy. With debt cheap, online threats more prevalent than ever and rents somehow still increasing, the bottom could fall out of retail and we could witness the biggest retail shakeup in history. If we thought losing Circuit City, Linen & Things and Blockbuster during the last recession was bad, this could be significantly worse.

And, of course, there’s the election. Presidential election years mean uncertainty—something Wall Street and consumers hate. The 2020 election should be, by far, the most expensive in American history—increasing ad rates for downstream brands and distracting consumers. It could also be the ugliest political race in American history. With an unpredictable primary, an unpredictable incumbent and an unpredictable result, it’s hard to know what next year will hold.

»Dave Stockmeyer, EVP, Merchandising, Marketing, Distribution, Nation’s Best Sports
Nation’s Best Sports is cautiously optimistic. The supposed “retail apocalypse” is greatly exaggerated as it pertains to the NBS membership. We believe that the current “contraction of retail” is really hitting those that are offering “undifferentiated” retail environments without a story or a sense of engagement with their customers. In our minds, this tilts some opportunity back into the specialty channel as the nature of the “box store” is often limited-assortment, promotion-driven stores, while the independent spirit allows for more “experiential” and “personal” relationships with consumers that are more malleable and can turn assortments and direction quicker. Yes, the weakest of the weak may not survive, but we feel the large majority of our dealers are well-positioned to maximize growth and continue to invest in the outdoor, winter and athletic spaces.

Several factors keep our management team awake at night. The primary ones are legislation, e-commerce, impacts of the firearm business on the financial world, and direct-to-consumer sales by vendor partners. On the legislative side, gun control legislation, media attacks on the same, oft-shrinking federal support of some park and green space initiatives, impacts of the “trade wars” are all legitimate reasons to worry for many of our members.

E-commerce has been a challenge to many of our retailers who owned their local markets for years, knowing that the odds of box competition moving in were slim. Unfortunately, the internet has become the biggest “box” of them all.

In the hunt space, Bank of America, JP Morgan/Chase, Citibank, and GE Capital have all stopped or pulled back working with entities affiliated with the gun industry. While some smaller lenders have stepped up, it’s had a huge impact on margins and poor access to credit will affect business continuity if left unchecked.

Finally, we’re watching DTC expansion closely. Our challenge is to provide vendors opportunities to partner with independent dealers in their marketing efforts and e-commerce growth.

But, we see opportunities. We believe much of the volume at closed stores over the last few years has found its way into surviving retailers in over-stored markets. With NBS membership growing (albeit gradually), we are poised to continue to capture more than our fair share of this volume vacated by others.

Newer technologies—from loyalty card programs, CRMs, location-based marketing, on to BOPIS (buy online, pick up in-store)— are also providing fresh ways to deliver convenience and connect with end-users. Marketing will also be critical going forward. There are so many new ways to reach out to and target people today, and they are generally cost-effective, much quicker and easier to execute and have much lower barriers to entry than traditional mediums. Facebook, Instagram and other digital mediums not only allow you to market for your business, but they allow your consumers to become your brand ambassadors.

»Mike Thompson, Chief Marketing Officer, Rawlings Sporting Goods
During the past five years,  Rawlings has experienced a real burst in momentum with the company’s continued growth in both the baseball and softball categories; however, as we plan for 2020,  our business will continue to grow with measured caution and outlook.

Obviously, there are several 2020 macro topics that have the potential to influence consumer spending including the circus surrounding the China Trade/tariff, a 2020 Presidential election and the Fed possibly adjusting interest rates. Moving forward, we will continue to adjust our go-to-market business strategy to accommodate for the continued consolidation of the independent retail team dealer who historically supplied consumer performance type products such as high-end gloves and bats. We see this business shift continuing to migrate to either an online purchase or through brick & mortar big box retail channels.

We do feel very confident with the health of the Rawlings brand and how it is positioned in the baseball and softball marketplace at all levels of each sport—amateur through pro. Consumers are shopping for trusted brands that have a legacy of product performance, clear market leadership and products that are endorsed by superstar athletes. Rawlings is squarely situated to capitalize in 2020 and beyond. The continued year-over-year up-tic for youth participation in both baseball and softball bodes well for the future. Our position and relationship with Major League Baseball has never been stronger, and that is evident by the recent 10-year extension for MLB ball and helmet rights and the beginning of a new relationship as the Official Glove of MLB starting January 1, 2020.

Although we approach 2020 in a cautious manner, we are optimistic about the future of where the Rawlings brand is headed.

»CB Tuite, Chief Sales Officer, OrthoLite
The 2020 outlook is extremely favorable. Despite initial trade war concerns, it seems the market has significantly stabilized in recent months. During the initial phases and big unknowns surrounding the impact on tariffs, our global brand partners were forced to reexamine their global manufacturing footprint and to reduce potential exposure most brands shifted production volumes outside of China. The migration happened quickly, also in large volumes, and strained reserved capacities throughout SE Asia (and elsewhere).

OrthoLite navigated this surge in production volumes, and we helped our brand partners to successfully mitigate any potential risk by moving their orders between our various global production facilities. Fortunately, we were prepared. That said, the dramatic upswing in production volumes didn’t come without its own set of challenges across the entire supply chain, but our expansive foaming, production and processing footprint gave OrthoLite a unique ability to maneuver around the geopolitical issues that faced our entire industry.

Moving forward, we anticipate continued shifts in production allocations and as the largest provider of OEM insole technologies, OrthoLite is uniquely positioned to support our 375-plus global brand partners as they implement their production strategies for 2020 and beyond.

Heading into 2020, the continued momentum and focus on sustainability across all sales channels is a viable trend from within sport, to leisure, to outdoor, to comfort casual, to fashion, to dress, etc… With the largest portfolio of eco-friendly insole technologies, OrthoLite is once again well positioned to support our brand partners with either recycled solutions, eco-hybrid solutions or eco-oil solutions across all categories and all price points. We’ve introduced eco-innovations in both process and product and through our collaborative efforts, OrthoLite will continue to lead the industry in sustainable underfoot comfort and performance innovations.

»Jim Weber, President and CEO, Brooks Running
We are super optimistic in 2020 for all things running. With the Tokyo Olympic Games coming this summer, we have the opportunity to marshal the inspiration that sport and running can bring—to unify people around what makes us the same. The economy is solid for the time being and buoyed by a healthy employment market, tax cuts, government deficit spending, stable tariffs (for the moment!), and stronger household income for most. Today’s savvy consumer is willing to spend when they see the value. In run, innovation, performance, design, fit, and quality are all essential to win the customer against a backdrop of hundreds of product choices. In 2020, we, at Brooks, are excited to inspire more people to run and capture the positive energy it brings.

Photo courtesy VillageOne