Outdoor Retailer newbie, Voormi, lives the rugged lifestyle and aims to outfit its fellow core outdoorists. Other new ORWM exhibitors featured in SGB this month include Dish and Duer, Avatech and 4FRNT Skis.
By Courtney Holden
Headquartered more than 7,000 feet above sea level in Colorado’s San Juan Mountains, Voormi understands the apparel needs of rugged-living men and women. “If you’re a mountain professional, you need stuff that lasts a very long time and performs to the highest technical level possible,” said Timm Smith, chief marketing officer.
Voormi believes that top-tier apparel should be sourced and sewn on U.S. soil…The brand uses its trademarked Rocky Mountain Highcountry Merino as the starting point for each of its baselayers, tech tees, hoodies and jackets.
Their material of choice: U.S.-raised wool. The brand uses its trademarked Rocky Mountain Highcountry Merino as the starting point for each of its baselayers, tech tees, hoodies and jackets. Then, depending on the garment, a series of treatments (nylon may be woven in, a DWR-coating may be added) are applied to further augment performance. “We want to be known as delivering professional-grade apparel built from a foundation of natural fibers,” Smith said.
Voormi believes that top-tier apparel should be sourced and sewn on U.S. soil. Bringing a “microbrew approach” to apparel, the company sets up small sewing factories (typically around 10 people per factory) in mountain towns as a way to diversify the job offerings and invest in the community. “It gives people something to do in mountain communities besides work at the restaurant. It gives people a sense of community and a reason to stay,” Smith said.
Of course the tactic is beneficial to the brand as well. Small-batch, local production makes Voormi nimble enough to quickly supply demand, add a new style or tweak a fabric. “We can turn and crank so much faster than anybody who’s producing in Asia because we’re not on long, seasonal development cycles,” Smith said. “We don’t order by the container-load.”
Look for Voormi with their small-batch brethren in Outdoor Retailer’s Venture Out section.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6VgSt-7JCac
Photos courtesy Voormi, Video by CampSaver
