Swiftwick Adds Hafthor Bjornsson As Ambassador

Swiftwick, the performance sock company, signed Hafthor Bjornsson, the “World’s Strongest Man,” as the company’s newest elite athlete. Bjornsson joins the Swiftwick team as the brand launches the company’s first dedicated cross-training sock.

Response to Walmart: Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Pens Open Letter

In an open letter to the outdoor industry, Grassroots Outdoor Alliance president, Rich Hill, addressed the organization’s concerns about the launch of Walmart’s premium outdoor platform. Hill called on the industry to “communicate openly, work together and resist the easy temptations of short-term thinking.”

Delta Apparel Increases Share Repurchase Authorization by $10 Million

Apparel, headwear and related accessories company Delta Apparel Inc. on Tuesday announced that the company’s board of directors has approved a new authorization under the company’s stock repurchase program for the repurchase of up to an additional $10 million of the company’s outstanding common stock, bringing the total amount authorized under the program to $60 million.

Wall Street Sees Nike Boost From Colin Kaepernick Ad 

Nike is increasingly seen getting a boost from the brand’s decision to include Colin Kaepernick in its “Just Do It” anniversary ad campaign, according to investor notes from Piper Jaffray and Canaccord Genuity. Canaccord conducted a poll that found consumers “overwhelmingly supportive” of the campaign.

The North Face Launches “New Explorers” Campaign

The North Face launched a global campaign “to inspire the spirit of curiosity and enable a generation of new explorers through an expanded definition of exploration as a state of mind.” The campaign includes rapper/producer Pi’erre Bourne, snowboarder Jess Kimura, filmmaker Jimmy Chin and activist Mikhail Martin.

Lululemon Athletica Names Sun Choe Chief Product Officer

Lululemon Athletica Inc. announced the promotion of Sun Choe to the role of chief product officer. Choe joined Lululemon in 2016 as senior vice president of global merchandising and subsequently assumed expanded responsibilities for all product functions on an interim basis.

Texas Farm Bureau Bans Employees From Wearing Nike

The Texas Farm Bureau, the state’s largest organization representing farmers, is telling employees they can no longer wear branded Nike apparel on the job following the controversy over Nike airing TV commercials featuring former NFL quarterback Colin Kaepernick.

Industry Voices Grow Louder In Opposition To Trade War

President Trump’s claim that increased tariffs on foreign goods have resulted in an improved business climate for U.S. companies has been widely rejected by representatives of the outdoor, sporting goods and active lifestyle industries, who are growing louder in their opposition to the administration’s escalating trade war.