
EXEC: JD Sports Inks Partner for South Africa Expansion
The company signed a franchise agreement with Foschini Retail Group (Pty) Ltd, a subsidiary of South African retailer The Foschini Group Limited (TFG) to launch the JD brand in South Africa.

EXEC: Researching Exposures & Effects from PFAS and Consumer Textiles on Human Health
The study provides insights into the measurement of PFAS in various consumer textiles and how they enter the body; however, the pattern of PFAS detection in the evaluated textiles does not fully align with reported human serum levels.

Astral Taps Bluewater Trading to Rep the Midwest Region
Bluewater Trading covers Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

Report: 2023 Resale Grew 15X Faster than Retail
A new study found that 60 percent of consumers shop for secondhand apparel, giving them more for their money, while 55 percent said they would spend more on secondhand clothing if the economy does not improve.

Lands’ End Posts Wider Net Loss in Fiscal 2023 on Impairment Charges, Lower Sales
Fiscal fourth quarter revenues declined 2.8 percent to $514.9 million for the three-month period ended February 2. Global e-commerce net revenue was $1.0 billion, a decrease of 7.1 percent, due in part to Lands’ End Japan closure. U.S. e-commerce net revenue decreased 2.7 percent.

EXEC: Amer Sports Majority Owner Posts Strong Year of Growing Retail Sales in China
Anta Sports, which runs retail stores in China for the Anta brand, Fila, Descente, Kolon Sport, and was the 53 percent majority owner of Amer Sports at year-end, reported that revenue reached another high in 2023. Anta’s stake in Amer Sports was diluted to 43 percent after the Amer IPO in February.

Pure Hockey to Open Store in Laguna Hills, CA
This will be the retailer’s fourth store in California, which also has locations in Anaheim, San Jose and San Marcos.

Vista Outdoor Confirms Receipt of Revised Indication of Interest from MNC Capital
Vista Outdoor’s Board still needs to determine the revised MNC Indication within the framework contemplated by the existing merger agreement with Czechoslovak Group a.s.

Keen Celebrates 10 Years of Uneek Open-Air Sneaker
To round out the celebration, Keen will introduce three new variations of the Uneek open-air sneaker, available in men’s and women’s styles.

Academy Sports + Outdoors Begins 2024 Store Expansion in Raleigh and Indy
The full-line sporting goods and outdoor recreation retailer will open 15 to 17 new stores in its fiscal 2024 year, starting with two new stores in the first quarter in Knightdale, NC and Greenwood, IN.

EXEC: Grassroots Outdoor Alliance Sees Tough 2023 Comp Against COVID-Induced Growth
While year-over-year sales for the consolidated sales of the organization were down 6.0 year-over-year, sales versus the last pre-COVID year were up nearly 27 percent.

Nike Names Minimalist Designer Tim Hamilton as Global VP of Design
Hamilton brings over 26 years of design experience to the role including working on large-scale collabs, and has reportedly built a reputation in the industry for “technical craftsmanship and modern minimalism while reflecting subtle shifts in youth culture.”

EXEC: Academy Execs Break Down Q4 Hits and Misses, 2024 Outlook
Academy saw an improving comp store sales trend in its fiscal fourth quarter, and while still negative, it gave company management something to hold on to when assessing overall performance in Q4, the full year ended February 3 and planning the year ahead.

EXEC: Nike Admits it Has a Problem, and Its Solution is… Air?
The Swoosh is putting Nike Air ahead of its innovative solutions to its current stale product and sluggish sales problem. The other solution is to play nice and support those pesky retail partners now that the brand suddenly needs them again.

Algenesis Unveils Groundbreaking Biodegradable TPU Material
Algenesis’ partnership with Trelleborg underscores the material’s versatility and potential to disrupt industries ranging from aerospace applications to outdoor apparel.