Outdoor brands contributed a record €8,556 to the European Outdoor Conservation Association, or EOCA, at the recent ISPO trade show in Munich.
 
EOCA said it also signed up four new companies at the show itself or immediately afterwards, bringing its membership to 125.

Smartwool raised nearly €6,500 in total for EOCA’s conservation projects through its Smartwool Vending Machine booth, which has appeared at three trade shows in the last 18 months. The company spent most of the show restocking as vouchers to select pairs of socks were purchased by the handful. Teko Socks raised more than €3,000 throughout the four day show by selling over 600 pairs of socks.

The Scandinavian Outdoor Group asked for contributions towards food and drinks at their bar in the Scandinavian Village, which was topped up by Messe Munich and resulted in a joint donation of €1,000. A further €4,500 was collected through the fundraiser held each day on the EOCA stand in the East Entrance via the sales of product generously donated by members, as well as via an extra sale of products from Teko Socks and Goal Zero at the EOCA Happy Hour.

The four companies to join EOCA during the show included:

  • Rohan Designs Limited, a UK outdoor clothing manufacturer and distributor;
  • Pomoca SA, a maker of ski bindings and climbing skins;
  • ASAdventure, a Belgian retailer and adventure tourism company; and
  • Shanghai Kuiran Trade Co. Ltd., a Chinese clothes and equipment produce.

“Supporting the environment in a collective manner like this is such an effective way of working that we wanted to be part of it”  said Roger Cann, Managing Director of Rohan Designs.

General Manager of Pomoca Josep Castellet added, “It was one of the things I came to the show knowing we wanted to do. We have been looking to support an environmental project for a year now, and our main concern was to find the right and most meaningful way. The expertise of EOCA gives us the certainty and security that we are choosing the right projects and really giving back to the environment – which for us is far more important than telling people about the work we are doing”