The U.S. International Trade Commission released a report that supports
Outdoor Industry Association’s and SnowSports Industries America’s
assertion that no commercially viable production of performance
outerwear pants and jackets is available in the United States. This
report was requested by the two organizations after certain quotas were
placed on performance outerwear pants in the 2005-06 winter season (see
BOSS_0535 & BOSS_0542 for more background information).

The report evaluated the capability of U.S. domestic firms to
manufacture performance outerwear jackets and pants used for several
disciplines including standard recreational activities like hiking,
biking, mountain climbing, skiing, snowboarding, hunting, fishing,
various water sports and other outdoor pursuits. The report also looked
at production facilities for U.S. government military purposes, and
industrial protective outerwear manufacturing.

According to Alex Boian, OIA’s government affairs associate, the study
came out with better findings than either OIA or SIA had hoped for. “It
really came out better than we had expected. The report only found
seven firms that create this product for commercial sale,” he said.
“And the study does not make it clear whether or not these firms are
making this apparel for recreational use or for workplace use.”

OIA research, which tracks point-of-sale data from outdoor-specific
retail channels, and SIA research, which also tracks POS data, but from
snowsport-specific retail channels, indicated that in 2006, sales of
recreational use performance outerwear totaled $2.1 billion with more
than 21 million pieces sold.  The data does not include chain or
mass merchant retailers. The ITC findings indicate 2006 domestic
production of all performance outerwear was de minimis, accounting for
less than one percent of specialty retail sales.

Boian said that this new study will give OIA and SIA strong,
government-supported research when lobbying for outdoor and snow sports
manufacturers, most of which produce their apparel overseas. While the
main advantage of this study will be felt by vendor’s sourcing and
planning  personnel, Boian also sees the potential for this to
evolve into tariff reductions that could reduce the end price of these
goods at retail.