K2 Sports has agreed to license its Planet Earth Clothing brand to Phil Dixon of Montreal, Quebec. Dixon's W.L. Activewear company will immediately assume responsibility for Planet Earth's global operations.
Dixon has more than 30 years of experience in the sporting goods apparel industry and has maintained a long-term relationship with K2 Sports as a former Liquid apparel licensee before he acquired that brand in 2009.
“This is a rare opportunity to take an established brand that is highly credible in the action sports market and deeply tied into the movement toward eco-conscious design and grow it on a global scale,” Dixon said. “It's an ideal fit for the program that we have in place.”
Dixon's tenure dates back to the 1970s with Pedigree apparel and his company has managed Canadian distribution in past years for Patagonia and multiple outdoor and action sports brand. Currently W.L. Activewear distributes Aerial7 headphones, Alpinestars apparel, Bern Unlimited helmets and Ergo in Canada in addition to their global ownership of Liquid boardwear and now the Planet Earth licensing agreement.
“K2 has a proven business model for growing brands through strong licensing agreements, from bicycles to skin care products,” said K2 Sports CEO Robert Marcovitch. “Planet Earth is in great hands with W.L. Activewear. Under Phil's direction we're confident the brand will continue to blossom.”
Planet Earth will maintain its current path to bringing to action sports one of the only year-round, top to bottom eco-conscious product lines as well as continue with its inspiring Perspectives marketing campaign for which its popularity and influence continue to exponentially grow.
“Our portfolio of brands and businesses, from Atlas Snowshoes to Zoot triathlon gear, are performing well despite a somewhat challenging environment,” Marcovitch said. “With little knowledge of the highly competitive casual apparel industry we believe that the transitioning of Planet Earth to W.L. Activewear will allow us to concentrate on our many core competencies in technical equipment. Doing so will be of much greater value to ourselves, our customers and our consumers around the world.”
K2 acquired Carlsbad-based Planet Earth, a maker of skateboards and apparel that was started by Chris Miller, one of the world's top professional skateboarders, in 1997.
