Learn what the 2024 election outcomes mean for your business. Watch our webinar recording with OIA’s government affairs team to learn about the 119th Congress and the state of play for key outdoor industry policy priorities in 2025. Experts discuss new BEA economic data, ways to engage policymakers, mobilize advocacy networks, and catalyze trade, recreation, and sustainability policy impacts in the year ahead.
By Meg Carney
The inaugural Catalyst Conference, hosted by the Outdoor Industry Association (OIA) from November 13-14, united outdoor industry leaders, innovators, and advocates to address sustainability challenges and strengthen their collective impact. Over two days, participants explored strategies to innovate, collaborate, and address pressing environmental issues impacting industry businesses and participants.
Julie Brown, Director of Sustainable Business Innovation at OIA, opened the event with a powerful call to action: “The outdoor industry is uniquely positioned to lead the charge for sustainable change. And so we must ask ourselves if not us, then who?”
Within the last five or more years, the outdoor industry has seen a value shift. While we’ve always been an industry loudly championing environmental conservation, we often grappled with the fact that we cannot sell more and reduce our impact at the same time. During the Catalyst Conference, industry leaders from brands like Patagonia, W.L. Gore & Associates, REI, Outdoor Research, and more shared their optimism and ideas as we move into a new generation of product production centered around sustainability and climate action.
As the outdoor sector navigates shifting political landscapes, tightening regulations, and increasingly eco-conscious consumers, its leaders emphasize one unifying truth: the industry’s strength lies in its ability to innovate, collaborate, and act with integrity.
During the conference, participants tackled conversations regarding timely sustainability challenges. Presentations and panel discussions centered around topics such as climate change, global supply chain complexities, and evolving consumer demands.
Eric Artz, CEO of REI Co-op, highlighted the need for resilience and adaptability. “There’s always opportunity, but it requires us to think differently and engage differently than we have in the past,” he stated.
Even now, as an industry, thinking differently and engaging with the environment needs to look different. One clear issue we all face is the existential threat of the climate crisis, but while sustainability leaders push for new innovations, financial backing and the business of profit don’t always support or at the very least, push back, providing consistent challenges to our progress as an industry.
Artz also pointed to the growing importance of state and local action, citing the success of recent ballot measures addressing public lands and climate policies. “Given the choice and education, consumers want to make the better choice,” he added, emphasizing the power of informed decision-making.
Consumers now more than ever expect more from companies, and it has become increasingly obvious that consumers in the outdoor sector look to brands to be transparent and truthful. Not only that, but to take accountability for their shortcomings and the impact they have, whether positive or negative.
Panelists like Jacqueline Levy of OIA encouraged businesses to engage policymakers at all levels, underscoring the need for outdoor companies to serve as advocates and connectors to drive systemic change.
Throughout the Catalyst Conference, speakers showcased their individual and collective advancement in pushing the boundaries of sustainability. Artz described REI’s use of bioengineered yarns as an example of progress. “One of the most innovative things we do is open source and collaborate on everything,” he said, reinforcing the importance of collective effort.
Collaboration was a primary theme of conference panel discussions and is something the outdoor industry has done well for some time. Brands like REI have immense power and influence within the industry as a whole, and within their collaborative pursuits can create frameworks for others to follow.
Kelly Hughes of Ruffwear detailed how product redesigns are reducing emissions. By leveraging tools like the Higg Index, Ruffwear identifies opportunities to optimize material usage, streamline production, and ensure that new designs outperform older ones in sustainability metrics.
Efforts like redesigns are an essential part of reducing our impact and carbon footprint, but is it enough? At the end of the day, all of these brands have one common goal: to sell more products. The actual production and energy consumption required to do this are immense and often reflect the largest percentage of their carbon emissions.
To combat this impact, Ryan Kelly of W.L. Gore & Associates highlighted the company’s renewable energy projects, such as “Kentucky Fried Solar,” which are transforming manufacturing operations. Meanwhile, Stanley demonstrated how collaborative efforts through OIA’s drinkware initiative are helping suppliers decarbonize while driving industry-wide change.
All of these initiatives are a step in the right direction, but are part of a much-needed bigger strategy that reflects a broader trend: sustainability can no longer be an optional add-on but must be a core business principle. As Ashley LaPorte of Burton Snowboards explained, “We can’t be profitable on a failing planet.”
For many of these initiatives to be successful, sustainability must be central to organizational strategies.
Artz advocated for companies to tie their efforts to measurable business outcomes. “Ensure that your purpose is centered on your principles. Sustainability can’t just be a feel-good initiative; [there] has to be a business case,” he emphasized.
Something that stuck with me the most from all of the discussions was the idea that everyone on the sustainability team should have a friend in the finance department. Decarbonization is a huge challenge that ours and many industries struggle to achieve, and a big part of the delay is the lack of funding to make these changes. If, as an industry, we are claiming to lead the charge in sustainability, we need to, in a sense, put our money where our mouth is, and invest in carbon reduction efforts more aggressively.
With issues as large as climate change, it can be hard to put into perspective until climate disasters meet us at our front doors. In many instances, those impacted the most by climate change and environmental harm have a socioeconomic disadvantage and are overlooked throughout the product development process.
Leah Thomas, founder of Intersectional Environmentalist, introduced the “curb cut theory” to illustrate how designing solutions for society’s most vulnerable benefits the collective in the long run. “Start with environmental justice because it ends up benefiting everyone,” she explained, encouraging companies to align their efforts with community needs.
As an industry, we can and should also support employees most affected by climate impacts, according to LaPorte, who suggests resilience funds and stronger community-focused initiatives. “Employers are trusted more than the government to do the right thing,” she noted, referencing the Edelman Trust Barometer to highlight businesses’ unique position of influence.
The path forward requires systemic change and coalition building, a theme many speakers echo. Levy reminded attendees of the industry’s significant economic influence. “This is a $1.1 trillion bipartisan powerhouse that can get things done,” she said. This sentiment highlights how companies can use their collective strength to drive policy change.
Ashley LaPorte of Burton Snowboards and Troy Sicotte of Mountain Hardware called for businesses to align sustainability goals with financial targets. They emphasized the importance of anticipating challenges and preparing for stricter regulations on emissions, toxic substances, and materials even before regulations push them to do so.
If the rapid phase-out of PFAS taught the outdoor industry anything, it should be to act before being regulated to do so. We need to follow the science and be able to substantiate claims not only for marketing purposes but also for the integrity of our industry and the future of the planet.
Some speakers explored the importance of proactive approaches to regulatory compliance. Alex Lauver of Outdoor Research noted, “Stop being so reactive. There’s going to be more restrictions, so how can we prepare?” This shows the urgency for the industry to stay ahead of evolving requirements while maintaining its commitment to sustainability.
Consumers drive the market, and throughout the conference, many speakers highlighted the importance of consumers and communities in driving change. Artz reiterated the need for transparency in communicating with customers: “Every time we put choice in front of informed customers, they will make the better choice with us.”
But we should not rely solely on customers to make those decisions for us. Each brand has a distinct responsibility to learn and then inform to become better advocates and examples for their customers. If consumers are looking to brands as an authority on topics such as sustainability and climate change, it should not be them holding us accountable, but us setting a higher precedent and expectation of their consumption.
Our supply chain impacts are one way to do this, but another is to be more civically involved. Levy detailed strategies for engaging policymakers, including fly-ins, congressional briefings, and public education campaigns. These efforts build trust and amplify the industry’s voice in legislative spaces.
While we have a long way to go to meet our climate goals, a sense of optimism prevails as we reflect on the first and hopefully not the last Catalyst Conference. The panels, speakers, and discussions seemed to inspire participants to lead the outdoor industry—and the planet—toward a more sustainable future.
Still, this Catalyst Conference left one lingering thought in the closing remarks from Kevin Myette of Bluesign for industry leaders and advocates:
‘We get to choose where we are on this trail. Are there any crusaders amongst you? Are we at an end, or a beginning’? I’ll be curious to see how we can leverage collective equity and transform obstacles into opportunities, to ensure a thriving future for people, the planet, and the products that connect us.
Meg Carney is an outdoor and environmental journalist, author, executive producer, and podcast host specializing in outdoor product coverage, supply chain research, and investigative environmental and conservation journalism.
We’re still buzzing from the energy of OIA’s sold-out, inaugural Catalyst Conference that took place in Seattle, Washington on November 13th and 14th. Catalyst Conference convened members of the outdoor industry around a common theme: sustainability. The sessions explored a broad range of topics, including circularity, decarbonization, chemical compliance, and supply chain resilience, and featured speakers from various sections of the outdoor industry.
The Catalyst Conference brought the industry together at a time when community was more important than ever. Attendees shared that the event fostered a strong sense of camaraderie while delivering the expertise needed to tackle the industry’s toughest challenges. In addition to an impressive lineup of speakers, Catalyst offered opportunities to connect with peers through brand-led activities and
immersive experiences.
Highlights included exploring innovative products with a textile microscope, offsetting carbon emissions from travel, and renewable energy demos—all tied together with an expedition log for a chance to win prizes. The energy carried into the evening at the industry party, where attendees celebrated collective action and reaffirmed their commitment to sustainability progress. What was a sense of fear of the unknown path that lays ahead for sustainability quickly transformed into an atmosphere of hope and determination by the end of the day.
Read on for a recap of the event and explore select session recordings here.
“Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the inaugural Catalyst Conference! It’s an honor to be here with all of you as we gather to confront some of the industry’s most urgent issues, and discuss solutions for people, product, and planet. Now, I realize that for many people in this room, the last week has been difficult. The election results have left many in the fields of sustainability or DEI feeling uncertain. I’m glad we’re here together because at times like these we need to remind ourselves and each other why we do this work—and why we cannot afford to slow down.
When I’m feeling like our sustainability goals are daunting, there are a few things that give me motivation, and I want to share them with you:
First, Collective Action: OIA’s Climate Action Corps has 354 professionals from 85 companies actively taking bold, collective action against climate change by reducing and removing emissions from their value chains. OIA’s Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition has 320 individuals from 97 companies who are blazing the trail in the innovation and adoption of safer chemicals. OIA’s philanthropic arm, the Outdoor Foundation, has 13 communities (including here in Seattle) reaching 95,000 youth nationwide to ensure that everyone can thrive outside. All this effort leads to real, measurable benefits on a global scale.
Second, Rising Standards and Expectations: Sustainability is no longer optional. European and state regulations are tightening, forcing businesses to adapt—or risk being left behind. From PFAS laws to new waste and emissions regulations, the pressure is mounting. But here’s the thing: these changes aren’t just about compliance; they represent a powerful opportunity to innovate, improve, and stay ahead of the curve. Consumers are also demanding more. They expect their favorite brands to be responsible, fair, and accountable. The playing field for sustainability has fundamentally shifted, and the outdoor industry is in a prime position to rise to the challenge.
Third, we use our outside voices to advocate: Let’s not forget that the outdoor industry is a $1.1 Trillion bipartisan powerhouse – it can get things done. OIA will continue to work across the aisle, bringing diverse voices to advance policy solutions that protect lands, ensure equitable access to the outdoors, and promote sustainable trade.
Finally, Community: This industry is collaborative. We share challenges, brainstorm solutions, and support one another. Let’s face it, the election was a setback for climate action, and thus for the future of the safety of the outdoors, in a time when our industry really doesn’t need more setbacks. But you — the people in this room — understand these stakes better than anyone. And you keep showing up. You keep working with urgency and purpose to move toward a future we believe is possible. Your talent, creativity, and vision are vital in driving the sustainability successes we need. You are the catalysts for change, and there’s no place I’d rather be at this time than with this group of intelligent and inspiring professionals to move forward, together.”
After Julie Brown’s inspiring introduction to kick-off the day, she sat down with REI CEO Eric Artz to discuss the outdoor industry’s responsibility to lead in sustainability. Artz shared that despite whatever administration is in the White House, the outdoor industry has managed to prevail and make progress.
We thrive when conditions are extreme, and we are motivated by the unknown. Artz highlighted the multitude of climate and public lands initiatives on the ballot across the country that passed this election cycle – showing that consumers are continuing to choose the planet.
Artz said: “Let’s focus on the millions that we serve, that are invested in the things we care about. How do we leverage that community more? How do we lean into it?”
Artz’s question was undoubtedly tackled throughout the rest of the Catalyst Conference as sustainability leaders in the industry discussed the most pressing issues of today.
Leah Thomas, Founder of Intersectional Environmentalist and environmental justice advocate, sat down with Ashley LaPorte (VP of Purpose & Impact, Burton), Jaclyn Levy (Senior Director of Government Affairs, OIA), and Troy Sicotte (President and Global GM, Mountain Hardwear) to discuss how sustainability practitioners can influence leadership in their organization.
LaPorte encouraged sustainability practitioners to build coalitions across their company – particularly with the finance team.
Sicotte pointed to consistently focusing on the consumer: “When people buy a Columbia stock, they know there’s a thread of consistency of the Columbia brands doing the right thing for the people and the planet.” LaPorte also mentioned the direct climate impacts on her staff. Hailing from Vermont, the extreme flooding Vermont has experienced in the past two years has severely impacted Burton’s staff’s ability to be productive.
Sicotte pointed to consistently focusing on the consumer: “When people buy a Columbia stock, they know there’s a thread of consistency of the Columbia brands doing the right thing for the people and the planet.” LaPorte also mentioned the direct climate impacts on her staff. Hailing from Vermont, the extreme flooding Vermont has experienced in the past two years has severely impacted Burton’s staff’s ability
to be productive.
“We will not be able to run a profitable business on a failing planet, and let’s make that really specific to our headquarters, in Burlington with 500 people, where twice in the past two years now we have lost serious productivity from folks because we are experiencing the impact of that crisis now.”
Moving on from a focus on leadership, the next panel highlighted how W.L. Gore, Ruffwear, Stanley 1913, and Patagonia are reducing their emissions. Kelly Hughes highlighted how at Ruffwear, they are focusing on reducing their scope 3 footprint through design, with their new designs beating the Higg Product Module LCIA score of the old designs in the following categories: global warming potential, eutrophication, water scarcity, fossil fuel depletion, and chemistry impacts.
Ryan Kelley from W.L. Gore shared that they have been able to achieve a 50% reduction in their GHG emissions to date, and highlighted two actions W.L. Gore has taken to reduce scope 1 emissions:
(1) By installing a heat pump in their facility in Shenzhen, China, the facility was able to reduce the site’s overall natural gas consumption by 31%; and
(2) by installing electric steam generation for their DWR line in Putzbrunn, Germany, they were able to decrease the site’s overall natural gas consumption by 20%.
Emily Cichy from Stanley 1913 shared the roadmap they followed to reduce scope 3 emissions, which entailed: measuring monthly data, setting goals and targets with their suppliers, creating reduction plans with their suppliers, and incorporating sustainability metrics into their supplier scorecards. Cichy also highlighted the work with the OIA Drinkware CoLab.
Kim Drenner from Patagonia shared how they are funding industry-wide studies to assess how suppliers can best reduce their emissions. They funded a number of electrification feasibility studies at suppliers in Taiwan, and determined that Electrified Thermal Energy Storage (ETES) has vast potential to achieve largescale decarbonization, and be a “drop-in” replacement for traditional boilers.
After the session on collective climate action, attendees had the option to choose between breakout sessions focused on circularity or attending a workshop on tackling organizational emissions. A highlight from the circularity panel included a robust discussion around “business as usual,” and changing the way the industry
creates and sells products to decouple production and profit. The less new product we produce – the less emissions we produce as an industry.
In the climate leadership workshop, members joined a facilitated discussion with industry peers about a specific emissions reduction topic, such as emissions measurement, target setting, logistics, carbon removal, etc. These discussions facilitated learning and collaboration amongst the participants, and attendees came away with next steps for the industry in the topic of their choice.
During the next pair of breakout sessions, attendees had the opportunity to choose between a session focused on building supply chain resilience, or a chemical compliance workshop. A theme that emerged from the supply chain resilience panel is that as the world warms, production is only going to become more interrupted by extreme heat and weather. Simultaneously, more energy will be needed in the supply chain to cool manufacturing facilities. Jason Judd, a professor at the Cornell School of Industrial and Labor Relations, implored the attendees to coalesce around enforceable working standards for supply chain workers that include wet bulb temperatures.
In the chemical compliance session, members had the opportunity to discuss shared challenges and key learnings of from PFAS phase-out in recent years. The challenge was: “Can OIA members agree on the next three chemical families to phase out before regulation?”
The last full-length session of the day centered around sustainability claims, and how to navigate today’s regulatory landscape. James Pollack, attorney at Marten Law, overviewed the legal concepts and regulations that apply to most of the outdoor industry, including FTC’s Green Guides, recyclability claims, “free of” claims, and carbon related claims.
Jason Parkin, Founder and President of Compose[d] talked about the benefits of sustainability marketing, and shared that education is paramount to connecting with your consumers on sustainability. Parkin also suggested breaking down sustainability reports into digestible, bite-sized pieces that can be spread out into a year-long content marketing strategy.
Leah Thomas, Founder of the Intersectional Environmentalist, encouraged brands to get involved at the local, grassroots level when engaging with environmental justice, to create reciprocal solutions in your community.
The programming of the day concluded with an industry address from Norah Stowell (Americas Regional Commercial Leader, W. L. Gore), who championed the industry’s progress in climate and chemistry postpandemic, and Kevin Myette (Director Global Brand Services, bluesign technologies ag), who shared the genesis of sustainability in the outdoor industry.
Myette shared: “What I do know is what got us here is certainly not going to get us where we ultimately need to be. I suggest we must also consider collaboration on scales we’ve never even imagined. It’s easy to get down by all the negativity that surrounds us.
Especially when business becomes so hard. However, we get to choose where we are on this trail. Are there any crusaders amongst you? Are we at an end, or a beginning?”
Attendees concluded the day participating in sponsor-led activations, including Title Sponsor GORE-TEX’s iconic “Rain Room” adventure, Worldly’s Product Impact Calculator, Community Gearbox’s new app, Patch’s carbon credit projects, Change Climate Project’s The Climate Label certification simulation, and Sol System’s renewable energy demos.
Day 2 of the Catalyst Conference was dedicated to working group meetings, exclusively for OIA members. The day began with a meeting for members of OIA’s three advisory councils (trade, sustainability, and recreation). All other attendees who are not members of OIA’s three advisory councils participated in networking and workshop tables focused on a specific sustainability topic. OIA’s advisory councils discussed 2025 policy priorities for the organization, with a specific focus on the intersection of trade and sustainability.
Register for OIA’s webinar on December 5th that will overview OIA’s policy priorities and the 2025 outlook for the outdoor industry here.
After the morning sessions, the entire Day 2 group reconvened, and OIA Sustainability Manager Breana Nehls overviewed collaboration at OIA, and each OIA Sustainability Task Force leader gave an overview of their task force, its progress, and its outlook for 2025. To learn more about the current OIA Sustainability Task Forces, click here.
Attendees then got together in groups, and workshopped ideas for new sustainability task forces to launch in 2025. The top ideas were:
• Traceability
• Toxic Chemicals and Solvents
• Design for Sustainability
• Funding Decarbonization
• Textile-to-Textile Recycling
• Durability Standards and Measurement
• Humans/Fair Labor
• Green Claims Guidance
• Clean Heat Installation
Attendees then regrouped according to the top idea that they were most interested in, and took time to brainstorm as a group what the objective and time frame for that topic’s task force would look like.
One person from each group then reported out to the larger group on their idea for their respective task force. The day ended with next steps: OIA will assess the task force proposals, and select a limited number to launch in 2025. Throughout Day 2, attendees were able to dive deeper into sustainability topics that interested them with their industry peers.
The day 2 activities fostered deep collaboration amongst OIA members, and simultaneously enabled OIA members to give direct input on how OIA will support them with sustainability in the future.
The OIA Team celebrates the inaugural Catalyst Conference as a tremendous success. OIA members were able to gather in person (many for the first time since the pandemic), share ideas, learn from one another, and connect on a deep level. Old friends were able to reunite, and new friendships were formed across generations. In a time of great uncertainty for the future of climate and sustainability, 200 outdoor and sustainability professionals showed up, and planned for a more sustainable future. We look forward to reconvening next year!
Stay in the loop! Sign up to get updates on the 2025 Catalyst Conference dates and location, plus virtual opportunities to connect and engage.
Catalyst Conference Supporting Sponsors
October 17, 2024
Recently, as Hurricane Milton made landfall in Florida, just weeks after Hurricane Helene traumatized much of the Southwest, my colleague and I spent most of a meeting—originally planned to review chemistry strategy—talking about what it means to be alive and doing this work. We wake up every day floating between immense gratitude and awe for this world, and despair for how we are devastating it. We are simultaneously completely devoted to the work it will take to sustain our environment for future generations, and hyper aware that the climate crisis has already arrived. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed, isolated, defeated.
Almost 20 years ago, when I walked into my first Environmental Studies class as an undergraduate freshman at UVM, my professor Stephanie Kaza took out a Tibetan singing bowl and led us in a prayer. The prayer taught us that to sustain the work, we would need to sustain ourselves and each other. She emphasized our interdependence and the intersectionality of what plagues us. I still remember how I admired her wisdom, knowing that her students would need to return to this lesson throughout their lives.
Fast forward to this moment and I am so grateful for the community of practitioners that make it possible to stay engaged in this challenging work. I am especially grateful for the coordination and support from the Outdoor Industry Association that allows us to move towards solutions more quickly than if we were going it alone. On the CCMC Steering Committee we joke that what we’ve really formed is an Emotional Support Group. Beyond that, every OIA member that I have reached out to personally for support on particular topics has shown up and engaged enthusiastically. I hope anyone reading this knows that I am here to return the favor.
All we have is now and each other. I hope to see you at the Catalyst Conference. Onwards!
Taylor Ralph
Product Impact Lead for Environmental & Social Impact at Burton
Clean Chemistry and Materials Coalition Co-Chair
October 17, 2024
The outdoor market continues to face challenges, underperforming compared to the broader U.S. economy despite slight growth in sales. Over the past year (August 2023 to July 2024), the outdoor market saw a modest 1% increase in total dollars sold, reaching $28.3 billion. However, units sold declined by 3.1%. This performance contrasts with the U.S. GDP, which grew by 1.4% in Q1 2024 and 3% in Q2 2024, highlighting the disconnect between the economy’s overall strength and the outdoor industry’s sluggish growth.
Our latest State of the Outdoor Market Report examines economic indicators, sales trends, consumer behavior, and evolving market opportunities. Key findings include:
1. Sales Trends:
While total sales in dollars grew slightly, unit sales declined, particularly in the Independent Outdoor Retail segment, which saw a 6.6% drop. Retail eCommerce sales were also down by 2.3%.
Footwear emerged as a bright spot, showing growth in both dollars and units sold, while apparel and equipment sales declined.
2. Economic Context:
Inflation rose by 2.5% from August 2023 to July 2024, but increased wages (+3.5%) and stable employment have allowed consumers to maintain buying power. Despite this, consumers are prioritizing spending on essentials, which has affected discretionary purchases in the outdoor sector.
3. Consumer Behavior and Motivation:
The outdoor participant base grew by 4.1%, with 175.8 million Americans now engaging in outdoor activities. However, the core group of frequent outdoor enthusiasts has shrunk.
A shift in motivations is evident, with more consumers engaging in outdoor activities for mental health and wellness rather than physical fitness or skill development. Wealthier, older individuals are particularly likely to use the outdoors as a coping mechanism, contributing to a rise in casual outdoor products like backyard games and insulated drinkware.
4. Market Opportunities:
Despite declines in traditional outdoor gear sales, there are opportunities for growth in casual outdoor products. Brands and retailers should focus on aligning their offerings with the changing motivations of outdoor consumers, particularly by catering to both casual participants and core outdoor enthusiasts.
Overall, while the outdoor market faces headwinds, understanding shifts in consumer motivations and adapting to these changes presents a pathway for future growth.
Stay Ahead with OIA’s Industry-Leading Research
To help our members better understand the markets and the people they serve, OIA sponsors and produces comprehensive research that offers expert insights into participation trends, market forces, and consumer behavior. With access to this data, you’ll gain a deeper understanding of the evolving outdoor market and how to meet the needs of today’s outdoor consumers.
Leverage our research to drive your strategy forward. Explore OIA’s latest reports and resources to ensure your brand is positioned for growth and success in this dynamic landscape.
Kelly Davis
OIA Research Director
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