Archives: Press Releases

JACKSON, Wyo. (April 28, 2020) – In partnership with Brands x Better, Stio is donating 2% of sales through May 31^st  to Direct Relief to provide protective equipment and essential medical items to health workers responding to and treating COVID-19. Direct Relief is an organization working in all 50 US States and 80 Countries to support front line health workers.

Brands x Better is coalition of consumer brands who are committed to fostering stability in a time of crisis. Coalition members are giving back to those most affected by COVID-19, supporting their employees during these uncertain times and promoting conscious consumer spending to keep the economy functioning. Stio is proud to join a remarkable group of brands in an effort to do its part to combat this pandemic.

“All of the Brands x Better companies embody the ‘we are stronger together’ ethos, and we sincerely thank Co-Founder/CEO Nate Checketts and the entire team at Rhone for spearheading this impactful new movement.” said Stephen Sullivan, founder and CEO of Stio. “As we continue to weather this storm, we feel encouraged by finding ways in which we can support our communities and those in need right now.”

Brands x Better has raised $1,164,592 to date, and this number continues to grow daily.

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About Stio®

Headquartered in the heart of the Tetons in Jackson Hole, Wyoming, Stio® was founded to inspire connection with the outdoors through beautiful, functional and innovative products infused with mountain soul. Stio’s mountain town style meets backcountry performance product is sold via Stio Mountain Studio® retail stores, Stio® catalogs and the Stio® website. stio.com

ROCKFORD, Mich. (April 27, 2020) – Chaco Footwear, the outdoor lifestyle footwear brand, announced today that it has created an innovative partnership program to help support its retailers affected by the COVID-19 crisis. The new dropship program will allow participating retailers to offer Chaco’s full collection of products online through Chacos.com. Using a unique digital experience, participating retailers will earn a percentage on every sale and Chaco will handle the delivery and any returns for the retailer.  

“For over 30 years, independent retailers have been the backbone of Chaco’s business and the foundation of our community – it’s critical we support them in these challenging times,” said Todd Gordon, Interim General Manager and VP of Sales. “Now more than ever, brands need to think creatively about how we support independent retail, and we believe this program will provide immediate opportunities for our retailer partners.”

Chaco is using this program to encourage its consumers to “stay home and shop local,” while social distancing and sheltering-in-place. The brand has also created a full suite of marketing materials for each retailer to launch through their social media and digital channels, with Chaco driving awareness and engagement through its own marketing channels.

“Knowing that time and resources are limited during this crisis, we wanted to make sure participating is as easy as possible,” said Lyndi Bell, Chaco’s Marketing Manager leading the program launch. “By providing a turnkey solution with all the assets, retailers should be able to get started right away.”

Chaco has offered the program to an initial group of retailers and plans to scale the program over the coming weeks.

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About Chaco: Born on the river in 1989, Chaco builds premium footwear for the outdoor-minded. As a result of the brand’s proprietary LUVSEAT™ foot bed, the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) has awarded the Seal of Acceptance to all Chaco footwear styles. The APMA Seal is intended to raise awareness by identifying products of exceptional quality that are manufactured with comfort, health, and safety in mind. Simply put, Chaco is fit for adventure. Please visit us at www.chacos.com, Facebook: Chacos, Instagram: ChacoFootwear, Twitter: Chacousa.

Center of competence for hygiene established in Wiener Neudorf to support Austria and the EU in the Covid-19 crisis

• Establishment of a center of competence for hygiene to produce and further develop protective items to contain the Covid-19 pandemic
• Investment of several million euros in machinery with a monthly production capacity of 12 million pieces (standard protective masks and FFP2 masks)
• Safeguarding jobs in Austria
• High-quality, certified products „made in Austria“ available on the market from May onwards

Wiener Neudorf – Lenzing AG and Palmers Textil AG found “Hygiene Austria LP GmbH”, in which Lenzing AG holds 50.1% and Palmers Textil AG 49.9%. The newly founded company will start producing and selling protective masks for the domestic and European markets from May 2020.

Over the past few weeks, Lenzing AG and Palmers Textil AG have invested several million euros in a modern production infrastructure at the Wiener Neudorf location and secured the corresponding raw materials for protective masks production. In a first step, the company produces so-called mouth-nose protective masks (MNS) and surgical protective masks of class EN14683. Hygiene Austria LP GmbH plans to increase its capacities to over 25 million masks per month over the next few weeks and to expand this business geographically as well.

The demand for high-quality MNS and respiratory masks for medical personnel is increasing rapidly, and there is real competition on the international market for these products. In order to sustainably secure domestic supply now and in the future and to strengthen the business location, the two companies Lenzing AG and Palmers Textil AG have now set a milestone with their own competence center for hygiene based in Austria. Hygiene Austria LP GmbH thus makes a significant contribution to combating the Covid-19 pandemic and ensures the long-term supply of these critical goods in Austria in high quality. “We decided to pool our knowledge, network and experience in a competence center for hygiene together with our partner Palmers. The aim of this joint venture is to provide the citizens of Austria and Europe with the best possible protection through locally manufactured, high-quality products,” says Stefan Doboczky, CEO of Lenzing AG. „Masks will continue to play an important role in our daily lives and we are proud that we were able to achieve our goal of an industrial production so quickly together with our partner Palmers.”

“We decided to pool our knowledge, network and experience in a competence center for hygiene together with our partner Palmers. The aim of this joint venture is to provide the citizens of Austria and Europe with the best possible protection through locally manufactured, high-quality products,” says Stefan Doboczky, CEO of Lenzing AG. „Masks will continue to play an important role in our daily lives and we are proud that we were able to achieve our goal of an industrial production so quickly together with our partner Palmers.”

Symbiosis between Palmers and Lenzing
Palmers Textil AG and Lenzing AG complement each other perfectly. Luca Wieser, member of the Board of Palmers: „We have many years of experience in the manufacture and distribution of textile products, Lenzing brings its technological experience in the hygiene sector, the know-how regarding procurement and raw material and knowledge in the field of plant engineering.“

“We are not only connected by textile experience and “made in Austria”, but also by the will to act quickly now and to do something for the protection of citizens – we see this as our duty to society. We are entrepreneurs and we are proud of our country,” continues Tino Wieser, member of the Board of Palmers. „We specially want to thank our dedicated employees, who have worked day and night on the timely implementation of Hygiene Austria‘s production in the past few weeks,“ says Matvei Hutman, member of the Board of Palmers, pleased with the great commitment of all the employees.

This project was also supported by Lenzing‘s main shareholder B&C Industrieholding and the Supervisory Board, and fits into other initiatives of B&C Industrieholding to support the Republic of Austria in health protection measures. Law firm Binder Grösswang provided advice on the foundation of the company.

Outdoor retailer offers car-side delivery of dog care products, apparel, and outdoor gear for fly-fishing, wingshooting

Outdoor retailer Orvis announces it has reopened brand centers in select locations for curbside pickup of dog care products, apparel, and outdoor gear for fly-fishing and wingshooting.

Orvis brand centers currently open for curbside pickup include:

• Phoenix
• Carmel, Calif.
• Avon, Conn.
• Park Meadows, Colo.
• Alpharetta, Ga.
• Atlanta
• Baton Rouge, La.
• Asheville, N.C.
• Raleigh Wade, N.C.
• Nashville, Tenn.
• Plano, Tex.
• Fort Worth, Tex.
• Manchester, Vt.
• Jackson Hole, Wyo.

In order to make a purchase from their local Orvis brand center, customers should locate their desired product(s) at www.orvis.com, then select “Curbside Pickup” during checkout. The store manager will confirm with the customer on the next business day that the item is available for pickup, take payment information, and schedule an appointment. Curbside service is available Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. local time.

Customers can find more information about the curbside pickup process at www.orvis.com/ropis.

For more information on Orvis, please contact Account Manager Madeline Fones at madeline.fones@rygr.us.

About The Orvis Company: Founded in 1856, we believe the most meaningful experiences are created by sharing the love of nature and being inspired by its endless possibilities. Orvis pioneered the mail order industry in the United States, operates more than 80 retail stores in theU.S and the U.K., and maintains a network of over 400 dealers worldwide as a trusted source of discovery and adventure in the natural world. We promise to open the door to extraordinary outdoor experiences, and to protect nature by committing 5% of our pretax profits each year to conservation efforts worldwide.www.orvis.com

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For every reusable non-medical face mask purchased through the Headsweats official site, one will be donated for preventative efforts and aid assistance.

Headsweats, the leader in high-performance apparel and headwear, has teamed up with Grassroots Aid Partners (GAP) to donate masks for volunteers who provide hot food to communities that have been largely affected due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic.  

Grassroots Aid Partners believes in the collective responsibility of all to help communities in times of crisis through providing healthy and nutritious food.  With thousands of volunteers that help touch affected areas, the donation of masks will help maintain protocols and guidelines to hinder the continued spread of COVID-19 during this unprecedented time.    

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends wearing a cloth face mask in public settings to reduce the risk of contamination (when speaking, coughing or sneezing) in addition to maintaining the 6-feet social distancing to slow down, reduce the spread of the pandemic.  “There is an incredible shortage of non-medical face masks,” said Mike McQueeney, President CEO of Headsweats. “We’re very proud to have the ability and knowhow to produce non-medical high quality reusable masks.  We’ve decided not to stop there! Headsweats will be donating a mask for every mask purchased on our official website.”

Available in a variety of colors and designs, Headsweats Elite Face Masks are made of triple-layered breathable material that is reusable, washable and one standard size to fit most adults.

For more information visit https://www.headsweats.com/categories/face-masks/. 

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About Headsweats
Considered the “secret weapon” for athletes and active lifestyle enthusiasts, Headsweats is recognized as the world leader in ultra-light, supremely wicking headwear and athletic apparel. A variety of high-quality performance products made of REPREVE® recycled fibers are now available online and for customization. Whether you’re looking for headwear or apparel we’ve got you covered – all backed by an unconditional warranty. With the ability to create unique and custom headwear and apparel that is eco-friendly, Headsweats is sought-after to help personalize apparel and optimize performance whether training at the gym, hiking the trails, pounding the pavement or celebrating on the podium. For more information visit Headsweats.com

About Grassroots Aid Partnership
With over 2 years in the makes, Grassroots Aid Partnership (GAP) is a non-for-profit organization with the vision is a world where rebuilding is a healthy and collective responsilibilitiy.   Partnered with many conscious brands, this orgranizaiton bridges the gap between disaster relief organizations and donors to ensure donations are reaching the areas that have been affected the most. For more information, please visit  https://www.grassrootsaidpartnership.org

Kahtoola is committed to helping support those most impacted by COVID-19 and giving back to the local community. As one way of offering a helping hand during this difficult time, Kahtoola is hosting a virtual run benefiting the Havasupai Tribe’s COVID-19 relief fund in hopes of raising $10,000. Runners, joggers and walkers can register now and begin fundraising through May 8 and complete the 5k or 8-mile distance anytime between May 1-10.

This virtual event is designed to encourage people to get active during the Coronavirus pandemic while also supporting a great cause. Run outside on trails (in accordance with local ordinances), neighborhood streets, or even in place in your living room with the whole family! All race proceeds will be donated directly to the Havasupai Tribe.

The Havasupai Tribe is remotely located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon—an 8-mile journey by mule, on foot, or by helicopter—a factor that compounds the community’s risk during this pandemic. Healthcare supplies and medical access in the community itself are extremely limited, and tourism (on which the tribe relies economically) and all non-essential travel in and out of the Canyon have been suspended. For decades, the tribe has also fought to oppose uranium mining in the Grand Canyon (learn more here) so on behalf of everyone that cherishes the Grand Canyon, the Havasupai could use our support. For these reasons, Kahtoola would like to help the Havasupai community ensure they have the resources they need to stay safe with adequate supplies during the pandemic.  

Race registration is open through midnight on May 8. The cost to register is free. To participate, racers can sign up to complete either the 5k or 8-mile distance as an individual or family and will receive a personal link and fundraising message that can be shared with family and friends to help secure donations. Race distance should be completed by the end of the run period at 6 p.m. on May 10. 

Racers track and record their time (based on the honor system) and top winners in each category (fastest individual, slowest individual, fastest family, most elevation gain, top fundraiser and best costume) win awards that also support local Flagstaff businesses. Racers do not have to be a Flagstaff, AZ resident to participate and awards can be mailed after the event. Awards will be announced on the Kahtoola website at noon on May 11. Those who can’t participate in the race can still help by donating directly on Kahtoola’s race page: https://runsignup.com/Race/Donate/AZ/None/Kahtoolavirtualrun.

About Kahtoola:

Since 1999, Kahtoola has been creating reliable gear that makes the outdoors more accessible and rewarding. Kahtoola’s flexible footwear traction systems, including MICROspikes® and NANOspikes® footwear traction, are built to improve safety and performance in wintry locales around the globe. Every product from hiking crampons to running gaiters are thoughtfully designed and vigorously tested at the brand’s Flagstaff, AZ headquarters high on the Colorado Plateau. Owned and operated by founder Danny Giovale, Kahtoola proudly grants 1% of annual sales to fund projects that support indigenous cultures and improve communities, healthcare, education, resources and the environment. For more information, please visit Kahtoola.com.

 

Have you ever wondered how paint went through decades of primarily consisting of oil-bases then suddenly switched to water-bases? We wondered what the core reason behind this change was. There is an abundance of pros and cons between the two paints, but there was one main factor that forced the change, environmental impact.

Paint is an unusual suspect for environmental impact. Most look at obvious contributors such as: single use plastics, trash, etc. Not discounting their harmful impact, but many of the main deteriorates of environmental health are products that are not usually highlighted. Oil-based paint (solvent-based) during the drying phase reacts with oxygen and evaporates, releasing VOC’s (Volatile Organic Compounds). These compounds produce a very strong odor and a harmful impact on to the environment. Water-based paints take longer to dry but do not emit toxic emissions or strong odors into the air. Due to these toxic emissions, government and other environmental regulations groups enforced extensive guidelines on solvent-based paints pushing companies to use water-based paints instead.

Solvent-based paint and solvent-based PU coating are identically impactful to the environment, but the difference between the two lies in the lack of government regulation on coatings. Every year millions of yards of fabric are coated with solvent-based coatings producing toxic emissions that contribute to Earth’s depleting ozone layer. Common products that use solvent-based coatings are backpacks, luggage, hammocks, tents, and more. Products that utilize toxic coatings are everywhere and are not highlighted in the same way as plastic bottles and straws are.

Our goal is to bring this problem to the forefront. We hope governing bodies address solvent-based coatings with the same ferocity as oil-based paints. We deserve to have the knowledge of what is harming our environment. We deserve to know how our products are actually affecting the environment. Next time before buying a backpack, take a look in the specs/features and see what they use for fabric coatings. If it says polyurethane coating, that is the harmful material that is contributing to global warming. Companies will market themselves as eco-friendly, sustainable packs, but if you take a deeper look, they will be using solvent-based coatings. So, are they really eco-friendly/sustainable or are hiding the truth? The choice is yours if you want to continue down an unsustainable path or choose to take a stand.

Donates 10,000 pairs of socks across hospitals in Vermont

 Northfield, VT. (April 22, 2020) – As the pandemic continues, demands on healthcare professionals are also on the rise. This week, Darn Tough Vermont is helping to provide additional comfort within their own medical community by donating 10,000 pairs of socks to hospitals across the Green Mountain State.

“We manufacture one thing – socks,” explains Ric Cabot, President and CEO of Darn Tough Vermont. “We’re honored to contribute what we uniquely can, and show our appreciation to someof the toughest Vermonters. We’re all in this together.”

“Our health heroes are on the front lines — and on their feet — all day, every day,” says Judy Peterson, president and chief operating officer for UVM Health Network – Home Health & Hospice. “That’s why Darn Tough’s gift of cozy Vermont-made socks is so greatly appreciated, particularly right now. They remind us that we are indeed Vermont Strong! From a grateful workforce, thanks to everyone at Darn Tough for the work you do and for your remarkable generosity.”

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About Darn Tough Vermont:

Darn Tough Vermont is an American manufacturer of premium, all-weather outdoor and lifestyle socks backed up by the industry’s only lifetime guarantee. The company offers both Specialty and Tactical product lines. Darn Tough Vermont’s Specialty line of socks includes Hike, Lifestyle, Snow, Run, Athletic, Work, Hunt and Juniors’ styles.

Darn Tough’s product is distinguished from industry competitors by 100 percent USA manufacturing; exceptional comfort, durability and fit; True-Seamless™ technology; and an exclusive blend of either ultra-fine, premium Merino wool or Coolmax®/Thermolite®. Founded by Ric Cabot in 2004, a third-generation sock maker, Darn Tough Vermont operates out of Cabot Hosiery Mills. For more information about Darn Tough Vermont socks, please visit: www.DarnTough.com.

From the beginning, being a force for good has been a main driver for decision making at Klean Kanteen. Today, the family and employee-owned company is proud to announce a partnership with Climate Neutral to achieve a carbon neutral footprint as of February 2020. Using an independent and rigorous certification program, Climate Neutral verifies a company has achieved net-zero carbon emissions for the entirety of their greenhouse gas footprint through a combination of emissions reductions and offsets.

“As business owners, we recognize the effect producing and shipping goods can have on the climate and have been working to measure and reduce our carbon footprint since early 2009,” said Co-owners and brother sister team Jeff Cresswell and Michelle Kalberer. “Together with Climate Neutral, we have publicly measured, reduced and offset our carbon emissions because it’s the right thing to do for current and future generations. We are now 100% carbon neutral in our manufacturing and delivery of products worldwide.”

Currently, raw material production, manufacturing and transportation are Klean Kanteen’s biggest emissions sources. Reduction efforts impacting these emissions include engaging factory partners to increase use of renewable energy, reducing packing material use and increasing recycled content in packaging.

In addition to emissions reduction, Klean Kanteen purchases offsets to help with immediate change while they are working towards reductions that require more time. All offset investments meet the criteria for quality offsets, including real, permanent, quantifiable, verifiable, enforceable, additional and verified by an independent, third-party.

Going forward, all Klean Kanteen products will have a Certified Climate Neutral logo to empower socially conscious purchasing.

Learn more about Klean Kanteen’s partnership with Climate Neutral here.

About Klean Kanteen
A leader in BPA-free, stainless steel drinkware and food transport, Klean Kanteen is family and employee owned and operated, with distribution in 40-plus countries worldwide. With environmental stewardship and fair labor central to the company’s philosophy, Klean Kanteen is in business for good. Since 2008, Klean has donated over $3 million to environmental organizations working towards positive change through 1% for the Planet. From non-profit partnerships to grassroots events, Klean works closely with values-aligned companies and organizations to support efforts toward health, the reduction of single-use plastic, and environmental education and awareness. In 2012, Klean Kanteen proudly became a B Corporation, certified by the nonprofit B Lab to meet rigorous standards of social and environmental performance, accountability and transparency. For more information, please visit www.kleankanteen.com.

 

Burley, a leading recreational transport gear company, known best for its kid trailers, is excited to announce its introduction into the child bike seat category with the launch of the Dash line.

The Dash product line marks Burley’s long anticipated entry into the child bike seat category. A natural fit for the brand, child bike seats round out Burley’s Family Line to help more fully meet the needs of every cycling family. “We’ve been making child trailers for over 40 years now and see ourselves as experts in child transportation by bike. Adding a child bike seat is a natural extension for us and one that we are thrilled to bring to market. The Dash bike seats were created with a range of customers and uses in mind, from first time family haulers, to those committed to two wheels, the Dash offers an easy solution to ride with their kid,” says Allison Straub, president of Burley. “As we continue to navigate the current situation, we are seeing a surge of families seeking ways to safely and easily get outside with their kids and feel this product couldn’t be launching at a better time. We hope this new line helps families find safe moments of fun and adventure.”

The Dash line features three rear child bike seat models: Dash RM (Rack Mount), Dash FM (Frame Mount), and Dash X FM (Reclining Frame Mount). Offering a lightweight, easy to attach, affordable option for families on the go, Burley’s child bike seats are great for trips around the block or all-day family adventures. The Dash RM conveniently adapts to your existing rack setup, while the Dash FM and Dash X FM turn virtually any bike into a fun, family-hauler. Enjoy extra comfort with the Dash X FM’s adjustable 20 degree recline. Each model comes in black/grey while the Dash RM introduces a second colorway, cream/green.

“When designing the Dash line, we kept our ethos of durability, safety, and child comfort in mind every step of the way to build a versatile family of products that were accessible and convenient solutions to enable even more consumers to get outside and ride with their families.  Whether you have a bike with a rear rack, no rack, or even some cargo bikes, this product family offers multiple mounting options to meet the needs of your family,” says Katie Thompson, product development and manufacturing manager at Burley.

Each model comes equipped with:
    – Removable and hand-washable seat and harness padding for easy cleaning
    – Adjustable 5-point harness system to accommodate growing children up to 40 lbs
    – Rear storage compartment for smaller items
    – Lightweight design for an easier ride
    – Arm rests for rider comfort
    – Adjustable footrests easily snap into four positions, and include integrated security straps
    – Water resistant seat padding
    – Integrated rear reflector for added visibility
    – Safety strap for added security

Designed with safety, comfort for your child, and convenience in mind, Burley’s Dash product line offers families an easy option to quickly and safely adventure in an affordable, small footprint that maximizes their time on the bike. To learn more about the new Burley Dash line visit burley.com or stop in at your local bicycle retailer near you. The Dash is available for sale in the U.S. and Canada.

For more information on Burley, visit burley.com.

ABOUT BURLEY DESIGN

Burley is a family owned company committed to building the future generation of riders, adventures, and explorers. A leader in transport gear, Burley’s mission is to Enable Adventure through safe, durable, and thoughtful design. 

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