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Orvis, the Vermont-based outdoor retailer, is working together with local partners near its Roanoke, Virginia, fulfillment center to manufacture masks for the homeless in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Demand has increased for non-medical grade face masks since the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued a recommendation that individuals wear cloth face coverings in public settings. Orvis’s efforts will directly support Roanoke-based non-profit Rescue Mission, an organization providing shelter and resources for the regional homeless population.

“There is a very real need for masks among our homeless population here in Roanoke,” says Roanoke Rescue Mission CEO Lee Clark. “These masks are making a tremendous difference in keeping people safe, particularly those with existing medical conditions who are at greatest risk of infection.”

Orvis is collaborating with local furniture manufacturer Chervan to cut patterns, which Orvis is using to stitch together the face masks. Currently, Orvis employees are able to produce up to 2,000 masks each week, the majority of which are donated to Rescue Mission. These masks will be used to protect members of the local homeless community who may be more vulnerable to infection and complications, as well as Rescue Mission staff who are caring for these community members.

“The impact of this pandemic on our communities is heartbreaking, particularly the impact we are seeing on the homeless. We have a long-standing relationship with Roanoke Rescue Mission and we’re proud to help,” says Ken Smith, Orvis VP of customer operations.

In addition to the masks being produced for Rescue Mission, Orvis is also providing masks to its own team members in Roanoke, who are working to ensure customers are continuing to receive excellent service from Orvis.

To make additional donations, and to learn more about the nonprofit Rescue Mission, please visit: https://rescuemission.net/ways-to-give/. To learn more about Orvis, and its other philanthropic programs, please visit: www.orvis.com. 

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 the U.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

While businesses continue to navigate the COVID-19 crisis, Utah-based outdoor brands Cotopaxi and Uncharted Supply Co. have come together to support each other’s needs and initiatives, ensuring that both brands stay afloat throughout this pandemic-induced economic downturn.

While many brands are feeling the adverse effects of coronavirus, the panic-buying it has induced has  led to a spike in sales for Uncharted Supply Co., a Park City-based brand offering a complete line of preparedness products for the everyday person. With the influx of sales, Christian Schauf, CEO and founder of Uncharted, and his staff have been working overtime to keep up with demand.

Similarly, Salt Lake City-based Cotopaxi, who work year-round to address global poverty alleviation and local refugee support, faced possible ramifications in the way of retail staff lay-offs as Shelter In Place required shutting of retail stores. Through the partnership with Uncharted, Cotopaxi, a Benefit Corporation and outdoor brand founded by CEO Davis Smith, was able to offer staffing support to Uncharted at their warehouse facility, during an unprecedented time of retail disruption.

After seeing the ways in which the other was struggling to meet their businesses needs, Schauf and  Smith recognized the unique opportunity to come together to better serve the needs of both of these brands in such an unprecedented time. 

When Park City, UT announced the closure of small businesses on March 25, Schauf knew he had to act quickly,  with thousands of customers anxiously waiting on their preparedness gear; “With 24-hours notice, we mobilized and created an extended partnership with our friends at Cotopaxi” said Schauf. “In a blizzard, we moved all of our inventory and fulfillment aspects of our business to Salt Lake City and Cotopaxi welcomed us into their warehouse. This ensured that not only were we able to stay open, but we were able to more quickly fulfill orders and catch up. We are extremely thankful for Cotopaxi’s hospitality and to their staff for getting on board to help us get orders out the door as swiftly as possible.”

“These are exceptional times that we, globally, are facing, and as a BCorp with giving back and doing good at our core, this partnership of neighbors was a no-brainer for our brand,” said Cotopaxi CEO, Davis Smith.“We are honored to be members of the Utah business community, and are doing everything we can to support our local and global community, particularly through our #OneUtah campaign. Our work with Uncharted, in both operational and consumer-facing product collaborations, has been a mutually beneficial, positive and uplifting partnership.”

For the past week, the Uncharted and Cotopaxi teams have been building and assembling SEVENTY2 and SEVENTY2 Pro survival packs to keep up with record demand; awaiting a final few pieces before they can ship their product. They’ve also brought on additional customer support specialists to help customers with any questions they may have. 

In addition to Cotopaxi and Uncharted teaming up for logistical and shipping support, the two brands have a new product collaboration in the works. Designed for discerning adventure travelers, this gear collaboration will integrate Uncharted’s preparedness products into Cotopaxi’s packs. Cotopaxi and Uncharted plan to launch this first product collaboration in May 2020. 

For more about Uncharted, check out: unchartedsupplyco.com. Follow along on Instagram for live feeds from Christian Schauf and preparedness experts: @unchartedsupplyco. 

For more about Cotopaxi, check out: https://www.cotopaxi.com/. Cotopaxi instagram: @cotopaxi #GearForGood

About Uncharted Supply Co.

Uncharted Supply Co. was founded by a community of adventurers and philanthropists all with a shared mission in mind: to educate families, friends, and communities, and prepare them for any kind of emergency. Uncharted seeks to bring peace of mind and emergency preparedness into the modern era. With innovative products like the Seventy2 Survival System, standing ready is no longer just for the doomsayers and survivalists. To learn more about Uncharted Supply Co, visit: unchartedsupplyco.com. Or, follow the them on: Instagram: @unchartedsupplyco

About Cotopaxi

Cotopaxi is an outdoor gear brand and Benefit Corporation with a social mission. With two storefronts and a strong ecommerce platform, and employing over 65 staff members, we design, manufacture, and sell packs, water bottles, apparel, and gear, raising awareness and funds for various humanitarian causes through the Cotopaxi Foundation. For more information please visit https://www.cotopaxi.com/pages/about

Kahtoola, creator of award-winning MICROspikes® and NANOspikes® footwear traction, has made a three-month commitment to employ its creative, emotional, and financial resources by identifying and supporting key relief efforts directed at helping those most impacted by COVID-19.  Locally, Kahtoola’s energy will focus on the Grand Canyon’s Havasupai Tribe and the Flagstaff Family Food Center.

Located at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, the Havasupai Tribe is uniquely vulnerable during this time of Coronavirus. Currently, tourism (on which the tribe relies) and all non-essential travel in and out of the Canyon has been suspended. As a result, the acquisition of necessary food and supplies is difficult and there is also the uncertainty of when, or if, government funding will arrive. In addition to allocating funds to support the Havasupai Tribe, Kahtoola is continuing its active role in opposing uranium mining in the Grand Canyon region. You can help the Havasupai Tribe directly through their GoFundMe page.

Kahtoola is also donating funds to the Flagstaff Family Food Center during the pandemic. With the indefinite closure of local schools and business, the demand on local food banks to feed those most in need has been heightened. Flagstaff Family Food Center’s need for financial and food donations, as well as healthy volunteers to help prepare and deliver food, is dire and continues daily. To donate directly, please visit the Flagstaff Family Food Center at www.hotfood.org.

“Kahtoola’s long-standing belief in the positive characteristics of people is what drives our business and we strongly believe that when our basic needs are met, we have a responsibility to add to the collective needs of others in whatever ways we can,” said Danny Giovale, Founder and Owner at Kahtoola. “Wherever you are, we encourage you to band together with us and support your local community.”

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®, 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.

As manufacturers and material suppliers scramble to meet the needs of essential providers during the COVID-19 crisis, a group of North Carolina organizations has stepped up to provide critical information and connections for U.S. manufacturers, material suppliers, and the providers via a new website platform, Supply Connector. Brands pivoting to address shortages of PPE and other necessary products face a slew of obstacles in locating correct materials, regulatory information, and direct connections to essential providers. Supply Connector provides a nationwide platform for direct, rapid response to these obstacles.

The first phase of the Supply Connector website is already complete, allowing any company to list their needs or their ability to supply. Manufacturers can search for materials, design validation, labor, or finished goods as well as list their ability to provide any of them. Essential providers can list their needs for finished goods or their ability to validate product design.

Existing relationships in the North Carolina outdoors industry led to the rapid development of this website, via a 100% volunteer effort from business management firm, Good Talk, and web design agency, Status Forward, with support from the NC Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, Growing Outdoors Partnership, North Carolina Outdoor Recreation Coalition, and Outdoor Gear Builders. In the coming weeks, the team is planning to add advanced filter/search functions to the website and additional pages to address region-specific needs throughout the country.

“As manufacturers quickly recognized the widespread impact of COVID-19, they began to pivot their capabilities and use their skills, resources, and talent to help meet the needs of our heavily impacted healthcare system,” states Amy Allison, Director of the NC Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, a division of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. “By pivoting, our manufacturers have been able to increase production and retain employees while remaining open as essential businesses amidst an uncertain economic landscape. This platform allows essential providers to quickly and directly connect with skilled manufacturers to get necessary products into places of need to help protect workers on the frontlines.”

Manufacturers and those in need are encouraged to immediately start listing and searching on the site. The process is quick, with simple dropdown menus and easy to find contact information. Once the immediacy of the COVID-19 crisis is over, the team hopes the platform can continue to be a resource for all U.S. manufacturers and suppliers.

“Like any good trail system, connectors help you navigate the landscape more quickly. With COVID-19, we don’t have time for the long way around. Our manufacturers, suppliers, and essential providers need to connect rapidly to meet the urgent needs of their workers,” says Sarah Wood, Founder of Good Talk, and Board Chair of the NC Outdoor Recreation Coalition. “I am grateful for the quick collaboration with Status Forward and this group to make it happen and look forward to seeing this platform help bolster U.S. manufacturing as we ramp back up after COVID-19. But until then, it’s time to put this tool to good use.”

Supply Connector urges users to post, search, and use this platform daily for it to provide the most benefit. If you have a need, the ability to supply or manufacture, or a data set that you feel would benefit from this platform, please visit the Supply Connector site to create a new listing at supplyconnector.org or contact Sarah Wood at connect@supplyconnector.org.

About Supply Connector

Supply Connector is a website built to link manufacturers, material suppliers, and essential providers across the US with the vital information and connections they need during the COVID-19 crisis, and to bolster continued collaboration, sharing of domestic resources, and the health of U.S. manufacturing in the wake of the crisis. The Supply Connector website is a volunteer collaboration between Status Forward and Good Talk, with support from the NC Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry, Growing Outdoors Partnership, North Carolina Outdoor Recreation Coalition, and Outdoor Gear Builders.

About the NC Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry

North Carolina’s Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry works to grow and support the outdoor recreation economy at the state level through collaboration with existing outdoor businesses, local governments, and communities who rely on a richly diverse outdoor recreation landscape.  The office advocates for conservation and stewardship, education and workforce training, economic development, and public health and wellness, to ensure the state’s strategic growth as a place where outdoor businesses and recreation communities can thrive. The North Carolina Office of Outdoor Recreation Industry is a division of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina (EDPNC).

 

New York City has emerged as the global epicenter of the COVID-19 pandemic and with an estimated homeless population of 60,000, including many at-risk individuals, virus transmission is a critical concern for many of these housing-challenged families and individuals. Backcountry has partnered with a Los Angeles-based manufacturer to provide 9,000 non-medical grade face masks to New York’s homeless population and front-line Department of Homeless Services workers in the next week. Additionally, Backcountry will provide 1,000 face masks to its own team members in its Utah and Virginia distribution centers.

“New York City is an important part of the Backcountry community and the news emerging from the new global epicenter of this pandemic is heartbreaking,” says Backcountry CEO Jonathan Nielsen. “Through our fundraising efforts, we hope to unlock the power of our community to produce additional masks that we can quickly and safely get into the hands of at-risk communities and the individuals who work with them.”

To supplement this initial donation, Backcountry launched an online fundraiser at

www.backcountry.com/backcountry-donate-a-mask where consumers can contribute to a fund that will cover the production costs for additional masks. Backcountry will ensure the additional masks deliver to the front lines as COVID-19 continues to threaten communities in the U.S.

New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene guidance issued on April 2 reiterated that community members should wear non-medical grade face masks, which includes scarves, bandanas or any type of fabric that can be tied around the face. The New York City Mayor’s Office has identified a serious need for those products within its homeless population.

“In this fight of our lifetimes, we’re responding to unprecedented challenges with unprecedented solutions, and as the Mayor and Governor have said, we need all the help we can get,” says NYC Department of Social Services Commissioner Steven Banks. “As we continue working to address citywide, statewide, and nationwide supply chain issues, we’re thankful to Backcountry for its donation of 9,000 face-coverings, which will help us provide clients who may not have had them with these vital materials following City and CDC guidance.”

In addition to the masks earmarked for New York, Backcountry will provide 1,000 masks to its warehouse team members in Utah and Virginia, who are on the front lines working to ensure its customers are receiving the service and support they expect from Backcountry.

“The health and safety of our fulfillment, Gearhead Operations and corporate team members is of ultimate importance,” says Senior HR Business Partner Shawn Craig. “We will provide each team member with masks for use in our facilities. This effort complements the workplace health guidelines we implemented in March, which include expanded time-off and medical leave allowances, social distancing protocols and staggered shifts and breaks.”

Beyond this mask initiative, Backcountry is also working hard to help its local community and healthcare workers in need. The company will donate 400 Backcountry apparel kits to support University of Utah healthcare workers on the front line, which will include a daypack, fleece top and a pair of joggers.

To donate more masks, please visit: www.backcountry.com/backcountry-donate-a-mask.

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About Backcountry

Backcountry.com is the leading online retailer of premium outdoor gear and apparel for skiing, snowboarding, biking, climbing, fly fishing, hiking, camping, and more.Founded in the Park City, UT area in 1996, Backcountry connects people to their passions by offering the best selection of outdoor products, backed up by knowledgeable, responsive customer service from its Gearheads and rapid fulfillment out of its two warehouse hubs. 

Alliance of outdoor and related businesses provide critical support to grassroots organizations during global pandemic

The Conservation Alliance sent grants totaling $945,000 to 49 organizations working to protect and defend wild places throughout North America. The grants came from the group’s regular grant fund ($785,000), a new Community Grant project ($125,000), and the Public Lands Defense Fund ($35,000). Despite the impacts of the coronavirus, the Alliance’s 250 member companies remain committed to supporting grassroots groups working to protect and defend wild places in the U.S. and Canada. 

The vast majority of the recent grants, totaling $785,000, came through The Conservation Alliance’s Winter 2020 funding cycle. Conservation Alliance member companies contribute annual membership dues to a central grant fund. Each member company has the opportunity to participate in the grant-making process by voting for specific projects that seek to protect wild places for their habitat and recreation values.

The Conservation Alliance made donations to 22 grassroots conservation organizations as follows: Adirondack Council, Alaska Wilderness League, American Rivers, American Whitewater, Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, California Wilderness Coalition, Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia, Columbia Land Trust, Dolores River Boating Advocates, Downeast Lakes Land Trust, Habitat Acquisition Trust, Northeastern Minnesotan’s for Wilderness, Oregon Wild, Outdoor Alliance, The Wilderness Society, Trout Unlimited – Alaska, Ventura Land Trust, Virginia Wilderness Committee, Western Mass Climbers Coalition, Western Rivers Conservancy, Wildlife Conservation Society, and Wyoming Outdoor Council.

The Conservation Alliance launched a special Community Grant project designed to support small grassroots groups during the coronavirus pandemic. Unrestricted $5,000 grants were awarded to 25 organizations who have annual operating revenue less than $3 million and received more than $10,000 in funding from The Conservation Alliance during the time period January 1, 2019-March 20, 2020. The Conservation Alliance board has the authority to award discretionary grants not to exceed $10,000 per organization. The total amount of funding awarded through the Community Grant project is $125,000. 

The following organizations are Community Grant recipients: Alachua Conservation Trust, American Whitewater, California Wilderness Coalition, Friends of Nevada Wilderness, Gwich’in Steering Committee, Klamath-Siskiyou Wildlands Center, Montana Wilderness Association, New Mexico Wilderness Alliance, Northeastern Minnesotans for Wilderness, Oregon Desert Land Trust, Oregon Natural Desert Association, Oregon Wild, Outdoor Alliance, San Juan Citizens Alliance, Save Our Canyons, Southeast Alaska Conservation Council, Taxpayers for Common Sense, The Wilderness Land Trust, Trustees for Alaska, Wallowa Land Trust, Washington Wild, West Virginia Land Trust, Western Environmental Law Center, Wilderness Workshop, and Yaak Valley Forest Council.

The Conservation Alliance also made two grants totaling $35,000 from its Public Lands Defense Fund (PLDF). A $20,000 PLDF grant was awarded to The Wilderness Society for their efforts to defend the Roadless Rule in Alaska and Utah, and a $15,000 grant was awarded to Western Environmental Law Center for their work to defend the Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument. The PLDF is a special grant fund, launched after the 2016 elections, that supports efforts to defend the integrity of the U.S. public lands system.

“Moving cash from our grant fund into the hands of small conservation groups is critically important right now,” said Brady Robinson, Executive Director of The Conservation Alliance. “We are grateful to be in a position to have an impact by helping the groups working to protect wild places get through this uncertain time.”

“A Community Grant from The Conservation Alliance helped American Whitewater extend complimentary basic memberships to those members up for renewal who have lost their jobs or are suffering financial hardship,” said Mark Singleton, Executive Director at American Whitewater. “It’s important to keep our community together and engaged with conservation efforts despite economic downturns—bad actors that threaten public lands and waters aren’t quitting their efforts during this time, and therefore, neither can the conservation community.”

About The Conservation Alliance
The Conservation Alliance is an organization of like-minded businesses whose collective contributions support grassroots environmental organizations and their efforts to protect wild places where outdoor enthusiasts recreate. Alliance funds have played a key role in protecting rivers, trails, wildlands and climbing areas throughout North America. Membership in the Alliance is open to all companies who care about protecting our most threatened wild places for habitat and outdoor recreation. Since its inception in 1989, The Conservation Alliance has contributed more than $23 million, awarded more than 700 grants, helped to protect more than 73 million acres of wildlands; protect 3,575 miles of rivers; stop or remove 35 dams; designate five marine reserves; and purchase 17 climbing areas. For complete information about The Conservation Alliance, visit www.conservationalliance.com.

Canadian marine company turns from survival suits to isolation gowns for health professionals.

Mustang Survival, known for its innovative solutions for the most demanding marine environments, has been saving the lives of water professionals for over 50 years. And now, they’re turning their attention to saving lives on land.

As a design, engineering and manufacturer of life vests, survival suits and dry suits for both Military, public safety professionals and marine recreational users, in light of the global pandemic Mustang Survival is shifting their focus inland – to PPE gowns for front line healthcare workers. 

This week the Mustang Survival factory in Burnaby, BC officially went into production of the first 500 Isolation Gowns; a level 3 certified (PPE), fully waterproof gown designed and engineered to bring new levels of safety to frontline healthcare workers.

Collaborating alongside innovative and cutting edge BC manufacturers and apparel companies—Arc’teryx, Boardroom Clothing and KenDor Textiles—over the last two weeks, Mustang Survival rallied together with the local health care sector to design and engineer a gown that solves for gaps in PPE supply chains, and offers additional protection to individuals tirelessly fighting the COVID-19 pandemic.

“With increased demand for PPE, there was a need to get ahead of the problem and look to local sources to solve it “, says Mark Anderson, Chair of the BC Apparel & Gear Association and Director of Engineering at Burnaby-based Mustang Survival; who, through years of experience in outfitting frontline defenders and public safety teams, is in a unique position to help.

“Our 50 year history of developing innovative solutions for both Military and public safety professionals combined with the unique advantage of being part of a cutting edge design community here in Vancouver provides us with the ability to adjust and pivot our focus on developing a solution”, said Anderson.

Diving into prototyping to rapid testing, Mustang Survival flipped their innovation lab—the Waterlife Studio—in Burnaby, BC into a rapid-response facility dedicated to finding a solution for this public safety crisis. Backed with the support of local health care officials to reach safety-certified status, what’s resulted is a gown not only offering a local solution to depleting supply chains, but an increased level of safety for the workers themselves.

Taking the local initiative global, once the plans are approved Mustang Survival will share the technical specifications for level 3 and level 2 medical gowns so manufacturers all over the world can rally their own communities, and unite suppliers with sewers to bring these gowns to their local healthcare teams.

The technical packages will be shared through the BCAG website, and will include the pattern, technical details and a list of certified materials approved for level 2 & level 3 gowns.

The goal? To share the information so other individuals and groups eliminate time spent on ideas that can’t be certified and focus on producing gowns that offer assured safety – making sure that frontline health workers feel confident that they are safe while supporting patients. 

For Mustang Survival, the pilot run of the first 500 Isolation Gowns is just the beginning. This week the Canadian Federal Governemnt announced it was in talks with more than 20 Canadian manufactuers, inclusing Canada Goose and Arc’teryx as well, to produce millions of gowns over the nest 6 months. 

 

Performance sock brand Feetures is proud to announce its partnership with Fleet Feet® to donate up to 20,000 pairs of free socks to medical professionals in select regions throughout the United States. The Buy One, Gift One program will go into effect immediately and run until every pair has been donated.

 

After Feetures CEO and Founder Hugh Gaither and Fleet Feet President and CEO Joey Pointer discussed how their two companies could engage their running tribe to help at a national level during this COVID-19 crisis, the Buy One, Gift One program was created. Building off of Fleet Feet’s charitable arm, Do the Run Thing, they came up with a program that would support both medical professionals on the frontline and Fleet Feet stores who, like almost all small and locally owned businesses, have had to drastically alter operations over the past month. Through the Buy One, Gift One program, customers can place Feetures sock orders for curbside pick-up at their local Fleet Feet store and Feetures will match their purchase with a donation to medical professionals in select regions, up to 20,000 pairs.

 

“We recognize that one of the  main activities people are able to pursue while social distancing is running,” states Joe Gaither, VP of Marketing at Feetures. “At Feetures, we have a long history of working with retailers to donate and distribute socks to those in need. Our hope is that by working with Fleet Feet, we can show appreciation for healthcare workers on the frontlines while also helping people run and support their local running store in a safe way.”

 

“As husband to a critical care pediatrician, I have first-hand insight into the bravery and selflessness of the medical community,” said Pointer. “I’m thankful for Feetures’ generosity in partnering with Fleet Feet on something meaningful that both provides comfort to those on the frontlines and helps our communities and stores do what they do best – work together on acts of goodwill through running.”

 

“Much has been said about the bravery and courage of our staff, but I don’t think people fully appreciate the physical toll that this patient population and all of the additional PPE can take on our staff,” said Mark Miller, President and CEO at West Hills Hospital. “We are so excited for our staff to receive these donations, it will be perfect for them and the hard work they are doing.”

 

The Buy One, Gift One program is available at participating Fleet Feet locations through curbside pick-up only. Please visit fleetfeet.com or Feetures.com for more information. For media inquiries, please reach out to Angie Robinson at angie@darbycommunications.com.

About Feetures

 

Feetures, a leading performance sock brand, has been family owned and operated in North Carolina since 2002. Their goal is to create products that help people achieve their personal best. Feetures are engineered for performance with Targeted Compression and Anatomical Design to create a custom-like fit. As a testament to the quality of Feetures, each pair is sold with a lifetime guarantee. Go. Do. Live. In Feetures. Feetures.com / @feetures

Thule Group, a global leader in products for the active lifestyle, is utilizing some of its resources at their America’s regional headquarters in Connecticut to help fight the spread of the Covid-19 virus. Utilizing 3D printers on site at their headquarters normally used for rapid prototyping and testing, Thule Group staff are now using the machines to create plastic components for face shields to aid hospital staff during the current pandemic.

St Mary’s Hospital in Waterbury, Connecticut, located near the Thule Group headquarters in Seymour, Connecticut, put the call out to local businesses that have access to 3D printers looking for their help. Seeking assistance in making plastic frames used to make face shields for hospital staff (the blue piece in the image below), Thule Group staff were quick to respond. Using the 3D printers onsite in the Product Development department, their team is printing components for the shields daily and dropping them off at a nearby collection area. In cooperation with other local companies who answered the call to help, they are collectively hoping to assemble 20,000 face shields in the next 20 days.

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For more information please contact: 

Chris Ritchie, PR & Communications Manager
E-mail: Chris.Ritchie@thule.com 
Phone: +617-435-2014

For more information on Thule products, visit: thule.com

Thule Group is a world leader in products that make it easy to bring the things you care for — easily, securely and in style — when living an active life. Under the motto Active Life, Simplified. — we offer products within Sport&Cargo Carriers (roof racks, roof boxes and carriers for transporting cycling, water and winter equipment, and roof top tents mounted on car), Active with Kids (bike trailers, strollers and child bike seats), RV Products (awnings, bike carriers and tents for motorhomes and caravans) and Packs, Bags & Luggage (e.g. computer and camera bags, luggage and hiking backpacks).
Thule Group has about 2,300 employees at nine production facilities and 35 sales offices worldwide. The Group’s products are sold in 140 markets and in 2018, sales amounted to SEK 6.5 billion.

www.thulegroup.com

Brand Launches Simultaneous “Buy One, Give One” Giveback Program

CHARLOTTE, NC (April 6, 2020): PHOOZY, maker of protective capsules for phones, tablets and laptops, is donating more than $25,000 in products to healthcare workers, laboratory workers, and first responders across the nation. The capsules will offer extra protection for their devices by reducing exposure to viruses, germs and bacteria and will help keep them cleaner and safer in the environments where they work. 

“Our phones are the go-to device for quick, pertinent medical information and our primary mode of communication,” said Dr. Charles Barrett, “PHOOZY capsules allow us to have our phone shielded from contamination, providing added protection which gives us the confidence to use our phones in the hospital. We are very grateful to PHOOZY for providing our staff with their products during this difficult time.” 

“We are honored to be able to step in and help during this Coronavirus pandemic,” said Co-owner and CEO of PHOOZY Kevin Conway. “Over the past week we’ve received several inquiries from workers looking to keep their devices clean and protected during this critical time. We are happy to donate products to those serving on the front lines of this pandemic.”

PHOOZY is donating 600 capsules to teams in Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois, Ohio, and Charlotte, North Carolina where PHOOZY is based. The brand is looking to outfit even more facilities with their phone capsules and is inviting members of the public to fill out this form to recommend a facility in need.

“Our laboratory staff is working day in and day out to help “flatten the curve” of COVID-19. Cell phones are such a huge magnet for microorganisms, that one more line of defense in this battle cannot be underestimated.” Commented Colin Rogers, CEO Ipsum Diagnostics, FDA EUA COVID-19 Approved laboratory, “Keeping everyone virus free, and assisting in settling the nerves of our staff during these anxious times cannot be understated. We are extremely thankful to the folks at PHOOZY for providing these products to our lab staff.”

Additionally, PHOOZY just launched a new giveback program for health care workers and first responders. For every purchase on PHOOZY.com, the company will donate an Apollo Series Thermal Capsule to doctors, nurses and other hospital staffers, as well as police, fire and medic teams in communities across the nation. PHOOZY is providing a sitewide discount of 20% during this program.

“The brave men and women on the front lines of this pandemic have our deepest respect,” said Conway. “We are humbled to be able to offer support and provide whatever we can to help during this unprecedented time.”

To learn more, go to PHOOZY.com/GiveBack.

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About PHOOZY:

PHOOZY empowers technology users to pursue their passions and epic adventures without worry of environmental limitations. PHOOZY products provide thermal, drop and float protection for smartphones, tablets, laptops and accessories. PHOOZY is dedicated to inspiring its customers to live an active lifestyle fueled by their passions and thirst for adventure without limitations. PHOOZY products are available at REI, Amazon, local outdoor / snow / surf shops, and other leading retailers throughout the United States, Europe, and Australia.