the international leader in PFC-free high-performance technical cleaners and waterproofing products for outdoor apparel, footwear, and gear, has introduced the world鈥檚 highest-performing waterproof downs. Nikwax Hydrophobic Down+ (NHD+) and Nikwax Hydrophobic Down Recycled (NHD Recycled) offer brand partners the highest-performing waterproof down insulation while also being completely free of all PFCs.

Nikwax Hydrophobic Down+

The world鈥檚 highest-performing waterproof down fill:

• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Completely PFC-free formula
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Exceeds 10,000 minutes on the IDFB 18a Shake Test
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Responsible Down Certified (RDS)
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Available in 650鈥�900 fill powers
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Keeps users dry more than 600 percent longer than competing waterproof down products
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Designed for lasting performance with Nikwax aftercare products

Nikwax Hydrophobic Down Recycled

The world鈥檚 highest-performing waterproof recycled down fill:

• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Completely PFC-free formula聽
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Exceeds 1,000 minutes on the IDFB 18a shake test
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Composed completely of recycled down fill
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Global 聽Recycled Standard (GRS) certification available
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Available in 650鈥�800 fill powers
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Keeps users dry more than 900 percent longer than untreated down
• 聽 聽 聽 聽 Designed for lasting performance with Nikwax aftercare products

With 45 years of experience in high-performing PFC-free aftercare products, Nikwax is able to deliver the highest-performing hydrophobic down products to outdoor-industry brands. Nikwax understands its fundamental responsibility to preserve the natural environment while preventing further damage to the planet and its people. The company continues to lead with innovative, sustainable, ethical, authentic, and fair practices.

鈥淥ur industry partners have been searching for high-performing, PFC-free, sustainable hydrophobic down fill options, and we鈥檝e been able to deliver two that are not only PFC-free but perform better than anything else in their respective categories,鈥� says Nikwax North America President Brian Davidson. 鈥淣ikwax is known for being a leader in PFC-free chemistry, sustainability, and high performance, and we鈥檙e looking forward to elevating our brand partners with these new insulation options.鈥�

Founded in 1977, is the trusted global leader in environmentally safe cleaning and waterproofing solutions that extend the performance life of outdoor clothing, footwear, and equipment. The brand鈥檚 45-year commitment to clean chemistry means never using PFCs or aerosols and not testing on animals. Its product line is water-based and non-persistent, and all product bottles are made from 100 percent postconsumer recycled plastic that can be recycled again. Nikwax has carbon-balanced all 45 years of its operations and recently became an employee-owned trust.

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At a time when industry events have been canceled or seen their attendance decline due to COVID, Outdoor Media Summit, a niche conference that unites outdoor media with each other and other industry stakeholders, found a way to grow.

The fifth annual Outdoor Media Summit, held this week in Estes Park, Colorado, drew a record crowd of 150, which the show鈥檚 founder says was a testament to its unique platform that combines networking, education, and fun鈥攁ll in a rad outdoor setting.

鈥淭he event grew by about 20 percent in the middle of COVID,鈥� said Yoon Kim, who also runs the outdoor e-commerce agency Outdoor ECOM in his hometown of Bentonville, Arkansas. 鈥淚鈥檓 not sure how many events can say that, and I believe it鈥檚 because of the demand for the type of unique content we offer.鈥�

After being canceled last year and delayed in 2021 as Kim and his team of event organizers tried to find the right timing amid surges in the virus but also improving vaccination rates, OMS was deemed a success by the attendees that 国产吃瓜黑料 Business Journal鈥檚 editorial staff spoke with during the two-day conference.

Most said that while OMS may be small as far as outdoor industry events go鈥攊t鈥檚 a fraction of the size of, say, Outdoor Retailer鈥攊t offers big value in the uniqueness of the platform, the accessibility of speakers, and breadth and depth of education.

The event had some of the hallmarks of a traditional conference, including a keynote address from a prominent industry player. Robin Thurston, CEO of 国产吃瓜黑料 Inc. (parent company of OBJ and many other outdoor publications) kicked off the event with his Tuesday morning discussion of the 鈥淔uture of Outdoor Media.鈥�

Other heavy hitters who presented included publishers, bloggers, and marketers from the vast world of outdoor media and the broader outdoor industry. They spoke about relevant topics such as how to increase website visitation, affiliate marketing, and even using TikTok to connect with an audience.

OMS did reflect the sign of the times. Proof of vaccine was required. Plenty of people wore masks throughout the show. And a color-coded lanyard system reminiscent of The Big Gear Show allowed attendees to show others how much contact (such as handshakes and hugs), if any, they were comfortable with.

The show kicked off with a welcome reception at Boa Technology鈥檚 headquarters in Denver on Monday night, followed by two full days of presentations, panels, and networking opportunities.

It concluded with the awards ceremony鈥�翱叠闯鈥�s own Kristin Hostetter was honored as the 鈥淪ustainability Champion鈥� for co-founding the Plastic Impact Alliance and Kenji Haroutunian was honored with the “Lifetime Achievement Award”鈥攁nd a panel discussion on the 鈥渘ew outdoor consumer.鈥� The final panel featured plenty of scintillating debate on how media and brands alike can better engage new entrants to the outdoors such as people of color and families.

One highlight of OMS was the scavenger hunt in which teams of journalists walked around downtown Estes and met with brands like Scarpa, Korkers, Camp Chef, Tenkara USA, and others to compete in games and challenges involving product.

And on the final morning, the Confluence of States鈥攚hich held its annual conference in conjunction with OMS鈥攃onducted a session that asked attendees to brainstorm better ways to expand the outdoor economy for all.聽

Feedback from Outdoor Media Summit Organizers and Attendees

Throughout the event, OBJ gathered feedback from the event鈥檚 organizers, presenters, and attendees about OMS. Here鈥檚 what we heard.

Yoon Kim, the show鈥檚 founder, on how it went: 鈥淗onest answer: I don鈥檛 know yet. At the event every year, everyone always tells me how great it was, but I never know for sure until we get the survey data back. One thing I can say for sure is that Robin Thurston’s聽keynote set the tone for the event. We were able to kick things off with a world-class speaker who knew how to rock the room and get everyone thinking, and from there it felt like smooth sailing.鈥澛�

Scott Kaier, first-time attendee and owner of Formidable Media, whose clients include Mustang Survival, Allied Feather + Down, and Green Theme Technologies: 鈥淭his conference has been a fantastic opportunity to get together in person with the media side of our industry again and listen to our peers talk about a variety of different topics that are important to everything we do. The best thing about this event is the smaller size that facilitates so many personal interactions each day.鈥�

Nicole Feliciano, CEO of Momtrends Media and one of the event鈥檚 presenters: 鈥淚 found the conference full of valuable information. As a content creator who writes about many different topics, it鈥檚 helped me really drill down on the areas of outdoor content that I want to create because I鈥檝e identified gaps in my coverage that I think my readers can really benefit from.鈥�

Mike Lanza, founder of The Big 国产吃瓜黑料 and a two-time attendee who called OMS a first-rate event: 鈥淎s a full-time blogger about backpacking and hiking, I found numerous breakout sessions directly relevant to what I do. Even after almost 30 years in outdoor media, I learned some things. Keynote sessions like how to make media more profitable were interesting and informative. And it was just plain fun to see old friends and meet new people in our community.鈥�

Serena Juchnowski, a first-time attendee and competitive shooter who writes about hunting and fishing for FMG Publications: 鈥淚 didn鈥檛 really know what to expect coming into OMS 2021. Coming from the hook-and-bullet side, my eyes opened to an entirely new side of the industry. Sessions as a whole were informative, but I didn鈥檛 walk away with dozens of new friends and a stack full of business cards like I have at other conferences. I did make some meaningful connections, but not as many as I would have liked. I actually felt out of place and that there wasn鈥檛 much for me besides a few sessions.鈥澛�

Heidi Allen, VP of marketing at Nikwax North America: 鈥淭he deepest value we found in the event was being able to activate meaningfully (and playfully!) to educate the media about our products through the scavenger hunt.鈥�

Bill Kueper, vice president of Wenonah Canoe, who made the trip to OMS for the third time and said it鈥檚 an event he always looks forward to: 鈥淥MS presents an annual opportunity to network with outdoor industry insiders without the usual trade show duties and brings in people who are atypical to other outdoor trade shows. The educational content for someone like myself allows me to better interface with my creative teams.鈥�

Outdoor Media Summit 2022

Next year鈥檚 Outdoor Media Summit is scheduled for October 30 to November 1, 2022 and will take place at the Hyatt regency Lake Tahoe Resort in North Lake Tahoe, Nevada.

The post 150 Outdoor Journalists, Marketers, and Brand Reps Gather at Outdoor Media Summit appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In the Ballard neighborhood of Seattle stands a four-story, dark wood building with lots of windows. The Pacific Northwest sun shines down on a rooftop succulent garden and a deck of solar panels. The building is the new U.S. headquarters of waterproofing and aftercare company Nikwax, and like all of Nikwax鈥檚 products, it was designed with sustainability in mind.

鈥淪ustainability is a big focus for us,鈥� said Heidi Allen, vice president of marketing at Nikwax. 鈥淲e wanted to land in an office that encompassed those values, and also offered our employees a good place to work.鈥�

The new headquarters, which employees began using in March 2021, runs completely on renewable energy. Behind those full-length windows and dark wood, Allen and her team works on another sustainability goal: cutting plastic consumption. From the milk jugs in the office fridge to the company鈥檚 manufacturing sites across the U.S. and Europe, Nikwax is scrutinizing every piece of plastic in its supply chain.

Banishing Virgin Plastic

Nikwax is in the middle of a multi-year crusade against virgin plastic. In 2018, the company conducted a corporate plastic footprint survey to identify where virgin plastic in its supply chain was coming from and how best to reduce its overall plastic consumption across operations. The report investigated every inch of Nikwax鈥檚 plastic use.

鈥淲e had two main areas that we wanted to address: reducing the use of virgin plastics we took in, and reducing the single-use plastic that we put back out into the world,鈥� Allen said.

Most of the product Nikwax makes come in liquid form鈥攖he company is known for its waterproofing solutions鈥攕o bottles are necessary for transport and consumer use. According to the report, bottles accounted for 68 percent of Nikwax鈥檚 total plastic use, the remaining percentages coming largely from packaging tape, spray heads, and bottle caps.聽

Finding an alternative to virgin plastic for these bottles was the company鈥檚 first goal. Nikwax landed on recycled plastic for its new bottles; the company also considered plant-based plastics, but worried about the damage to the environment both from the feedstock the plastics are derived from and their end-of-life. Bioplastics perform similarly in the environment to virgin plastic, as environmental engineer Jenna Jambeck detailed in National Geographic鈥檚 examination of bioplastics. If it ends up in the ocean, a plant-based plastic bag might fragment, but won鈥檛 break down.

After determining that it would use recycled plastic, Nixwax faced a new challenge. The company needed a supplier to produce bottles made completely from recycled plastic but the bottles also had to fit into Nikwax鈥檚 production infrastructure.聽

鈥淭rying to find alternatives that fit with our existing filling systems and such was a big pain point,鈥� Allen said.

Nikwax eventually partnered with Dutch manufacturing company Flestic B.V., and results were immediate. In the company鈥檚 first year after the footprint report, Nikwax saved 170 tons of virgin plastic鈥攅nough to fill more than 2,000 garbage bags or about 20 20-yard dumpsters.聽

Switching the bottles to recycled material cut a massive chunk of the company鈥檚 virgin plastic intake, and there are more cutbacks ahead. By the end of 2021, Nikwax expects 90 percent of the plastic it uses to be recycled.聽

The Road to 90 Percent

The biggest step towards that goal will be switching bottle caps, which account for about 20 percent of Nikwax鈥檚 plastic use, to recycled plastic. The company needed to figure out how to make the colored caps with the grey-tinted recycled plastic while keeping the color specs the same, but Nikwax expects to get there by the end of this year. At the same time, the company is also examining its crannies鈥攕earching for minor sources of plastic to change or eliminate, such as moving from plastic packing tape to paper-based.

Because the liquid product ships in bottles, Nikwax is generally able to avoid using polybags鈥攖hose clear plastic bags that pose one of the outdoor industry鈥檚 biggest waste issues. Unfortunately, there鈥檚 a big exception: certain distribution companies, including Amazon, require Nikwax to encase its products in polybags anyway. In these instances, Nikwax turns to commercially compostable polybags to avoid using virgin plastic.

鈥淚t isn鈥檛 the best solution, because it does require municipal composting,鈥� Allen said. 鈥淲e tried to find the best available polybag solution that wasn鈥檛 virgin plastic.鈥�

So-called 鈥渂iodegradable鈥� polybags present their own issues鈥攖he bags only break down under certain conditions, requiring specialized facilities to degrade fully. In the U.S., these commercial composting facilities are few and far between鈥攁ccording to a 2019 BioCycle report, only 185 exist across the country. Recently, companies have been experimenting with more sustainable solutions to the polybag question.

Continuing the Cycle

Ensuring plastics actually get recycled after they leave Nikwax鈥檚 facilities is the other side of the sustainability coin. Recyclability of outgoing materials inevitably relies on consumers to take initiative and recycle plastic themselves. Allen acknowledged that while emphasizing recyclability is important, recyclable plastics may only be as good as the awareness the company is able to instill in its customers.

鈥淭he bottles are recyclable, but we can鈥檛 come to your house and make you put it in the recycling bin,鈥� Allen said.

The bottles carry a stamp on the label, letting customers know they are recycled and recyclable. It鈥檚 a visual reminder that Nikwax hopes will help the bottles end up back in circulation as recycled plastic.聽

Nikwax鈥檚 current goal is to make 99 percent of the plastic leaving its facilities recyclable by 2023. The bottles, caps and spray heads are currently all recyclable, meaning much like the company鈥檚 intake of virgin plastic, the progress made toward this goal will be in minutiae like outgoing packaging tape, garbage bin liners and pens.聽

For a company founded on the notion of sustainably extending the lifetime of gear, all this attention to plastics is logical, said Allen.聽

鈥淚t aligns with our company鈥檚 focus on consumption reduction. Whether we鈥檙e talking about gear or plastics, we鈥檙e using less new material and less stuff ends up in landfills.鈥澛�

The post Plastic Impact Alliance Spotlight: Nikwax Keeps Plastic Usage Cyclical appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

There are lots of way to make an impact on the world鈥檚 raging plastic problem. Every little step away from single-use plastic and towards a circular and petroleum-free world is worth celebrating.

Here are a few things we鈥檙e stoked about from just a few of our 336 (and counting) Plastic Impact Alliance members.

A Better Zipper

YKK has taken ocean plastic they collected from the coast of Sri Lanka and turned it into Natulon Ocean Sourced zippers that perform and last exactly the same as zippers made from virgin polyester (aka plastic). Check them out at booth #56020-UL at Outdoor Retailer Snow Show.

Killer Teamwork

At Outdoor Retailer next week, Stanley, Osprey, and Nikwax are teaming up with Sunday Afternoons, Deschutes Breweries, and Hood River Distilleries to host a 鈥渂lock party鈥� on Day 2 / January 30 at 4:30 P.M. to benefit Protect Our Winters. 鈥淎ll of the drinkware is plastic-free. You can either pick up a sili-pint at the Osprey booth (#39081-UL) or a Stanley pint (#42096-UL) and that gets you unlimited cocktail or beer and the refills,鈥� said Michelle Fleming of Stanley. 鈥淣o plastic cups of any kind. We鈥檝e also moved to getting food from the bulk food bins at a local grocery store and filling up our Stanley food storage containers with snacks instead of buying a bunch of prepackaged snacks.鈥�

A Step up in Packaging

Nikwax commits to 100 percent recycled (and recyclable) bottles for all its products. 鈥淲e are all horrified by the images that we see on our news feeds of plastic pollution,鈥� said Nick Brown, founder of Nikwax. 鈥淚t is abhorrent to visit a wild space and find it polluted with unnatural waste. Plastic pollution is one of the problems we CAN solve through raising awareness, recycling, using new technology, and improving regulation. We hope to contribute to ultimately eliminating the problem without contributing further to climate change.鈥�

Upcycling Old Cups for Happy Hours

Mountain Hardwear understands that we all have plenty of reusable cups already, so for their events at Outdoor Retailer, they upcycle meticulously clean, slightly-used vessels, a brilliant solution. “One thing we鈥檝e heard over and over again is that attendees don鈥檛 need any another camp cup, so we鈥檝e gone the reuse route,” said Jeff Brandon of Mountain Hardwear. “If happy hour guests don鈥檛 have a cup we furnish them with one of our countless, slightly used, and very clean, reusable cups. It鈥檚 been extremely popular as folks love getting cups from old climbing events, trade show, etc.” Bravo!

Moving Away from Petro-Based Fabrics

Picture Organic Clothing launches a 鈥渂iosourced polyester鈥� jacket, the Demain, made from sugarcane waste, which advances the eco-focused brand鈥檚 quest to wipe out fossil fuels, while keeping mountain shredders protected from nasty weather. Check it out at booth #39143-UL at Outdoor Retailer Snow Show.

Bottomless Coffee

Primus, the American Alpine Club, and Bivouac Coffee are teaming up to offer bottomless coffee mugs at Outdoor Retailer next week. Purchase a Primus vacuum mug at the AAC booth (#43093-UL, all proceeds benefit the AAC) and get free tasty Bivouac Coffee refills for the remainder of the show.

Greening Races

Nuun also just announced a partnership with HydraPak + Mascot Sports/Oakland Run Co. to create the first ever cupless race series. This will eliminate 100,000 single-use cups across all Oakland Run Co. events in 2020.聽During OR, Nuun is partnering once again with Vessel to provide reusable stainless steel sample cups at its booth. *We hope to see wider adoption of Vessel’s programming in future shows.

Costa Tackles Lenses

In 2019, Costa launched a recycling program for Eye Care Professionals (ECPs) in partnership with Piedmont Plastics. More than 700 ECPs have joined the program, repurposing 4,700 pounds of petrochemical based lenses into other plastic products such as safety glasses, motorcycle helmet shields, and police shields.

Tree Huggers

Brand new PIA member Tentree is planting 300 trees to offset their staff鈥檚 travel to and from Outdoor Retailer next week. They鈥檒l also be giving out little Blue Spruce saplings at the show, so be sure to stop by and grab one (#VO 201-SL).

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A relative newcomer to the outdoor scene walks into a brick-and-mortar retailer in search of a waterproof jacket to bring on his first big backpacking trip with friends. He finds the gear intimidating and the prices shocking, but thankfully, an educated staff member explains the importance of proper equipment above tree line. Moreover, he walks out of the store clutching his new purchase along with product samples and the know-how to care for and maintain his investment for years to come. That鈥檚 time well spent, and certainly an experience that can鈥檛 be bought online. And, Nikwax is doing their part to make sure consumers can continue to interface with experts by supporting their retailers.

Brick-and-mortar retailers are facing unprecedented upheaval with the growth of the online marketplace. But, there is plenty to celebrate: in 2017, 90 percent of retail sales were handled with in-store transactions. In order to accommodate the influx of customers, the United States retail industry employed upwards of 13 million people in the same year. Unfortunately, this is complicated by a 35 percent turnover rate that amounts to $19 billion in costs to hire and train new employees. Since engaged employees are paramount to a positive customer experience, it鈥檚 imperative that retailers find new ways to train staff and educate consumers on site.

Nikwax has some ideas and they are garnering successful results.

Get Employees鈥� Hands on Products

Increasing sell-through of products starts with ensuring staff fully understand what they are selling. Many brands resort to videos and quizzes that employees are asked to view and complete during their work breaks adding stress to their jobs and decreasing effectiveness of learning. Nikwax has a better solution: experiential education.

鈥淩etail staff are a critical resource for shops,鈥� said Heidi Allen, Nikwax VP of marketing. 鈥淭heir expertise elevates a retail store above the online experience. However, we found that traditional online training methods can be burdensome for the retail staff. We wanted to get them the tools they need to become product experts into their hands as fast as possible.鈥�

Nikwax created their 鈥楩eel the Love鈥� kit to be given to staff members to encourage and enhance training. The kits include samples of Tech Wash and TX.Direct (wash-in cleaner and waterproofing), an educational booklet, and a card with information about where to go to learn more and how to sign up for monthly incentives. In short, Nikwax gives employees free product to use and experience for themselves which better equips them to educate potential customers. Once they are initially trained, staff members get continued support with monthly emails containing deals, incentives, and access to new products to continue their education.

Educating Consumers Is Just as Important

Nikwax also launched seasonal retail kits that include a variety of tools to help customers learn about the proper care after purchase. One of the bigger success stories from these kits is the use of how-to-care hang tags on product. For example, a retailer would use the included zip-ties to secure hang-tags on a line of hardshell jackets. While perusing the jackets, the potential consumer could read the hang tag to learn more about how to clean the waterproof shell with Nikwax Tech Wash, ensuring the integrity of the gear investment and frequently aiding in add-on sales of Nikwax products.

Retailers such as Seattle-based Ascent Outdoors have seen great success with the hang-tag program. Additionally, to up the ante, Ascent Outdoors opted to offer a discount on Nikwax products when purchased with an accompanying item. The results speak for themselves.

鈥淪ince we implemented the tags, every month has been the best month we鈥檝e had with Nikwax since we started with the POS back in 2014,鈥� said Sam Lozier, the buyer for Ascent Outdoors. 鈥淚n June we more than doubled our 2017 number.鈥�

Sales are important, of course. So is loyalty. Nikwax is enabling retailers to offer a better experience that creates repeat customers by effectively educating both employees and customers. This is something that Leanna Andersen, soft goods buyer for Seattle鈥檚 Fisheries Supply Co., appreciates the most.

鈥淪o many consumers didn鈥檛 even know they could wash foul-weather gear,鈥� she said. 鈥淭he hang tags are great for opening a line of conversation that helps us help them get exactly what they need. Those extra $10 or $20 sales are important but it鈥檚 even more valuable to us to know that our customers are covered.鈥�

The post How One Brand Is Evolving the Way It Supports Specialty Retailers appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

Today鈥檚 enlightened consumers want to minimize their environmental impact, and there鈥檚 no better way to do that than to keep good gear in circulation, rather than replace it. This mentality is largely what shaped Nikwax鈥檚 mission鈥攍ong before reusing Grandma鈥檚 ski jacket and Dad鈥檚 old backpack was considered cool. With high-quality aftercare products, Nikwax provides consumers an environmentally safe process for extending and fortifying gear鈥檚 long-term performance.

The maintenance and repurposing of gear via repair and resale programs is growing increasingly vogue, as proven by the popularity of Patagonia鈥檚 Worn Wear and iFixit missions, REI鈥檚 beloved garage sales and new online Used Gear marketplace, and many more brand-driven recycling and repurposing initiatives across the industry. The longer articles of clothing, backpacks, tents, ropes, and shoes are used, the fewer new items people need to buy鈥攔educing manufacturing production waste, packaging materials, and even product delivery鈥檚 carbon footprint. Focusing on these tenets of gear functionality and an eco-friendly ethos, Nikwax has developed specialized retailer support programs to help retailers sell such points and Nikwax鈥檚 corresponding products鈥攆ive of which are detailed below.

1. Nikwax鈥檚 Display Program

Heidi Allen, vice president of Nikwax marketing, knows the importance of an engaging, yet informative product display. She鈥檚 helped propel Nikwax鈥檚 display program, which retailers can use to organize, advertise and explain its popular waterproofing, weatherproofing, cleaning, and conditioning products.

The display outlines Nikwax鈥檚 environmentally friendly attributes while presenting the products in an approachable and attractive way. With dozens of products that can help maintain, clean, and strengthen high-quality gear, the displays 鈥渉elp customers first identify the product category and then understand each of the products,鈥� Allen explained.

2. Retail Staff Education Program

The folks operating retail stores have anything but extra time on their hands. 鈥淲e鈥檙e not [going to demand they spend] their own breaks watching 20-minute videos,鈥� Allen said.

Instead, Nikwax recently launched a new retail staff education program. Any retailer employee can enroll in the program, and if they do so, they鈥檒l receive their very own 鈥淔eel the Love鈥� kit that includes samples of Nikwax products so they can speak honestly about product experiences. Pocket-sized information booklets are also included for retailer staff; as staff talk with customers, they can whip out the booklets and reference specific details in an engaging, organic way. 鈥淲e鈥檙e trying to make the information as easy and digestible as possible,鈥� Allen said.

3. Staff Incentives

Employees enrolled in the program are automatically offered steep discounts on all Nikwax products, plus monthly deals including VIP access to new samples, free shipping deals, and more. 鈥淲e really want to get store employees stoked about the products,鈥� said Allen.

4. Seasonal Retailer Support Kits

Changing seasons are the perfect time to capitalize on new themes and new beginnings. Because weather is an integral part of Nikwax鈥檚 existence, it鈥檚 a prime opportunity to highlight the impacts of the brand鈥檚 products, which is why Nikwax sends out seasonal retailer support kits twice a year. Kits include specialized hang tags and table-top displays that help drive home customer awareness of gear care importance, focusing on things like fortified waterproofness, clean weatherproof gear, and additional UV-blocking finishes, depending on the season.

5. Robust Sampling Support

Good work speaks for itself. Nikwax offers product samples for retailers to give out at all sorts of events, be them in-house celebrations, ski movie screenings, gear care event nights, retailer spotlights, or any other kind of gatherings. 鈥淲e鈥檙e very generous with our samples,鈥� Allen said, particularly buy-one-get-one collaborations. 鈥淲e鈥檙e happy to support special programs that [leave customers with] free Nikwax samples.鈥� All you have to do is ask.

The post 5 Ways Nikwax Supports Its Retailers appeared first on 国产吃瓜黑料 Online.

In college, Nick Brown had no clue all of the tinkering and experimenting with chemicals and open flames he鈥檇 been doing in his small North London flat would eventually lead to an industry-disrupting business founded on environmental morals. Back then, he was just a guy who loved walking.

He also happened to be a person who took matters into his own hands. As young as ten years old, Brown would spend his school holidays hiking around Scotland, just a few hundred miles north of his home in Kent, England鈥攁 place that was, at times, even more grey and rainy than his home in the U.K. The only problem he faced while wandering the green hills, seaside cliffs, and rocky summits was that his socks kept getting wet. What he needed, he realized, was something he could apply to his hiking boots that would keep them reliably waterproof, but not soften the leather or diminish the quality of ankle support.

When he couldn鈥檛 find such a product anywhere, Brown sat down at the kitchen table and invented it himself. The year was 1977 and environmentally-friendly business practices were barely even concepts; it would be nearly two decades before the words 鈥渃arbon neutral鈥� would even enter companies鈥� vernacular. 鈥淎ll Brown knew was, from the get-go, he wanted to do things in a fairly principled way,鈥� he told UK Climbing at last year’s OutDoor show in Germany聽after Nikwax won its first of two coveted product design OutDoor Industry Awards.

The 鈥淟aurels鈥� building is where the Nikwax team now leads their video conferencing.

On a dare, Nick Brown proves the effectiveness of his waterproofing in a local pond.

Nick Brown鈥檚 First Patent

The pastoral beauty of the Nikwax Headquarters in south England.

Nick鈥檚 Wax Set a New Standard

Almost all of the other waterproofing products in Brown鈥檚 youth were made from concoctions that included petroleum, animal fats, or beeswax. Nick saw the opportunity to create something different. So instead, he ran back and forth between the local hardware store and his home, mixing organically derived chemicals and paraffin waxes together in saucepans, fiddling and fine-tuning along the way. By the time Brown was 22, he鈥檇 dialed the wax鈥檚 perfect ratios鈥攏ow a heavily guarded secret. He鈥檇 also started his business. As a budding outdoor entrepreneur, he believed that business had a responsibility to the environment. When he officially launched Nikwax, he made environmental protection a business objective and a brand value. 鈥淔rom day one, he set out to create a company with a commitment to the environment,鈥� said Heidi Allen, a ten-year Nikwax alum and the current vice president of marketing.

In London, Brown packaged his concoction鈥攚hich he dubbed 鈥淣ikwax鈥濃�攊nto little tins he silkscreened by hand, loaded them into a 鈥減urloined shopping cart,鈥� and delivered them to outdoor gear shops, said Allen.

The wax was a huge success with outdoor retailers. As Nikwax grew, Nick saw the opportunity to create waterproofing for outdoor clothing that could be easily and safely applied in the home. Almost all of the other waterproofing products available at the time were aerosol based, and most contained perfluorochemicals (PFCs), a compound made from carbon and fluorine that鈥檚 held together by one of the strongest bonds ever to exist in organic chemistry鈥攎aking it a terrific tool for keeping water out of whatever it鈥檚 coated with, but also a dastardly environmental interloper. For most of the 20th century, PFCs were applied to performance textiles to increase water repellency, but little did manufacturers know take into account PFCs’ harmful environmental impact.

The PFC bonds take so long to dissolve in fact, that in the early 2000s, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention determined they 鈥渄o not break down in the environment.鈥� Thus, once PFCs enter watersheds or human and animal bloodstreams, they accumulate indefinitely and can increase the risk of cancer and immune disease.

Brown, who had learned about PFCs while researching different waterproofing technologies, knew he didn鈥檛 want to use them in his waterproofing products. Being very thorough in his ingredient choices, Brown reviewed multiple medical studies on the effects of PFCs. At the time he had a young family, and he couldn鈥檛 in good conscience create a product that contained high levels of these persistent and harmful chemicals. He also did not want to use aerosols or harmful solvents, so he created a wash-in waterproofing product that was water-based and did not use PFCs, but instead a water-repellent elastomer. This was the birth of the TX.10i polymer鈥擭ikwax鈥檚 answer to waterproofing.

Now, more than forty years later, Brown still directs Nikwax鈥檚 operations from the U.K. and can look back with a laugh, reminiscing at how his adolescent tinkerings laid the foundation upon which Nikwax quietly grew into the leather waterproofing鈥攁nd all-around performance fabric solutions鈥攍eader that it is today.

鈥淚t takes a long time and strong commitment to development to create products with clean chemicals and sustainable practices,鈥� Nikwax North America president Brian Davidson said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the elements we strongly believe in still to this day…We鈥檝e done it for 40 years, and we鈥檒l keep on doing it.”

Nikwax Becomes Carbon Neutral

Eventually other companies began to catch on to the environment-first ethos, but Brown was already grooving in the fast lane. Only just moving forward wasn鈥檛 enough for Brown. Ten years ago, he decided to pause and look back鈥攈e wanted to offset the entire history of Nikwax鈥檚 carbon footprint. So the company partnered with the World Land Trust, and, year by year, it chipped away at its carbon footprint, working both forwards and backwards at the same time. Last year, on Nikwax鈥檚 40th anniversary, they pushed to offset the rest of the early years that remained鈥攁ddressing the last of the company鈥檚 6,189 total tons of carbon emitted between 1977 and 2017.

They became the first company in the world to be totally carbon neutral since its founding.

Between Nikwax鈥檚 carbon neutrality, its wide range of products, and its commitment to future eco-friendly development, Nikwax has set a strong moral tone for other outdoor gear companies.

鈥淲e鈥檙e excited because we鈥檙e seeing the continued movement of the industry focused on how to operate with a high-performing product [and simultaneously] a strong commitment toward environmental safety, clean chemistry, and sustainability,鈥� said Davidson, 鈥渁ll things we鈥檝e had as a part of our company forever.鈥�

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