Sports Trader Q2 2019

Southern Africa’s business-to-business magazine for the sport, outdoor and leisure industries • Vol 40 No 2 • Q2 2019

Equal pay demands for women in soccer What to look for in hunting clothing & footwear The right footwear & clothing for running & walking

Vol 40 Nr2 Q2 2019

Regulars

On the cover “The rebirth of V-Lite engineering and innovation,” is how Hi-Tec describes its OX Trail Racer. “It’s designed to dominate the light trails and allow you to look good doing it. A 12mm drop and our MDTraction propriety outsole ensures performance delivered every time, every-where.”

The lightweight shoe also features a high-performance nylon upper with no-sew support structure for stability and a snug fit, soft mesh lining for breathability and comfort, moulded EVA footbed for comfort, an impact-absorbing CMEVA midsole for cushioning and comfort, as well as deep lugs and flex grooves.

For more information contact Hi-Tec on Tel: 021 506 6900.

Publisher: Nicol du Toit Editor: Carin Hardisty Managing editor: Trudi du Toit Features: Carin Hardisty, Trudi du Toit Design: Carin Hardisty, Trudi du Toit Photography: Nicol du Toit Advertising: Nicol du Toit Subscriptions: Carin Hardisty Printing: FA Print Distribution: InsideData Sports Trader is published quarterly

by Rocklands Communications cc.

Reg. No: 1997/057165/23.

Members: N. J. & G. C. du Toit & C. Hardisty

Contact details:

PO Box 12197 Mill Street 8010 22 Rocklands Avenue, Vredehoek, Cape Town 8001 Tel: 021 461 2544 Fax: 021 461 2549 Website: www.sportstrader.co.za Facebook: SportsTraderMagazine Twitter: @SASportsTrader Blog: sasportstrader.wordpress.com Advertising: nicol@sportstrader.co.za Editorial: trudi@sportstrader.co.za Subscribe: carin@sportstrader.co.za Publication information: The title and contents of Sports Trader are protected by copyright. It is a business to business publication compiled to inform, entertain and educate retailers, distributors and manufacturers of sports and outdoor equipment, footwear and clothing. It is available only to members of the sport, outdoor and activewear industries and is published quarterly. © Rocklands Communications.

2 6 10

People on the move

Sales impact of the World Cups

Brands on the move

Outdoor gear for the home

News about brand activity in the industry.

Tips for selling running clothing

Companies on the move

Top distributorship for sale

News about companies in the industry.

Brand ID for sale

Once one of the leading South African distributors, the company is now for sale.

Skechers steps up in Africa

A new country manager has been appointed for the distributorship of the brand in South Africa.

SwimEEZY helps sportswear brands

42 44 45 46

21 22 26

Product knowledge: golf shoes

Features to keep in mind when recommending golf shoes.

Selling tips: running clothing

A top salesperson shares insights on the best way to sell running clothing.

Walking vs running shoes

What are the features that set walking shoes apart from running shoes?

The quality performance fabrics that give top international brands a competitive edge is now also available to local manufacturers.

Retailing news

A roundup of the latest global trends in retailing.

Reviewers influence Gen Z buying

The shopping habits of young adults are influenced by online reviews when shopping.

Trump tariffs and the sports industry Will the US-China trade war affect the prices of American brands locally available?

Company results

Good and bad news from the local and international Q1 financial results.

Apparel and footwear

16 17 18 19

Highlights:

News about people in the industry.

Industry

4 12 14

www.sportstrader.co.za

Swimwear and sports gear trends

The colours and styles that will be worn around the pool and be seen in sportswear and -gear.

Winter 2021 colour trends

Forecast of the colours that will be in demand.

The changing face of denim

Denim is no longer synonymous for jeans and come in many fashion styles.

The year of the sneaker

Sneakers are more popular than ever, especially the retro styles.

How running and walking shoes differ p26. Photo: PUMA Hybrid-NX.

Outdoor

28 30 32

The right boots for the hunt

How hunting boots differ from hiking boots.

Camo clothing for all

Camouflage colours are now worn by everyone.

Outdoor gear at home in the city

Innovative outdoor products that will appeal to urban dwellers, especially when power fails.

Sport

20 36 38 41

Golf news

News from golf brands.

Can the World Cups boost sales?

We’re enjoying a feast of top level sporting events — but will they generate sales?

Equal pay for equal play?

Why women’s soccer teams are demanding that they are given the same treatment as men.

Top fitness trends for 2019

What are the most popular fitness activities?

Trade shows

Can the world cups still boost sales in some sports? p36

IBC

Event and trade show news

News from local and international events and trade shows.

p2 :: Industry

People

Changes at Bolton Footwear

Photo supplied.

Lowrance founder dies THE FISHING WORLD was saddened by the news that Lowrance’s founder, Darrell J. Lowrance, had passed on. The brand is known for pioneering fish finders for recreational anglers.

“We are very sad to hear about Darrell, who has been a long-time friend and supporter of anglers in this country,” says Lisbeth Plotz, managing director of Lowrance SA. “He visited South Africa on several occasions, and many will remember his passion for his brand at seminars hosted in Durban. This is a huge loss to the fishing fraternity worldwide.”

He’d been responsible for several breakthroughs. “In addition to the first recreational sonar product for anglers — the FishLo-K-Tor (also known as the Little Green Box) — he led the development of the first graph recorder, the first integrated sonar/GPS unit, and many others,” says the brand’s parent company Navico.

Lowrance also served as president and CEO of Lowrance Electronics between 1964 and 2006, president of the American Fishing Tackle Manufacturer’s Association (AFTMA) in 1983-1984, member of the Board of Directors for AFTMA from 1978-1986 and 1988, and was inducted into the Bass Fishing Hall of Fame in 2013.

“With his passing, the world has lost a great man and a true visionary,” says Leif Ottosson, Navico CEO. “Darrell’s passion for fishing, innovative design and dedication to driving the marine electronics industry forward, led to innovative ideas and products that have shaped the fishing experiences for millions of anglers globally during the past 60 years. The fishing world and our Navico family mourn this loss, and we offer our sincere condolences to Darrell’s wife, Kathleen, and to his family.”

STUART HOPWOOD, Group Head of Marketing at Bolton Footwear (below), has been promoted to Group Sales and Creative Executive at the company. His new role will include sales, marketing as well as design, range building and footwear importing for the group.

A born and bred Capetonian, Hopwood has a diploma in marketing management from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and in 2000 he obtained the professional designation of chartered marketer.

Over the past three decades he gained valuable knowledge and insight into various industries including eight years in various marketing management roles at Yardley, twelve years as marketing director for Triumph International (lingerie) and, before joining Bolton Footwear, six years as Brand President and GM for Speedo in South Africa.

Photo supplied.

Hopwood balances his busy schedule by staying active. “I ensure that I run or swim two to three times per week and play golf at least once every six weeks if I’m lucky to find the time.”

More movement in the industry THERE HAVE been several other changes amongst managers of companies in the South African sport, outdoor and branded lifestyle industries in recent months. For example: • At Bolton Footwear Group Sales Manager Jacques Pretorius and Jody Henry, men’s footwear (Bronx, Jordan etc) Brand Manager, have recently departed to pursue other interests.

• At Brand ID Deidre Scodeller, Speedo brand manager, left to join Kyle Hartmann’s In2Africa

agency, marketing brands into the African market. She had been brand manager for Speedo for about four years, but the brand will now be distributed by Performance Brands. Paul Copson, former Mizuno brand manager, has joined Falke. Mizuno has also found a new local distributor in Pure Endurance (see p7).

PUMA owners’ Notre Dame fire pledge still to be paid

FRANÇOIS PINAULT, founder and managing partner of French holding company Groupe Artémis, majority shareholder in PUMA, and his son François-Henri Pinault, chairman of Artémis, are among the French billionaires who have pledged millions towards the restoration of Notre Dame Cathedral following the devastating fire on April 15th this year. The Pinaults pledged €100-m.

But as the first mass was said in the semi-restored cathedral in June, Notre Dame officials claimed that none of the French billionaires have paid any of the money they pledged, as they wish to approve building plans first. So far, the salaries of the 150 workers doing the restoration work have been paid from donations received from ordinary French and American citizens, says a Notre Dame press official.

Pinault senior is one of France’s biggest art patrons. Their company Artémis owns auction-house Christie’s. François-Henri is also CEO of Kering, the luxury goods company that formerly owned PUMA. Kering has now sold the last brand in its sport lifestyle division, Volcom, so that it can concentrate only on its remaining luxury brands like Gucci, Saint Laurent, Stella McCartney etc.

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

Bolton Footwear’s new marketing intern, Dyllon Gordon (above), comes from a family who has been, or is currently working in retail, so he has had insight into some of the needs and challenges faced by the trade from a young age.

Marketing, in turn, is a “fun, challenging, focused and interesting field of study,” he says, which “allows you to grow as a person. You’re faced with various challenges and work with many interesting people on a daily basis.”

Gordon holds a National Diploma in Marketing from the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and plans to do his B. Tech in Marketing this year, specialising in digital marketing and branding.

As part of his work at Bolton Footwear, he tracks social media growth, makes sure brand identity is presented consistently across all platforms, handles customer queries, manages sport events that Olympic International is involved with, and tracks expenditure and budgeting. He reports to marketing manager Fahiem Frizlar.

François-Henri and his father François Pinault. Photo: Artémis.

Industry :: p3

on the move

Craig White leaves sports industry

TEN YEARS after joining the sports industry, Craig White (right), national sales and operations manager for

ASICS SA, has left the industry. He has joined a small financial services company providing bridging finances to SMEs. “This is an exciting space to be moving into as I believe it is very important to support small businesses,” he says. His replacement has not yet been appointed, but ASICS SA general manager Barry Mellis will take over some of his responsibilities in the interim. Before he joined Super-Brands in 2009 as COO White gained sales and marketing experience outside the sports industry. He joined after Super-Brands bought the brands in the Dunslaz Distributorship as the start of its sport lifestyle division. The sales agents also reported to him. Several other brands — e.g. Canterbury, Mizuno and Skins — were added before Super-Brands sold the sports division to Brand ID in 2014 (see following page). White later joined ASICS SA, which became a South African distributorship in 2014, when it also became the official apparel supplier for the Springboks.

Xpressions’ Tarryn King becomes World Champ after giving birth JUST A YEAR after she gave birth to her son, Koa, Tarryn King won South Africa’s first gold medal at the ISA World Stand Up Paddleboarding Championships in China in December 2018 by winning the sprint racing event. Early in June this year she came 8th in the 2019 ISA World Longboard Surfing Championship (WLSC) held in Biarritz, France. Her husband Thomas came 9th and the South African team finished 8th in this tough competition.

Surrounded by family entrenched in Photo ISA surfing and SUP it is no wonder that King couldn’t wait to take to the water soon after giving birth. Her stepdad and coach Gary van Rooyen is a former surfing champion, and the global owner of the Coreban SUP brand and the surf-SUP-lifestyle store Xpressions on the Beach, one of her sponsors. Thomas is also a South African title holder and regular representative in international events. She took a break from competition for only six months in 2017 to have her son and has come back even stronger than before, says Van Rooyen. “She’s a real force on the international stage.”

King said that she had put in a lot of time and training in order to win gold. “It’s been quite a journey from giving birth to being World Champion. I stayed fit during my pregnancy and once I gave birth, I bounced back quite quickly.” At school she excelled in all sporting disciplines, from dancing to swimming, surfing and athletics and was crowned Victrix Ludorum on a number of occasions. Aside from being the SA SUP Champion for a number of years, she is the only woman to hold both the SA SUP and SA Longboard surfing titles in the same year and did this on two occasions. She started paddling in 2012 when she attended the SA Champs to support her then-boyfriend, Thomas.

Photo supplied.

Karakal grows squash market share

Photo supplied.

SOUTH AFRICAN Karen Schultz (above, second from right) was one of the 17 winners of the British Open Karakal Masters Championship held in Hull at the end of May. She won the O40 category in her debut at the tournament.

Securing naming rights or association with key events has been a focus to elevating the brand to another level, says Karakal’s Worldwide Head of Sales and Marketing, Steve Gallienne, who was a distributor of the brand in South Africa for Dunslaz, Super-Brands and Brand ID (see next page).

Karakal recently signed England squash international and World #22 Tom Richards (left) to endorse the

Jaeggle returns to Germany MICHAEL JAEGGLE, who has played a major role at adidas SA as Brand Director for the past five years, has returned to Germany. At the time of going to press his replacement had not been appointed yet.

He was transferred to Cape Town in March 2014, where he was responsible for brand building and marketing functions at adidas.

He had joined the adidas Group in 1997 in the key-account marketing department at the Herzogenaurach headquarters after obtaining an MBA in Nuremberg.

He subsequently held various positions in the group, including key-account marketing service manager for Europe and global senior manager business development for Originals.

After a stint in the adidas US head office, he became the retail director for Rockport (part of the adidas Group) and international Business and Retail Marketing Activation Manager Europe for adidas and Reebok. His main responsibility was the marketing and brand execution in 256 own retail stores as well as to launch and grow the CRM (Customer Relationship Management) programme.

brand’s range of performance rackets, clothing and accessories.

“It’s particularly pleasing to see another leading player competing on the PSA World Tour with Karakal rackets,” said Gallienne.

“Tom Richards is a winner of six PSA World Tour events and Karakal view our professional players as fundamental to both product and brand development.

“Karakal is a steady ship, taking market shares from brands that are less focused.”

The brand is one of the assets that is currently part of the Brand ID distributorship (see next page).

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p4 :: Industry

Brand ID for sale

Cuan Chelin of Super-Brands in front of a Canterbury poster.

Wayne Bebb, formerly of Brand ID, in front of a Speedo poster.

Three years ago Brand ID was the biggest South African sport and outdoor distributorship of about 20 brands ... now a significantly smaller company is for sale.

Story: Trudi du Toit. Photos above: Nicol du Toit

T

he Brand ID distributorship, once one of the biggest in the South African sports industry, is in the market. The company is one of four earmarked to be disposed of by its holding company, Deneb, which said in its annual report that management has initiated active programmes to sell these businesses.

“We have various options on the table as to how to best achieve this and are pursuing these,” adds CEO Ian Hepplewhite.

The Brand ID assets would include the local distribution licenses to brands like Columbia, Dunlop, Slazenger, Karakal, Opro etc., sponsorship agreements, client lists and current stock.

The license rights to some of the other big brands in the group — e.g. Canterbury, Mizuno and Speedo — have recently been taken over by other distributors (see next page).

Ironically, Brand ID obtained the rights to the leading sports brands in 2013 when the previous distributor, Super-Brands, approached it about the distribution rights for Speedo.

“My intention was not to sell the business but rather to pursue a strategy of trying to own the number one or two brand in each sporting code,” says Super-Brands CEO Cuan Chelin. “Swimming was a large gap for us and Speedo was the obvious choice at the time.

We also had an established relationship with the international brand owners Pentland.”

This relationship existed through Canterbury, which was part of Super-Brands.

“Wayne Bebb (Brand ID CEO) and myself had numerous discussions and meetings and it was clear they did not want to let go of Speedo,” he says. “I changed tack and asked if we could explore some sort of joint venture, but they came back asking to acquire our business.”

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

Deneb 2016 Report: Brand ID, which was a start-up entity five years ago, has now become profitable.

The Super-Brands Sports Division became part of Brand ID on April 1, 2014, which subsequently also acquired the distribution rights to Columbia and some other brands — at one stage they supplied more than 20 brands to the local market.

While it would have been possible to acquire brands by approaching the international principal directly “we would always try approaching the local distributor first — if the price or conditions are unreasonable then perhaps a more aggressive approach would be necessary,” says Chelin. “We never got to that with them (Brand ID).”

The biggest risk to approaching the principal directly would lie in what happens to the stock left in the current distributor and how that enters the retail market, he adds.

The main benefits of negotiating with the local distributor first is that you have a smooth transition of the remaining period of the license agreements and transfer the know-how of the brand managers. For example, SuperBrands brand presidents Du Toit Botes (Performance Division) and Steve Gallienne (Dunslaz Division) and most of their team members joined Brand ID in the same positions.

Other benefits of a negotiated deal is also the transfer of retail client details and insight into existing deals and agreements on the price for existing stock — provided, of course, that the principal agrees. The principal would certainly do a full due diligence and need to

be 100% comfortable with the new principal partners, explains Chelin. “We couldn’t simply move contracts as we pleased.”

The Brand ID transition went smoothly and a year later Deneb’s 2015 annual report recorded that the acquisition of the sports brands, mentioned in the prior year report, saw Brand ID’s performance improve markedly. This start-up business has now reached breakeven, in line with expectation, and we anticipate that it will become a contributor going forward.

In 2016 things were going even better and the annual report said: It’s pleasing that, as anticipated in the prior year’s report, Brand ID, which was a start-up entity five years ago, has now become profitable.

It was, however, a very bulky ship to steer through the post-Nenegate turbulent financial waters with its load of imported brands so vulnerable to currency fluctuations.

Therefore in the 2017 annual report Deneb commented: Brand ID had a little stutter on its growth path. This business sells quite high-value discretionary durable goods and the segment of the market that it serves has undoubtedly been under pressure.

Towards the end of the year it took a decision to exit some of its lower margin product ranges and consolidate its management structures to reduce its breakeven point. If one excludes the once-off costs incurred in this business then it remained profitable for the period under review.

During this period they stopped distributing about half of the smaller brands they imported. During the year Gallienne had relocated to the UK to run the racket sport brand Karakal globally and Botes left to join Genuine Connection Promotions.

Industry :: p5

Brand ID CEO Ian Hepplewhite.

Brian Kerby suggested a turnaround strategy.

Steve Gallienne now runs Karakal worldwide.

CEO Wayne Bebb resigned at the end of 2017 after seven years at the helm and moved to England, where he is now the global MD of the Lee Cooper clothing brand, distributed in 110 countries.

Ian Hepplewhite, CEO of Prima Interactive — which distributes the highly successful Xbox as part of Deneb’s Branded Division — was given the added responsibility of running Brand ID. In its report following the year-end in March 2018 Deneb said: our branded sporting goods business has been placed under the control of

new management that has been working on discontinuing loss-making brands, improving operational efficiencies and effectiveness and optimising management structures.

The result of these initiatives has seen the break-even point drop significantly.

In July former adidas and ASICS SA MD Brian Kerby was appointed general manager, but he left after three months when he and Hepplewhite could not agree on a turnaround strategy.

For many retailers the announcement in the latest Deneb annual report that Brand ID is

among the four businesses for sale would not have come as a total shock. The others are Winelands Textiles, Frame Knitting Manufacturers and First Factory Shops.

Deneb listed the combined results of the four businesses whose assets and liabilities have been classified as held for sale as one entity. It is therefore not possible to determine how much Brand ID contributed to the losses reported for the four discontinuing operations, namely R108.19-m in 2018 and R78.18m in the 2019 financial year.

Recent changes in Brand ID distributorships SPEEDO, the swimwear brand that used to dominate local swim sales as the former official sponsor of Swimming SA, will be distributed by Performance Brands from January 2020. Worldwide the name Speedo has almost become a generic term for swimwear.

The global brand formed the basis for the formation of Brand ID in 2010, which was founded by Wayne Bebb as a spin-off from the Intimate Apparel manufacturing division closed by Seardel in 2009, with the objective to develop and market local and international brands.

“We are naturally disappointed to lose Speedo from our portfolio, but we are sure that the South African market will be well served by the experienced team at Performance Brands,” says Ian Hepplewhite, who took over as MD of Brand ID when Wayne Bebb left in December 2017.

Brand ID will continue to fulfil their obligations to Speedo until the end of 2019.

“We are delighted to be afforded the opportunity by Pentland to distribute Speedo,” says Stuart Young, CEO of Performance Brands. “We can offer more choice to our current customers and engage with new customers in this category, regardless of their size. We are working with Brand ID to ensure a seamless transition.”

Performance Brands became a subsidiary of Long4Life Ltd in November 2017. It is the wholesale arm of the Sport and Recreation division, which includes Sportsmans Warehouse and Outdoor Warehouse. The brands it currently distributes include First Ascent, Capestorm, African Nature and Second Skins.

Kingdom & Co partners Du Toit Botes, Corné Krige and Pieter Wasserfall are the new Canterbury and Mitre distributors. Photo: Carin Hardisty.

Familiar faces at Canterbury CANTERBURY and Mitre — also from the Pentland stable — will form the core of the new Kingdom & Co distributorship, headed by industry veteran Du Toit Botes, former Springbok captain Corné Krige and financier Pieter Wasserfall.

The new license agreements become official in January 2020, but the distributorship was recently launched at a function at the Pearl Valley Estate in Paarl, where the office will be located.

Botes has a long history with Canterbury as he headed the divisions responsible for Canterbury at Super-Brands as well as Brand ID (see opposite page). The relationship continued after he joined Genuine Connection

Promotions as Sales and Marketing Executive in 2017, as the company manufactured the brand’s teamwear for schools and clubs, as well as replica shirts.

“This close working relationship will continue,” says Botes, since they renegotiated to take over the remainder of most of the former South African sponsorship contracts.

A former Genuine Connection Promotions colleague, Andelé Jansen van Vuuren, will be responsible for Kingdom & Co’s sourcing.

The manufacturer will also be important to the third arm of their business, Your Label.

This will assist schools, clubs or retailers in creating their own private label brands.

Among the local teams Canterbury sponsors are the Sharks, Lions and Cheetahs. To p7

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

Brands on the

p6 :: Industry

Fila distributor moves THE FILA distributor in South Africa, 1721 Distributors, moved its showrooms and administration offices at the end of May this year. The new address is 25 Scott Street, Waverley, Johannesburg 2090.

Their telephone number remains the same, namely 011 630 4000.

Left: Laurence Slotsky of 1721 Distributors shows the new co-branding initiative of the Italian brands Fila and Vespa. Above: Bryanston High netball team members show off their Fila branded gear.

Fila forms interesting partnerships in South Africa ONE OF the mothers involved with the Bryanston High netball team was looking for some cool, rad branded apparel and accessories for the girls.

“Fila, being an original top sport heritage lifestyle and functional brand, was an obvious choice for the girls, who wanted to really look cool in a brand that is globally renowned and that has true aspirational value,” says Laurence Slotsky of 1721 Distributors, who supply Fila to the South African market.

“With the global equity strength Fila has, it

gives the team a sense of pride, confidence and encouragement.” They plan on rolling out this programme to selected other schools nationally.

The brand will also be launching a marketing campaign with Vespa for summer. “Fila and Vespa are both original authentic Italian heritage brands and they have teamed up to do co-op promotions and sponsorships,” explained Slotsky.

“Vespa has evolved from a single motor scooter manufactured in 1946 by Piaggio & Co in Pontedera, Italy, to the coolest hippest iconic

urban commuter global scooter brand that attracts modern sub-culture groups and style conscious people.”

Fila — which was established in 1911 in Biella, Italy, as a high end sportswear brand for athletes — “has become one of the most iconic heritage lifestyle sports brands for the fashion conscious youth,” he adds, explaining that the “co-op marketing partnership between the two companies who share the same Italian DNA was an obvious choice.”

Contact: 1721 Distribution Tel: 011 630 4000 marketing@1721.co.za

move Volcom sold SINCE Kering divested from PUMA in 2018 — when the Pinault family took control of the brand with 70% shares — the group has also been looking for a buyer for the US skate, surf and snowboard brand Volcom, which it acquired in 2011.

The American Authentic Brands Group (ABG) became the new owner of the brand’s intellectual property on April 1 this year. The sale includes about 100 Volcom stores across the world.

The current Volcom management team has acquired the operating license to continue developing the brand’s operations in the US, France, Australia and Japan.

ABG also owns brands like Prince (racket sport), and footwear brands Airwalk, Nautica, Nine West, among many others. It also has a retail presence in South Africa.

Industry :: p7

Brand ID changes cont. from p5 Like Canterbury, British brand Mitre is owned

by Pentland Brands in the UK, with whom Botes started negotiating for the South African distribution rights about six months ago. The brand, one of the oldest soccer brands and current supplier of the official FA Cup ball, was previously distributed by Legacy Sport and Leisure. It is also a former supplier of the official ball for Netball SA and the Netball World Cup. Botes first met Krige in 1999 when he accompanied the Springbok team to the World Cup in Wales as marketing manager for SARU ball supplier Gilbert. Long-time Stormers captain Krige also captained the Springboks from 2002 until the end of his international career in 2004. He now runs an outdoor advertising agency, CK Outdoor.

Wasserfall is MD of the SIX33 Group, which was responsible for the rescue and turnaround of the Pearl Valley Golf Estate over the past five years.

The group bases its investment decisions on finding the best people to run a world class venture that offers opportunities to vulnerable people, he says, and therefore decided to partner with Botes and Krige in Kingdom & Co, who said they would be actively involved in schools.

Mizuno finds new partner MIZUNO, the Japanese technical sports brand,

Contact: 1721 Distribution Tel: 011 630 4000 marketing@1721.co.za

will from Spring/Summer 2020 be distributed in South Africa by Pure Endurance, said the brand’s EMEA Export Manager, Stuart Dale, in a press release.

“The announcement will see an end to Mizuno’s current partnership with Brand ID,” he added.

“Pure Endurance has been building other technical brands in the South African market such as GU and 100% and we are delighted to be announcing this strategic partnership.”

The company distributes various products and accessories for endurance sports. Its founder, Dawid Visser, is a road and trial runner and triathlete with 25 years’ experience in the industry, mainly with ASICS SA. Brian Kerby, former ASICS and adidas SA MD, will be involved as a consultant.

“They have retail relationships in all key channels of the market and will improve not only our business reach, but retailer and consumer understanding of the Mizuno brand and our highly technical product ranges,” says Dale.

Mizuno believes there is a strong, long term growth potential for the brand in South Africa, especially in their core categories of running, indoor (netball), soccer, rugby and tennis.

Founded in Osaka in 1906, Mizuno now has international offices in Rotterdam, Munich, Paris, London, Barcelona and Turin.

p8 :: Industry

Brands moving

Above: Luis Suarez welcomes PUMA as the new La Liga sponsor.

Right: The Borussia Dortmund jersey with its commemorative message in the collar.

Far right: City Football Group CEO Ferran Soriano with PUMA CEO Bjørn Gulden.

PUMA grows its soccer footprint with new sponsorships PUMA IS making big inroads in the European and UK soccer world: this year the brand signed new sponsorship deals with PSL winners Manchester City and it will be La Liga’s new official technical partner starting from the 2019/20 season.

Nike had been La Liga’s supplier for 23 years and was also Manchester City’s ex-sponsor.

According to the agreement, PUMA will supply the official match ball for all games in the top Spanish leagues (La Liga Santander and La Liga 1|2|3). “The ball is the most essential element in football, this sponsorship is the epitome of performance,” says Johan Adamsson, PUMA’s Director of Sports Marketing.

“La Liga has some of the world’s best teams and players and this is another step in our efforts to achieve No Football without PUMA and it ensures an even stronger global reach for our brand.”

La Liga is said to have a total of 2.7-bn viewers across 183 countries per year.

“It is an honour for an historical sports brand like PUMA, that dresses great teams, important sportsmen and recognized artists, to want to associate with La Liga, the best football national league in the world, and contribute all its technical quality to our ball, which is such an important element of our competition,” says Juan Carlos Díaz, La Liga’s Marketing and Commercial Director.

New Valencia partnership PUMA also sponsors two new clubs in this league: Girona FC and Valencia CF — the latter from the 2019/20 season. The brand and club aren’t strangers though: PUMA was previously Valencia’s sponsor from 1990 to 1993.

Valencia CF celebrates its centenary this year and is among the highest title-winning clubs in Spain. Their achievements include six La Liga titles, seven Copa del Rey, three UEFA Cup and a UEFA Cup Winners Cup. “We are proud to be the new partner of Valencia CF, a club with a great tradition that has some of the most passionate fans,” says Adamsson.

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

New Manchester City supplier PUMA became the new official supplier for Manchester City as well as its sister clubs Melbourne City FC, Girona FC, Club Atlético Torque and Sichuan Jiuniu FC after signing a global long-term partnership with their owner City Football Group. PUMA supplies all the representative teams in these clubs (men’s, women’s and youth).

This is PUMA’s biggest deal yet, says Bjørn Gulden, CEO of PUMA. “We look forward to building the most innovative partnership in football by redefining the sports partnership model both on and off the pitch. We want to maximise on-field performance as well as football culture, in areas such as music, gaming and fashion to connect and inspire the fanbase of each team.”

This announcement marks the start of an exciting new chapter for City Football Group, said Ferran Soriano, CEO of the Group.

PUMA is also a partner of other top clubs like Arsenal, AC Milan, Olympique de Marseille, Palmeiras, Club Deportivo Guadalajara (Chivas) and Borussia Dortmund.

Above: Some of Valencia FC’s new supporter wear from PUMA. Below: Barcelona defender Samuel Umitit takes a selfie with his new PUMA Future boot.

Borussia Dortmund anniversary kit Borussia Dortmund’s new home kit has been specially designed to commemorate the club’s 110th year anniversary and PUMA combined traditional and modern elements for a clean, classic look with modern graphics.

The neck label also pays homage with the following text: 110 Jahre. Gestern. Heute.

Morgen. Für Immer Borussia Dortmund (110 years. Yesterday. Today. Tomorrow. For ever Borussia Dortmund).

The home shirt features PUMA’s dryCELL technology, with moisture wicking properties to keep the body feeling dry, even during strenuous exercise.

Other details include the woven BVB and embossed PUMA logos on the front of the shirt.

The brand’s latest player signing is with Barcelona FC’s defender, Samuel Umtiti, who plays in the PUMA Future boot and joins the

likes of Antoine Griezmann, David Silva, Sergio Aguero, Romelu Lukaku and Luis Suarez as PUMA sponsored players.

Industry :: p9

Inov8 gets new distributor MOUNTAIN VENTURES is the new South African distributor of Inov8, the UK brand that will be revolutionising outdoor footwear soles with its new Graphene technology, predicts Leo Rust. The company, a subsidiary of the Branded Footwear and Clothing Company, acquired the Inov8 distribution rights in the beginning of the year and has already received its first shipment.

Rebel Elite Fitness was the former distributor in South Africa.

Rust has a strong history in outdoor footwear and clothing distribution, as well as trail runner and mountaineer. Around the turn of the century he worked for the now-defunct Outward Ventures, which pioneered outdoor brand distribution in South Africa, and later joined Capestorm, when it was still a standalone brand with its own retail stores.

He then joined Adventure Inc as sales manager for about ten years until the end of December 2017.

In between, Rust had managed the indoor climbing venue CityROCK and last year started his own business as life coach (he has a degree in psychology) and mountaineering guide.

Since it was founded as a minimalist trail running shoe brand by Zimbabwean-born engineer Wayne Edy in the UK in 2003, Inov8 has considerably expanded its product offering and distribution to more than 60 countries. It now produces premium trail running, hiking and fitness footwear and accompanying apparel and equipment, says Rust, who hopes to

As a qualified mountaineering guide and keen runner with a strong history in the industry, Leo Rust understands the needs of the customers who will be interested in the new sole technology introduced by Inov8.

establish Inov8 as a top competitor in the trail running scene in South Africa.

“This will be a long, slow, process as building retailer confidence is key,” he says. “Our policy as a distributor is to not sell directly to the public and primarily build relationships with specialist retailers who have a core following of trail enthusiasts.” They will also be targeting obstacle race (OCR) and training enthusiasts with specialist products.

Rust is especially excited about the revolutionary new Graphene sole from Inov8 that “delivers the world’s toughest grip”. It was developed in 2018 with the help of the University of Manchester, who won a Nobel Prize in 2010 for their ground-breaking experiments with graphene, which they began extracting from graphite in 2004.

Wilson offers equal prize purse for tennis THE GOLF RACKET directors Brad and Brett Summers announced the biggest ever prize money purse of R150 000 for the 2019 Wilson Tennis Challenge, which was played at the Gauteng East Tennis Centre in Lakefield, Benoni, from 31 May – 09 June. This is an increase of R50 000 from last year.

As part of the prize purse increase the tournament will now award equal prize money to men’s and women’s events from the 2019 season onwards. Men’s and women’s winners both receive R20 000 and so it continues all the way down to the round of 16. The women’s doubles event was also increased to bring it in line with the men.

“Sponsoring the Wilson tournament is our way of giving back to the sport which has been very good to our family over the years and we will continue to sponsor the event,” Brad Summers said. “We have seen the tournament grow from strength to strength and have decided that it is time the prize money kept pace. In line with being the leading brand in tennis, our vision is to make the Wilson tournament the best on the South African calendar.”

The tournament once again catered for juniors (boys and girls under 14) as well as men’s and women’s open categories. The juniors and women’s singles events were 32 draws and the men’s event a 64 draw.

There was also be a doubles event for both men and women.

“Previously athletes had to choose between a sticky rubber that works well in wet or sweaty conditions, but wears down quicker, and a harder rubber that is more durable but not quite as grippy,” the brand says on its website.

According to one of the University of Manchester scientists by “Using graphene we have developed G-SERIES outsole rubbers that are scientifically tested to be 50% stronger, 50% more elastic and 50% harder wearing.”

Although the Japanese sportswear manufacturer Descente acquired Inov8 in August 2015, founder Wayne Edy is still in charge of product innovation.

Descente, an 80-year old Japanese company, owns several sportswear brands like Le Coq Sportif, Arena, Umbro, Ryka, Marmot etc.

Olympic sponsors hockey...

OLYMPIC INTERNATIONAL has renewed its partnership with the South African Hockey Association. “Our association has grown the awareness around the improved technical capabilities of our sport shoes, specifically hockey, but also the other disciplines such as cycling, netball, soccer and track,” says Stuart Hopwood, Group Head of Marketing at Bolton Footwear, which distributes the brand.

Due to the nature of the game, hockey shoes need to offer cushioning, grip, support and a good fit. To make sure it offers the best for players, Enforcer, Olympic International’s hockey shoe, has been tested by some of the country’s best hockey players and the brand has taken their recommendations to heart, he adds.

... and introduces the Galaxy 2 trainer The Galaxy 2 is a stylish ladies trainer to get you going both indoors and out, says Hopwood.

“The upper is a light, breathable woven mesh with a HF welded heel area for strength and better support and a stitched toe protector. We have used colour matching eyelets to prevent any tearing on the upper,” he adds.

Padding in the collar area adds support and comfort. The strobel construction — no insole, with the upper stuck directly to the sole — provides better flex and added comfort, which is enhanced by the removable inner sock with EVA. The sole is lightweight and strong, with a grey midsole providing cushioning and the outsole has an aggressive tread pattern for better grip on all surfaces.

It has a colour coded stabilizer to aid support and a speckle paint appearance for shelf appeal.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p10 :: Industry

Companies

Why ex-Tekkie Town owners believe they’ll get it back They argued that they were concerned because Steinhoff/ Pepkor was in dire need of funds and had declared that it will sell non-core assets — a process that Former Tekkie Town shareholders Dawie van Niekerk, Braam van had already started with the sale Huyssteen and Bernard Mostert outside court. of Kap and Unitrans earlier this year. Mostert said they believe WHEN THE precarious state of the Steinhoff finances became apparent from the amended Tekkie Town is in danger of being sold because FY 2017 financial results published at midnight it is a profitable non-core asset.

In the affidavit Mostert also gives a detailed as voting day 2019 dawned, some former Tekkie Town shareholders must have sighed with description of the events leading up to the relief: mere days before the publication the swopping of Tekkie Town shares for Steinhoff Cape High Court had granted their urgent in- shares. For example, “I raised the question of terdict to prevent Pepkor or Steinhoff from a due diligence enquiry into first respondent dealing in, or disposing of, any shares or assets (Steinhoff).

Mr [Markus] Jooste’s response was that such that could have an impact on Tekkie Town.

In a 33-page affidavit former CEO Bernard would not be necessary since the full finanMostert explained that they wished to protect cial status of the first respondent was obliged Tekkie Town and its assets so that it has value to be disclosed as part of its prospectus for when they approach the court to have the the forthcoming listing of the company on deal in which Steinhoff acquired the 230-store the Frankfurt Stock Exchange (FSE) and that a copy of such prospectus would be provided to chain at the end of October 2016 overturned.

He used the legal term res litigiosa to de- the fourth respondent’s (Tekkie Town) sharescribe the pre-emptive action by which they holders.

For the same reason the first respondent wanted to make sure that should the business be sold the purchaser is bound by the judg- (Steinhoff) argued that a warranty of the correctness of its published financial statements ment in the action.

was unnecessary.

And now we all know how untrue that was.

The former shareholders also list several misrepresentations of the company’s share value

by Steinhoff and Jooste, which they believe justifies their application to the court to have the deal declared invalid. And return Tekkie Town to its former shareholders — or alternatively award them R1.8-bn compensation.

The publication of Steinhoff’s 2017 results clarified several aspects of this ongoing legal battle between the former owners of Tekkie Town and Pepkor/Steinhoff, which will culminate in the court case to decide whether Braam van Huyssteen and his co-shareholders were swindled when Markus Jooste and Steinhoff became the new owners of the once-successful chain (see p46).

• The financial results clarify why van Huyssteen is so confident that Tekkie Town would be returned to him because, as he claims, the share-swap agreement concluded in October 2016 was fraudulent — probably the politest way of describing this transaction in which Markus Jooste/Steinhoff acquired R3.3-bn worth of Tekkie Town shares to gain 100% ownership of the successful chain … for an effective R86-m, or 43-m To p11

Falke subscribes to ethical trading code principals A WORLD where all workers are free from exploitation and discrimination and enjoy conditions of freedom, security and equity are values that local manufacturer Falke subscribe to, says financial manager Theunis Naude.

The Cape Town manufacturer therefore committed to the Ethical Trading Initiative (ETI) Base Code developed by companies, trade unions, NGOs and the International Labour Organisation to promote respect for workers’ rights globally.

The nine principles of the code 1. Employment is freely chosen and there is no forced, bonded or involuntary prison labour and workers are not required to lodge deposits or their identity papers with their employer and are free to leave their employer after reasonable notice; 2. Freedom of association — including the joining or formation of a trade union of choice — and the right to collective bargaining are respected 3. Working conditions are safe and hygienic, which includes access to clean toilet facilities and to potable water; 4. Child labour shall not be used and young people under 18 shall not be employed at night or in hazardous conditions; 5. Living wages are paid and meet, at a minimum, national legal standards or industry benchmark standards, whichever is higher.

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

All workers shall be provided with written and understandable information about their employment conditions in respect to wages before they enter employment. Deductions from wages as a disciplinary measure shall not be permitted, nor shall any deductions from wages not provided for by national law be permitted without the expressed permis-

sion of the worker concerned; 6. Working hours are not excessive and must comply with national laws and collective agreements, whichever affords the greater protection for workers. Working hours, excluding overtime, shall be defined by contract, and shall not exceed 48 hours per week. All overtime shall be voluntary and shall always be compensated at a premium rate, which is recommended to be not less than 125% of the regular rate of pay. The total hours worked in any seven day period shall not exceed 60 hours, except in exceptional circumstances; 7. No discrimination is practiced when hiring, in compensation, access to training, promotion, termination or retirement; 8. Regular employment is provided and obligations to employees under labour or social security laws and regulations arising from the regular employment relationship shall not be avoided through the use of labour-only contracting, sub-contracting, or home-working arrangements, or through apprenticeship schemes where there is no real intent to impart skills or provide regular employment; 9. No harsh or inhumane treatment is allowed, which include physical abuse or discipline, the threat of physical abuse, sexual or other harassment and verbal abuse or other forms of intimidation shall be prohibited.

Industry :: p11

on the move

Steinhoff shares now worth R2 each. And claiming it was an equal trade.

• This explains why Steinhoff wants former CEO Markus Jooste joined as a third party in this forthcoming court case. We went to print before the deadline date for Jooste to respond to the summons, which could result in him being held responsible for all claims.

• It is also highly unlikely that Van Huyssteen would have sold Tekkie Town to the debtridden retail chain Steinhoff now emerges to have been at the end of 2016 — instead of the world’s 72th biggest retailer and the 6th fastest growing retailer worth $25-bn, as recorded in Deloitte’s The Global Powers of Retailing 2017 report.

“Steinhoff is R140-bn in debt — how can they survive?” asked author of Steinheist, Rob Rose, after the publications of the amended Steinhoff results for FY2017. In an interview on the Classic Business Show on Fine Music Radio he also pointed out that the company has assets it can sell, like a 71% stake in Pepkor … home to Tekkie Town.

“The company’s current liabilities are more than the current assets and there is massive doubt as to whether it can remain a going concern,” agrees financial analyst Peter Armitage, founder of Anchor Capital.

W.E.T. Sports catalogue celebrates its 35 Years W.E.T. Sports is celebrating their 35th anniversary this year. The design on their catalogues to mark the occasion is intended to thank all their customers for their support over the past 35 years.

To commemorate the occasion they have lots planned for the middle of the year and the underwater and fishing catalogues will be launched at the Fishing Tackle Shows in August.

If you have not received your 35th Anniversary Sports Catalogue in the mail yet, please contact the W.E.T. Sports office so that they can get a copy to you.

“Sadly, in my opinion, there is no value left.

The extent of the frauds and consequent impact on the financials is finally quantified — a staggering total balance sheet reduction of R246-bn or R57 per share,” he continues.

Apart from painting a far more dismal picture of the extent of the falsified profits, manipulated accounts and irregular transactions

than anticipated, Steinhoff’s financial results also raise new avenues of enquiry.

For example, how come board members never questioned any of the transactions Markus Jooste so recklessly entered into on their behalf? Or when he acted against the interests of Steinhoff when he awarded himself a R32-m irregular bonus?

W.E.T. Sports Importers

star For Quality Products and Service SINCE 1984 Phone 021-9488150 email sales@wetsports.co.za or go to www.wetsports.co.za

p12 :: Apparel & Footwear

The appointment of the experienced Michael Brown as country manager for Brandfolio SA, has heralded the start of a new phase for the distribution of Skechers in South Africa.

Photo: Nicol du Toit

B

Skechers steps up in South Africa

randfolio SA, the South African distributors of Skechers, has entered a new era in South Africa with the appointment of Michael Brown as country manager. Three years ago, when the Dubai-based distributor of Skechers in the Middle East, Northern Africa and CIS (Russia and its former satellite states) added South Africa to its portfolio, Ahmed Habib was appointed to set up the local distributing operation.

“But, it was always meant to be a temporary appointment until the distribution of Skechers is well established, and we’ve accomplished that,” said the soft-spoken Habib before he left the company at the end of February to join his family’s retail business.

During his time Skechers’ unique distribution strategy became the talk of the industry: at their first mini-trade show they showed retailers 1 600 SKUs across 19 categories from which they could choose their own range that would be completely different from any other retailer’s. This was a completely novel concept for retailers used to brands showing them a narrow band of products they were allowed to choose from.

“Even a Skechers standalone store cannot stock more than 300-450 SKUs, and here we show 1 600 SKUs so that a retailer can select a range that will even be a completely different selection to the Skechers brand store,” Brand Folio LLC owner Roy Gomez said at the time.

They subsequently opened offices in Johannesburg and Cape Town where retailers can view the more than a thousand SKUs across

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

I understand how the business works, I understand the consumer, and I understand the brand positioning of product product categories that include men’s and women’s lifestyle and fashion, urban wear, outdoor, performance running and walking, golf, kids, sandals etc. And that’s for every quarter.

“Skechers is a brand that is on fire the world over, and our numbers have proved that every quarter,” says Gomez. It therefore now also wants to ramp up distribution to a new level in South Africa, which would involve product tiering.

“We’re glad to have Mike on board, who brings in vast industry experience. With the upcoming range and the product tiering tactics, we’re planning a deeper penetration into the South African market, which Mike and his team will be pushing forward.”

Skechers will aim to form partnerships with key retailers, says Brown, who joined the local distributorship in mid-January, and indeed has loads of experience in the industry.

His career in the brands industry started in 1995 when he joined Levi Strauss, where he worked 13 years before joining Nike in Cape Town. Promotion required a move to Nike SA’s head office in Johannesburg, where he joined

Skye Distribution between 2014 and 2016 before returning to Nike where he was given the responsibility of establishing the Nike store in Sandton and to manage their flagship retail concept stores.

More recently he was appointed general manager of Nike in Nigeria, based in Lagos for two years, before returning to Cape Town to consult for Nike International’s main distributor into Africa.

In December last year he was appointed sales manager for Skechers, before stepping into Habib’s shoes as country manager.

“I understand how the business works, I understand the consumer, and I understand the brand positioning of product,” he says with enthusiasm. “Skechers has a lot to offer and I’ll help them do that.”

He acknowledges that independents are brand builders, but to do justice to a brand it has to form partnerships with retailers that gives it more of a presence.

“The solution is to be much more focused in the assortment you bring to market. We’re now looking at offering our products in a more structured format. Skechers has a vast product offering and we will now tier the range, so as to provide different customers an easier route to assort their product. When it comes to South Africa, there is a lot of unlearning in terms of what Skechers stands for.

“Today we have a range for every age group and every type of customer, and in order to understand and serve our customers better, this product tiering will be helpful.

Apparel & Footwear :: p13

“For example — if your store is targeted at the youth culture who are fashion conscious, we will help assort your products in a more streamlined fashion,” says Brown Another feature of the Skechers distribution model that has endeared the brand to independents was that they could place small orders of a specific style they deemed suitable for their customers. The fact that Brand Folio operates successfully in so many countries means that the company can place a combined order from all retailers from Dubai, whether they individually order big or small, and then just distribute the orders internally.

“Due to the above-mentioned product tiering, we will now place large orders directly through the factory. However, we will not be ruling out the shipment from Dubai option.

“It is one of our key strengths to ship from Dubai, especially when orders are for a smaller quantity, but since we’re looking at growing the business and are expecting big orders from key retail partners, these styles will be sourced from the factory directly. In instances where our retail partners can meet the factory minimums we will ship directly to South Africa.”

This will enable them to deliver big orders “even faster and better than we have in the past so as to make the most of the Skechers product offering and growth in the South African market.”

Skechers has strong presence at marathons SKECHERS PERFORMANCE will this year show their support of the Standard Bank Ironman African Championship as sponsor for the third year in succession. And at the end of March the brand was the title sponsor of the Los Angeles Marathon for the fourth time.

At the Ironman events the Skechers booth at the expos, held on the three days before the race, attracts many athletes interested to learn more about the latest developments in the Skechers performance range. Locally, the Forza 3 was a favourite amongst the triathletes, followed by the GORun Ride 7. The GOWalk Joy and GOWalk Max were also popular with the Expo shoppers and visitors. Above right Waseem Mayet of Brandfolio in Johannesburg chats to visitors.

The Skechers Performance ambassadors also performed well in their divisions. At the Nelson Mandela Bay Ironman Travis Johnson (above left) came 7th in his division, Lynette Fischer came 4th in her division, Ewert Kleynhans came 3rd in his division and Eulali Gouws (above middle) finished 5th in her division Skechers Performance was also the title sponsor of the 2019 Los Angeles Marathon at the end of March, where it offered exclusive race-branded merchandise to runners as well as fans throughout the race weekend. This was Skechers Performance’s fourth year as title sponsor of the event.

“We are proud to host more than 24 000 runners from across the United States and more than 60 countries, who will join us in bringing this monumental event to life,” Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers, said prior to the event. “From first-time marathoners to seasoned runners and elite athletes to all the fans and supporters, we look forward to the camaraderie and enthusiasm that this race creates for Southern California.”

Visitors had the opportunity to meet the 2016 and 2018 marathon winner Weldon Kirui and fourtime Olympian Meb Keflezighi at the Skechers Performance booth at the Health & Fitness Expo in the Los Angeles Convention Center, where Keflezighi signed copies of his new inspirational book, 26 Marathons: What I've Learned About Faith, Identity, Running, and Life From Each Marathon I’ve Run. A collection of exclusive race-themed and inspired Skechers footwear and apparel were also on sale at the Expo. Influenced by the colours of LA’s top sports teams, the collection includes limited edition pairs of Skechers GORun Forza 3 and Skechers GORun Ride 7.

The award-winning Skechers GO RUN Razor 3 Hyper, featuring the innovative Hyper Burst midsole also made its debut on the stand in a new colour and with new training and racing style features (see p27).

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p14 :: Apparel & Footwear

SwimEEZY helps SA sportswear brands to compete

S

outh African manufacturer SwimEEZY has over 25 years experience in the manufacturing of swim- and cyclewear.

They therefore know from experience that the first step in creating quality performance garments is the selection of the best technical fabric available.

As a manufacturer they have always chosen either local or Italian fabrics for their ranges.

Following the closure of so many South African mills, they continued importing performance fabrics from Italy.

Over the past few years their focus has, however, shifted from manufacturing to importing and distributing fabrics and trims from a number of fabric mills for other manufacturers.

They have long-established relationships with these mills and an intimate understanding of the types of fabrics that work best in the South African market.

“The main challenge for local brands and manufacturers is to source specialised fabrics for their applications at the lowest possible cost,” says SwimEEZY owner Sheelagh Constan-Tatos.

It’s obvious: without the basis of quality fabrics, local manufacturers cannot produce garments that can compete with imported products — especially technical performance clothing.

“While suppliers from the East have always been willing to help, their minimum volumes have made it difficult for the smaller boutique manufacturers, and their quality has rarely been consistent.”

There are many reasons for this variation in quality, which can create big problems for a local manufacturer.

The main reason is that a local company will deal with agents in the East that can source

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

Local manufacturers of sportand outdoor wear now also have access to the quality performance fabrics that give top international brands a competitive edge. A former swim- and cyclewear manufacturer now provides cutting edge fabrics to South African performance garment manufacturers — even small boutique factories with limited production — at an affordable price

the same specification fabric from multiple production facilities, she explains. “One can never be sure that a batch ordered today will be the same when reordering in the future.”

This is where Italian manufacturers excel, she adds.

“Their prices may be higher, but as a manufacturer that has invested time and money into developing a product, the extra cost is justified in knowing that the quality is both high and consistent.”

Italians are also at the cutting edge of fabric technology, developing new products and fashionable colours and styles. Many of the factories are now offering recycled raw materials in their production process, which satisfies the growing demand for more sustainable manufacturing.

Performance fabric features are 4-way stretch, with high recovery, top abrasion resistance, outstanding moisture management, breathable and fast absorbing, high UV protection rate These were the deciding factors for ConstanTatos when she transformed the former Gauteng manufacturing company into an ordering and shipping service for local manufacturers.

“As you can appreciate, there are many different colours and technical qualities, making it extremely difficult to justify a stock service,” she explains.

Constan-Tatos therefore developed a system of monthly air freight shipments, where her customers can even order a single roll of fabric

that arrives within two weeks — but had been shipped economically.

The pricing model has also been fine-tuned so that she can charge the customer the actual cost of the fabric, a share of the shipping cost, plus a small handling fee. This makes it more cost effective and requires less admin than when a manufacturer imports on its own.

She also holds catalogues and header cards for quick reference and samples can be ordered on request.

Some of the fast-moving lines, particularly popular black lycra and the white PFP (prepared for printing) ranges, are held in stock to offer quick delivery for clients that may need this service.

There are various prestigious Italian mills Constan-Tatos regularly orders from.

Miti Spa Established almost 90 years ago in 1931, the Miti mill is still managed by the Polli family. It has always been at the forefront of innovation in warp knit fabrics and now boasts a varied range for performance sports-, fashion- and activewear, as well as industrial and medical applications.

“Of particular interest to our market is their range of printable and structured fabrics for the performance sportswear market, especially cycling and triathlon,” says Constan-Tatos.

Miti supplies fabric to most of the top European brands in these sectors and the same fabrics are now also available to South African manufacturers through their sole South African distributor, SwimEEZY.

Carvico and Jersey Lomellina Carvico was established in 1962 by Giusseppe Colnaghi and is now one of the largest suppli-

Apparel & Footwear :: p15

Opposite page: SwimEEZY imports performance fabrics with Greensoul certification from the Miti factory. This means that the manufacturers use 100% sustainable recycled fibers and employ the most environmentally friendly dyeing and finishing processes.

Left: Sheelagh Constan-Tatos saw the need for quality performance fabric to enable local manufacturers to compete with imported sportswear.

Above: the Vagotex factory produces highly technical Windtex membranes that are windand waterproof, yet breathable and moisture wicking and these are now also available to South African manufacturers.

ers of warp knit fabrics, boasting a wide range of fabric types and colour ranges for swimwear, underwear, sportswear and outerwear.

Jersey Lomellina is a sister company of Carvico and was established in 1977 to produce circular knit fabrics.

“It quickly became a market leader in underwear, beachwear and leisure fabrics,” explains Constan-Tatos.

By phasing out cotton products to focus on the use of the more versatile microfibre, JL has been able to satisfy a wider range of customers — from those in the sportswear market to the most adventurous trend setters, she adds.

The white PFP fabrics suitable for printing is especially popular in South Africa, particularly for the cyclewear market.

The Darwin range is now also popular for endurance swimwear. It is free of lycra/spandex and instead uses chlorine-resistant PBT polyester and an unique construction to give stretch without the elastic fabrics that deteriorate in high chlorine environments.

For more technical sports applications, the Revolutional range offers high compression, thin and flat fabrics, with water-repelling properties.

Sustainable manufacturing In line with current industry trends and consumer demands Miti has a strong focus on the sustainable use of resources and has pioneered the #Greenperforming challenge.

Since 2010 the mill has reduced water consumption by 17% per kg of fabric produced, a 34% reduction in CO2 emissions and is a certified member of the Bluesign® Group. The range of fabrics carries Greensoul certification, enabling brands to improve their sustainable ranking and communicate this to their customers.

Other features of their performance fabrics are the 4-way stretch it offers, with high recovery, top abrasion resistance, outstanding moisture management, breathable and fast absorbing, high UV protection rates and with brushback options for winter season fabrics, says Constan-Tatos.

“Furthermore, printable versions of fabrics are available for customisation and printing of team and club kits that match the technical properties of high end off-the-shelf sportswear.”

Windtex windproof or waterproof Windtex is a brand from Vagotex, an Italian manufacturer that specialises in the lamination of fabrics to achieve special technical properties like wind- and waterproofing, breathability and temperature control.

It would typically source fabrics from the above factories and laminate them, sometimes with a special polyurethane membrane to provide the protection features so necessary in sportswear worn in foul weather.

This membrane is a light, incredibly versatile polymer that has millions of micropores per square centimetre, which block the wind but, as they are many times larger than water vapour molecules, allow moisture to escape unhindered, explains Constan-Tatos.

The performance features of the fabric are enhanced by the selection of the outer and inner fabrics: a special tough outer fabric or stretch fabric can be selected for the outside, with a soft or fleece layer inside for comfort and improved moisture wicking properties.

The end result is a wind- and water-proof fabric that is highly breathable. Most Windtex fabrics are also printable.

Many high-end cycling, outdoor and mountain climbing garments are made using Wind-

tex, and this technological fabric is now available locally through its sole distributor, SwimEEZY. “Minimum orders of even one roll can be placed and sampling may also be ordered on request,” says Constan-Tatos.

The lightweight performance Windtex fabrics will be ideally suited for creating clothing and footwear for wildlife conservationists, the military, and industrial use — providing these industries an alternative to the low performance fabrics traditionally used for the manufacturing of uniforms.

“South Africa has the ability to become a major supplier in these sectors and Windtex’s printable range allows camouflage wear to be easily produced with comfortable and functional fabrics for all weather conditions,” she says.”

MARC accessories This company produces specialised elastic bands and tapes and accessories for the sportswear market. A popular product line is printable elastic silicone gripper tapes for cycling and sporting garments, which can be supplied in a variety of widths. The 45mm and 70mm widths are the most popular. The silicone part is printed onto the inner surface and can be ordered in the generic dots layout, or can be custom printed with the client’s logo.

“The outer surface can be printed with the usual sublimation process, or the fabric can be ordered in solid colours if one wants to avoid printing,” says Constan-Tatos.

SwimEEZY also represent Nicolini & Dolomiti cycle padding — these manufacturers of high end cycle padding use top technical fabrics speciality foam, gels and production methods to form seamless and anatomically shaped cycle padding.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p16 :: Apparel & Footwear

Cool swimwear trends

Moss green is teamed with dark blue and white by Lee Mathews.

S

Aegean Sea is the dominant colour on this swimsuit by Zeus + Dione.

white, and shades of blue.

Aegean Sea (Pantone 19-4052 TPX) lends a retro sporty touch to swimwear. It’s used in contrasting panels with white, red, yellow and lighter tones of blue.

Eye Blue (Pantone 14-4311 TPX) is a lighter, pastel shade of blue that also has a brightening effect on the skin. It too has a sporty feel, but it’s softer and not as bold a colour. It is, however, often contrasted with colours such as vibrant orange and pink (for a girly feel), as well as neutrals and black.

Hand sketched graphics of human silhouettes in simple lines are used in all-over patterns on simplistic swimwear styles.

A two pie ce in Eye Blue by S eafolly.

ummer time is swimming weather. This season is associated with warmth, but summer 2020’s swimwear will see cooler tones dominating the water side.

The cool tones of soft greens are refreshing and modern compared to the past trends where brights were used in bikinis and greys in swimsuits, says Pop Fashion.

Shoal green (Pantone 154707 TCX) brightens the skin and is a good colour for sporty styles. It’s mainly used on its own, in colour blocks with one or two other colours, or accented by a contrasting colour.

The dark moss green (Pantone 176069 TCX) hankers back to the surfing culture and coastal cities of the 80s. It lends a retro look to swimsuits and bikinis, often used with

Valentino paired a shoal green bikini top with white bottoms.

Vintage inspiration Vintage 70s prints and patterns will make their appearance in summer 2020’s swimwear, predicts Pop Fashion. “Maximalism prevails, combining the vintage influences of the 1970s and contemporary bold motifs.”

Expect to see stripes, big flower patterns with a hand-drawn look, tropical prints and animal skin prints. This trend features low saturated colours.

In contrast to the big bold prints is mini-patterns — small prints used all over the swimwear. They are modern with a youthful edge and used with bright colours and simple silhouettes.

Tropical by design

Lines are important details among the summer 2020 swimwear prints and wavy edges add a newness to the look.

Swimsuit by Aerie.

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

Prints and patterns bring a freshness to the tropical beach image. Tropical prints (in bold tropical colours) are an alternative to 70s flowers.

Tropical leaves, flowers and fruit form strong focus on 2020’s swimwear. Colourful fruit prints and youth- and playful.

Oversized leaf and flower prints in flat designs have commercial appeal.

Swimsuit by Oioba.

Retro prints Colour blocking makes its mark in 2020’s swimwear styles to create a sporty retro look. Designers use off-kilter positioning to create a new feeling that will appeal to fitness Millennials.

Check patterns are fashionable again and combine nostalgia with modernity for a fresh look.

Vintage flower patterns. Swimwear by Dodo Bar.

Expect bright sports gear

T

he athletic wear and gear that will be introduced in spring/summer 2021 promises to be bright and cheery, according to the latest ISPO Textrends colour palettes.

The Core palette features cheery tones from subtly playful to giddy new levels, says ISPO. It provides the base for the satellite palettes, using black, white and cool grays as keys to creating the season’s collections.

“The colour palettes also take on board the shift in the sports and outdoors sector in terms of performance and appeal,” says ISPO. “The season’s sports range from running to swimming, surfing and SUPing, to street-tobeach as well as a surge in the fitness sector and urban cross over. Other key aspects that embrace the season include travelwear and outdoors, from apparel

to equipment.”

The tones can be used in solids or as trims, or used in combination with the regular base colour offering, they believe they will create collections that will appeal to the consumer.

The colours in the Mystique palette are softer and will work with a natural matte nuance through to membrane technologies in a range of shiny tones. The soft and gentle appearance of this palette is deceptive, as the fabrics used will be strong in performance, says ISPO. “This is going to be a hit for outdoor fabrics from soft wovens with bi-stretch through to super-light brilliant membrane

Oceana

14-5718 13-5313 16-2126 15-4305 16-1542 TPX TPX TPX TPX TPX

Winter 2021 colour trends M

indfulness, which has been a significant factor in various trends and lifestyle movements over the past few years, continues its influence — this time in Pantone’s forecast for winter 2021. The colours will create a calming feeling of being at home, says the colour company.

In a polarizing, destabilised world that is increasingly unpredictable, consumers seek a space that will give them a feeling of comfort and calm, says Pantone. This space isn’t necessarily physical either. “We all have an idyllic way of looking at home,” says Laurie Pressman, vice president of Pantone Color Institute. “It’s a refuge, a safe space, a place that helps you flourish and be ourselves.”

Warm shades of brown and earthy mineral shades of blue and green create a comforting feeling. It’s a mix of rich, saturated shades and strong, modern pastels with muted, natural colours.

Brown is a significant colour for winter 2021, and is used in three forms: warm and milky, bitter and cold, and inspired by nature.

Other colours that are inspired by nature include peach, orange and red-tinted hues, as well as camel. There’s not a lot of yellow, but what there is, is used to add warmth, and buttery ecru tones are used to create a contemporary style such as to contrast neon.

Pinks continue to be on trend, but are vivid and bright.

A variety of greens can be seen in this trend (technical acid, mineral tones, khaki, toned down seaweed greens) and neon is used as a companion colour to natural green and taupe.

There is also a move towards mixing artificial and natural colours, currently seen in fashion couture collections, that reflects how our online and offline lives are colliding.

Digital and offline worlds collide In the gaming world, in-game clothing that you can buy to customise your character has long been a status symbol, and recently, the first digital haute couture got sold at an auction — for $10 000. Building on the idea of digital fashion, moving into the sci-fi sphere, is the Threshold trend for winter 2021.

There is also a move towards mixing artificial and natural colours, currently seen in fashion couture collections, that reflects how our onand offline lives are colliding. “Humans are funny creatures. We build these machines, but now we’re upset its taking our jobs away,” says Lilly Berelovich, forecasting agency Fashion Snoops’ co-founder and president. “But instead it’s allowing us to leave behind the tedious jobs so we can focus on what we love.”

Apparel & Footwear :: p17

Colours that form part of Pantone’s 2021 forecast

Threshold touches on this feeling of weariness.

The days of Millenial pinks is over, adds Michael Fisher, Fashion Snoops vice president of men’s wear, who describes the trend and associated elements as Millennial blanding.

Threshold resets the system with a hacker attitude towards design.

As such, it features several colours associated with hacking in games and movies: yellow, fuchsia, silver, flat grey and industrial dark colours, with a synthetic green (appropriately named Circuit) at the core. Circuit represents nature and technology working together to teach and progress. It’s also used as a pop colour for classic neutrals, as well as with metallic finishes.

The overall aesthetic has a sleek futuristic appeal and metallic surfaces add towards this story that builds on the sophistication often seen in sci-fi depictions. The grittier side of sci-fi, however, is also included and adds a rebellious element to the trend.

Prints feature pixilation and optic breakdowns, as well as photo printed designs.

Materials such as industrial knits for support and compression and augmented synthetics with translucent or opaque finishes dominate Threshold.

and kit in 2021

Photos and images courtesy of ISPO.

also be incorporated in beach-tostreet collections as surfwear takes a more of a lifestyle direction.

As its name implies the colours in the Traditionalist palette has a sense of simplicity with the traditional black and dark blue teamed with some of the tones of the Core palette. These soft and grungy tones will be seen in multiple sectors. Look for this colour palette in aged denim: deceptively tough looking, yet sensual and soft, with strong performance features.

The bold and vibrant tones in the Sweetener palette creates a deliberate synthetic feel, which also portrays a sense of

outer-shells.”

In the Oceana palette rich tones complement natural colours for a vibrant look. The fresh, intense

look will work equally well in matte as in high level shine. An obvious use for this palette will be in the swimwear sector, but it will

Sweetener

Traditionalist

Mystique

19-4039 19-1757 13-0535 15-4825 17-2036 TPX TPX TPX TPX TPX

14-1113 14-1231 19-3839 12-2902 12-0715 TPX TPX TPX TPX TPX

12-4036 15-6315 15-2710 14-2710 15-4415 TPX TPX TPX TPX TPX

wellbeing. These fun and energetic colours are used in full or as trims in multiple sectors with the lustre ranging from matte to high shine glam, says ISPO. The award-winning products selected by an international jury of textile professionals from all products submitted for the 2021 season in these colour and trim offerings will be showcased by ISPO Textrends at OutDoor by ISPO (June 30th to July 3rd 2019 in Munich) as well as ISPO Shanghai (4-6 July 2019).

Core

16-1359 18-1561 TPX TPX

BLACK

WHITE

17-0836 16-1542 TPX TPX

18-4434 13-0858 13-4303 16-6340 TPX TPX TPX TPX

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p18 :: Apparel & Footwear

The changing face of denim

D

Dresses and jackets Denim’s not reserved for jeans:

Layered look by Natasha Zinko.

Mock waisted jeans by Natasha Zinko.

Up-turned cuffs by deepmoss.

the denim dress makes a re-appearance and it’s styled to show a waist, either purely via the cut or by wearing it with a belt.

The mid-length puffa jacket will be available in denim, while keeping its cosy quality.

Denim jackets can feature large parts made from plush, fuzzy fabrics for a functional and decorative touch.

main pant section, including using the pocket and waist design usually seen on the back of the jean for the front.

Folding the leg cuffs over isn’t new, but for winter 2021 expect to see designers incorporating this into the design as a permanent fixture, for example by attaching it in place to the leg of the pants or styling the inside of the cuff.

Patches of fabric are used as creative elements overlapping each other.

At other times they’re used to create geometric patterns.

Rips continue as a trend element, but at times different material is used below the rips, making it appear as though the rips are showing a hidden layer beneath the denim.

Pop Fashion also predicts a trend of adjustable knee areas:

splits, zippers, tattered holes, etc. They create a loose unisex silhouette.

Different shades and treatments of denim are used on the same apparel item, which create an updated look.

There’s also the use of insideout denim, which creates a heavy washing effect. This is used with bold cuts to create new styles.

Denim and sport Denim’s not exactly thought of as a sporty look, but in winter 2021 sportswear and denim are mixed together to create an athleisure denim look (right).

Look for jackets and jeans with sporty materials forming part of the design.

Details

Denim puffa jacket by UnravelProject.

Designers play around with mock two-waist styles on jeans. Catwalks featured different coloured or styled waists compared to the

Martine Rose.

enim is a staple-product in many consumers’ wardrobe, which makes it an important item for fashion stores and brands. Streetwear, layers, new ways of using existing jean styles … these are some of the influences for winter 2021 ladies’ denim items, predicts the trend forecaster Pop Fashion.

A relaxed streetwear look brings looser straight and bootleg jeans to the mix, influencing coming styles.

In general, winter months see an abundance of layers as people try to keep warm. In jeans, it’s also a fashion statement this time around: expect to see short denim skirts and shorts worn over jeans. They are either in the same style as the jeans they’re worn over, or already attached to, or worn as contrasts.

Joyrich uses different shades of denim.

Skechers is Children’s Brand of the Year SKECHERS WAS named the Children’s Brand of the Year at the 2019 Footwear Industry Awards hosted by Footwear Today magazine in Birmingham, England. The annual awards celebrate the brands, retailers and professionals who perform in the UK footwear market and a shortlist is created based on online votes. In the brand categories a specially-selected panel of industry judges choose the winner in each category from this shortlist.

“To receive this acknowledgment

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

amongst such notable brands that were shortlisted in this category highlights the growing need for comfortfirst footwear for children,” said Peter Youell, MD of Skechers UK and Ireland.

“From mini-me sneakers to trendright shoes, Skechers leads the footwear industry in cutting-edge styles and the brand continues to experience growth after more than 25 years.”

Marvin Bernstein, managing partner of Ske-

chers S.à.r.l. commented that “from light-up styles to brightly coloured sneakers that boys and girls love, our innovation resonates with consumers and has been a driving factor for Skechers Kids in the UK — making this a key market for the brand.”

Skechers won the Brand of the Year title at the Footwear Industry Awards in 2015, 2016, and 2017 and also won the Ladies Brand of the Year category in 2016 and 2018, Fashion Brand of the Year in 2014 and 2015, Sports Brand of the Year in 2012 and 2013, as well as Leader in Customer Service for 2018.

Year of the sneaker Apparel & Footwear :: p19

W

hile German women spent most of their money on sandals in 2018 (610-m euros), sneakers is by far their most favoured footwear category, and its popularity is growing. Both sexes in Germany spent 592-m euros on sneakers last year, with more than 75% of these purchases made by women.

On the other hand, far more sport shoes were bought by men in Germany in 2018 than any other category of shoes. German men spent 572-m euros on sport shoes last year.

“2019 will be a sneaker year,” predicts the market research company Marketmedia24 in its study on the German shoe market, Industry Report Shoes 2019. Especially among women. They found that sneakers were the preferred footwear of 58% of women respondents to their survey, followed by sandals (46%) and sport shoes (37%).

According to them women across the income spectrum will be buying sneakers in the near future — including 69% of luxury consumers and 56% percent of women with a migration background.

European retailers are taking note of this trend. The buying group Sport 2000 has, for example, introduced a Sneaker Force offering for specialist retailers. More than 51% of shoes are still sold in brick-andmortar stores in Germany, with the value of online sales trailing at 23%.

Heritage sneakers make a comeback The sneaker style to stock to make the most of this popularity trend is retro, or throwback, lines. These classic silhouettes have stood the test of time because nothing beats a good design. Some of these original designs have never gone out of fashion — think Converse Chuck Taylor, or Vans’ Old Skool black sneaker, or the adidas Stan Smith.

Brands are delving into the archives to bring back nostalgic lines that resonated with consumers a decade or two, three, ago. For example, Skechers is bringing back some of its original 90s fashion sneaker designs in a Heritage Collection.

“Building on the chunky sneaker trend dominated by our Skechers D’Lites collection, we felt it was the perfect time to bring back our first fashion sneakers that started it all — Roadies, Cleats Retro, and Heartbeats,” says Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers. “We’ve seen fashionistas gravitating towards ‘80s and ‘90s styles. Reintroducing these three designs as part of this fresh Skechers Heritage revival collection is sure to create a new generation of fans for our most iconic Skechers styles.”

Roadies was Skechers’ first chunky utility style. The shoe, introduced in 1994, featured a rugged outsole and was inspired by the brand’s first style, a sport utility logger boot. “At the time it was like nothing seen before in a fashion sneaker.”

Taking the rugged sneaker look a step further, Heartbeats added a heel to the rugged look.

Cleats Retro, introduced in 1996, featured an even chunkier platform outsole — literally taking the retro look to new heights.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

Golf News p20 :: Sport

Daan Sloter, KLM event director, Caroline van Wezel, Duca Del Cosma PR Director, and Harm Kreulen, KLM Director, cut the cake in the shape of the official Kuba shoe. Photo: Ruud Taal.

Duca Del Cosma unveil KLM Open range THE OFFICIAL products Duca Del Cosma created for the 100th edition of the European’s Tour, the KLM Open, was recently launched at The International golf course in Amsterdam, where the event will take place in September.

The 2019 KLM Open range was presented to KLM Director Harm Kreulen and KLM Event Director Daan Sloter by Duca Del Cosma’s owners Frank and Caroline van Wezel.

The brand is the lead apparel and footwear sponsor of the event and will provide clothing and footwear for the 1 000 volunteers who will be working at the event. The four footwear styles are the Kubana and the classic Westcliff for ladies, and the Camelot and Kuba, designed for the men.

The designs of the products aim to connect the three key partners. The light blue colourway reflects KLM’s corporate colours, the orange reflects partner ING Private Banking and the Netherlands, where Duca Del Cosma also has its headquarters. Besides the shoes the volunteers will receive branded polo golf shirts, rain jackets and caps.

Skechers helps Brooke win titles

WHEN BROOKE Henderson won the Lotte Championship in Hawaii for the second time in a row earlier this year, the Skechers athlete became one of the Canadian golfers with the highest number of LPGA or PGA titles. With eight LPGA titles she ties with fellow Canadians Sandra Post in the LPGA and Mike Weir and George Knudson in the PGA. She has been with Skechers since 2016 and wears GO GOLF footwear and apparel.

“It is so surreal, and I’m incredibly proud to accomplish this honour at this point in my career,” says Henderson.

“The conditions were tough, but I felt good out there, and I was thankful to Skechers for again supporting me with a stable shoe in the GO GOLF Elite.”

So far this year she has won $662 Photo: Businesswire.

811 on the women’s circuit. She turned professional in December 2014 and won her first LPGA Tour event the next year at the Cambria Portland Classic.

Henderson was the second youngest player to capture a major championship when she won the 2016 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship and that same year she represented Canada at the Olympic Games in Brazil.

Other noteworthy accomplishments include being the first Canadian to win the Lotte Championship and the first Canadian in 45 years to win the national championship at the CP Women’s Open.

“Brooke’s extensive fan base loves watching her determination and focus through each match, so having her on our team competing in Skechers GO GOLF is a major asset to the collection and the entire Skechers brand,” says Michael Greenberg, president of Skechers.

Ernie Els joins PUMA stable ERNIE ELS, who has been wearing PUMA shoes on golf courses since the beginning of the year, has made his relationship with PUMA Golf official by signing a multi-year agreement to become a global brand ambassador. As part of the partnership, Els will wear the brand’s footwear during his professional events.

He will wear PUMA’s Ignite PWRADAPT and NXT shoes on Tour.

“I’ve been wearing their golf shoes since the start of the year and honestly I feel like it’s really been a factor in me catching some form of late,” says Els, whose yips with putting had drawn media attention in recent years.

“I just feel more grounded with these shoes, like it’s giving me a firmer foundation in my swing. What I also like is the shoe combines stability with lightness and comfort. That’s a tough trick to pull off, but the guys at PUMA have nailed it.”

As part of this new partnership, Els will work with the PUMA team on designs and colours of future PUMA golf shoes. “I understand what golfers need in terms of how a shoe can actively help you play to the best of your ability,” he says.

A former World #1, Els has 70 professional career victories to his name, including four Major Championships, two World Golf Championships and a record seven World Match Play titles. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2011.

When not playing, he is a winemaker, golf course designer and philanthropist of note.

His Ernie Els & Fancourt Foundation supports the develop-

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

ment of youth golf in South Africa and the Els for Autism Foundation, which was established in 2009 by Ernie and his wife Liezl, has opened a state-of-the-art campus, The Els Center of Excellence, in Florida. It has a local, national and global reach helping individuals and their families on the spectrum.

Els has also launched his own golf clothing range, sold in local retailers.

21

Visit Sports Trader’s website for more product knowledge: www.sportstrader.co.za

Recommending golf shoes

G

olf shoes have two main purposes: to keep the wearer comfortable while he’s walking around the course, which can mean many hours on his feet, and keep him stable when swinging the club. Because they are specifically designed to cater for the sport’s requirements, your customer (and his* game!) will benefit by wearing a good pair that ticks all the boxes.

A golfer needs good traction, because of the motion of the swing: when he makes the swing, he exerts pressure downwards, which puts both lateral and rotational pressure on the feet. The shoes need to be able to handle this pressure in order to keep the feet in place.

Golf shoes are also designed with a wide rubber outsole and arch support, which help to keep the player sturdy and reduce the chance of him slipping on the grass.

Midfoot support is also important when driving the ball, as players usually end the stroke on the balls of the feet.

There are also often built-in stabilisers along the sides of the arches to help keep the feet in place.

Other footwear qualities that will benefit the player: • Breathability: to keep the feet dry • Flexibility: golfers don’t always play on flat even ground. They often have to take a swing on a slope, which is why the shoes need to be flexible and allow the wearer the extra motion.

Our cut-out-and-keep series to assist retailers with product knowledge. Words: Carin Hardisty.

Compiled with the help of Adolf Stofberg of Duca Del Cosma, Skechers Golf and websites https://golftips.golfweek.com, www.golfalot. com, www.shoeguide.org, www.footjoy.com and https://protips.dickssportinggoods.com.

Matt Kuchar plays in Skechers GO Golf.

Photo: Sam Greenwood/Getty Images.

Styles Golf shoes are available in different styles.

The two that are the most popular are: • Traditional spiked shoes: typically made from leather and can have features such as tassels, and wingtips. ◦ Should your customer choose a leather shoe, recommend that he also buys a leather treatment product, which will protect it from water damage.

• Sneaker-style, spikeless shoes: lightweight footwear that can also be worn off the course, such as in the clubhouse. ◦ Instead of spikes, these have TPU and rubber studs or dimples on the outsole.

Certain brands also offer golf sandals or boots, neither of which are very common.

• Golf boot: resembles a hiking boot. ◦ Waterproof. ◦ Heavier. ◦ Allows less ankle movement during the swing. ◦ Good traction. ◦ Warmer footwear for winter time.

• Golf sandal: look like outdoor or adventure sandals with spikes on the outsole ◦ Good for hot climates. ◦ Breathable. ◦ More suited to players who use golf carts. ◦ Less support than a normal golf shoe.

Caring for golf shoes

Spikes Spikes help the player with better traction, but not all players prefer to use them. The expected course conditions as well as personal preference will play a role when advising your customer if he needs spiked or spikeless shoes.

• If your customer expects to be playing mostly on wet or hilly courses, he should consider spikes, which will help him with grip. He’ll also need waterproof footwear.

• If he’ll be more likely to play on a dry course, he can select spiked or nonspiked shoes and the buying choice then comes down to his own personal preference.

Spikes are available in plastic or metal.

give more traction.

• Plastic spikes: can be replaced if they get too damaged. Brands tend to have indicators to show your customer when it’s time to replace the spikes. ◦ More lightweight than metal. ◦ Less likely to damage the green due to their wider size that spreads the player’s weight across a bigger area. ◦ They flex as the player walks on them and are thus more comfortable.

• Metal spikes: many golf courses prohibit players from wearing metal spikes as they damage the course. Your customer should therefore check with his intended golf course if he’ll be allowed to wear his metal-spiked footwear on their greens. ◦ Longer, sharper spikes than plastic ones, which

Golf shoes can be a pricey investment, but with the proper care your customer can extend the life of his pair. After he’s finished playing, he should follow the following care steps: • Remove dirt, grass and other debris from the outsoles.

• Wash the shoes with a rag and warm, soapy water. This will remove dirt, grass and pesticides. Dry the shoes with a microfiber towel.

• Polish the leather occasionally to restore the shine.

• Check the spikes every now and then for wear and replace as needed. Typically a set of soft spikes will last between 10-15 rounds, depending on the surface. * There has been an upswing in women’s golf participation, but for the sake of legibility we refer to all customers as ‘he’.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p22 :: Apparel & Footwear

g tips f

22

m top

sa

Selli n n e

ro

Mikhail Petersen was nominated as a top salesman by Jax Snyman, owner of The Sweat Shop, who didn’t hesitate before immediately recommending him.

Petersen is the manager of the Claremont The Sweat Shop store and has been with the retailer for just over 8 months. He has, however, worked in retail for the past seven years, focusing on the footwear market. Specifically, he has worked in the running specialty industry for just over four of those years.

The Sweat Shop is a specialist running shop with a wide range of running products for kids and adults, which has been in business for over four decades.

les m

Selling more ... running clothes

“A

t The Sweat Shop, we pride ourselves on our service which we feel begins the moment the customer walks into the store,” says Mikhail Petersen, manager of The Sweat Shop in Claremont. “A simple, good morning/afternoon, how can we assist you today? with a friendly smile is always good. I think many sales assistants make the mistake of not striking a balance between being readily available to help and not intruding in the customer’s personal space.”

It’s important to gauge the type of customer you’re dealing with, he adds. “The key is to offer assistance, but you should also know when to give them time to browse. You do not want to create an uncomfortable shopping experience for the customer.”

If your customer is willing to engage and is looking for assistance, introduce yourself, he recommends: “My name is Mikhail and your name is?” “Lovely to meet you.” This is a tip that he himself has picked up from Nicholas Rupanga, “our most experienced salesperson and a very respected person in the running community”.

By doing this, you immediately create a more personal relationship with the customer.

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

At The Sweat Shop they tend to spend a lot of time engaging with customers so creating this relationship works very well for them. It’s also a great way to build a relationship beyond the first sale.

This approach doesn’t work in all retail environments though, he points out.

“The relationship you create will vary from person to person,” he warns. “It is always healthy to stay tentative and aware of your customer’s particular demeanour and behaviour. Not everyone is the same, so don’t expect every customer to be interested in engaging the way you’d like them to.”

When your customer has shown interest in assistance, you then need to establish whether he wants help with selecting shoes or clothing, or simply wants advice. “This is why, good morning/afternoon, how can we assist you today? is so important. Establish the needs of your customer. Once you know why they’re there, you can start asking questions which would allow you to better assist them.”

Asking the right questions helps you as a salesperson steer the sale in the right direction and narrow down the recommendations to a handful of items. “It also makes the customers feel that you actually care about their needs.”

We’re looking for top salespeople We’re asking successful sales people in the industry for tips on how they clinch that sale in this series on Sales tips from top salespeople. Please nominate yourself, or a staff member, to share your sales philosophy by contacting Trudi du Toit on Tel: 021 461 2544. Email: trudi@ sportstrader.co.za.

Knowledge gives you confidence “Product knowledge is extremely important,” Petersen points out. “This shows your customer you are an expert and it gives them peace of mind in your ability to assist them correctly.”

Having sound product knowledge also allows you to be more confident in your recommendations and to express yourself well to the customer. The salesperson is then able to talk normally with the customer, instead of being unsure about himself, and creates an easier shopping experience for the customer, he explains.

“Customers can pick up very easily if your product knowledge is shaky and you are clutching at straws. When your product knowledge becomes second nature, it allows you the freedom to create a good rapport with the customer.”

Similarly, personal experience of the sporting activity will also help you to confidently discuss options with your customer, and it also builds his confidence in what you’re saying. “It creates relatability and allows the customer to know that you are not just trying to sell something, but you actually know why you are making certain recommendations. Personal experience in a sport also goes a To p24

p24 :: Apparel & Footwear

Tips for selling running clothing

I

n many sports the level or experience of the participant will play a big role in the products that a retail salesperson might recommend. Not so much when it comes to running. Instead it comes down to their specific needs, says Mikhail Petersen, manager of The Sweat Shop in Claremont.

“Typically, a longer distance runner may require more gear and more technical gear, but that is not to say that a beginner would not benefit from the same clothing,” he explains, giving the example of compression clothing: marathon and ultra-marathon runners might be more likely to use this, but it doesn’t mean that casual runners would not require it.

An example of recommending products based on their specific needs is technologies such as moisture wicking, which is one of the most important technologies to have in shorts and shirts: “some runners may need more superior moisture management than others and that does not really matter whether they are doing 5km or 50km”. In his experience, the more premium the fabric, the better the moisture management qualities.

He also recommends that running clothing have reflective elements.

“We often find ourselves running in low light conditions, whether it is early morning or in the evening, and it is important to know that we are visible when on the road. A little reflective feature on a garment can be the difference between a motorist seeing you or not!”

Arm warmers are also good items to recommend to your customer.

They are great for early morning starts as they can provide the runner with initial protection against the cold before the body warms up, as well as on days when the runner will need something with UV protection to protect the skin from sun damage, he says.

“The great thing about these items is that they are easy to stow away when they are no longer needed and could also just be rolled down to the wrist if they are no longer needed.”

“As runners, we tend to spend a lot more time in the sun than the average person.” It’s therefore also a good idea to recommend a cap or visor to your customer. “Having a cap or visor just protects from sun damage and also helps keep the sun out the eyes and off the face,” he adds.

How to sell better cont. from p22

long way in gaining customers’ trust in your ability to assist them. So many customers want to know are you a runner?”.

Having a passion for what you do and sell is something a customer can see in you, he points out. “It will affect how you engage, the amount of care you put into assisting them and also the way you express yourself talking about a product and the field of expertise.

“Passion also allows you to do your job with a smile. In a service industry, that is so im-

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

portant.”

Store layout The layout of the store also plays a role in selling to the customer, as it can contribute to a more comfortable shopping experience.

“A cluttered and disorganized store can leave a customer feeling overwhelmed and confused. The less the customer has to struggle to navigate through the store, the more likely they are to find what they are looking for and also continue to shop.”

The right clothing for the job Pockets are one of the big selling points in pants, whether they are shorts or longer leggings. “Trail runners tend to look for shorts with a few more pockets or something with more storage space as they generally need to carry more extras compared to a road runner,” Petersen points out.

Other features that are important in running shorts include built-in tights and if there’s an underpants lining.

Running tights also typically feature a pocket, but it’ll be a smaller zip pocket, and a drawstring.

When it comes down to length, it’s all up to personal preference: some people prefer full length tights that come down to the ankle and others capri (3/4 length).

Running shirts should be slightly fitted, but not so tight that it’s restrictive. “It has to move well with your body and allow for a free range of motion without it flapping in the wind while you are running.”

Specialty running socks Socks should also sit flush against the foot without creases or folds, recommends Petersen. “The heel, arch and toes also need to be positioned correctly to get the best fit out of the running socks.”

Most runners prefer a sock that’s higher than ankle length, i.e. quarter (just above the ankle), crew (just below the calf) or full (over the calf) length, he says. “The last thing a runner wants to deal with is having the sock slip inside the back of the shoe! Although most good low cut running socks have a heel tab to stop the sock from slipping into the shoe anyway.”

A good quality running sock will have moisture wicking properties, he points out. Drawing away moisture helps to prevent blisters.

It’s better to have socks made from synthetic blends or bamboo, he advises. “Avoid cotton! While cotton is soft and comfortable, it does not wick moisture very well. The biggest mistake a runner can make is to run in normal cotton socks, as cotton retains moisture and will not keep the foot dry.”

Most good running socks also have seamless finishes around the toes to avoid any irritation along the front of the foot.

Running socks with compression provide the muscles with needed support: it helps with blood circulation to reduce fatigue and to improve muscle recovery after the run. Compression socks aren’t always necessary on the run, he adds saying that some people prefer to only use them for recovery.

Apparel & Footwear :: p25

Falke’s range for runners

Above, left to right: Ultra Light, Vitalizer, Stride anklet and Silver Run.

F

alke has spent many years ensuring its brand is versatile and meets all wearers’ needs. With different variations of each sport sock, an athlete is sure to find a perfect fit.

Fit, Function and Fashion are Falke’s key elements to ensure the brand not only looks good but is comfortable and supports the feet.

The Falke AW 2019 Run Collection offers many features and technologies that will benefit athletes seeking socks that will help them perform at their best. All Falke socks are purpose-designed and refined to provide ultimate confidence in the demanding climate and lifestyles of Southern Africa.

The Ultra Light range, for example, provides cushioning on the heel and seamless toe, which helps prevent blisters even during a long run. Apart from offering Drynamix moisture management, mesh panels aid ventilation to further help keep the foot dry.

Deep heel pockets keep the sock in place, while a heel tab prevents the sock from slipping into the shoe. The ergonomic design for a left and right foot, further improves the comfortable fit.

The Ultra Light styles are available in white and grey, black and grey, Royal Blue and Neon Green, as well as in Light Aqua and Bright Lilac colours. They fit shoe sizes 4-7 and 8-12.

The Stride range come in two styles: Hidden

Calf sleeves

and Anklet. Both provide elasticated ankle support and are designed ergonomically to fit a right and left foot. Arch support that keeps the sock in place further ensures a good fit.

Full foot cushioning and support and seamless toes that help prevent blisters are other comfort features.

In both styles mesh panels aid ventilation while Drynamix fibre keeps feet cool and dry.

In the Hidden style range a heel tab prevents slipping, while the Anklet style features a sensitive cuff for extra comfort.

The Stride range – Hidden and Anklet – is available in white and grey, black and grey, Neon Green and Ink, Legion Blue and Grey, as well as Light Aqua and Bright Lilac. They are also available in three shoe sizes: 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12.

The ultra-thin Silver Run range features silver fibre that has anti-microbial and antistatic properties. A sensitive cuff not only adds comfort, but also keeps out dirt. Other comfort features are mesh panels that provides ventilation and a seamless toe that helps prevent blisters.

Ankle and arch support help keep the sock in place.

It is available in white and grey, mid-grey and Carbon, Neon Green and Royal Blue, as well as Light Aqua and Bright Lilac colours in shoe sizes 4-7 and 8-12.

Falke creates Comrades winners

Falke’s Vitalizer knee-high socks and the brand’s range of calf sleeves, which both feature graduated compression, were created to help athletes perform at their best.

Graduated compression promotes circulation, which in turn has several of its own benefits such as boosting performance, reducing fatigue and helping with recovery. It’s a favourite among athletes who know about the benefits of compression.

In addition to the positive characteristics of compression, Vitalizer also has two other features that will appeal to athletes: a seamless toe design, which prevents blisters, and Drynamix fibre that keeps feet and legs cool and dry.

Vitalizer is available in six funky colours (white, neon lime, royal blue, black, lipstick and light aqua) in 3 sizes: 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12.

Like Vitalizer, the calf sleeve makes use of compression to aid recovery and improve circulation, and also have details that keep the legs cool and dry. This time, however, it’s a different technique than using the fibres: specially-constructed front and back ventilation panels are strategically placed on the sleeve to keep the athlete comfortable.

The sleeves are available in six colours (white, neon lime, royal blue, black, lipstick and light aqua) and in sizes small to XL.

Stride hidden

During the Comrades expo in June, Falke ran an Instagram competition in which entrants could win a prize of a R1 000 voucher. People who registered for the race could take part in the competition by taking a photo at Falke’s stand with the brand’s Instagram frame and posting it to the social media platform tagging @Falke_sa.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p26 :: Apparel & Footwear

One pair of shoes for walking and running?

Hi-Tec’s Falcon walking shoes are made to be equally at home in the city and in the outdoors. Photo: provided.

Walking and running shoes seem to have similar characteristics … so is it OK for your customer to buy one pair of shoes for both of the activities or is this a big no-no? asks CARIN HARDISTY

I

n cash-strapped times, your customer might be tempted to buy one pair of shoes for both running* and walking, or even a pair designed for one of these activities and use it for the other, to try and stretch the rands. After all, a good technical shoe can be very expensive. Is buying one pair for both an option or something a retailer needs to talk his customer out of immediately?

First one needs to consider the different effects that the activities have on the body as needs dictate design, especially when it comes to performance footwear.

There is a significant difference in how much strain is placed on the feet. When running, your feet have to absorb the shock of 2-3 times your body weight. The feet of a walker only have to absorb 1-2 times the weight as walking distributes the weight much more evenly than running.

This is due to the motion associated with the activity. Walking has a rolling motion, where the weight is placed on the heel and rolled through the ball to the toe and through to the other foot. There are always two feet on the ground when walking, which spreads the

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

When running, the feet have to absorb the shock of 2-3 times the runner’s body weight. A walker’s feet, on the other hand, only has to absorb 1-2 times his weight. weight load.

In contrast, at certain points a runner has neither feet on the ground, and the heel or toe have to absorb most of the impact before it is distributed to the rest of the foot.

Runners and walkers also land on different areas of the foot: most runners land on the heel, midfoot and ball of the toe, while walkers land on the heel and roll their weight onto the toes.

Practical design differences As can be expected, there are thus notable differences in the design of running and walking shoes, which are there to protect the

knees and feet and to help reduce injuries.

So, what does your customer need in his running and walking shoes?

Because they place less strain on their limbs, there’s a better chance of walkers being able to use running shoes for walking, than vice versa.

The outsole is where the biggest design differences lie: • Cushioning: Runners tend to require more cushioning in their shoes than walkers, especially under the heel and forefoot areas. ◦ Walkers need cushioning, but usually not as much as runners, and they might even experience foot fatigue if there’s too much cushioning, because it can add extra weight.

• Heel height: Running shoes tend to have a built-up heel to absorb the force of the runner landing on his heel. Even shoes designed for runners who land on their toes/front of their feet have a slight build-up in the heel. ◦ Walking shoes are usually flat, with barely any build-up in the heel compared to the rest of the sole, and shouldn’t have much

Apparel & Footwear :: p27

Walk anywhere in a pair of Hi-Tecs HI-TEC’S RANGE of walking shoes are made to carry walkers wherever the journey takes them.

Falcon (main photo), a high-performance synthetic ladies’ walking shoe, provides the necessary support, durability and breathability for adventuring from city to trail, says Hi-Tec. It features soft mesh lining and an external heel stabiliser for instant comfort, an impact-absorbing EVA midsole for long lasting comfort, and the rubber outsole provides good traction. “It’ll keep your customer grounded no matter where she is.”

The low-cut Buzzard Trail (right) is another of Hi-Tec’s high-performance walking shoes. The upper is made from a combination of synthetic and mesh for support, durability and breathability. Hi-Tec’s new soft moulded and removable EVA footbed creates instant comfort and cushioning when stepped on, and the compression moulded EVA midsole ensures cushioning.

The rubber outsole is durable and provides the trac-

tion and grip that the wearer needs wherever his daily adventures take him, even on trickier terrain.

Jaguar is now also available in a ladies’ style (left), in response to the high demand that Hi-Tec experienced for the men’s Jaguar style.

“These shoes were made to last,” says Hi-Tec. The walking shoe features durable synthetic mesh uppers, a moisture wicking lining to keep feet dry and comfortable, speed lacing system that provides a secure fit, compression moulded EVA midsole for long-lasting cushioning, and an aggressive carbon rubber outsole for traction.

Your customer can become the explorer she wants to be — comfortably, says Hi-Tec. The eye-catching Warrior walking shoes, available in men’s (left) and women’s styles, are even more comfortable than they are stylish, says the brand. Warrior is constructed with an EVA midsole and a removable EVA footbed, which keep feet cushioned and comfortable for longer, and the speed lace system keeps feet snug and secure while on the move.

difference in height between the front and back of the sole. Walkers don’t need as much shock absorption as runners.

• Sole stiffness: ◦ Running shoes often have a stiffer sole. ◦ Walking shoes’ soles should be flexible and bend, especially through the ball of the foot. This allows the foot a wider range of motion as it rolls to the forefoot. A sole that is too thick won’t allow for flexibility.

• Heel shape: there’s a difference in how walking and running heels are shaped, which can be seen when looking from above. ◦ Trail running soles tend to flare out slightly at the heel. This helps support the foot and reduces the chance that the runner rolls his ankles on uneven terrain. ◦ A walking shoe often has a more rounded heel.

• Arch support is especially important in walking shoes as this is where the force is heaviest when walking. It is therefore important that you help your customer determine how much support he requires, based on his feet.

◦ High arches can be more prone to stress, because they offer less natural shock absorption and your customer will benefit from extra cushioning. ◦ Flat feet may not support the body enough, which can lead to muscle and joint stress in the feet and knees. This customer will benefit from shoes that are more structured and will give him more stability: shoes with medial support will limit overpronation and add more support.

• Upper: running shoe uppers tend to feature more mesh than walking shoes as the foot can get warmer than when walking and breathing therefore becomes important. * There are a variety of different styles in the running shoe category (barefoot/minimalist, super cushioned, etc.) and as such the examples given might not apply to every single one. The article talks in general about the most common features found in running shoes and retailers are encouraged to use their own judgement when applying the information to real life situations.

Hyper Burst secures Gear of the Year running award SKECHERS PERFORMANCE’s Hyper Burst technology has won another award for a shoe in the GO Run line. This time Outside magazine named the GO Run Razor 7 Hyper as its Gear of the Year for road running. Earlier the year the Razor 3 Hyper running shoe, which debuted the Hyper Burst cushioning, was selected as the Editor’s Choice by Runner’s World magazine in its best new running shoes category.

A total of 32 shoes from 16 brands were wear tested by Outside runners.

Feedback and comments included “if my slippers were running shoes, this is what they would feel like” and “whatever deal with the devil Skechers had to strike was worth it. This midsole has a ton of energy and zing. The Hyper Burst foam is soft to the touch but doesn’t feel mushy”.

The Hyper Burst midsole is made using a “super critical foaming process to create spherically-shaped cells in tight format,” says Skechers. “It is the lightest and most resilient midsole foam that Skechers Performance has offered to date. The unique cell structure is unlike most other EVA foams on the market today.”

Other features the testers liked in the GO Run Razor 7 Hyper is the pods in its outsole that boost the cushioning to feel smooth and responsive, a breathable upper made from compression knit for added comfort, M-Strike technology that helps to promote a natural midfoot strike, knitted collar for a sock-like supportive fit and a lockdown lacing system for additional midfoot support. It works well as a racing and training shoe.

Skechers is distributed in South Africa

by Brandfolio SA.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p28 :: Outdoor

Should your outdoor customer be using his hiking boots for hunting? Or should he invest in a pair of dedicated hunting boots?

It depends on where he’ll be hunting, CARIN HARDISTY found

M

The right boots for the hunt

ost customers who enjoy the outdoors will have at least one pair of hiking boots, and probably more if they hike in different terrains. Many will therefore argue that the footwear they wear while walking on a trail through the bush can just as well be worn when they walk through the bush armed with a rifle or bow and arrow.

Yes and no.

Just as there are different kinds of hiking trips, hunting enthusiasts will also embark on different kinds of trips in vastly different terrains. Just as the ideal hiking boot depends on the terrain where it will be worn, there are situations where your customer should ideally be wearing different types of dedicated hunting footwear.

Hunting footwear is designed to look after hunters, but because they tend to be on the tougher side they can also get very heavy. A pair of hunting boots is usually a safe bet when your hunting customer comes asking for footwear advice, but sometimes another type of boot (or even shoe) can also do the job.

To find out which is the most appropriate, he’ll need to tell you more about his planned hunt, including the terrain that he’ll need to cross. The terrain, under-foot conditions

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

(sandy, rocky, wet, etc.) and vegetation all play a role in the choice of footwear.

When to recommend hiking boots Hiking boots usually weigh less than hunting boots and, up to a point, the lighter the boot the faster the feet are able to move. If your customer will be hunting in an open area, being able to move quickly can be a bonus.

• Hiking boots tend to have breathability features, which means they are well suited for use in warmer conditions.

• If your customer will be hunting in wet areas, he should wear footwear with synthetic uppers as they’ll dry quicker. In this situation, lightweight synthetic hiking boots will work better for him than hunting boots.

• Light hiking boots usually also have a softer shank compared to hunting boots, which means the boot will move slightly more and provide more foot control.

Other choices for hunting • A low cut hunting shoe could be an option if your customer will be hunting mostly on flat, level terrain. He can add gaiters to the mix to keep seeds and debris out.

• Trail running shoes are the choice of some

hunters. This is because they are comfortable, usually waterproof, lightweight, quiet and are designed for use on uneven outdoors terrains. To a large extent they also prevent sand and stones from entering the shoe.

They do, however, have some drawbacks: ◦ They are not as durable as the tougher hiking and hunting boots, and don’t have ankle support. ◦ The uppers are also not as tough, which makes it more likely that a thorn might stick through them. Not only will this hurt the foot, but it’ll form a hole and that means the shoe is no longer waterproof. ◦ It’s also not recommended to wear these if your customer will be carrying a heavy backpack, which will require more foot support.

• Hunting boots are the best suited for hunting in mountainous or hilly areas.

Qualities of good hunting boots • Your customer will require a tough boot with good ankle support and heavy outsole lugs, which will be handy on descents.

• In addition to an above-the-ankle design, a shank (for a stiff footbed) will also help to reduce ankle twisting.

• Completely leather boots, or a combination

Outdoor :: p29 ARCHER Waterproof EPX

Wolverine boots: premium feel and performance WOLVERINE’S BOOTS feature several designs that work together to create a comfortable and protected experience for the feet.

The EPX anti-fatigue technology is designed to keep the wearer on his feet longer, comfortably and supported. The high-density base layer stabilises the foot and distributes the weight evenly, while the low-density top layer and the flexible ribbed spine offers additional comfort.

The honeycomb heel design expands and absorbs shock.

Contour Welt bonds the upper directly to the outsole while allowing the boot to flex at the essential points. Designed to allow the front to flex, it keeps the wearer on his feet for longer by creating both comfort and support. The MultiShox Comfort System compression pads on the outsole absorb shock and the lightweight rubber lug outsole is slip, oil and abrasion resistant. The bonded construction allows the boot to flex, but still stay durable.

In addition to the MultiShox outsole and Contour Welt construction, the lightweight Bandit boot also offers arch support and cradles the foot to keep it in place throughout the day.

It’s made with a premium waterproof full grain leather upper, breathable removable membrane with moisture wicking mesh to keep feet cool, removable dual-density PU footbed, a comfortable PU midsole, and a nylon shank for added

of leather and synthetic, will provide more support and protection compared to footwear with synthetic-only uppers. ◦ Full grain is the thickest type of leather and is thus the most durable with the most support and protection, but it’s also usually stiff and might take time to break in, depending on the boot.

Leather is, however, good at keeping water out of the boot. ◦ It’ll be a good idea for your customer to take the boots on a hike or other shorter excursions before his planned hunting outing in order to break them in first. He shouldn’t be doing the breaking in during the hunting trip, as his feet will suffer.

• It’s important that these boots have moisture wicking linings as the leather won’t allow feet to breathe, which will leave them damp if there’s nothing to wick the perspiration off the skin, especially in warm weather.

• A rubber band around where the outsole meets the upper will protect the uppers against cuts and abrasion. It also helps to repel water from the seams, and to hold the boot together.

• Hunting boot outsoles provide a lot of traction and the thickness of the soles also mean that it’s not likely that the wearer will feel the stones, etc. poking them under their feet.

A good pair of technical socks will also help to keep the feet comfortable.

Additional footwear pointers The following are also good to keep in mind when

strength.

“Classic style, premium leather and long-lasting comfort come together in the best-selling Raider boot,” says Wolverine. It’s made from premium full grain leather that’s comfortable, durable and can be cleaned and polished, and has a MultiShox rubber lug outsole and Contour Welt construction. The boot also features a moisture managing mesh lining and PU midsole.

Floorhand has a waterproof full grain leather upper for a premium look and feel, moisture wicking mesh lining, removable footbed that molds to the foot, a rubber midsole, rubber outsole for grip and a lightweight cement construction. Additionally, the durable nylon shank adds extra strength.

The I90 series of boots is built to deliver unbeatable comfort for unforgiving days, says Wolverine. “Named for the longest highway in the United States, you can trust that this gear is in it for the long haul.”

I90 Romeo features EPX technology in the removable footbed, premium waterproof full grain leather, and a TPU outsole that is more abrasion resistant than a traditional rubber outsole.

It also features a breathable waterproof membrane, comfortable PU midsole, nylon shank as well as reinforced pull loops for easy-on and –off.

Wolverine is distributed by Bar Global Trading.

recommending footwear to your customer planning to go on a hunt.

• No matter the type of hunt that your customer plans to do, he’ll need footwear with good traction. A multi-directional tread pattern will give him good traction on a variety of surfaces in different conditions.

• Tough thorns can potentially pierce straight through thin rubber soles, so recommend thick, hard soles to the customer planning to hunt in thorn bush country.

• In addition to possible injuries from a thorn penetrating, a hole in the shoe can create sound as air gets sucked in, which will alert nearby animals to the hunter’s presence.

• A hole will also reduce any chance of the boot being waterproof or -resistant.

• Water-resistant footwear will be handy, even if your customer doesn’t expect to have to cross rivers or hunt in otherwise wet conditions: early mornings often bring dew, which will wet shoes and feet.

• In general, lightweight hiking boots tend to be more quiet, which makes them good for stalking purposes. Very hard soles tend to be the most noisy. In some conditions a hunter can get very close to the quarry, so being quiet is important, but make sure to weigh up the pros and cons of quiet vs protective based on the conditions that your customer will be hunting in.

• Boots with higher shafts will help keep sand and small stones from entering the boot.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

BANDIT Waterproof Contour welt

RAIDER Contour welt

FLOORHAND EPX

i90 ROMEO Waterproof EPX

OSAGE Waterproof Side zip entry

For trade enquiries contact Bar Global Trading Tel: +27(0)11 024 3615 www.wolverinesa.co.za

p30 :: Outdoor

Effective camouflage clothing copy elements from the environment to create clothing that will allow the wearer to blend into the bush and get closer to animals he wishes to hunt or photograph.

Photo: Wildebees

E

Camo clothing for all

ver since the earliest people used twigs and branches to disguise themselves in order to get closer to animals when hunting, the use of camouflage in the bush has grown ever more sophisticated and popular.

About thirty years ago some companies started marketing specific hunting clothing with patterns that disguise or break up the human silhouette.

The city is often called the urban jungle and it is therefore no surprise that camouflage clothing also became popular wear on city streets and even featured in the collections of top fashion designers. Stella McCartney, for example, designed the camo outfit Justin Timberlake wore for his performance at the Super Bowl last year.

The Bulls’ replica of its camo team shirts were amongst PUMA’s most popular sellers — among men and women — and nowadays camo colours can be found printed on curtains, bed linen, babywear, handbags, backpacks, footwear, etc. for men, women and children.

But, its main application is still in the bush.

In the US it is estimated that hunters spend about $400-m per year on camouflage clothing. More than half (58%) of the respondents to a Facebook survey run by an outdoor online site (www.outdoorlife.com) said that they always wear camouflage when they hunt and another 32% added that they usually wear camouflage — only 1% said they never wear camouflage.

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

The camouflage pattern should blend in with the environment to hide the wearer. That means that the terrain where the camouflage clothing would be worn is crucial to the type of design or colours chosen and buying local thus makes more sense.

The majority (36%) said that they believed that wearing camo contributes a lot to their hunting success, 28% said it contributed somewhat and 10% that their hunting success could be ascribed to camo completely.

Interestingly, a high number (86%) of respondents own multiple brands of camo and half of them wear the different brands together. Almost all (97%) said they would be willing to try new camo brands or patterns.

To the uninitiated camouflage clothing might look like a colourful variation of the khaki clothing favoured by farmers and people working and relaxing in the bush. This would, however, be a vast underestimation of the sophisticated planning that goes into the design of camouflage patterns.

For a start, the camouflage pattern should blend in with the environment to hide the wearer, not stand out like a sore thumb. That

means that the terrain where the camouflage clothing would be worn is crucial to the type of design or colours chosen and buying local therefore makes so much more sense — even if the overseas market, e.g. the US, has more brands and styles for sale.

There is a good reason why most small animals that need to hide from predators — rabbits, buck, dassies, etc. — are brown, tan or grey and the favourite colour of people going into the bush has always been khaki: it is less obtrusive. Remember, even the lushest vegetation is less than 40% green, as it also includes gray, black and brown colours. Therefore, an animal will immediately spot the movement of a solid green hat or shirt, even if the rest of the outfit mimics the surroundings.

Locally, there are several companies that design and manufacture camouflage specifically for South African conditions.

For example, the Sekelbos range from Wildebees uses a background in the colour of the African grasslands and typical African toned sand, which they say helps you blend into dry arid winter grassland and savanna zones perfectly.

In the bush, hunters are often surrounded by thorn trees and therefore the bark on the midground layer pattern is rough like nature and colours vary from medium brown to almost black in the shadows with contrast of white and grey moss on the bark. This contrast of dark and light tones creates visual confusion so that the prey cannot recognise the outline of the hunter.

Outdoor :: p31 The foreground pattern consists of sekelbos and acacia thorns, dried sekelbos pods and realistically sized sekelbos leaves, which create mid-seasonal and dry winter tones that allow the hunter to blend in with the typical bushveld environment.

Buck see different to humans The main objective of wearing camo is to hide the outline of the person stalking or approaching so that the wearer could come closer to an animal or bird, without disturbing it. This will reduce the chance of just wounding an animal and is a prerequisite when hunting with a bow and arrow.

Bird watchers and photographers could also benefit from camouflage clothing that allow them to approach with more stealth.

The eyesight of buck and birds, however, differ considerably and the type of patterns suitable for stalking deer or birds would therefore not be the same.

In the daytime a buck’s eyesight is less sharp than a human’s, but at night it sees better.

It only possess green/yellow and blue light cells and colours like orange or red therefore just look like a form of gray — which is why these bright colours worn to alert fellow hunters don’t scare off deer, and actually makes it more difficult for them to spot motion.

A buck interprets what it sees differently from a human and can spot an outline based on the shade of colour worn — e.g. if it is light-

er or darker than the surrounding area. It also easily spots movement, especially of an object with a large and solid outline.

It is much harder for an animal to spot movement without a consistent silhouette and that is why camouflage patterns are designed to break-up the solid human outline and usually come in a variety of colours and tones.

Predators also have difficulty seeing orange or red colours. But a hunter will be much more concerned about their strongly developed hearing and smell senses than their ability to spot movement or a silhouette, no matter

Buck, birds and predators see colours differently to each other as well as to humans what you wear.

Birds, however, see more colours than humans and can spot detail at quite a distance.

Therefore, to get close to birds outside a hide, you have to blend in with the environment completely and restrict your movements as far as possible.

Different types of camo There are three types of camouflage sold to outdoors people.

Mimicry is a label used for patterns that mimic the environment where the garments will be worn. Designers will often photograph leaves

UMAREX 2.4758 DEFENCE TRAINING MARKER T4E* HDR Calibre: .50. 6 shot magazine capacity.

Textured frame surface for a secure grip.

Trigger blade safety prevents accidental firing.

Energy: < 11 Joules. Length: 225mm. CO2 cartridge.

UMAREX SELF DEFENSE TRAINING MARKER WALTHER PPQ M2 T4E* 2.476 Now available in .43 calibre.

CO2 pistol with realistic operation and loading.

8 shot magazine capacity: chalk, rubber or pepper.

Energy: 4-5 Joules. Length: 180mm

or bark from a popular hunting area to create a realistic interpretation in the camo pattern that blends in with the natural foliage.

Ideally, the same pattern should be worn from head to toe — on a cap or balaclava, gloves, shirt, pants, gaiters, putties and shoes — otherwise part of the silhouette will stand out.

Break-up: random and shapeless blobs and abstract shapes in varying brown, gray, green, yellow or orange colours and tones form a pattern that makes it difficult for the animal to spot movement. It is designed to make the wearer disappear into the background by blurring his or her outline.

This pattern might look less appealing in a store, but it is effective to help the wearer blend in with a dappled environment. According to a camo designer for the US store Cabela it is very challenging to design a pattern that appeals to consumers in store or in a catalogue as well as work well in the field.

3D camouflage, which would include ghillie suits, is the best way to hide a hunter as the attachments disguise the human form completely — these can look like leaves and twigs or multi-coloured grass-like strips.

But, it can be awkward to wear and could restrict movement as it may snag on rocks and branches and most manufacturers therefore recommend this type of camouflage for when the hunter will mainly remain stationary in an area where there is little cover.

UMAREX DEFENSE TRAINING MARKER HDS Calibre: .68.

2 shot magazine capacity: rubber, pepper, chalk or paintballs. Can be shot individually or simultaneously from both barrels.

Picatinny rail under the barrel with a pressure indicator.

Energy: < 16 Joules. Length: 490mm.

UMAREX DEFENSE TRAINING MARKER T4E* RUBBERBALL RIFLE SG 2.4756 Calibre: .68. 15 shot magazine capacity: powder or rubber ball.

Pump-action shotgun. Picatinny rail with removable ghost ring sight.

Energy: < 16 Joules. Length: 620mm.

* T4E: Training for engagement CONTACT SALES TEAM

FUAD FUAD@RANDSTRADERS.CO.ZA ZUBAIR ZUBAIR@RANDSTRADERS.CO.ZA SHIRAZ SHIRAZ@RANDSTRADERS.CO.ZA

Tel: 011 918 6861 | sales@randstraders.co.za

p32 :: Outdoor

We chose this title with a bit of tongue-in-cheek humour, referring to some tourist’s belief that all Africa is a jungle. BUT, power outages, plastic pollution and the evolution of some traditional outdoor products into handy items for everyday use, did blur the lines between gear for the bush and the city. Photo HiLight

Surviving in Africa

T

he innovative products developed by outdoor companies for campers and hikers are so versatile that they would have as much appeal for city slickers or those in suburban households. And that is not restricted to tourists who believe they will have to bring all kinds of gear just to survive in Africa.

South Africans who regularly go camping have long ago realised that many of the products they bought for the bush can be just as handy at home.

Let there be light The huge demand for powerbanks, lanterns, torches and headlamps from city dwellers when the first series of blackouts hit us a few years ago, changed the narrative forever that outdoor lighting products are mainly for campers, hikers and adventurers.

Since then, various lighting brands have been developing products that will suit customers with a wide spectrum of needs.

The most common trends are, for example: Small but powerful: from microlights that can be carried in the pocket, or on a keyring, to ordinary torches and lanterns, more power and features are nowadays packed into smaller packages.

• Ledlenser’s compact and rechargeable pocket work light, the penlight iW4R, has various attachment options thanks to its flexible magnetic holder that enables the light to be adjusted to the angle required.

It is locally available from Awesome Tools.

• The LED glow flashlight from Ace Camp can

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

South Africans who regularly go camping have long ago realised that many of the products they bought for the bush can be just as handy at home easily be carried on the wrist or in the pocket and can be used as a glow stick, flashlight, flasher, or whistle. Ace Camp is available from the Outdoor Supply Co. Easily accessible torches and headlamps stashed in every room to help search for powerful lanterns, lamps or torches, is a benefit during power outages.

• These products need to be affordable (to justify buying enough) and reliable (no use having a backup headlamp that doesn’t work) and compact enough to store anywhere, including in the car. The HiLight range distributed by Omnico is an example.

Reach into tight spots: Whether connecting computer cables, or working on a car engine, there are always those awkward corners where flexible light beams that can be directed at odd angles by a hands-free light source will lighten the task.

• The flexible tilt mechanism of the compact iW7R worklight from Ledlenser ensures that its powerful luminous flux of up to 600 lumen can be directed where you need it.

• In the same range, the iW5R flex mini worklight ensures your hands are free when working in tight conditions with its flexible

attachment option by magnetic holder and hook. A powerful, folding LED lamp head illuminates even the tightest crevices.

Lantern options: lanterns have long progressed past the romantic gaslit versions of just a few years ago and now produces some powerful beams, can double-up as powerbanks and offer some other versatile features.

• The LED Tent Lamp from Ace Camp will be equally at home in a brick and mortar room.

Shaped like a bare bulb, it has four LED light settings and it can be clipped onto any extension with an attached carabiner.

• The industrial strength lantern by Ledlenser offers state of the art lens technology to provide a glare-free, high energy light with three switches that includes a dimming option. It doubles as a powerbank, has a rubber hook for hanging and a built-in magnet to secure it to metal surfaces. The detachable base has an additional built-in folding metal hook.

Floodlight strength: the option of illuminating your house or workplace remotely from a portable device has many benefits: you can activate it when you approach your premises to provide safety, you can move the light to illuminate areas the installed lighting system can’t reach, you can light up a large area when entertaining or work outside, among others.

• The Ledlenser i-Series work-, spot- and floodlights are durable and have multi-purpose uses. Compact, powerful and rechargeable, the iF4R is easy to transport and provides up to 15 hours of light. In addition, it acts as a powerbank. The iF8R To p34

HiLight range offers good value

Advertorial :: p33

Omnico’s range of HiLight headlamps and torches offer top of the range specifications at prices that will suit the pockets of most customers

O

mnico recently launched a value for money range of HiLight headlamps and torches. The technical specifications of the range are higher than quite a few well-known brands, yet they managed to keep the pricing very competitive, usually less than brands with lower specs.

Recommended retail prices on the headlamps range from R100 to R400 and the torches from R500 to R900.

This allows the independent retailer to extend his offering to lower price points without having to worry about the quality of the products, as they are backed by Omnico who have proved themselves in the industry over many years.

The range consists of four headlamps and two torches.

The torches are both manufactured from aircraft grade aluminium and come with USB rechargeable batteries and a clip to fasten it to a bicycle handlebar. The top of the range HiLight 900 comes with a spare

battery, while The HiLight 500 features a collapsible silicon diffuser, which softens the light beam making it ideal for camping or reading.

The 120 Night Beam headlamp operates with three AAA batteries, but the rest of the range all come with built-in USB rechargeable batteries. USB cables are supplied in the packaging.

The technical specifications of the range are higher than quite a few well-known brands, yet they managed to keep the pricing very competitive.

The headlamps are impact and splash resistant but lightweight, ranging from 54g, including batteries, for the 80 Firefly to 66g for the HiLight Dual Beam 200.

The Sensor 140 headlamp incorporates a

hand sensor for easy hands-free operation.

Just wave your hand in front of the light and it will be switched on or off. This is ideal for situations where your hands might be covered in grime and you do not want to cover your headlamp with it.

The top of the range Dual Beam 200 comes with four light modes, including an automatic light intensity sensor and a red light mode for preserving night vision. The red light is also handy to read maps or fishing or hunting in the dark, or even to read in the dark without disturbing your partner in the tent or caravan. It does not attract insects.

The range is covered by a lifetime guarantee. If an authorized HiLight dealer determines the product to be defective, it will be replaced at no charge.

The products are all attractively packaged in white and yellow, ready to be displayed on slat display systems. The headlamps are all securely enclosed in blister packaging glued inside the cardboard.

HiLight 80 Firefly

Left: HiLight 500 with diffuser

HiLight Sensor 140

Contact Jean at Omnico on Tel: 021 691 0110 jean@omnico.co.za

p34 :: Outdoor

Outdoor gear for the home cont. from p 32

can be remotely controlled by a smart app, which also controls the level of brightness that can provide as much as 4 500 lumen continuous light for up to 12 hours.

Solar power: from small, portable solar panels with USB ports to charge cell phones in an emergency, to powerbanks charged by solar power, being off the grid no longer means being without power. The Red-E RS40 powerbank from Omnico, for example, utilises a small solar panel to recharge. Solar-powered lanterns have also become very popular for use in the garden or when camping.

Sustainable water storage There is a growing global awareness of the danger plastic creates for the environment and the oceans — especially throwaway water containers. In addition, governments and consumers have recognised that BPA used in plastic can be hazardous to health.

The storage and transport of water has also become as big an issue for many South African ratepayers in cities struggling with water supply, as it is for adventurers travelling to remote bush camps.

Therefore, in the 15-odd years since the introduction of reusable stainless steel water containers, they have become essential items in many households that care about sustainability.

After the first Klean Kanteen limited number of stainless steel bottles, coffee mugs and flasks were introduced in the US in 2004 as an experiment by co-owners Jeff Cresswell and Michelle Kalberer, the need for durable containers was recognised by many other brands.

Still family- and employee-owned, Klean Kanteen mushroomed and became a recognised international brand, also available in South Africa from Awesome Tools.

The range has expanded vastly and now also includes food storage canisters (again, to replace plastic), baby bottles and bottles decorated to have kid-appeal.

They also continue working on improving

the quality of these products, say Cresswell and Kalberer, for example by spending years researching a ground-breaking new non-toxic, chip-resistant powder coat finish that is safe for people and the planet and four times more durable than the stainless steel previously used. They also recently developed a new closure system on their lids and bottles with an unique internal thread design that pairs with their award-winning Climate Lock double-wall vacuum insulation to improve insulation.

A tool for every task Most people in the industry are probably familiar with the story of a young Tim Leatherman creating a whole new product category

Leatherman’s 25 year guarantee.

A unique feature of the collection is the introduction of magnets into the design, which makes it easier for users to open, handle, and close the tools, and eliminates the need for nail nicks.

The internal locking system also reduces the wear and tear on the individual implements, which makes the FREE tools even more durable than its predecessors. Each tool makes a distinct click when it is locked into place and ready for use, which provides confidence in the tool’s functionality, says Leatherman.

The FREE T Series is a pocket tool featuring eight to ten high-functioning tools in a convenient, packable size, making the tools ideal for everyday use. The FREE P series, which was launched in April, is made of 420 steel to create a lightweight, durable, pliersbased multipurpose tool. The FREE P2 and P4 tools feature many of the same implements found within classic Leatherman tools, but with the new features and technologies mentioned above.

The FREE K Series, available from August, is a collection of multipurpose knives. Designed for the folding knife user who wants multipurpose functionality, the primary implement in this collection is a 3.35-inch, highquality 420 steel blade ready for just about everything.

A knife for every use There is hardly any task or industry where Opinel pocket knives are not used: from gardening, DIY, camping, cooking, sailing, mountaineering, as Photo: Leatherman. tableware, for picnics … you name it.

Pablo Picasso used the Opinel No5 because he wanted one tool to fix everything to carve his figurines and chef Paul Bacuse from the lamp in his hotel room, work on used Opinel knives to prepare his famous the old Volkswagen he and his wife toured in dishes. through Europe and assist with all other situaNearly 130 years after Joseph Opinel detions budget travelling throws at you. Thirty- signed the first of the now-famous pocket five years on it is difficult to imagine a time knives, the sleek design still looks pretty much without the many multi-function tools devel- the same. In 1896 he developed the 12 Opinel oped by his namesake company. sizes, although two were later discontinued.

The latest FREE Collection was designed to The emblem, commemorating the kings of incorporate all the insights and suggestions re- France, was patented in 1909 and is still enceived from customers over the years. Made graved on every handle. An Opinel Museum in the US, it also includes many of the de- was opened in Saint Jean de Maurienne, which signs patented over the years and comes with is visited by more than 50 000 people per year.

Solution for those caught in the gun license dilemma WITH NO resolution in sight for the disputes around firearms licenses, the thousands of gun owners who applied late for license renewals or new applicants waiting for license approvals, are in a state of limbo. The only certainty is that they could be in serious trouble if they do use their unlicensed firearms, even if it is to defend their own, or their families’, lives against attackers.

Umarex replica firearms provides a solution: these airguns or paintball markers re-

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

alistically resemble some of the world’s most well-known firearms brands, but can be purchased over the counter without a license.

The company is the world’s largest manufacturer of over-the-counter firearm replicas and the largest importer of air guns in Europe. They have obtained licenses to build replicas of well-known weapon brands like Beretta, Browning, Colt, Heckler & Koch, Ruger Smith & Wesson and IWI. A wide range of the Umarex replicas are

available from R&S Traders (see p31).

They include a realistic-looking pump-action air-powered shotgun shooting a round of 15 rubber projectiles, an airgun version of the large calibre Walther PPQ M2, shooting either chalk, rubber or pepper, a realisticlooking marker that shoots rubber, pepper, chalk or paintballs from one or two barrels, a .43 calibre Walther PPQ M2 air pistol replica, or a .68 calibre pump-action shotgun air rifle that shoots paintballs, among others.

p36 :: Sport

Chance for

WC sales dropped?

Can retailers still hope that all the World Cup action will generate interest and sales?

Photo: Nicol du Toit.

O

nly winning teams sell supporters’ gear, every retailer knows.

With four South Africans in the ICCs ODI Top 5 rankings the hopes were high that the Proteas would be the winning team to inspire a new generation of cricketers to buy bats and boots to try and emulate their heroes. Alas, not so … when we went to print South Africa was at the bottom of the log (just above Afghanistan) with no points from three matches.

That, despite batsmen Quinton de Kock and Faf du Plessis going into the World Cup ranked #4 and #5 on the ICC ODI log, while Imran Tahir (#4) and Kagiso Rabada (#5) featured in the top bowling rankings.

But, lets not despair. There is still some hope that your cricket-loving customers could be inspired by the Protea cricket team at the end of the year when England and Australia play here from Boxing Day to 7 March 2020.

But, it would take some serious wins to convince youngsters that cricket is the game to play when they start the new school year.

Or for fans to have enough confidence in the team to buy supporters’ gear, or want to emulate their heroes.

Not too long ago schoolboys (and girls) would have been able to name each bat model the Protea batsmen would have selected from the traditional cricket brands like Gunn & Moore (GM), Gray-Nicolls, Kookaburra or Slazenger in their coffins. No more.

Two members of the Protea World Cup squad do play with Gunn & Moore — Quinton de Kock (GM Mythos) and Aiden Markram (GM Noir) — and all-rounder Dwaine Pretorius is on the outside looking in. The brand is locally available from Opal Sports.

All-rounder Chris Morris represents Kookaburra, distributed by JRT Crampton.

But, David Miller has become the South African poster face of New Balance cricket,

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

a brand that is getting plenty of exposure at the World Cup in the hands of some of the top batsmen from Australia and England.

Hashim Amla is the ambassador for BAS (Beat all Sports), distributed by Sedgars Sport.

South African brands also feature strong at the World Cup: from captain Faf du Plessis’ iXU Enigma (in striking pink), ditto team mate Andile Phehlukwayo, to Rassie van der Dussen with D&P. JP Duminy has, however, ditched his own local bat brand, MK Handcrafted, for a sponsored SS bat.

But, as retailers have experienced, the performances of other top international players also inspire youngsters, and as we went to

Not too long ago the top batsmen would have gear from the traditional brands like Kookaburra, GM, GrayNicolls, or Slazenger in their coffins. No more print, these were the ICC CWC top run scorers — with sub-continental brands like MRF, SS, SG and CEAT in starring roles: #1 Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh: played 3 for 260 runs — SG Cricket #2 David Warner, Australia: played 4 for 255 runs — Spartan Sport #3 Jason Roy, England: played 3 for 215 runs — New Balance #4 Aaron Finch, Australia: played 4 for 190 runs — New Balance #5 Jos Buttler, England: played 3 for 185 runs — Kookaburra #6 Rohit Sharma, India: played 2 for 179 runs — CEAT (College of Engineering, Architecture and Technology) #7 Joe Root, England: played 3 for 179 runs — New Balance

#8 Steve Smith, Australia: played 4 for 170 runs — New Balance #9 Mushfiqur Rahim, Bangladesh: played 3 for 141 runs — SS #10 Ross Taylor, New Zealand: played 3 for 130 runs — Gunn & Moore.

As the tournament progresses, the Australians who have played four matches should be overtaken by the likes of India’s Virat Kohli (MRF) or MS Doni (Spartan) who had only played two matches as we went to print.

Before the World Cup Kohli was ranked #1 of the ODI batsmen, followed by Sharma, Taylor and our own De Kock and Du Plessis. Root was ranked #6, followed by Babar Azam of Pakistan, who plays with HS 41, locally available from Tenth Sports, Martin Guptill of New Zealand, who plays with the Kookaburra Kahuna, Finch and Shai Hope of the West Indies, who plays with SS.

Soccer World Cup & Afcon Bets could be on whether local women’s soccer will get a boost from South Africa’s bid to host the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. By the middle of next year we’ll know if South Africa beat the eight other countries competing for the honour, including Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Japan and New Zealand.

It is, however, doubtful that much interest will be stimulated by Banyana Banyana in the current Women’s World Cup, where they are not expected to last past the group stage.

Although adidas is FIFA’s Official Supplier and will also supply the Conext 19 Women’s World Cup tournament ball, the Nike swoosh dominates on field. Seven of the top 10 teams — including title holders, the US — are sponsored

by Nike, compared to three wearing adidas.

In total, Nike sponsors 14 teams (including South Africa), adidas 6 and PUMA, Le Coq Sportif, Warrix and Umbro one each.

Bafana Bafana’s quest for the Af- To p40

p38 :: Sport

Women’s 2019 FIFA World Cup will be remembered for

Equal pay for equal play demands FIFA talks gender equality, but global campaigns highlight the huge discrimination against female teams

A

t least one South African woman had a starring role at FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019. The day before the opening ceremony former South African vice-president Phumzile Mlambo‑Ngcuka signed the first‑ ever memorandum of understanding (MoU) between FIFA and the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) in her capacity as UN Women Executive Director.

FIFA president Gianni Infantino signed the MoU on behalf of the world soccer body, against a backdrop of legal action from women’s teams demanding equal prize purses at tournaments.

“Together, we will raise awareness about women’s football and its impact in terms of health, empowerment and positive role models for women and girls around the world,” said Infantino, who also believes that the two organisations could achieve gender equality for women both on and off the pitch by combining forces.

The MoU was signed during the first FIFA Women’s Football Convention attended by sports and political leaders prior to this year’s women’s World Cup, which was preceded by equality campaigns from leading women’s teams.

Our Goal is Now campaign A social media campaign with the hashtag #OURGOALISNOW linked to a website hosted by the Professional Footballers Australia (PFA), highlights the extend of the inequality between men’s and women’s soccer in no uncertain terms.

For example, that the total prize purse of $30-m at the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup in France is only 7.5% of the $400-m prize purse at the 2018 Men’s World Cup in Russia. The campaigners say a prize pool of $336-m represents equality.

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

The $24-m FIFA invested in women’s football promotion is less than 50% of the cost ($58-m) of the FIFA Museum, which clocked a loss of $46-m.

The winning team at the women’s World Cup will receive $4-m — when France won the 2018 FIFA World Cup Russia last year, they received a total of $38-m in prize-money. Although the prize-money this year at the women’s tournament in France is double the amount from Canada four years ago, the pay gap between men and women increased $42-m.

What’s more, the players don’t receive the prize purse directly: it goes to national associations, and they determine what share the players should receive. Federations representing women therefore receive so much less for development than their male colleagues.

Associations representing players from a number of countries asked FIFA to reconsider the prize purse — but the FIFA Council ignored them. After all, the FIFA council members and senior management were last year paid slightly less ($29-m) than the total prize money offered to all 24 teams in the tournament.

This takes the shine off FIFA’s announcement of its Women’s Soccer Strategy, which aims to have 60-m women playing soccer by 2026.

The campaign highlights other discrepancies: • FIFA president Infantino and general secretary Fatma Samoura were paid $4.1-m in 2018 — more than the prize money the 23 players who win the Women’s World Cup in France will receive in total.

• The $24-m FIFA invested in their Women’s football promotion is less than 50% of the cost ($58-m) of the FIFA Museum, which

clocked a loss of $46-m.

• The $11.5-m FIFA allocated to the women’s teams for preparation costs, is less than 25% of what the men’s teams received in 2018.

According to the campaign, FIFA is violating its own Statute 2, which sets out its Objectives: e) to use its efforts to ensure that the game of football is available to and resourced for all who wish to participate, regardless of gender or age; f) to promote the development of women’s football and the full participation of women at all levels of football governance; And it is not as if FIFA cannot afford it: in the 2015‑2018 cycle its profit of $1.2‑bn was twelve times what it budgeted and the association now has reserves of $2.75-bn — 66% more than it budgeted to have after 2018.

“Increasing the prize money at France 2019 to achieve equality would reduce those reserves by less than 11%,” PFA say on the website.

Teams fighting for rights America, ranked world #1, kicked off the current equal pay campaign in March when the current FIFA women’s World Cup champions sued US Soccer for gender discrimination.

Members of the 3-times cup winning women’s squad earn $8 200 less than their male counterparts (#24) over a 20-game international friendly calendar — despite a 30% pay increase last year.

When the US women’s team won the 2015 World Cup they earned $1.73-m, while the men’s team, which lost in the first knockout round, received $5.36-m in 2014.

This discrimination caused an even greater uproar when the women opened their 2019 World Cup account with an historic 13-0 victory over Thailand ... scoring more goals in one match than what their male counterparts had been able to score in the past four World Cups.

Nutritional supplement Luna Bar donated

Sport :: p39

Left: A determined Banyana Banyana squad training before their World Cup departure.

Above: South Africa’s Phumzile Mlambo-Ngcuka signs the MoU with FIFA president Gianni Infantino.

Below: The graphic illustrating the www.ourgoalisnow.com campaign website.

Banyana Banyana captains Refiloe Jane and Janine van Wyk in their World Cup kits.

$718 750 to the women’s national team to compensate for the pay gap.

France: should the women win the current tournament they will only receive a €15 000 bonus each. The men received €300 000 each for winning in Russia.

Jamaica: the national women’s team and top league were disbanded in 2015 due to lack of funds — until the late Bob Marley’s daughter Cedella came to their rescue by raising awareness and funds.

Korea Republic: the salary limit for women ($42 000) is 3% of the $1.4-m the best men’s player, Kim Shin-wook, earned in 2018. Men get business‑class air tickets, women fly econ‑ omy class.

Some victories scored Two of FIFA’s premium sponsors, adidas and Visa, promised equal treatment for women soccer players. Adidas sponsored players in the winning 2019 team will receive the same performance bonus as their male counterparts and Visa said their marketing investment for the women’s World Cup is equal to their spend in the 2018 World Cup for men.

South Africa’s Banyana Banyana team scored a pyrrhic victory at their send‑off to the World Cup when SAFA president Danny Jordaan announced that the women and their Bafana Bafana counterparts would for the first time earn the same amounts (R320 000 each) if the South African women reach the last 16 stages of the FIFA World Cup in France and the men reach the Afcon finals in Egypt.

But, with Banyana Banyana (#49) facing top teams Spain (#13), China (#16) and Germany (#2) in the group stage of their debut

World Cup, SAFA’s equal-pay pledge sounded a bit hollow. Although those who believe that Bafana Bafana’s chance of reaching the Afcon finals is equally slim, could argue that SAFA’s pledge represents gender equality.

The SABC had so little faith in the women’s team progressing that it didn’t even bid for the broadcasting rights to the Women’s World Cup, but it is showing the Afcon matches.

Australia: the women’s team scored an equalpay victory on the eve of the tournament after threatening legal action against FIFA, in which they were supported by their male counterparts in the PFA. Players in the W-League got a 33% base annual pay increase to $11 393, which is equal to the minimum wage for men.

Two years ago the women were considered to be amateurs and only their expenses were covered.

New Zealand and Norway: both football associations now treat the international men and women’s teams equally in terms of pay and business-class travel to international matches. The New Zealand women’s team is ranked #20 in the world and the men #133.

The Norwegian men agreed to a pay cut late in 2017 to allow the association to pay the women the same as them.

Partial victories Argentina: Although the national women’s league was granted professional status, the $3 000 per month the Argentinian Football Association pays each club towards national female players’ minimum salaries (about $365) is equivalent to what male players earn in the fourth tier of the domestic game.

Brazil: a number of the Brazilian Football

Confederation (CBF) sponsors, notably Guarana Antarctica, have initiated marketing campaigns using only the women’s squad.

China: all top flight men’s clubs must have an affiliate women’s side in place by 2020. The CFA has also promised to develop grassroots women’s soccer in the nation.

England: the Women’s Super League (WSL) became the first full professional women’s league in Europe during the 2017-2018 season, with Barclays as the first title sponsor. But, top female players in the league earn about £35 000 plus about £30 000 a year for being selected to play for England … less than 20% of the £328 000 a week that top Premier League players like Kevin de Bruyne receive. Before the World Cup the BBC agreed to give the women’s tournament the same coverage as the men and to broadcast every match.

Do they provide equal value?

The argument against equal pay is based on the belief that the men’s game generates much more interest, and therefore more income.

This is, of course, a Catch 22 argument: without money it is difficult for federations to improve the quality of their women’s teams by introducing professional leagues — which would, in turn, generate more interest and create a new crop of female stars. Despite this, several women’s teams do much better than their male counterparts, including South Africa’s Banyana Banyana.

Nielsen’s World Football Report 2018 found that 58% of women in 18 countries around the world say they find the 2019 FIFA Women’s World Cup very appealing and 31% of women are interested in soccer. World- To p40

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p40 :: Sport

World Cup stock dilemma cont. from p36 rican Cup of Nations crown, which started on 21 June, will have to carry the aspirations of the 70% of the population who are avid soccer followers, according to a Nielsen survey.

Better hope for netball The Spar Protea netball team has a very good chance of progressing to at least the second stage of the Netball World Cup played in Liverpool from 12-21 July — which will be good news for their new kit sponsor, PUMA SA. In their Group C matches the Proteas (#5) will face stiff opposition in their match against Jamaica (#3) on July 14, but they should start the tournament more favourably against Trinidad & Tobago (#10) on July 12, followed by Fiji

(#14) the next day.

After their good performances against Australia (#1), England (#2) and New Zealand (#4) in the Quad series in January this year, it is not unreasonable to expect to see the Proteas in action in the final play‑offs from 19‑21 July.

Dare we hope for RWC sales?

Which leaves retailers with an ordering conundrum for the Rugby World Cup that starts 20 September: do they try to order more replica stock in the hope that a miracle occurs and the Springboks reach the final stages — even though sales of the Unstoppable jersey (below) that has been available since end April started off very slowly.

Or do they wait until October and hold thumbs that ASICS will have stock available when there is a sudden rush if the ‘Boks reach the quaterfinals … or more?

Because, as every retailer knows: replica only sells if teams do well.

ASICS also supplies the Australian shirts.

Canterbury is the official apparel supplier for the RWC, and also sponsors seven of the participating teams, including hosts Japan. But, the outgoing distributor, Brand ID, has only imported a limited number of England and Ireland replica shirts for some key customers.

The All Black sponsor is still adidas, France plays in Le Coq Sportif, Nike supplies the Argentinian jersey, Under Armour Wales and BLK dresses Fiji. Macron sponsors two teams: Italy and Scotland.

Women fight for soccer equality cont. from p39 wide, 43% men and women are interested or very interested in soccer, which is the most popular sport amongst both genders.

This offers many marketing possibilities to women interested in soccer, the Nielsen report conclude.

Women’s income More than 940 000 tickets had been sold in the nine host cities in France prior to the women’s World Cup, with tickets for the opening game, semi‑finals and final games sold out within 48 hours. Indicating that there was certainly interest in the tournament — even if fewer tickets had been made available than in the men’s tournament.

Women’s matches across Europe had also began attracting a growing number of spectators in the past few years.

It is estimated that the women’s tournament would cost the French federation €60-m to €70-m to host. Apart from income from sponsors and ticketing sales, France’s National Centre for the Development of Sport contributes €6-m and FIFA pays for TV production

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

costs and the tournament prize money.

Previous Women’s World Cup hosts Germany and Canada made profits — the Canadians, for example, generated $87.1-m in revenue over a five‑year period and the tournament cost them $81.4-m.

In comparison, FIFA earned $4.8-bn from the men’s 2014 World Cup in Brazil, which gave them a profit of $2.6‑bn.

FIFA earns billions from men FIFA’s income from the men’s tournaments mainly comes from the hotly contested broadcasting rights, which earned the association $2.43-bn in 2014. There was no big player to pay for the broadcasting rights for the women’s tournament, and most federations were just grateful when broadcasters offered to air the matches.

In 2018 FIFA earned an estimated $6.1-bn during the Russian World Cup — about half of it from television rights, as well as a huge boost from EA Sports for royalties to the FIFA video game. The rest of FIFA’s huge income in the men’s game come from sponsorships

($1.6-bn), with Premium Partners like adidas, Visa, etc. paying about 32-m euros per year, royalties and ticket sales ($527-m).

Following the corruption scandals, corporate sponsors were shy to show support and several existing sponsors jumped ship. But, mainly new Chinese sponsors came to the rescue and FIFA’s income from sponsorships — $1.65-bn — was slightly more than the $1.63-bn for the Brazil tournament.

FIFA has exclusive control over World Cup marketing rights, which includes royalties on jerseys and all other FIFA branded items sold.

While replicas of men’s jerseys sell in their millions — especially of the stronger teams — only a smattering of replica shirts are seen in the stands at the women’s tournament, and hardly any on the streets.

In contrast to the men’s game, 2019 France World Cup fan gear is only available from limited online stores in Europe and the US and are sold in a few big retailers in a few countries. Fans who want to show support of their women’s team therefore have to be pretty dedicated shoppers.

Sport :: p41 The Mode XT Iridescent TZ colourway update from PUMA, worn here by Adriana Lima, is built for intense training of all kinds, as well as casual fashion wear. The Iridescent TZ trainer blends street style with performance technology offered by the podular midsole that provides lightweight rebound and its HYBRID Foam that provides cushion and responsiveness. Zoned rubber outsoles create traction for training movements.

W

Top fitness trends for 2019

earables, group training and high-intensity interval training (HIIT) top the list of fitness trends as reported by a global survey published in the Worldwide Survey of Fitness Trends for 2019, conducted by Walter Thompson for ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine).

This is the 13th year in which ACSM has been conducting the survey among health professionals in order to determine health and fitness trends.

The Top 10 fitness trends for 2019 are: 1. Wearable technology: first included in the survey in 2016, when it topped the chart as the year’s #1 trend, it has kept its #1 spot in 2017, but dropped to #3 in 2018. “[This] may be the result of manufacturers correcting some monitoring inaccuracies of the past,” speculates the author. It is again back in the top spot.

2. Group training: training conducted in groups of five or more participants, covering a variety of exercise forms such as cardio- or dance-based classes, indoor cycling, etc. “Group exercise training programs have been around for a long time and have appeared as a potential worldwide trend since this survey was originally constructed. However, it was only in 2017 that group exercise training made the top 20, appearing at #6, and #2 in the 2018 survey.”

3. HIIT: has been among the Top 5 trends in the report since 2014 — twice at #1, once in

the second position and three times at #3.

The activity involves short bursts of highintensity bouts of exercise followed by a short period of rest.

4. Fitness programs for older adults: this trend especially caters for Baby Boomers, but also the older generations. “These individuals in general have more discretionary money than their younger counterparts,” says Thompson. “People are living longer, working longer, and remaining healthy and active much longer.” The trend has been among the Top 10 since 2007 when it was in second place. It has been on the list each year since with the exception of 2017.

5. Bodyweight training: has been among the top trends since 2013, where it debuted at #3. It reached first position in 2015, and second in 2014, 2016 and 2017. It started dropping lower down the list in 2018 (#4) and is now in fifth position on 2019’s Top 10 list.

6. Employing certified fitness professionals: there’s a growing realization about the importance of hiring certified professionals for certified programs.

7. Yoga: “Yoga has taken on a variety of forms within the past year (including Power Yoga, Yogilates, yoga in hot environments, and others). Instructional tapes and books also are plentiful, as are certifications in the many yoga formats.” It was included in the Top 10 for the first time in 2008, but fell off the list the next year. In 2015 it was back among the top trends (#7). Since then it has

been fluctuating between #7 and #10, but remaining among the Top 10.

8. Personal training has become more accessible online, in health clubs, in the home, and in worksites that have fitness facilities, writes Thompson. It has been among the top trends since the survey was first published in 2006.

9. Functional fitness training: “Replicating actual physical activities someone might do as a function of their daily routine, functional fitness first appeared on the survey in the #4 position in 2007, but fell to #8 in 2008 and #11 in 2009.” It has been up and down among the top 10 positions between #7 and #10, with the exception of 2017 when it fell outside of the top 10 trends.

10. Exercise is medicine: “EIM is a global health initiative that is focused on encouraging primary care physicians and other health care providers to include physical activity assessment and associated treatment recommendations as part of every patient visit, and referring their patients to exercise professionals,” explains Thompson. This is the second time that EIM has been among the top 10 trends (#7 in 2017).

More than 2 000 fitness and health professionals from the UK, Australia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Japan, India, Italy, Russia, Singapore, Taiwan, and the US completed the latest survey. The majority (65%) are female, and 60% of respondents have worked in the industry for more than 10 years (33% for more than 20 years).

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p42 :: Industry

Men shop more than women

Retailing

IT’S AN ACCEPTED stereotype that women are the bigger shoppers among the sexes, but men actually shop more often than women, The Rise of the New Male Power Shopper report found. Research conducted by First Insight, a US-based merchandising platform that collects data, showed that men shopped more often online and in brick-and-mortar stores, which indicates that retailers should consider focusing more on their male shoppers who might spend more than their female counterparts.

First Insight conducted two surveys among targeted samples of 1 000 respondents each during December 2017 and September 2018.

Overall, both genders gave similar responses when it comes to how many of their purchases were made online in 2018.

There was quite a gap, however, between male and female shoppers’ tendencies to buy online the previous year, which shows that men have increased their shopping and women decreased how much they buy online.

Male respondents indicated that 41% of their purchases were made online in 2018, while the previous year respondents indicated 38%.

On the flipside, women reported that they made fewer online purchases in 2018 compared with the previous year: 40% in 2018 vs 46% in 2017.

Men are also more likely to shop six or more times per month at brickand-mortar stores than women: • Mass department stores: 25% vs 15% respectively; • Walmart: 41% of men vs 35% of women; • Luxury stores: 19% of men vs 5% of women; • Off-price stores: 24% of men vs 19% of women; • Speciality or brands’ stores: 20% of men vs 10% of women.

Men shop more frequently

Increase in male mobile shoppers

Men are more likely to shop six or more times per month, across various platforms, the report found.

When it comes to shopping on Amazon, more men than women respondents indicated that they visit this online store six or more times per month (53% men vs 45% of women), and more men also indicated that their Amazon purchases had increased over the year between surveys (60% of men, 52% of women).

Comparatively, 19% of men and 8% of women shop six or more times a month at online discount stores.

In addition to shopping online on a computer or going into a store to buy products, respondents also shop on their mobile devices: and the resistance to the latter is getting less, the report found.

Respondents are now more likely to use their mobile devices to make purchases: only 18% of men and 19% of women indicated that they never (less than once a month) make mobile purchases. Men showed a significant decrease, down from 49% of respondents in 2017. Women showed similar responses in 2018 compared to 2017, when 21% indicated they never shop on their mobile devices.

Graphic: First Insight.

Automated clothing and footwear shopping has a market

“Automated shopping adopters”. Red: Women. Green: Men Both graphs by Blis.

SUBSCRIPTION AS A shopping method is a rising trend that retailers should take note of, as consumers are becoming more willing to pay for the convenience. Clothing, shoes and clothing basics are among the items that survey respondents would choose automated subscription services for, reports Blis* in its Omnichannel Consumers Treading New Paths to Purchase report.

Almost a quarter (22%) of the 1 200 survey respondents indicated that they would like a retailer to automatically send them clothing basics on a regular basis: 12% would like leisure clothes, and 18% said the same for shoes.

Also, younger people between the ages of

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

“Items for online retailers to automatically ship on a regular basis (overall & 2534)”. Orange: Overall. Blue: Younger.

25-34 are more likely to be interested in these services, the researchers found: 32% are interested in clothing basics, 18% in leisure clothes, and 26% in regular shoe delivery services. This age group accounts for 22% of all respondents.

Men are most likely to go for an automated subscription service, especially for underwear, shoes and work clothing. Just over 40% of men would automate shopping for clothing basics (30% of women), 35% would for shoes (25% of women) and 21% work clothing (12% of women).

“Large numbers of people are willing to have household basic products, groceries and even clothing basics shipped to them automatically,” says the report. “But mid-range items like

leisure clothes, shoes and even high-end items like jewellery receive meaningful interest, suggesting there is a large chunk of the population that values convenience above all other factors, and is willing to sacrifice consumer choice for convenience for even medium-tolarge purchases.”

The 25-34 year old group appreciates this convenience even more than the rest. While almost 60% of the overall group would opt to automate shopping, 81% of the younger group would choose this option.

Convenience can thus trump the freedom of choice for your customers. * Blis uses location data.

Industry :: p43

news

What influences athletes’ purchasing behaviour?

Database helps product labels conform to countries’ specs THE WFSGI (World Federation of the Sporting Goods Industry) and ISPO have joined forces to compile a new Compliant Labelling Requirements (CLR) database. This helps companies stay on top of various countries’ label requirements, which can differ from the one to the other. Having the wrong information on product labels can be a costly mistake.

The database allows a company to search for among 49 countries’ requirements across the following categories: clothing and textiles, shoes, consumer electronics (wearables), personal protective equipment, sporting goods and bicycles (including e-bikes).

“Many countries require [product] labels that are issued by government agencies, independent associations or industry organizations for a number of business areas. But the validity of these labels is often only regional or national,” says ISPO. “This situation creates a challenge for global players,” adds Tobias Gröber, Executive Director of the Business Unit Consumer Goods at Messe München and the Head of the ISPO Group. “They have to remain constantly up to date about the latest labels in individual countries and make the appropriate changes by the deadline. If they fail to do so, they could face legal and, above all, business consequences like lost sales.”

O

WHERE DO athletes get their product information from? What matters to them when choosing between products? These are among the questions that were at the top of ISPO’s mind when conducting its survey to find out more about athletes’ purchasing behaviour.

ISPO surveyed 2 783 athletes from Germany, Italy, the UK and France, and the majority (79%) of respondents take part in sports twice per week and close to half take part more than three times per week.

Newly purchased products are likely to motivate them to be even more active, 68% of respondents indicated: 33% indicated that this is a long-term impact, while 35% indicated that it is at least a short-term motivation boost.

When it comes down to where they buy, the jury is out on the most popular shopping avenue: 41% had made their latest sport product purchase in a brick-and-mortar store while 51% had bought online. Of this 51%, 36% was via a computer and 15% via a mobile device.

Many of the athletes make use of digital sources to gather information, the survey found: 60% of participants take to social media, 41% use Google searches, and 36% read about products in digital magazines.

Just under half of respondents are also likely to discuss available options with friends, and 54% will buy a product based on a recommendation from a friend.

Awards and technical labels are important when making their purchasing decisions to 75% of respondents, and awards and labels have become more relevant over recent years for 46%. “The respondents classify products with awards or distinctions, such as the ISPO Award, as higher quality and attribute greater functionality to them than to other products,” explains ISPO. A third of respondents is influenced by tests by magazines when it comes to making their purchasing decisions, while 14% is influenced by information and tests by brand ambassadors.

Takealot opens Click and Collect venues

ne of the reasons people choose to shop online is because it’s convenient.

It’s not always convenient, however, to receive the delivery via courier for various reasons such as accessibility, delivery fees, no one being available to receive it, etc. In order to help solve this hassle, Takealot has now expanded the physical locations where its online shoppers can collect their parcels, increasing their options and giving them convenient ways of receiving their parcels.

Previously, the etailer gave customers the option of receiving parcels via courier or picking them up themselves at its Cape Town or Johannesburg warehouses. Now, customers can also choose to pick up their parcels at one of close to 30 pick-up locations in six provinces (Western Cape, Gauteng, KwaZulu Natal, Limpopo, Mpumalanga and the Eastern Cape).

Additionally, customers have seven days to collect their parcels, and they can even have someone else pick the order up for them.

They are also able to return items at the

pick-up points if they don’t want to wait for a courier to collect from them.

On average, 1 000 orders are collected from Takealot’s Cape Town warehouse per day, peaking at 4 000, says Kim Read, CEO of takealot.com. “We understand that customers prefer alternatives to delivery and having specified locations for both collection and returns at a time convenient for them is an added benefit.”

The rise of Click and Collect Click and Collect isn’t a new concept and several local and international etailers offer this service, but it’s one that’s been steadily growing in popularity over the years.

Pargo was the first company in South Africa that provided a Click and Collect service on behalf of etailers and now has over 2 200 pick-up points. When it opened in 2015 the percentage of online shoppers who used Click and Collect services was around 5%, but last year’s Black Friday period alone showed a growth to 20%, says Lars Veul, Pargo CEO

and co-founder.

What has been a big contributor to the growth in popularity for Click and Collect?

• Access, or rather a lack of: many people in South Africa live or work in areas that couriers can’t easily access, for example townships or rural towns.

• People aren’t always home: most couriers deliver between 09:00 and 17:00, which is usually when people are at work, and not all have people who’d be at home to accept the delivery. Many people also aren’t allowed to receive deliveries at work.

• Delivery fees: delivery fees can get expensive, whereas Click and Collect is either free or significantly lower charges (depending on the etailer). This is possible, because several parcels can be dropped off at one pick-up point, instead of making deliveries to a number of houses, etc.

• Quick returns: should the consumer wish to return an item, they can drop it off at the collection point, instead of having to wait for a courier to pick it up from them.

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p44 :: Industry

G

Reviewers influence Gen Z buying

en Z — babies born between mid-1990s and mid-2000s — not only has an estimated spending power of up to $143-bn, but 93% of parents indicate that Gen Z also has a say in family and household purchases, reports Forbes. The generation is always connected, and does research before the buy by reading online user reviews. Brands can also not rely on brand loyalty from this generation and instead constantly have to remind them why their products should be chosen above their competitors’.

Gen Z is also predicted to be the largest generation of consumers by 2020 (next year).

Always connected to their phones Gen Z grew up with devices in their hands. Almost all (95%) of Gen Z, whose ages range between 1424 years, already has a smartphone, CGK (The Center for Generational Kinetics) found in its annual The State of Gen Z 2018 report.

The generation is so attached to their devices that they get uncomfortable if they are away from their smartphones, it adds. This can be for as short a time as 30 minutes, or less, 31% of respondents indicated. “This anxiety and discomfort provides insight into the dependence the generation has on their smartphones.”

Overall, more than half of Gen Z uses smartphones five or more hours per day – and 26% use them for ten or more hours. Typically, females use the phones more: 65% vs 50% of males use for five or more hours per day.

Male respondents are most likely to use their smartphones between 1-4 hours per day (41% of males), while females are most likely to use for ten or more hours (33%).

Buy clothing, but not for the brand The good news for brands is that Gen Z likes to buy clothing and footwear – and males spend 53% more money than their Millennial counterparts, Packaged Facts found in Looking Ahead to Gen Z: Demographic Patterns and Spending Trends (overall, there’s a rise in the importance of the male shopper: see Men shop more than women).

The generation, however, doesn’t have a lot of brand loyalty: only 38% will buy clothing and 47% shoes because of the brand name. Compare this to their phone brand loyalty, where 70% will choose to buy a smartphone and 59% other electronics because of the brand.

Additionally, there is a difference in how the genders approach brands: females want brands to be innovative and part of their social network (on- and offline). “This corresponds to their goals of projecting success through bringing new ideas and products to their net-

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

works,” Joe Cardador, VP of consumer intelligence at Barkley, told Forbes.

Males, on the other hand, want brands that are accessible and that help them to customise products to meet their needs and express their identities.

Read reviews before buying Gen Z is more likely to listen to other consumers who post their product reviews and experiences online. More than two thirds (68%) read at least three reviews before making a first time purchase, CGK reports — and 16% read nine or more reviews!

Typically, females read more reviews than males before buying: 21% of females will read more than nine reviews, which is almost double the percentage of males who indicated the same.

Close to half (46%) of Gen Z follows more than 10 influencers on social media, who they also use as sources of information before making purchasing decisions.

“Unlike the celebrities, singers, or athletes of previous generations who became soughtafter product and service endorsers, today’s online influencers don’t have to demonstrate proven expertise in an area or a high profile endorsement deal,” says Jason Dorsey, CGK President and Gen Z Expert. “Instead, when it comes to shaping the views of Gen Z consumers, it’s enough for today’s influencers to have a large online following around a specific topic, lifestyle, experience, product, service, or outcome.”

Social media use differs between genders Additionally, 73% of Gen Z follows at least one brand on social media, and 52% follow three

or more.

The generation uses different social media channels to do different things, CGK found.

They are most likely to use Instagram to follow brands, Snapchat to post or send a video or a selfie, and Facebook to create or check a group event.

Where 38% of Millennials choose to follow brands on Facebook, Gen Z uses Instagram 2.5 times more often than Facebook to follow brands.

While Gen Z males and females tend to use the different social media platforms for the same reasons, females tend to use them more.

For example, overall Instagram is used by 41% of Gen Z respondents to follow brands, but when you break it down by gender you CGK found that 48% of females and 36% of males use the platform for this reason.

“Females are more immersed and therefore more susceptible to comparing themselves and their lives to what they see on social media, and even gauging their happiness and selfworth accordingly,” says CGK. Gen Zers also spend a lot of time on YouTube, and trust ads on this platform more than on any other (including radio and TV).

Marketers need to take note of how different demographics respond to advertising: “nonHispanic whites are far less likely than African American and Hispanic young adults to express positive attitudes about advertising and African Americans are much more likely to depend on traditional media,” Packaged Facts found.

Packaged Facts made use of consumer surveys as well as census data. CGK draws on its more than 40 national and international studies that explore Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X, and Baby Boomers, as well as input from 1 000 Gen Z and 1 000 Millennials.

Industry :: p45

Trump tariffs & the sports industry

T

The impact of the US-China trade war became a local reality as the imminent imposition of a 25% tax threatened to play havoc with China-manufactured sport and outdoor goods imported from America.

he US Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) has asked sports industry members to sign a letter to congress, opposing the proposed 25% tariff on an additional $325-bn worth of consumer goods sourced from China. The letter asks for the exclusion of sporting goods and clothing from the tariffs, which many believe could cripple the US sports industry. SFIA offers assistance to companies wishing to apply for exemption.

SFIA is one of 150 trade groups and more than 600 companies, including large retailers like Walmart, who have asked US President Donald Trump in letters to resolve the trade dispute with China, because they fear the tariffs hurt American businesses and consumers more than the Chinese.

This additional tariff increase follows on the 25% tariff slapped on $200-bn worth of China-made products in May. These products already had a 10% increase imposed in December 2018. This, however, had a limited impact on the sporting goods industry as mainly hats, gloves, bags and football helmet components were affected.

The next round of tariffs will have a major impact on the American athleisure, sport, outdoor and fishing markets.

Most South African importers of US sporting and outdoor brands, however, do not expect that the tariffs will affect them. Most of the local distributors of American brands either receive their goods via Europe (as part of the EMEA region), Asia-Australasia, Dubai (Skechers) or directly from China, therefore by-passing the US border controls.

“We hold a Trump card as we are direct importers of goods manufactured from China,”

This action is the farthestreaching and most damaging trade policy our industry and our customers have ever faced says Albert Venter, Bounty Brands financial director. “As the licensee for Vans in South Africa we are fortunate not to be directly affected by the US/China trade war.”

But, higher prices of goods sold in the huge US market could have an indirect global impact on all sporting and outdoor goods. “Bottom line: it will certainly affect sales of products as the economy is very tight and price increases will not be easily absorbed,” says Stan Gordon of CDG, importer of US-manufactured Maglite.

The upside is that a few high-quality outdoor brands made in America could benefit from the tariffs that will increase the prices on their China-made competitors — while they will be exempt. Some of these brands available in the local market are Maglite, Leatherman and Cascade Designs’ MSR, Platypus and Therm-a-Rest.

The downside is that the tariffs will especially affect big athletic footwear and clothing brands who spent years developing manufacturing facilities — many built their own factories — in China. This will also affect the price of European brands manufactured in China when it is sold in the US market, where especially adidas has been growing its footprint.

This could have global implications as it would result in price increases for America’s top retailers and most international brands sold into

this dominant market.

With most American economists already predicting a recession, SFIA’s concern is understandable.

Following the 10% tariffs levied on a limited number of goods earlier this year, the new list of goods that could incur a 25% tariff will affect just about all categories of sports and outdoor footwear, clothing, equipment for sport and fitness as well as fishing.

The American Sportfishing Association (ASA) has alerted its members to a list of imported Chinese products that could potentially be subjected to the 25% tariff. The list includes, but is not limited to, rods, reels, line, hooks, nets and artificial baits — in other words, most fishing gear made in China.

From T-shirts to sneakers, and all sport and fishing equipment imported from China under the HTS 9506 and 9507 codes — which covers everything from athletics to water polo — will be affected by the tariff.

“This is something we have feared,” says SFIA President & CEO, Tom Cove, in a statement. “While there have been threats around these tariffs for many years, this action is the farthest-reaching and most damaging trade policy our industry and our customers have ever faced.”

SFIA hopes the Chinese and American governments can come to an agreement before the tariffs go into effect, “as these new tariffs will be potentially-destructive to many industry companies who cannot move manufacturing processes out of China in such a short period of time,” says Cove.

“These taxes will fundamentally harm the American sports and fitness products industry; there’s no way around it. As it will To p48

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

p46 :: Industry

Tekkie Town reports no growth “FOOTWEAR BUSINESSES Tekkie Town and Shoe City are currently facing challenging market conditions,” Pepkor CEO Leon Lourens said during the recent webcast of the retail group’s 6-monthly interim financial results.

Indeed.

With no like-for-like store revenue growth, his statement that “Tekkie Town management has been successful in continuing to grow and expand the business” refers to the 6.7% growth in the number of stores to 398 during the period. This accounted for the reported 8.1% sales growth.

By next month there will be 400 Tekkie Town stores, Lourens said. Adding that “it is a good business” which has been growing and expanding as Pepkor added their own expertise and reporting systems.

In an interview with Sports Trader in 2009 at the tail end of the 20072009 global financial crisis, then Tekkie Town operations manager Michael Brown said “we don’t understand the recession. We are trading right through it.” In fact, the management team told us that they were achieving great sales growth throughout the recession because customers knew that they would get good value for money at Tekkie Town. Through good years and bad they managed to achieve an EBITDA (Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization — an indication of short-term operational efficiency) of 22% said former CEO Bernard Mostert.

“Key projects are underway to enhance [Tekkie Town] supply chain and stock management ability,” Lourens said during the 2019 results presentation. “But the supply chain is difficult,” he added, mentioning the huge growth in turnover over the December trading period, which made maintaining stock levels difficult and creating availability issues, as well as the problem of managing stock that do not turn around to a more acceptable level.

Previous success In 2009 the then Tekkie Town team told Sports Trader that part of their success was due to a team of 18 constantly replenishing and re-stocking where necessary, thus limiting lost sales because they can move the right styles into the right stores, in a short time. “We’ll rather overstock than lose sales because we are out of stock,” founder Braam Van Huyssteen said at the time. This fast turnaround and restocking meant that they could open shelf space when and where necessary for new styles. This was made possible by a huge warehouse from where 15 000 pairs could be moved per day.

The Speciality Division, which includes Tekkie Town, reported 9.4% sales growth and like-for-like growth of 4.1% in the 2019 half year. In 2018 the Pepkor/STAR Speciality Division, which the former Tekkie Town management team was tasked with turning around until they resigned en-masse in June 2018, achieved 20% revenue growth and like-on-like growth of 12.5%.

According to Lourens four of the five brands in the division are profitable in 2019.

Across the five retail brands 47 new stores were opened (25 for Tekkie Town), growing the division’s footprint to 939 stores.

“John Craig and Refinery continue to report double-digit sales and likefor-like growth,” he said. Refinery, aimed at young adults, has been trading for two years and now has 50 stores. John Craig now only stocks its own brands plus one clothing brand (Polo) and one footwear brand

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

Company

Long4Life revenue boosted by sport LONG4LIFE has reported R3.6-bn revenue for the financial year ending 28 February 2019, of which the Sport and Recreation division (Sportsmans Warehouse, Outdoor Warehouse and Performance Brands) alone contributed R2.1-m (59%).

In the Sport and Recreation Division total retail sales grew 8.4% (4% same store) in the 11 months reported. Sportsmans Warehouse sales were up by 10.1% (4% on a like-for-like basis) and Outdoor Warehouse sales increased by 3.3% (4.1% likefor-like). “[Outdoor Warehouse] sales growth was slightly hamstrung by price deflation while the shorter than normal December holiday restricted customers’ traditional camping vacations and, consequently their demand for outdoor merchandise,” the company explains in its financial report.

The wholesale division, Performance Brands, reported that external sales were down by 2.5% from the previous year, but sales to the group’s own retail divisions increased by 0.5% year-on-year. It manufactures and distributes First Ascent, Capestorm, Second Skins, OTG Active and African Nature brands. The division was also recently awarded the exclusive distribution rights for Speedo swimwear, effective January 2020. Brand ID is the current distributor of the swim brand.

In the Sport and Recreation division, the average trading area increased by 3.5%, compared to the previous year, and price deflation was 0.9% across the retail businesses. At the end of the financial year there were 43 Sportsmans Warehouse stores and 26 Outdoor Warehouse stores in total.

During the past year, Sportsmans Warehouse started introducing a new mall-based concept for their stores, with a smaller footprint that still offers an authentic and recognisable shopping experience, the company reports. Three of these stores were opened during the financial year in Rosebank Mall, Sandton City and Eikestad Mall in Stellenbosch. All stores will feature these new design elements and fixtures within the next three years.

(Crockett & Jones), which contains costs and made it more profitable, said Lourens.

Shoe City was, however, most affected by the difficult economic climate, he said. “The shoe industry is tough because unit prices are high.” But compared to the rest of the market he believes Shoe City has gained market share and performed well.

Dunns performed best of the brands and “maintained its positive performance trajectory”. Lourens hopes it will soon become profitable under a new management team.

For the 2019 half year Pepkor’s clothing and general merchandise segment reported revenue growth of 5.2% to R23.1-bn, contributing 66% of group revenue for the period under review. Operating profit increased by 6.6% to R3.1-bn. This includes Pep, Ackermans and the Speciality Division.

Industry :: p47

results

mrpSport sales grow 10% POOR ECONOMY or not, mrpSport grew sales 9.7% (6.4% like-for-like store growth) to R15.44-bn in the past financial year, which ended 31 March 2019. That is despite stocking mainly their own low-cost Maxed brand plus a sprinkling of one or two well-known brands in a few sport segments — indicating that cashstrapped customers were still buying sports equipment, but at a price they can afford.

They also grew credit sales, which would have attracted low-income customers.

The sport division’s first half sales were up 7.2% and in the second half December-January sales resulted in 11.8% growth. Extensions to existing products contributed to performance, they report, resulting in annual double digit growth in operating profit for the division.

The mrpSport division now has 112 stores after opening 7 new stores in the year, but reducing 6, to grow trading space 0.6%. Online sales grew 43.8%.

The sports division forms part of the Mr Price Apparel segment and contributed 6.9% to this segment’s revenue. The total Apparel segment — mrpApparel, mrpSport and Milady — grew total revenue 3.8% to R15.6-bn and operating profit grew 3.4% off a strong base for an operating margin of 18%. Retail sales grew 3.1% to R12.6-bn (like-for-like store growth 0.1%), which exceeded market growth as reported by Stats SA, Mr Price reported to investors.

Annual Group retail sales grew 4.4% to R20.88bn and other income grew 24.7% to R1.48-bn.

Total revenue grew 5.8% to R22.59-bn.

Mixed results for adidas DEPENDING ON where you live, the adidas financial results for 2018 is good or bad news: we, in the emerging markets region, received the bad news that sales were 3% down for the year, although there is no indication of how adidas SA specifically performed and what effect their changed retail strategy re independents had. In Europe adidas achieved 0% growth, and in Russia and its former satellite states sales grew 1%.

But, good news for the brand is the 15% (17% currency-neutral) sales growth in the huge North American and Asia-Pacific markets, as well as 6% growth in Latin America. In Greater China adidas sales grew 23% (currency-neutral), following 29% growth in 2017.

According to the financial report published earlier this month, in currency-neutral terms adidas’ overall sales grew 8% to €21.9-bn and the operating margin is 1 percentage point higher at 10.8%.

The e-commerce business unit is adidas’ fastest growth channel and has doubled in size in two years — growing 36% in 2018 after 57% growth in 2017. “The role of digital is clear: through sport, we have the power to change lives and, to change lives, we have to create direct relationships with consumers,” CEO Kasper Rorsted explained. “The best way to accelerate building those direct relationships is through digital. Digital transformation, however, is not only fundamentally changing the way we interact with

our consumer — it touches every part of the business. Gearing up for the future, we are driving digital transformation across the entire organization.”

The 2018 sales figures do not include sales of the Rockport, TaylorMade, Adams Golf, Ashworth and CCM Hockey businesses, which had been divested in 2017.

Reebok returned to profitability, reporting more than €150-m profit over two years — but, revenues dropped 3% due to a decline in sport sales, even though the Classics styles reported double-digit growth.

The adidas brand, however, grew 9% due to good sales in North America and Asia Pacific.

The Sport Performance segment reported 9% sales growth, driven by double-digit growth in training and running, but Sport Inspired products grew 11%, based on exceptional demand for the Yeezy lines — which indicates that the Kanye West collaboration paid dividends, even though he can be such an embarrassment at times.

“We increased investments into our brands while strictly managing costs,” adidas told investors. “As a result, we fed the gross margin improvement through to the operating margin, which expanded to a level of 10.8%, the highest operating margin in the history of our company. Our net income from continuing operations grew six times as fast as our top line in nominal terms, up 20% to €1.7-bn. Again, a new record.”

Another record quarter for Skechers “THE MOMENTUM we experienced in 2018 is continuing as we again achieved a new quarterly sales record in the first quarter of 2019,” says Robert Greenberg, chief executive officer of Skechers. Overall their first quarter sales increased by 5.2% on a constant currency basis, with international sales increasing by 15%.

This sales growth is especially good news for them as last year’s first quarter was already a record for the company, and Easter happened to fall during that period.

“In the [2019 first] quarter, we also shipped a record number of pairs from our distribution centres in Japan and Europe, and we saw

strong growth within our international distributors and joint ventures, including China.

With a focus on building our global business, we converted our joint venture in India to a wholly owned subsidiary, and we finalized a joint venture agreement with our distribution partner in Mexico earlier this month. We expect these investments to be accretive in 2019, and for international, which now stands at 57.8 percent of our total business, to continue to drive growth.”

Some of the highlights from the first quarter include the GOrun Razor 3 Hyper receiving the Runner’s World’s Editor’s Choice award, the

brand featured on fashion week runways in Berlin and London, it started a fresh women’s campaign with Camila Cabello who sported D’Lites, it sponsored the Los Angeles Marathon and sponsored athletes performed well.

“We are continuing to capitalize on the chunky trend we developed with our heritage styles across both men and women — with new styles shipping around the world throughout 2019,” continues Greenberg. “We are already seeing a positive impact in sales with the launch of our television campaigns for spring, and we believe our momentum will continue into the second quarter.”

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader

More results

p48 :: Industry

Lower sales for ASICS as it focus shifts to direct sales FOR THE first quarter of this year, ASICS’ net sales are down 5.7% — less 2.5% in currency neutral (CN) terms. Results were largely affected by the strengthening of the Yen (ASICS’ headquarters are in Japan) as well as distribution channel changes in Greater China, which lowered sales significantly, says the company.

In the EMEA region, which includes South Africa, overall sales were 9% down from Q1 2018. Performance Running, which contributes 62.2% of ASICS’ net sales in the region, was 16.6% down. The brand attributes this to decreased sales in the wholesale channel.

Other divisions in the region also reported decreased sales: Sports Style, which contributes 13.8% of ASICS sales in the EMEA region, reported a 5.5% sales drop, Core Performance Sports sales were 12.1% lower and sales of apparel and equipment were 11.7% down, due to weak sales in running and training.

One of the company’s priority areas, identified in its annual financial review at the end of last year, is to grow the sales through its digital business to reach the consumer directly.

Steps being taken include promoting the new membership program, OneASICS, through own retail stores, websites, ecommerce, apps,

etc., and using purchase history and activity data gained from the program to develop personalised marketing systems for different regions. Growing ecommerce sales is the main goal and during Q1 ecommerce sales already increased by 56%.

Performance Running is ASICS’ biggest division in terms of sales (around 44% of net sales) and during Q1 2019, sales in this division decreased by 7.7% (-3.8% CN) compared to Q1 2018. In addition to losses in the EMEA, Greater China sales were down by 36.6%. China experienced a temporary impact on sales due to sales returns associated with switching some distributors’ sales to direct sales, it explains.

Sales did, however, increase in Japan (7.3%), due to higher sales and sale orders by national chain stores, and North America (2.7%), which was boosted by ecommerce and strategic account sales. North America accounts for a third of Performance Running sales.

Core Performance Sports sales increased by only 0.1% (+2.6% CN). The sale losses in EMEA and Greater China (-5.5%) were offset by the 13.7% growth in North America, which was driven by tennis shoes, and 3.4% growth in Japan, which accounts for 56.6% of the division’s sales.

The Sports Style division’s sales dropped by

Trump tariffs cont. from p45 be for our companies, it will be doubly worse for American consumers who will face serious price increases and reduced selection.

SFIA had been in discussion with the Trump Administration for months and had been clear that if these tariffs are imposed, companies will be forced to raise prices, reduce production, divert resources from planned research and development, and potentially lay off employees.

Products from China shipped before May 10th and arriving in the States by June 15th will still be exempt, but any products shipped thereafter will be affected.

Most well-known American brands available in South Africa will, however, not be affected.

Outdoor brands Abu Garcia, Berkley, Mitchell, Penn, Shakespeare (from Pure Fishing) Black Diamond Browning Buck Coleman Eagle Claw Jarden Smith & Wesson Steripen/Katadyn

Sport brands Callaway Concept2 Ping Prince Rawlings Spalding Taylor Made

Sports Trader :: 2019 Q2

Titleist Trek, Bontrager Wilson

Sportswear & footwear brands Brooks Columbia Converse Footjoy Hurley Levi’s New Era New Balance Newton Nike Reebok Saucony Skechers The North Face Under Armour Vans

7.5% (-3.6% CN) during Q1 2019. The changes in Greater China also negatively affected this division, reducing sales by 69%. North America, however, reported a significant increase in sales (19.6%) during the quarter compared to Q1 2018. North America makes up 31.5% of the division’s global sales.

The Apparel and Equipment division reported 12% lower sales (-9.7% CN) compared to Q1 2018. The switch in Greater China away from distributors also affected this division (down 21.5%), and North American sales were also down (-9.1%). Japan reduced product lines with low profit margins and sluggish sales in training and reported a 15.9% increase in sales. Japan accounts for 44.9% of the division’s sales, with EMEA 26.3% and North America 11.9%.

During Q1 2019, Onitsuka Tiger sales increased 2.3% (5% CN). The brand reported significant growth in Japan (16%), which accounts for 25.6% of the brand’s sales, where it recorded strong sales especially in its own retail stores and ecommerce channels. Sales in the North America and EMEA regions were flat, but Greater China sales were down by 10.8%.

The drop in China is due to an early shipment during last year’s Q1. North America includes the US, Canada and Mexico.

PUMA reports record sales DURING THE first quarter of this year, PUMA has experienced continued growth in all of its regions and product divisions, resulting in a 15.3% currency adjusted sales increase. “The first quarter of 2019 was the best quarter PUMA has ever seen,” says Bjørn Gulden, CEO of PUMA SE. “Revenues of €1 319-m (+15.3% currency adjusted) is the highest PUMA has ever achieved in a quarter and the EBIT of €143-m (EBIT-margin 10.8%) was also the highest absolute EBIT PUMA has ever achieved.”

The EMEA region increased sales by 5.7% (currency adjusted), Americas 16.3% and Asia/Pacific increased sales by 28.6%. Asia/ Pacific was predominantly driven by China.

Apparel increased the most (26.9% currency adjusted), then accessories (11.0%) and footwear (9.3%).

Some of the quarter’s highlights include the signing of PSL winner Manchester City and Valencia CF. The brand has also signed as official match ball with La Liga (the Spanish soccer league), which will kick in during the 2019/20 season (see p8). It is the exclusive merchandise and trackside retail partner for Formula 1.

PUMA expects a currency adjusted growth of around 10% for the 2019 year.

Trade show news

Trade shows :: IBC

New OUTDOOR show purely B2B

THE NEW OUTDOOR Friedrichshafen trade show premieres this year in September and will have a strong focus on the retail trade.

Organisers make it very clear that only members of the trade will be allowed, which means it will be easier for exhibitors and visitors to talk business.

It is especially geared Photo: Messe Friedrichshafen for specialist bricks-andcan enter your products even if you’re not mortar retailers. exhibiting. Start-ups and exhibitors have reThe caravaning exhibition area is a new adduced registration fees. dition that fits in well with the focus of the show. Show visitors are also able to stay in one Focus on retail training of the 850 caravans in the caravan city situOUTDOOR FRIEDRICHSHAFEN is placing a ated close to the show, which offers “the perspotlight on the importance of retail training. fect combination of hotel standard comfort “The key factor for a specialist shop is the and relaxed camping outdoor flair,” says the advice it supplies,” explains Stefan Reisinger, show organiser.

Retailers and wholesalers can register for Head of the Project Team for the new show.

OUTDOOR’s Retail First initiative, which will “Advice turns retailers into specialised dealallow you to visit the show for free and benefit ers and distinguishes them from online shops. from other perks. Retail First tickets are only Customer contacts are just as important for the bricks-and-mortar dealer as a genuine available online — not at the show.

The timing of the show (17-19 September) consultancy session by a real sales expert.”

Retail visitors will be offered training sessions will also benefit retailers: it falls at the end of in five areas (digitisation, shop-fitting, sales, Germany’s main retail sales season, when they customer management and trends) — and they would be preparing for the next season.

The show is organised by the same company won’t have to leave the exhibition halls. Trainthat was behind the organising of the OutDoor ing sessions will take place in the east foyer and on podiums distributed through the different trade show for a quarter of a century. halls, keeping retailers close to the exhibitors New Industry Award category they have come to the show to see.

Some of the topics that will be discussed OUTDOOR continues the Industry Awards and introduces two new categories this year for include how products create and support retailers and agencies. “Who is offering the trends, as well as marketing on a small budget best shopping experience or who has the most and online marketing for the outdoor industry sustainable campaign? Our expert panel will be (both focusing on smaller retailers).

“The varied programme of events impressevaluating all entries to decide on the winners in six categories to receive the highly-coveted es with its very specific topics that retailers award label,” says Dirk Heidrich, OUTDOOR’s will be able to put into practice immediately.

However, information on trends and functions show director.

The Industry Award will continue to award will make sure that the big picture always innovative companies and products, and you stays in view.”

20th SAFTAD show This year the SAFTAD (South African Fishing Tackle Agents and Distributors) trade show celebrates its 20th anniversary.

The trade show will take place 17-18 August at its regular venue: UNISA Examination Centre, 2 Vinton Road, Ormonde Ext 1, Johannesburg. Retailers can register to attend the show online at www.saftad. co.za. Please remember to bring your business card to gain admission.

Photo: Messe Friedrichshafen

Diarise 2020 Eurobike dates EUROBIKE has already secured its 2020 show dates: next year the trade-only Eurobike days are 2-4 September, after which the expo will be open to the public for Festival Day (5 September), which celebrates consumer enthusiasm for bikes and mobility.

This year’s cycling show takes place 4-7 September in Friedrichshafen, Germany. The first three days are trade-only and the last is Festival Day. Eurobike is expanding companies’ options when it comes to being seen at the cycling trade show. As of next year companies will no longer be required to have a stand at Eurobike in Friedrichshafen in order to take part in the cycling trade show’s Media Days, the Demo Area at the show and the Eurobike Festival Day. It will also offer new analogue and digital configuration options, with different price models as a large proportion of trade show expenditure goes towards stand construction.

Advertisers index 1721 Distributors A1 Star Awesome Tools Bar Global Trading Brandfolio Carvico Fila GM HiLight

6, 7 19 35 29 23, OBC 1 6, 7 37 33

Hi-Tec Jack & Jones Jack Parcels Jersey Lomellina JFK Trading Klean Kanteen M.I.T.Y. Spa MARC Omnico

OFC 19 19 1 19 35 1 1 33

Opal Sport Opinel R&S Trading Skechers Swim-Eezy Umarex W.E.T. Sports Distributors WindTex Wolverine

37 35 31 23, OBC 1 31 11 1 29

2019 Q2 :: Sports Trader