Snow Sports Apparel

July 2010 | 31 pages | ID: S7B9ABBA14CEN
Textiles Intelligence Ltd

Abstracts

Clothing and accessories worn for snow sports and leisure activities in the mountains are designed not only to keep the wearer warm and dry but also to enhance performance and protect against the dangers often encountered on mountainous terrain.

Thanks to innovations in fabric technology and the increasing use of new materials, snow sports enthusiasts are able to spend many hours in below-freezing temperatures without becoming cold or wet. Garments capable of keeping out rain and snow while allowing perspiration to escape have revolutionised the snow sports apparel industry.

High technology and sophisticated laminates, such as Gore-Tex, are used in conjunction with moisture-wicking base layers and insulating middle layers to make sports such as skiing and snowboarding a safer and more comfortable experience.

In recent years, garments made from high-tech fabrics such as lightweight soft shells—which combine insulation with the durability and weather resistance of a hard shell—have gained widespread appeal and consigned duvet-like ski jackets to 1980s history.

The availability of clothing which is more comfortable has, no doubt, contributed to the strong popularity of skiing and snowboarding, and companies in the industry are racing against each other to develop the perfect solution for cold weather apparel.

Looking ahead, manufacturers face a number of major challenges, not least of which is the impact of climate change on snowfall and hence participation rates in skiing and snowboarding. Nonetheless, the future is bright for those companies which can drive technological developments and thereby gain a competitive advantage in an overcrowded marketplace. For other companies, the key to success lies in targeting niche segments in the market such as clothing designed specifically for women or specific sports categories.

Contents

SUMMARY


INTRODUCTION

Market size

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SNOW SPORTS MARKET

Participation in snow sports
Demographics of skiing and snowboarding

TRENDS IN THE SNOW SPORTS MARKET

Trends in the US snow sports market

LONG-TERM PROSPECTS FOR THE SNOW SPORTS MARKET

DEVELOPMENT OF SKIING

DEVELOPMENT OF SNOWBOARDING

DEVELOPMENT OF FASHION IN SNOW SPORTS APPAREL

ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS AND PROPERTIES OF APPAREL FOR SNOW SPORTS

Layering
Base layer
Middle layer
Outer layer
Key properties of snow sports apparel
Waterproofness
Windproofness
Breathability

TYPES OF APPAREL FOR SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING

Jackets
Pants
One-piece ski suits

FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF APPAREL FOR SKIING AND SNOWBOARDING ACCESSORIES WORN BY SKIERS AND SNOWBOARDERS KEY SUPPLIERS IN THE SNOW SPORTS APPAREL MARKET EXAMPLES OF HIGH PERFORMANCE FIBRES AND FABRICS USED IN SNOW SPORTS APPAREL

Base layers
Patagonia: Capilene
Invista: Coolmax
Invista: Thermolite
Polartec: Power Dry
Helly Hansen: Lifa
Middle layers
3M: Thinsulate
Albany International Corporation: PrimaLoft
Columbia Sportswear: Omni-Heat Thermal Reflective and Omni-Heat Thermal Insulation
Polartec: Polartec Classic and Polartec Thermal Pro
Outer layers
General Electric: eVent
Marmot: MemBrain Strata
W L Gore & Associates: Gore-Tex
Schoeller Textiles: Schoeller-keprotec
Sympatex: Sympatex

CONCLUSION

List Of Tables

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Sales in the US sports industry, 2009
Table 2: Snow sports sales in the USA, 2009/10
Table 3: Snowfall levels in Alpine regions, 2005/06 and 2006/07
Table 4: Most popular extreme sports in the USA, 2007
Table 5: Key suppliers of snow sports apparel and accessories

List Of Figures

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: USA: composition of the snow sports market, 2009/10
Figure 2: USA: snow sports sales, 2006/07-2009/10
Figure 3: Skiwear ensemble