This Winter Also Predicts a Trend for Bbogli... Outdoor Gear Stockpiling in Preparation

K2 and Nepa Increase Quantity Compared to Last Year

Significantly Expand Proportion of Down Short Padding

Differentiation Through Eco-Friendly Product Technology

[Asia Economy Reporter Jo Yujin] The outdoor industry is aggressively expanding the supply volume of fleece and short padding as key products for this fall and winter season. Items that became popular last year among the 1020 generation due to the 'Newtro' trend are expected to bring a boom in lightweight and comfortable outerwear, coinciding with prolonged stay-at-home life caused by COVID-19.

K2 Bichon Reversible Down

According to the fashion industry on the 2nd, K2 plans to increase the planned quantity of fleece products to be released this fall and winter season to 200,000 units, 2.5 times more than last year's 80,000 units, and double the number of styles from 20 last year to 40 this year. The proportion of short padding products in total down wear will increase from 65% last year to 85% this year, while the proportion of long padding, which was 35% last year, will decrease to 15% this year. The TV commercials that have been conducted with long padding items for several years will be replaced with short padding for the first time this year.

A K2 product planning department official said, "Fleece and short padding, which gained popularity since last year, will be released this year armed with more diverse styles and functionalities," adding, "In addition to basic fleece, we plan to differentiate with down fleece using down filling and short padding applying new technologies."

Nepa also decided to significantly increase the supply volume of fleece and short padding as key items for this fall and winter season. They expect the fleece and short padding trend to expand to all age groups this year. A Nepa official explained, "Targeting young people who enjoy hiking and camping, products transformed into lifestyle and urban outdoor styles that can be worn in daily life instead of traditional outdoor wear will be the main focus."

The North Face plans to differentiate with an eco fleece collection made from over 10 million recycled PET bottles. A North Face official said, "The North Face has been releasing 'fur-free' products applying artificial fur to all down products for several years, and this year, we plan to launch many new products applying eco-friendly raw materials to key products such as short padding and fleece."

The North Face applied recycled PET bottle fabric to more than 50 styles of eco fleece collections including reversible jackets and long coats, doubling the amount compared to last year. For key products, up to 66 waste PET bottles were used per jacket. Black Yak also explained, "We plan to expand related products applying Korea's first K-rPET recycled fiber to recycle waste PET bottles."

Fleece is brushed to have a wool-like texture, also called 'ppogeuri' in Korean. It is lightweight and warm, making it comfortable to wear both outdoors and indoors. The outdoor industry expects the popularity of fleece and short padding, which were at the center of last year's Newtro boom, to continue this year. They are practical for prolonged stay-at-home life and short-distance activities due to COVID-19, and also optimal for outdoor activities such as camping and hiking.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.