LAGUNA NIGUEL, Calif. (January 26, 2017) – The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is proud to announce the nominees for the 2017 SIMA Awards, a program that strives to identify the surf industry’s most influential and innovative companies and recognize them for their efforts to advance and grow the industry in 2016.
In its fourteenth year, the SIMA Awards is the only awards program that gives the surf industry the opportunity to recognize their peers for their outstanding contributions to the industry. All Regular and Board Builder SIMA members were given the opportunity to enter their own brands and products for consideration in qualifying categories. These entries were then reviewed and voted upon by a nominating panel of experts comprised of both surf industry manufacturers and retailers. The outcome of the nominating panel votes determined the five final nominees in each category. Winners of these categories will be determined by a final vote open to all SIMA member companies, as well as specialty retailers. The main contact at each SIMA member company can expect information via email on Monday, January 30th for final voting.
This year, the following outstanding products and brands will be recognized as the nominees in the 15 SIMA Award categories (nominees listed in alphabetical order). All products have been available from Spring, Summer, or Fall 2016 product lines (available at retail between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016):
2017 SIMA AWARDS NOMINEES
PRODUCT
Accessory Product of the Year
Awarded to the most exciting innovation, design or appeal. Accessory products such as watches, eyewear, headphones, socks and other accessories can be considered.
HERO5 Black by GoPro
The Mission Smartwatch by Nixon
Rifles Tide Watch by RIP CURL
Saigon Special Pocket Knife by The Roark Revival
Stance Crew Socks by Stance
Environmental Product of the Year
Awarded to the most exciting, appealing and/or innovative environmental surf product. Consider apparel, footwear, accessory, wetsuit, surfboard or any other surf-related product that was created to lessen the impact on the environment, whether through its manufacturing process, materials or usage of the product itself.
Waterman Collection by Corkcicle
Patagonia Fall 16 – Yulex Wetsuits by Patagonia
Algae Traction Pads by Slater Designs
Upcycled Coconut Boardshorts by Vissla
ECO Infiniti Comp by Xcel Wetsuits
Footwear Product of the Year
Awarded to the footwear product that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Men’s Ohana by OluKai
Quiksilver AG47 Amphibian Shoe by Quiksilver
Reef Rover with Swellular Technology by REEF
Yoga Sling by Sanuk
VANS SK8-HI by Vans
Hardgoods Accessory Product of the Year
Awarded to the surf hardgood accessory product that featured the most exciting innovation, design or appeal. Accessory products such as fins, leashes, board bags,wetsuit accessories (heat vests, boots, etc.) and other hardgood accessories can be considered.
SurfEars 2.0 by Creatures of Leisure
Alpha by Futures
CORDUROY GRIP by OCTOPUS
Smuggler Bag by Pro-Lite
Drylock TDC Boot by Xcel Wetsuits
Wetsuit of the Year
Awarded to the wetsuit that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
Furnace Carbon X by Billabong
M’s R1 Yulex Front-Zip Full Suit by Patagonia
Flash Bomb Plus Zip Free by RIP CURL
7 Seas Wetsuit by Vissla
Infiniti Comp TDC by Xcel Wetsuits
SURFBOARD
Performance Shortboard of the Year
Awarded to the shortboard model available that best catered to the competition-minded customer through exciting design, appeal and/or innovation.
Bastard by Pyzel Surfboards
Rusty Twin Fin by Rusty Surfboards
SCI-FI by Slater Designs
Spam by Superbrand
El Jefe by Wave Riding Vehicles
Longboard of the Year
Awarded to the longboard (9’0″ or above) model that generated the most excitement and interest throughout the year through design, appeal and/or innovation.
Australian Slasher by CJ NELSON DESIGNS by Carve Sports, Inc.
Champion by Dewey Weber Surfboard
The Wingnut Noserider by Firewire
Redline 11 by Stewart
Donald Takayama In the Pink 9’3 by Surftech
Alternative Surfboard Model of the Year
Awarded to the surfboard model available to customers with the most exciting design, appeal and/or innovation that does not qualify as a performance shortboard or longboard. Examples include, but are not limited to: fishes, mini Simmons, quads, gliders, single-fins, and mid lengths.
Bonzer Biscuit by Channel Islands Surfboards
Padillac by Pyzel Surfboards
The Heckler by Rusty Surfboards
Fling by Superbrand
Channel Islands WaterHog TLPC by Surftech
MEN’S
Men’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Awarded to the men’s apparel, footwear, wetsuit, hardgoods or accessory that produced the most creative marketing campaign in 2016. Consider men’s brands that displayed a creative, cohesive and consistent brand message in print, digital, social media and/or point-of-purchase materials. Campaign must have first appeared in the market between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.
LIFE’S SHORT by Billabong
THE SEARCH by RIP CURL
Volume 11: “Hellbound In Clayoquot Sound” by The Roark Revival
wildly comfortable, comfortably wild by Stance
Creators & Innovators Dream Steeple Campaign by Vissla
Men’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Awarded to the men’s apparel brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.
Billabong
The Roark Revival
RVCA
VANS
Vissla
Men’s Boardshort of the Year
Awarded to the boardshort product that featured the most exciting design, appeal or innovation.
TRIBONG by Billabong
HyperFreak by O’Neill
Mirage MF Focus Ultimate by RIP CURL
Vissla Upcycled Boardshorts by Vissla
Stripey Slinger by Volcom
WOMEN’S
Women’s Marketing Campaign of the Year
Awarded to the women’s apparel, swimwear, footwear, wetsuit, hardgoods or accessory that produced the most creative marketing campaign in 2016. Consider women’s brands that displayed a creative, cohesive and consistent brand message print, digital, social media and/or point-of-purchase materials. Campaign must have first appeared in the market between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.
A BIKINI KINDA Life by Billabong Women’s
Anywhere Aloha by OluKai
MY BIKINI by RIP CURL
#ROXYFITNESS by ROXY
The Uncommon Thread by Stance
Women’s Apparel Brand of the Year
Awarded to the women’s apparel brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.
Billabong Women’s
O’Neill
RIP CURL
ROXY
RVCA
Women’s Swim Brand of the Year
Awarded to the women’s swim brand that featured the most exciting designs, increased its brand appeal, and grew its business between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.
Billabong Women’s
Issa de’ mar
L*Space
RIP CURL
Seea
OVERALL
Breakout Brand of the Year
Recognizing the small- to mid-size men’s or women’s brand that experienced break out growth between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016. Consider surfboard, apparel, footwear, wetsuit and accessory brands that had a breakthrough year through product development and/or increased brand recognition and appeal. Nominated companies can be new or established brands, but must have annual U.S. sales of at least $1 million and no more than $20 million (previous winners of this category are no longer eligible for five years).
Corkcicle
OTIS
Richer Poorer
Seea
Slater Designs
A complete description of awards criteria, as well as a detailed explanation of the entry and voting processes can be found here. The winners will be announced at the SIMA Awards ceremony in late March 2017 in Orange County, California. The ceremony is open to the public and tickets will go on sale in early February.
About SIMA
The Surf Industry Manufacturers Association (SIMA) is the official working trade association of more than 300 surf industry suppliers. Founded in 1989, SIMA is a non-profit organization that serves to promote awareness of the surf industry and participation in the sport of surfing through public relations efforts and a variety of services, educational programs and research. In addition, SIMA actively supports oceanic environmental efforts through its 501(c)(3) charitable environmental foundation, the SIMA Environmental Fund. In the past 26 years, SIMA’s Environmental Fund has raised more than $7 million for environmental groups seeking to protect the world’s oceans, beaches and waves. The SIMA Humanitarian Fund, also a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation, was established in to award grants to various surf or boardsport related social and humanitarian non-profit organizations whose efforts are focused on improving the quality of life, health and/or welfare of people. Since 2004 the SIMA Humanitarian Fund has raised and donated more than $1.7 million to surf-related non-profit organizations. For more information regarding SIMA, please visit www.sima.com.
