Polartec on Friday became the latest brand to withdraw from the Outdoor Retailer trade show staged in Salt Lake City, following the same decision by Acr’teryx on Thursday and Patagonia earlier in the week.
Here are the releases from Polartec followed by Arc’teryx.
Polartec to Withdraw from Outdoor Retailer
(Andover, Mass.) – February 10, 2017 – Polartec, the premium provider of innovative textile solutions, announces its withdrawal from the Outdoor Retailer trade show in Utah. The announcement comes following much consideration, and is made in solidarity with Polartec customer Patagonia, which recently withdrew from Outdoor Retailer trade shows in Utah in response to the state government’s public land policy.
“Outdoor recreation is vital to our existence, and public lands conservation is essential,” says Gary Smith, Polartec CEO.
“That’s why we’re proud to join with those willing to invest in doing the right thing, in standing up for the unique and finite resource that is our public lands. It’s never been more important to demonstrate that collaboration and conservation, not domination and extraction, will determine the quality of our future.”
Polartec still plans to exhibit at other trade shows and, in addition to environmental policies that promote public lands conservation, hopes to see trade show partnerships that foster modern commerce.
About Polartec
Polartec is the premium provider of innovative textile solutions. Since inventing modern synthetic fleece in 1981, the engineers at Polartec continue to create fabric technologies that solve problems and improve the way products are designed and used. Polartec products range from lightweight wicking and cooling fabrics, to insulation and weather protection textiles, and are utilized by leading consumer brands, the U.S. military and other global militaries, flame resistance, workwear, and contract upholstery markets.
For more information, please visit Polartec.com and follow Polartec on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
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Arc’teryx Withdraws from Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City
Company follows Patagonia’s move as pressure builds for Utah’s government to support protection of public lands and protect wild spaces
Arc’teryx, a company that has long supported preservation of wild spaces, formally announces today its withdrawal from Outdoor Retailer in Salt Lake City, Utah due to the state’s efforts to rescind protection of Bears Ears National Monument and other public lands.
The company stands in support of Patagonia’s move to leave Outdoor Retailer in Utah and is following suit. Funds that would have been spent to attend Outdoor Retailer in 2017 will be reallocated to the Conservation Alliance’s new Public Lands Defense Fund.
“The Outdoor Industry has an obligation to protect the wild places that are important to our consumers. Arc’teryx is a member of the outdoor industry’s Conservation Alliance. Since 2014, we’ve been part of the efforts to protect Bears Ears, supporting local grassroots organizations working on a legislated solution.
“More recently Arc’teryx has helped to fund Friends of Cedar Mesa and Utah Dine Bike Yah, as they work on a national monument designation. I was proud to join my peers in the outdoor industry in sending a letter to President Obama asking him to protect this landscape in Southern Utah, which is cherished by our community of climbers, hikers and outdoors enthusiasts. Protecting public lands for future generations is a critical part of our brand values and we will use our influence in a way that is consistent with those values.” – Jon Hoerauf, president of Arc’teryx
On March 6thth Jon Hoerauf will head to Washington DC with the Conservation Alliance and 21 other outdoor industry leaders to meet with key Congressional offices and representatives of the new Administration. The goal of this trip is to encourage all elected officials, regardless of political affiliation, to take action to protect important lands and waterways – including Bears Ears National Monument.
Arc’teryx will also be increasing its funding commitment to the Conservation Alliance by $150,000 over the next three years to support the protection of Bears Ears and other public lands at risk.
