Outdoor brands target ‘glampers’ in Korea

2013-08-25 18:50

Outdoor brands target ‘glampers’

By Rachel Lee

The country’s market for outdoor sporting goods has become ever more diversified and competitive as it has grown over the last few years. As more people enjoy “naports” and “glamping,” fashion and lifestyle companies are striving to attract those outdoor and leisure enthusiasts by launching new products that are made with unusual materials. The naports, a combination of night and sports, refers to a group of people who play sports at night after work due to their tight schedules. Glamping, in which glamor meets camping, straddles two worlds: the rough outdoors and the keep-your-hands-clean comfort of home. “People who go glamping like me use canvas tents and a real bed instead of a bedroll,” said Kim Jung-hyun, a 32-year-old office worker. Kim goes glamping with his friends twice a month. “I think the glamping group cares more about the quality of the vacation while getting the most from the outdoor experience.”To meet diversifying consumer needs and wants, focusing on both design and functionality has become the key to manufacturing outdoor and leisure products.

New and unconventional materials such as coffee grounds and coconut shells are also used in the making of their products to differentiate and create new products that aim to appeal to picky consumers.

Samchuly bicycle, the country’s best-known and largest bicycle maker, recently launched a chromoly frame model called Bounce.

According to the company, the new bicycle is designed to reduce the level of fatigue when traveling long distances. The improved ability of acceleration makes it perfect for everyday use.

“Through the new product launch, we have widened the range of hybrid bicycles that are available at reasonable prices. The new model isn’t just better in functionality, but we expect its sleek design to appeal more and become popular among the young generation,” the company spokesman said.

Apparel makers have also become creative, using environment-friendly materials. The outdoor brand Millet has released a Cocona zip-up t-shirt made of the eco-friendly textile Cocona, which comes from coconut shells.

According to the clothing manufacturer, the new product removes bad smell and sweat, and dries more quickly than conventional clothing.

The new T-shirt’s ultraviolet protection factor (UPF) is 50 times stronger than existing products. (UPF indicates how long people wearing UV protective clothing can stay out in the sun without suffering from skin damage.)

“I like the idea of using an eco-friendly fiber in T-shirts. It makes me feel safe, and it’s different from other clothes that I have,” said Park, a customer who recently bought Millet’s new product.

Outdoor product maker Eider uses coffee grounds and has come out with a new line of pants. S Cafe, a textile made out of coffee grounds, enables the pants to deodorize bad odor and freshen them quickly.

The sports brand Nike is one of the companies jumping into the competitive outdoor market. The American giant aims to attract outdoor enthusiasts by launching a new concept in running shoes they call Nike Free Flyknit.

According to the company, the supportive, second-skin fit of Nike Flyknit unites two of Nike’s most innovative and popular technologies to deliver barefoot-like flexibility and a compression fit that locks the foot in place.

“Established companies like Nike have consistently launched new products to follow what consumers want and need. They will have to keep up the good work in the future as outdoor enthusiasts constantly demand something new and different according to their habits and style,” said a Seoul analyst.