News - Scandinavian Outdoor Group

Retail
taking care
wear and tear has never been a tune that Fjällräven has liked. Now, the
Swedish outdoor company, together with selected retailers, is taking a new
approac h by helping clients increase the functionality and extend the life of
their outdoor garments even more.
iF You have ever BoughT a good pair of leather shoes,
you know that caring for them with leather balm prolongs
their life and improves their function. And shoe stores
are great at providing creams, oils and plenty of other
products to help you do it.
This, however, is not as common when it comes to
outdoor clothing. You buy a jacket or a pair of pants,
then say goodbye – you are welcome back when you
need a new one. You wash the garment, perhaps spray it
with waterproofing, but otherwise apply no special treatment.
Instead, stores try to lure you back in by offering
other gadgets.
But there are those who are trying new approaches.
Fjällräven wants outdoor clothing to last longer and
is therefore rolling out 94 waxing stations in selected
outdoor shops around Europe. At these stores, owners of
Fjällräven clothing made from G-1000 can come and get
help impregnating the material.
“G-1000 is an extremely durable, functional and
adaptable material,” explains Jerry Engström, Marketing
Manager at Fjällräven. “With more Greenland wax, you
get a tighter weave that can withstand rain, wind and
wear. It also increases the life of the garment. When you
plan to use the garment in warmer environments, just
wash it to remove the wax and get a cooler garment with
more ventilation.”
“Both our dealers and ourselves get a lot of questions
about how to wax, and as a service to our users, we decided
to offer waxing in some stores. It is a way for both
our dealers and us to show that we care.”
duriNg auTuMN 2011, Fjällräven tested the concept
and toured with a waxing station in German stores like
Globetrotter, Sports Reischmann, Biwak and Intersport
Montafon. One stop on the waxing tour was Globewelt,
a five-day outdoor festival at the large Globetrotter store
in Munich.
“The feedback from the stores has been great,” says
Theresa Alig from Fjällräven in Germany. “For example,
Globewelt had 20,000 visitors and many came to visit
94 wax stations all over
Europe – Fjällräven is
launching one of the biggest
campaigns ever.
the waxing station. The wax master was always busy
waxing clothes that the visitors had brought with them.
Also, those who hadn’t heard about the G-1000 material
before, were motivated to buy new trousers – so indeed,
our experience so far has been exceptionally positive.”
The WaXiNg sTaTioNs will be in stores just in time
for the 2012 hiking season. By then, hundreds of “wax
masters” will have been trained by Fjällräven, both in how
waxing is done, and how G-1000 works in different situations
in the outdoors. It is hoped that this will contribute
to a better store experience – and ultimately, happier
customers and higher sales.
“In addition to sharing practical outdoor skills and
showing how easy it is to wax a garment, the waxing
stations contribute to something exciting happening
on the store floor. We are confident that it will not only
attract visitors to the stores, but also create interesting
dialogues between store personnel and their customers,”
says Engström.
Proven and natural
To WaX or grease clothing in order to help them
stand up to moisture is old knowledge that has ended
up a bit shadowed by “technical” waterproofing
sprays. However, interest is increasing again, not
least because it is a environmentally friendly way to
increase the material’s wind-and water-resistance
and to help extend the garment’s life.
Fjällräven’s founder Åke Nordin launched the
G-1000 fabric back in the 1960s. From a durable
tent canvas, he sewed a climbing jacket that he impregnated
with a mixture of beeswax and paraffin.
The jacket, called the Greenland Jacket, became a
best seller and remains in production today. And the
material, G-1000, is a classic that has demonstrated
its versatility and strengths on many adventures
over the years.
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