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Retail Technology spoke to Niccole Emery, Professional Services Business Consultant at Black Ink, about outdoor footwear industry requirements to optimise product lifecycle management and keep pace with demand<\/strong><\/p>\n Like others in retail, the <\/span>outdoor footwear and running sector<\/span> is making strides to recover the growth lost during the COVID-19 pandemic.<\/span><\/p>\n Indeed, insufficient domestic and international market demand made up two of the top three challenges facing footwear brand manufacturers and retailers\u2014only escalating raw material costs polled higher, as cited by 81% of experts in a <\/span>post-pandemic survey<\/span>.<\/span><\/p>\n Today, rapidly evolving consumer expectations for innovative, high-performance products only serve to compound these challenges, requiring outdoor footwear and running retailers and brands to rethink their product lifecycle management (PLM) capabilities.<\/span><\/p>\n So, <\/span>Retail Technology<\/span><\/em> spoke with Niccole Emery, Professional Services Business Consultant at <\/span>Black Ink<\/span>, a partner of PLM provider\u00a0 <\/span>Centric Software<\/span>\u00ae<\/span>, about how leaders in this space use PLM software systems to ensure they can keep pace with demand.<\/span><\/p>\n Meeting sector demand<\/strong><\/p>\n Emery said today\u2019s most successful outdoor footwear retailers and brands can adapt their new product development, consumer engagement, and supply chain strategies.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n She explained that in her role at Black Ink, she works with these companies to implement its PLM solution tailored to their sector’s specific needs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThe system allows retailers and brands to shrink development timelines, diversify sourcing partnerships, and integrate groundbreaking technologies,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can significantly enhance efficiency and accuracy by reducing reliance on spreadsheets and presentations.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Delivering these benefits has led Black Ink and Centric Software to focus on these specific industry sectors and its development efforts on three main areas that align with these sectors’ strategic priorities: product innovation, community through brand quality and promise, and sustainability.<\/span><\/p>\n Sprinting to market<\/strong><\/p>\n The outdoor and running sectors are experiencing robust growth and innovation today, driven by footwear technology advancements and heightened consumer demand. This growth is primarily fuelled by innovations developed by market-leading retailers and brands and diversification in product offerings catering to different outdoor footwear requirements and consumer trends.<\/span><\/p>\n Market-leading companies in this sector, such as Nike, Adidas, and New Balance, are at the forefront of this innovation, introducing new products that emphasise durability, comfort, and performance enhancement.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, in February 2024, <\/span>Nike<\/span> launched the Air Zoom Pegasus 40, which featured advanced cushioning technology designed to improve the comfort and performance of long-distance runners. Within the first month, initial sales reached $5 million.<\/span><\/p>\n In April 2024, sportswear company <\/span>Hoka<\/span> released the Bondi 8, boasting a new foam technology that promises 30% more cushioning than its predecessor.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Tracking product creation<\/strong><\/p>\n According to Emery, innovation and time to market are crucial to launching new products, like the Air Zoom Pegasus 40 and Bondi 8, that can drive sales by meeting consumers’ insatiable demand for more performant products.\u00a0\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cAs technology evolves rapidly, the footwear industry requires a PLM solution that can keep up,\u201d she stated. \u201cCentric Software provides the tools to help footwear partners reduce the spreadsheets and presentations needed to track product creation.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Emery cited an example of working with American footwear manufacturer <\/span>Wolverine Worldwide<\/span>. \u201cCentric\u2019s software saves their teams between 2,500 \u2013 5,800 instances of re-entering data across 500 \u2013 700 active spreadsheets per season,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This efficiency translates into faster time to market and reduced product development costs. Emery added that the software\u2019s ability to adjust costing models helps maintain margins despite fluctuating tariffs, providing an additional competitive edge.<\/span><\/p>\n Nurturing brand equity<\/strong><\/p>\n Emery agreed that retailers and brands in this sector also face challenges in nurturing their customer communities, educating consumers, and delivering on their brand promises.<\/span><\/p>\n \u201cThey need a unified system to stream internal and external communication about their products,\u201d she said. \u201cClear communication is key to establishing emotional connections with customers. Without clear product messaging, it becomes difficult for retailers and brands to effectively engage and educate consumers about what sets them apart from the competition.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n Emery also outlined what PLM-stage considerations support efforts to address these challenges. \u201cCentric Software offers tools such as the Product Symbols feature, which enables footwear brands to clearly communicate their products’ proprietary features.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n This feature allows marketing teams to access this information directly from the PLM system. \u201cIt also gives them the ability to create consistent content for catalogues, websites, and PR or social media channels without having to rewrite content from multiple sources,\u201d she said.<\/span><\/p>\n Focus on sustainability<\/strong><\/p>\n PLM systems are also becoming vital for fulfilling the growing number of regulatory requirements that retailers and brands must meet to comply with new governance mandates.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n These include the European Union\u2019s <\/span>Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive<\/span> (CSRD), which requires companies to share information about environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Emery pointed out that while no international regulatory requirements exist today for outdoor footwear and running shoe brands, most major brands have sustainability targets. \u201cThey use metrics for ESG reporting, such as <\/span>Higg Index tools<\/span> and <\/span>SASB Standards<\/span>, to reduce their carbon footprint and promise recycled materials and renewable energy in their supply chains,\u201d she said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n However, she added that beginning in 2025, California will implement restrictions on using per- and polyfluoroalkyl synthetic (PFAS) chemical substances, directly impacting footwear brands. She recommended that companies refer to the <\/span>Footwear Distributors and Retailers of America<\/span> (FDRA) trade association\u2019s website for more product safety information.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Reporting on efficiencies<\/strong><\/p>\n The complex reporting requirements emerging from ESG-related compliance efforts are putting more pressure on PLM-related supply chain processes upstream and downstream.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In response, Emery added: \u201cPLM systems should be able to generate or manage data for compliance and support sustainability tracking through various features, such as the Higg Index Certification, Textile Exchange certification, and Sustainability Views.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n She said users can also track supplier sustainability reports, while many brands, including <\/span>Helly Hansen<\/span>, <\/span>Stio<\/span>, and <\/span>Tentree<\/span>, use Centric Software to communicate their sustainability efforts. \u201cA great example is <\/span>Rothy\u2019s Sustainability plan<\/span>,\u201d Emery said.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Rothy\u2019s<\/span> is an American footwear brand that uses Centric PLM\u2122 to reduce errors and streamline processes. Its innovative material tracking capabilities and central source of truth enable it to create eco-friendly products efficiently.<\/span><\/p>\n Emery concluded that, with improved PLM sustainability tracking, the sector can effectively meet regulatory requirements and consumer expectations for innovation and also enhance brand reputation and loyalty.<\/span><\/p>\n[This is a sponsored article.]<\/span><\/h5>\n<\/div>\n