The North Face® wins GOLD OutDoor INDUSTRY AWARD

Stabio, Switzerland, 10th July 2014 – The North Face®, the world’s premier supplier of authentic, innovative and technically advanced outdoor apparel, equipment and footwear, is proud to be awarded the prestigious OutDoor INDUSTRY AWARD 2014. The FuseForm™ Originator Jacket from the pinnacle The North Face® Summit Series™ Spring 15 Collection was honored by an independent top-level jury with the GOLD award in the ‘material innovation’ category. The OutDoor INDUSTRY AWARD is a globally acknowledged award for innovative outdoor products. The award was presented to The North Face® at the OutDoor Show, an important summit for the outdoor industry in Friedrichshafen, Germany.

The FuseForm™ Originator Jacket is a revolutionary one-piece alpine shell, made from a material with a unique fabric manufacturing process called FuseForm™. Within the FuseForm™ Originator Jacket specifically, The North Face has implemented FuseForm™ to create zones throughout the garment that offer varying tear and tensile strength without compromising on hand feel and breathability.

FuseForm™ from The North Face® is a first-of-its-kind technique that revolutionizes the way clothing is made by utilizing advanced manufacturing techniques that make it possible to weave two material properties into a single fabric. The FuseForm manufacturing process enables the creation of different fabric properties throughout a garment without the need to cut and sew, eliminating excess stitch lines, thread & taping. The result is a garment that is lighter, stronger and more durable with a less bulky fit that increases performance where it matters. The finished product is also much cleaner, with a modern and unique aesthetic.

Oliver Lang, VP Product The North Face EMEA enthused; “The North Face has been at the cutting edge of product design for over 45 years so I am pleased to see that FuseForm™ has been acknowledged as the next generation of true fabric innovation which will allow our consumers to explore even more”.

The winners of the ninth OutDoor INDUSTRY AWARDS are decided by top-level, independent jury of experts. The Deutsche Designer Club (DDC) came on board as a new partner for the expert accompaniment of the award. The DDC is well known for its professional competition “Good Design” and chaired the jury meeting.