Kolon Sport showcases collections at new store

Kolon Sport, the Korean outdoor lifestyle brand, unveiled its new sustainable retail concept "Kolon Kraft" at Shanghai’s Xintiandi this Thursday.

The space reflects the brand’s commitment to eco-friendly design and outdoor culture, featuring modular, durable display tools inspired by the regenerative growth of pine trees.

This launch, alongside high-profile celebrity endorsements of Liu Shishi and Hu Ge, who boast 35 million and 72 million Weibo followers fans respectively, marks a significant step in Kolon Sport’s expansion in the Chinese market.

The unveiling ceremony highlighted Kolon Sport’s bold creativity, showcasing the brand's 2025 Spring/Summer and 2024 Fall/Winter collections, along with the high-end fishing line Weather Monster and a collaboration series with COMFY.

It also introduced the brand's cutting-edge outdoor gear, including the AEROLITE Meteor Tent, PAVEILLON Mountain SP Tent, AEROLITE Meteor Canopy, as well as hiking poles, sleeping bags, and fishing gear.

Founded in 1973, Kolon Sport is a South Korean outdoor brand known for its green color and evergreen tree logo, symbolizing harmony with nature. Originally focused on mountaineering gear, it has since expanded into a leader in outdoor leisure, offering high-performance products for hiking, fishing, hunting, camping, and trekking.

In 2017, Anta Sports formed a joint venture with Kolon Sport, acquiring the rights to operate and sell Kolon Sport-branded products in the Chinese market. This partnership marked Anta’s expansion into the mid-to-high-end outdoor sports market, while helping Kolon Sport strengthen its presence and growth in China’s rapidly developing outdoor market.

In 2020, China saw a surge in "glamping," a new social trend among young people seeking richer, outdoor experiences. Over the next two years, activities like camping, hiking, and mountain-based lifestyles gained popularity, with related content on social media rising steadily.

The outdoor lifestyle market became more diverse and segmented, with both leisure and sports activities such as camping, hiking, skiing, and climbing entering a growth phase.

There are around 130 million outdoor enthusiasts in China, supported by favorable national policies like the 14th Five-Year Sports Development Plan, which encourages the construction of 10,000 outdoor camps.

For city dwellers without access to remote nature, outdoor elements are increasingly integrated into urban life.

The "outdoor at your doorstep" trend, highlighted in the 2023 Life Trends Report by Xiaohongshu and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, reflects how outdoor activities are blending into daily routines.

This trend has also impacted fashion, with outdoor styles like "mountain style" and Gorpcore becoming popular, driving demand for items like bucket hats, utility vests, and cargo pants. The functionality of outdoor gear is appealing to urban consumers, fueling a growing market for niche outdoor products.

Anta and Kolon Sport have successfully capitalized on this momentum, which has driven strong financial performance for both brands, positioning them to further benefit from the rapidly expanding outdoor sports market.

Anta Sports (2020 HKG) reported strong financial results for Q2 2024, with revenue reaching 16.868 billion yuan (US$2.4 billion), up 13.80 percent year over year, and net profit surged by 62.62 percent to 3.861 billion yuan, with a significant net profit margin increase by 42.88 percent to 22.89 percent.

Kolon Sport has been one of Anta's fastest-growing brands. In 2022, its revenue increased by 26 percent to 4.4 billion yuan. According to Anta’s forecast, Kolon Sport’s compound annual growth rate is expected to reach 30 to 35 percent from 2023 to 2026, reflecting the brand's strong growth momentum in the Chinese market.

As outdoor activities and urban lifestyle trends continue to blend in China, Kolon Sport’s new space in Xintiandi highlights its steady integration into the country’s expanding outdoor lifestyle market, making it well-positioned to adapt to the evolving preferences of Chinese consumers.