March 23rd, 2012
Sportlifestyle company, PUMA, has launched a brand new range of African bush-inspired, Fairtrade-accredited clothing, apparel and footwear.
Going by the name of PUMA Wilderness Collection, the range has a worn, bushwhacked look and feel and addresses the element of heat rather than cold, as is the tendency with many other outdoor clothing brands.
Tapping into their resources, PUMA received a lot of design guidance from Botswana-based ecotourism and conservation company Wilderness Holdings Limited, in which they also own a 20% stake.
Apart from the exceptional quality and cool factor, the range is also set to give back to the Africa that inspires it. 81% of the apparel styles of the PUMA Wilderness Collection use Fairtrade cotton, providing opportunities for small-scale farmers, while also promoting sustainable developments. Fairtrade creates more prospects for farming communities who have been economically disadvantaged or marginalized by the conventional trading system, and has become the leading certification system for sustainability and poverty alleviation.
FAIRTRADE certified cotton means that producers not only receive an agreed minimum price that covers their cost of sustainable production, but also a Fairtrade Premium of €50 for every ton of cotton they sell.
"The PUMA Wilderness collection brings us yet another step closer to our goal of developing more sustainable and socially responsible lines, and in turn furthering PUMA's mission to become the most desirable and sustainable Sportlifestyle company," said Franz Koch, CEO of PUMA. "Our target for the future of the apparel collection is one made with 100% Fairtrade cotton, while also utilizing even more of the imagery and beauty of Africa as inspiration."
The new line is available at selected Due South stores across the country (Canal Walk, Sandton, Clearwater, Maerua Mall, Centurion, Rustenburg and Melrose Arch Duesouth), and will retail in 16 different countries across the world as well as on the PUMA website.
Presently only a men's range exists, but ladies can look forward to some gorgeous girly designs in 2013.
