DexShell's Professional Functionality Drives Market Growth

      On January 16, 2019, ISPO Beijing 2019 — the 15th Asia Outdoor Trade Show — grandly opened at the China International Exhibition Center (New Venue). As the most influential and largest industry benchmark exhibition in the Asia-Pacific sports fashion sector, the internationally acclaimed brand DexShell showcased its top-tier global products at ISPO, attracting numerous professional visitors. The event saw a bustling crowd and lively business discussions among merchants.

      Founded in 2010, DexShell is an internationally renowned brand specializing in outdoor waterproof functional accessories. Its main products include waterproof socks, gloves, and hats. Initially, DexShell (hereinafter referred to as "DexShell") primarily focused on developing international markets, with relatively lower investment in the Chinese market. After eight or nine years of development and expansion, DexShell has established a global brand sales network, with around 20 regional distributors in markets such as Europe, North America, Japan, and Southeast Asia. In May 2018, DexShell registered and established Shanghai DexShell Outdoor Products Co., Ltd. to promote and plan the brand.

      DexShell’s product range mainly consists of waterproof series, which are developed, manufactured, and produced based on its unique patented technology — authorized by the UK Patent Office. These products are exported globally. Each year, DexShell leverages the functionality of its patented technology and various functional materials, combined with advanced international material technologies (including pending export patents), to develop new products.

      

      Waterproof socks are a functional accessory typically made from composite fabrics, which can easily result in a bulky and uncomfortable feel. In 2018, DexShell launched the world’s thinnest and lightest waterproof socks, made from bamboo fiber with eco-friendly properties, offering exceptional comfort. This allowed the brand to directly introduce its latest and most lightweight product to the Chinese market. Additionally, using its proprietary patent technology, DexShell developed a composite, single-layer, seamless waterproof glove suitable for various applications such as skiing and cycling. Both the waterproof socks and gloves were flagship products in 2019.

      Many believe that China’s outdoor market is currently sluggish. However, DexShell’s confidence in the market does not stem solely from the technical or unique aspects of its products. Instead, it is rooted in the fact that the Chinese market is genuinely maturing from the consumer end. In recent years, it has been evident that the number of people engaging in cycling, marathons, trail running, and outdoor hiking in China has been steadily growing, entering a period of vigorous development. From an upstream market perspective, the apparent market stagnation is due to China’s manufacturing industry shifting from an export-oriented model to domestic focus, leading to increased production capacity. The Chinese outdoor market has not yet matured to the level of replacing the original export markets in Europe and the US. This bottleneck has resulted in issues like homogenized and low-price competition, making it challenging for distributors. Nevertheless, market confidence stems from genuine demand. Without demand, confidence is useless — but with demand, confidence naturally follows. Therefore, in addition to channel adjustments, suppliers must enhance differentiation, technicality, and developmental services in their product offerings, preparing for a major surge in the outdoor market.

      The Chinese government has also recognized this issue, with policies increasingly tilted toward outdoor activities and national fitness. In 2018, new government policies were introduced to actively promote mass outdoor activities, sports events, and initiatives for national fitness and health. It is clear that boosting the growth of the consumer end is something the government has consistently advocated and will continue to support through policy incentives.

      The 2022 Winter Olympics will not only drive the popularity of skiing in China but will also significantly boost the broader outdoor sector, particularly impacting the end consumer market. Skiing is immensely popular in Europe and the US, with many families engaging in the sport during winter. Although skiing is still relatively niche in China, as the concept of outdoor lifestyles gains traction among Chinese families, skiing is expected to become more widespread.

      DexShell is also actively focusing on the development of youth outdoor activities. As a younger demographic, children have relatively lower endurance and resilience, creating a greater need for the functionality of protective gear. This end consumer group holds tremendous growth potential.

      In outdoor activities, feet face the greatest challenges. DexShell’s thermal waterproof socks keep feet dry in low temperatures, preventing heat loss and frostbite. Traditional ski gloves, while waterproof, are often bulky. With global warming, snow resort temperatures are no longer extremely cold, making traditional gloves inconvenient to use. DexShell’s seamless, sun-protective gloves are highly flexible and lightweight, perfectly suited for skiing conditions. Additionally, DexShell’s waterproof and sweatproof snow caps provide excellent warmth when worn off the slopes.

      In 2019, DexShell’s development strategy focused on two key areas: In product development, as a patented, technical, and functional outdoor accessory brand, DexShell will continue to create new products based on its proprietary technology. By driving R&D innovation, the brand aims to maintain its leadership in product functionality and technical branding, preserving its product resource advantage for 2019. For the Chinese market, DexShell plans to accelerate the development of new offline outdoor channels rather than concentrating efforts solely on online promotion. The goal is to identify more channel distributors and sales agents within the outdoor retail space.