In July of this year at the Asia Outdoor Trade Show in Nanjing, the China Outdoor Brand Alliance (abbreviated as COA) launched the public welfare campaign "I Want Fresh Air," which quickly garnered widespread support from outdoor enthusiasts for its healthy and eco-friendly message. With the momentum still strong, the alliance has recently released the "Three-One Declaration," pledging to establish "three platforms and one standard." This declaration is expected to attract significant attention across the outdoor industry and become another hot topic in China’s outdoor community.
On October 30, the third meeting of the China Outdoor Brand Alliance (COA) for the year 2014 was successfully held by the shores of Dongqian Lake in Ningbo. A total of 14 representatives attended, including members from brands such as Toread, Mountain Hardwear, Biensports, Kailas, Skogstad, The North Face, and Beijing Deman, as well as a representative from Nanjing Ningfei Exhibition. A representative from Columbia was absent due to official business.
During the meeting, participants exchanged insights on the latest trends in the outdoor industry and discussed the potential challenges and opportunities that China’s outdoor market may face over the next 2–3 years. After careful deliberation, the attendees unanimously passed the COA “Three-One Declaration.” It states that the China Outdoor Brand Alliance (COA) is committed to promoting the healthy and sustainable development of outdoor sports and the outdoor industry in China, fostering unity, innovation, and win-win cooperation among its members. Over the next 3–5 years, the alliance will support and develop “three platforms and one standard.” The three platforms are: the Asia Outdoor Trade Show, the COA Summit Forum, and the COA Outdoor Sports League; the one standard is the COA Outdoor Product Quality Standard.
COA supports the Asia Outdoor Trade Show as a professional outdoor exhibition and trade platform. As the largest trade show in China dedicated 100% to outdoor products, the Asia Outdoor Trade Show integrates brand displays, business negotiations, and information sharing, serving as an important commercial hub for China’s outdoor industry. The 2015 edition of the Asia Outdoor Show will mark its 10th anniversary, during which COA will host a series of events on-site: the release of the China Outdoor Industry Report, the continuation of the “I Want Fresh Air” campaign, a rock climbing competition, trail running races, and more.
COA has established the Summit Forum as a professional exchange platform. The first COA Summit Forum will be held on July 21–22, 2015, at the Jinling Conference Center in the Nanjing International Expo Center. The forum will invite domestic and international experts and scholars to participate in discussions. Major outdoor brands, retailers, and e-commerce representatives will also be present to share insights on topics such as the analysis of trends in China’s outdoor industry development. The forum will also feature “Debates at Stone City,” where industry leaders will engage in a live debate moderated by a well-known host. The forum will adopt a real-name registration system, and the online registration portal for audiences will open in February 2015.
COA has created the Outdoor Sports League as an experience and promotion platform. Starting in 2015, COA will organize an Outdoor Sports League nationwide, featuring competitions such as rock climbing, mountain running, and triathlon events, aiming to promote outdoor culture widely, attract more people to participate in outdoor activities, and experience the charm of the outdoors.
COA has voluntarily adopted a product quality standard. Currently, the quality of outdoor products in China varies greatly. In response to consumer concerns about the safety, environmental friendliness, and functionality of outdoor gear, COA will introduce a series of alliance quality standards in the coming years. All COA member brands will commit to complying with these standards, ensuring their products meet the required criteria. The goal is to provide consumers with safe, satisfying, and reliable products.
The COA’s commitment to establishing the above three platforms and one standard is collectively referred to as the “Three-One Declaration.” COA members will lead by example, uphold harmony between humans and nature, operate their businesses with environmental protection and sustainability in mind, support stable and healthy industry development, and actively promote outdoor culture and industry growth through concrete actions.
Note: The China Outdoor Brand Alliance, abbreviated as COA, is a brand alliance organization initiated in 2011 by key members of the Zijin Asia Outdoor Forum. Currently, COA has eight member brands: Toread, Kailas, Biensports, Mountain Hardwear, Skogstad, The North Face, Columbia, and Beijing Deman. COA holds regular meetings to exchange industry information, collaborate, and work together toward the steady and healthy development of China’s outdoor industry.