In July at the Asia Outdoor Show in Nanjing, the China Outdoor Brands Alliance (COA) launched the public welfare campaign "I Want Fresh Air," which garnered widespread support from outdoor enthusiasts for its healthy and eco-friendly message. With the momentum still strong, the alliance recently released the "31 Declaration," pledging to build "three platforms and one standard." This declaration is set to draw significant attention within the outdoor industry and become another hot topic in China’s outdoor community.
On October 30, the third meeting of the China Outdoor Brands Alliance (COA) in 2014 was successfully held by Dongqian Lake in Ningbo. Fourteen representatives attended, including members from The North Face, Beijing Deheng, and brands such as Toread, MobiGarden, Biancheng Sports, Kailas, Skogstad, as well as Nanjing Ningfei Exhibition. A representative from Columbia was absent due to official duties.
During the meeting, participants exchanged insights on recent developments in the outdoor industry and discussed potential competition and opportunities in the Chinese outdoor market over the next 2–3 years. After careful deliberation, attendees unanimously passed the COA "31 Declaration": The China Outdoor Brands Alliance (COA) is committed to promoting the healthy and sustainable development of outdoor sports and the outdoor industry in China. Members will unite through innovation and collaboration for mutual success. Over the next 3–5 years, the alliance will support and develop "three platforms and one standard." The three platforms are: the Asia Outdoor 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 Show as a professional outdoor exhibition and trade platform. As the largest 100% outdoor-focused trade show in China, the Asia Outdoor Show integrates brand displays, business negotiations, and information sharing, serving as a vital trade platform for the outdoor industry. The 2015 Asia Outdoor Show will celebrate its 10th anniversary, during which COA will launch 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 platform for professional exchange. The first COA Summit Forum will be held on July 21–22, 2015, at the Jinling Conference Center of the Nanjing International Expo Center. The forum will invite domestic and international experts and scholars to engage in discussions, while major outdoor brands, retailers, and e-commerce representatives will also participate. They will exchange ideas on topics such as trends in China’s outdoor industry development and share industry insights with fellow outdoor enthusiasts. The forum will also feature the "Stone City Sword Debate": a high-level debate led by a renowned host, where industry leaders go head-to-head in live discussions. The forum will adopt a real-name registration system, and the online audience registration system will open in February 2015.
COA has initiated the Outdoor Sports League as an experience and promotion platform. Starting in 2015, COA will organize a national outdoor sports league, featuring competitions such as rock climbing, trail running, and triathlon events, to vigorously promote outdoor culture and attract more people to engage in outdoor activities and experience their unique appeal.
COA voluntarily adheres to a product quality standard. Given the varying quality of outdoor products in China, COA plans to introduce a series of alliance quality standards in the coming years, addressing consumer concerns regarding the safety, environmental friendliness, and functionality of outdoor gear. All alliance members commit to following these rules to ensure their products meet the standards, with the goal of providing consumers with safe, satisfying, and reliable products.
COA’s commitment to building these three platforms and one standard is collectively referred to as the "31 Declaration." COA members will lead by example, upholding harmony between humans and nature, managing businesses with environmental protection and sustainable development in mind, supporting steady and healthy industry growth, and actively promoting outdoor culture and industrial advancement through concrete actions.
Note: The China Outdoor Brands Alliance, abbreviated as COA, is a brand alliance organization initiated in 2011 by key members of the Purple Gold Asia Outdoor Forum. Currently, COA has eight member brands: Toread, Kailas, Biancheng Sports, MobiGarden, Skogstad, The North Face, Columbia, and Beijing Deheng. COA holds regular meetings to share industry updates, collaborate, and work together to promote the healthy and stable development of China’s outdoor industry.