Victoria Eskdale, Innov_ex 2011

Victoria Eskdale, Manchester Metropolitan University, 2011 Innov_ex Innovation Design Prize Winner with her Second Skin Tactile Gloves

Innov_ex Design Prize

This annual prize was introduced in 2007 by the organisers of the Innovation for Extremes conference, Mike Parsons and Mary Rose and was originally sponsored by NWTexnet.It is to encourage future innovators in the outdoor trade. The prize is :A cash prize of £500 + the option of a year’s business mentoring. Click here to find out how to enter for 2012

About the 2011 winner

Victoria Eskdale’s Second Skin Highly Tactile Glove (the 2011 winner) boasts unrestricted sensitivity and mobility, maintains human hands’ thermoregulation, reduces fatigue and incorporates additional moisture management, anti-microbial, stain resistant and comfort.

All the judges said that they wanted a pair. The OIA, in sponsoring Innov_ex with its student prize,  genuinely invested in the future of the outdoor industry.

February 2012 Victoria Eskdale updates on her experience since winning the 2011 Prize 

Victoria’s comments :

What inspired me?

Manchester Metropolitan University set a brief to design a product for a specific end purpose, initially the product was designed for a field service electrical engineer. Once its potential had been realised the glove quickly adapted to the outdoor market, being a second skin highly tactile glove that could be utilised for fishing, climbing, cycling, running etc.

Victoria Eskdale at Innov_ex 2011

The versatility of the glove is brilliant, the idea (future) is to create a range, a generic glove that would have different features applied to fully meet the needs of the user for different sporting activities: for example, climbers: more abrasion resistant material will be added to the palm, cyclists: reflector panels will be added to the fingers or glow fabric, this expanding the product and meeting all end requirements.

To review a video of the 2011 entries and Victoria’s award please click here

Prize ceremony 2011

For list of 2011 shortlisted entrants click here

For list of 2011 Innov_ex Judges click here

For the OIA sponsor’s report on Victoria Eskdale’s design click here

Click here to find out more about the 2010 Prize winner and other past winners.

Mark Held innov_ex 2012

Mark Held, European Outdoor Group argued that the challenges facing the UK outdoor industry in 2012 include :

1.                Is the ‘Asian Dawn’ becoming a ‘sunset’?

1.                Climatic and economic uncertainties.

1.                Environmental campaigns by high leverage organisations.

 Background to the UK Outdoor Industry

Mark Held’s honest, and penetrating presentation at innov_ex 12 confronted the UK outdoor industry with a daunting array of challenges and perceptive thoughts on ways forward. He showed vividly how the relatively young, dynamic and innovative UK outdoor industry of 1960s and 1970s, including companies like Karrimor,Mountain Equipment, Berghaus, Sprayway and many others, was based on indigenous skill within a supply chain that embraced OWN manufacturing operations , fabrics, finishing and components.(See Gear Timezone Timeline for details.)

Karrimor introduced lean manufacturing/quick response/no forward order required in the early 1990s. This involved pull manufacturing systems which were watched carefully by all, including Berghaus, with an assumption that this involved more stock. But Karrimor found that, as forecasting and response systems improved less stock was needed, bringing greater flexibility.

The opening of China’s borders and the prospect of low labour costs created a margin windfall and encouraged the outsourcing of manufacturing of first packs and then apparel to China in early 1990s. This move was led by Berghaus and rapidly followed by others, at a time when the whole industry was facing challenges. It created a margin windfall in an apparent buyers’ paradise.

To quote Mark Held, we collectively squandered these extra margins which were eroded by ever more competitive pricing as brands fought to compete with each other.

Is the ‘Asian Dawn’ becoming a ‘sunset’?

Held showed in 2012 the ‘Asian Dawn’ has given way to a potential ‘Sunset’ for the UK outdoor industry and asked whether UK outdoor industry is really suited to China?

The biggest problems facing the industry are :

1 Long lead times -an 18 month cycle which limits flexibility, potential for innovation and response to user feedback. Retailers have to place orders before design cycle is complete.

2. It is no longer a buyer’s paradise in China :

• Fewer working in garment industry.

• Labour costs rising by 13%- could go up to 25%.

• Declining margins.

There is also rising consumer demand in China and we are seeing the emergence of Chinese outdoor brands. It has become a manufacturers’ market rather than a buyers’ market where even the big players, such as adidas, cannot dictate terms as they could twenty years ago. This places SMEs who have only limited volume, and make up so much of the UK outdoor industry, in an awkward position.

Climatic and economic uncertainties make flexibility vital.

Alongside the changing conditions in China, the uncertain weather patterns are especially challenging for the outdoor industry. We can have a great winter, then no winter, drought and too much rain. Set against poor economic conditions, with raw material prices rising exponentially there is a growing need for flexibility, not lock in for the brands and for retailers.

Yet the current system with long lead times and a push system, rather than a demand pull system generates stocks and waste rather than responding to consumer needs.

Environmental Campaigns by high leverage organisations

The outdoor industry also needs to understand and respond to a range of high profile environment campaigns. Consumer expectations are rising and fast communications mean that a small group can have significant impact.

What is really important as Held explained is that you need to that know your brands are doing right things. Examples include the well planned and articulated Dirty Laundry Campaign from Green Peace and the Clean Clothes campaign both of which have implications within the supply chain and for consumers who want to know what it means for them.

But it can be tricky, time intensive and costly for companies to stay up to date. It is also challenging to track what is happening within a global supply chain and to be transparent in ways that can be audited. As Mike Berners-Lee showed in a short follow up overview at innov_ex there has been a sharp rise in emissions as the Chinese economy grows and expands making it harder even for the big players to pursue a transparent green agenda.

So where to now?  How can the outdoor industry move forward?

With so many challenges facing a sector made up primarily of SMEs with little leverage what are the options?

• Collaboration and Co-operations between companies around issues such as environment.

• Review outsourcing arrangements.

• Pull rather than push manufacturing and retail systems.

• Innovation in the supply chain.

Collaboration and Co-operations between companies around issues such as environment

Mark Held commented that organisations,such as the European Outdoor Group and the Outdoor Industries Association, help to bring the industry together to share perspectives and to lobby and create a collective voice for outdoor companies. innov_ex, with its outward facing agenda also brought companies together to ‘share information and inspiration plus, most important, exchange views and experience’(Outdoori April 2012).

‘Now is the time for the UK outdoor industry to come together to re-assess strategic options’ says Held. This would include managing the supply chain.

 Review outsourcing arrangements

Held suggested that the moment for China outsourcing was over and questioned whether it was best for the UK outdoor industry especially in 2012 when flexibility in face of uncertainty is a key problem.

He argued that re-locating in Europe might reduce some of the inflexibility of using Asia, citing the case of the Italian footwear sector and its use of Romania as an example. Brands were simply nearer to their manufacturers and to the necessary skills which cut down waste and lead times. 3D printing or additive manufacturing is developing rapidly with the cost of printers falling bringing the prospect of customised manufacturing which is ever closer to user needs. Already Fab Lab provides 3D printing services to companies.

Pull rather than push manufacturing and retail systems

In sharp contrast to ‘fast fashion’ companies such as Zara, the UK outdoor trade uses push rather than pull systems – pushing products through the manufacturing and retailing system rather than responding to consumer demand. Yet, in the uncertain market conditions the assumption always seems to be that pull or rapid response systems are only valid or possible for fashion companies.This is not the case, as Karrimor showed in the 90s.

The use of a pull system would allow flexibility and rapid response to unpredictable change – the very problems facing the UK outdoor industry now.

 Innovation in the supply chain

Mark Held concluded that the modern brand needs to be :

Forward looking.

Chemically compliant and fully transparent.

Flexible and responsive to market uncertainty and consumer needs.

Prepared to fund innovation through higher prices.

Delegates need open and focused minds to make the most of the innov_ex programme which offers information and inspiration plus, most important, the exchange of views and experience. The conference is not about delivering solutions in a ‘Ten top tips’ style but is about provoking thought and promoting dialogue to meet the challenges of evolving systems, technologies, markets and demographics…. The prize has steadily gained prestige over the years with finalists and winners going on to develop products and careers in the outdoor industries….

‘It usually takes several weeks to digest the learning experience of innov_ex and, perhaps, many

months at least to integrate theory into practice, but the practical benefits last for years.’ (Outdoori April 2012)

(innov_ex) is acknowledged as creating the most high-level discussions associated with the leading edge of product developments, especially those associated with outdoor clothing manufacturing & communications.(Outdoorsmagic 20 April 2012) – for full review see Outdoorsmagic April 20 2012

Disappearing off to Wales (of which more in a future post) after the Pertex sponsored Innov-Ex Conference means that it’s a week since I left Lancaster with my head buzzing with ideas and thoughts. This conference on the outdoor industry is always interesting and stimulating, both in the formal talks and discussions and in the conversations over coffees, food and beers. (Chris Townsend Blog, 27 April 2012)

Jenni Campbell is awarded the 2012 innov_ex Innovation Design Prize by mountaineer Al Hinkes

Jenni Campbell, a recent graduate of BEng in Sports Engineering at Strathclyde University, is the 2012 winner of the innov_ex Innovation Design Prize. Her innovation is Cleat Feat adventure-racing cycling shoe system is praised by Outdoorsmagic  has been described as ‘a well thought out prototyped concept’.

Jenni  receives a £500 prize and a year’s business mentoring from innov_ex judge and Dragon’s Den contestant Sam Fountain, CEO of Shewee.

Design prize judges 2012 included Sam Fountain, Chris Townsend (TGO Gear reviewer) and Stuart Smith (Adventure in Mind).

Read more about the innov_ex design prize and Jenni’s winning design

Day 2 Sustainability Journey

9.00- 9.45 Simon Reid WRAP (Waste Resources Action Programme) ‘Sustainable Clothing Action Plan’: Moving towards sector targets – what could you measure and how these targets could be implemented.

9.45- 10.30  Don Gladstone  Founder Explore RED: Reuse and recycling of outdoor clothing and equipment after its first life. How does this work?

Coffee 10.30-11.00

Veronica Legg, (2010 innov_ex Design Prize winner) ‘Designing clothing for end use – sources of feedback, from field research to the World Wide Web’

11.30-12.30 EOG Industry Challenge Mark Held (European Outdoor Group) challenges companies to look at how they are managing the volatility of our current changing marketplace.

12.30- 1.15 Lunch

1.15 -1.45  Phil Sorrell, Social Hiking – shareyouradventure.com: Web apps, the outdoors and social media.

1.45- 2.30 2012 Innovation Design Prize, including 10 minute update from Victoria Eskdale (2011 winner)

2.30-3.15 Panel on eFootwear – Is electronic footwear inevitable?

3-15-4.00 Martin Charter Centre for Sustainable Design presentation recording

4.00-4.05 Closing remarks

4.05 Conference ends

Martin Charter

Martin has worked at director level on business sustainability issues in consultancy, leisure, publishing, training, events and research for over 22 years. Prior to this he held in a range of management positions in strategy, research and marketing in gardening, building products, trade exhibitions, financial services and consultancy including Save & Prosper Group, Reed International, Creative Marketing Group and Kiveton Park (Holdings) Ltd. Martin was the launch Director of Greenleaf Publishing, Marketing Director at the Earth Centre, former director of business networks focused on sustainable business, green electronics and eco-innovation. Martin was the founding editor of the Journal of Sustainable Product Design, The Green Management Letter and Greener Management International (GMI) and is presently a member of the Editorial Boards of GMI, International Journals of Sustainable Engineering and Sustainable Design. Martin has been a member of international/national/regional advisory boards covering green electronics, environmental technology, sustainability reporting & sustainable innovation (e.g. for P&G and InterfaceFlor in Europe) . Presently, he sits on the expert boards of the EC Eco-Innovation Observatory and the World Resources Forum. Martin is presently convenor of ISO 14006 (eco-design management systems) and was the previous UK expert to both ISO and BSI groups on ISO TR 14062 (eco-design). Martin is the producer and organiser of the ‘Sustainable Innovation’ international conference series that is its 16th year. He is a regular international conference speaker and author and editor of various books and publications including Greener Marketing (1992 and 1999), The Green Management Gurus [e-book] (1996), Managing Eco-design (1997), Sustainable Solutions (2001) and System Innovation for Sustainability (2008). Martin has an MBA from Aston Business School (UK) and postgraduate diploma in marketing. Martin attended The Earth Summit in Rio in 1992.

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Victoria Eskdale

Victoria Eskdale was a distinction MSC student from Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU) who was the overall winner of the INNOV_EX prize 2011 for her invention of the outdoor tactile glove. The innovative glove now named Glove I.T is proving every success and at current is in the process of being taken to market by some of the high streets largest sports retailers. Now a University Lecturer specialising in CAD design, Victoria Eskdale explains that Winning the INNOV_EX prize 2011 not only provided her with the platform in which to take her product to market, but also establish herself as a freelance design Company. Victoria Eskdale Design was formed in July 2011 specialising in four core areas * Product/garment design development * Problem solving and inventions in the retail sectors * CAD tuition and mentoring * and OWN label.

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Veronica Legg

Combining a passion for outdoor activities and performance clothing, Veronica has a Masters in Clothing Product Development from MMU. She won the Innov_ex Design Prize and the Textiles Institute Young Person’s Award in 2010, before joining Equip Outdoor Technologies as a designer for RAB. Collecting feedback from the end user is central to her work.

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Mike Redwood

Mike Redwood is the Visiting Professor for Leather at the University of Northampton.  As a chemist he has spent his career in tanneries, footwear and sports companies. With FootJoy he managed product development in golf gloves. He consults in strategy and innovation and teaches marketing at Bath University.

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