Korean outdoor clothing maker Kolon Sport celebrates 50th anniversary

[Courtesy of Kolon FnC]

Kolon Sport, South Korea’s first outdoor apparel maker under Kolon Industries Inc.’s FnC department, is celebrating its 50th anniversary since the opening of its first store in the central Seoul in 1973, the company said Thursday.

The apparel manufacturer attributes the brand’s success to its continuous research and development (R&D) efforts, guided by the group’s management philosophy of pursuing the “one and only” product for their customers.

One of their signature outerwear products, Antarctica, was initially developed to withstand extreme cold conditions to support researchers stationed in the Antarctic. Since its release in 2012, it has achieved an accumulated sales of 230 billion won ($170 million).

In 2017, Kolon Sport strategically established a joint venture with Anta Sports Products Ltd., China’s largest sportswear company, operating 160 stores in department stores and shopping malls in major cities such as Beijing and Shanghai.

In May, it opened its first flagship store in Shanghai. With retail sales of 200 billion won in China during the first half of this year, the apparel maker expects to achieve its annual target sales of 400 billion won.

The brand is also reportedly seeking to enter the North American market.

Kolon Sport is now producing products from single materials to enhance the recyclability of used clothes, as it advocates for circular fashion and zero-waste initiatives to promote sustainability. It introduced puffer jackets made exclusively from nylon material last year and plans to expand its single-material product range.

“Kolon Sport has stood strong like an evergreen tree over the past 50 years. We will continue to strive to become a brand that consistently amazes our customers for the next 50 years,” said Vice President Han Kyung-ae.

In celebration of the brand’s 50th anniversary, the company will hold a commemorative exhibition with the theme “Evergreen Energy” in Yongsan, Seoul, from Saturday. The exhibition will run until November.