From September to October 2025, LuxeCO Intelligence tracked and analyzed 631 developments from 464 sports and outdoor brands.
Based on this research, LuxeCO Intelligence has selected the Top 3 brand cases most worthy of industry attention and provided exclusive commentary, offering a clear view of the current strategic directions and trends shaping the sports and outdoor sector.
In this increasingly competitive landscape, the selected brands for this edition exemplify three key development themes (in no particular order):
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Building an outdoor sports ecosystem — Kailas
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Creating benchmark products with high quality-to-price ratios — ANTA
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Conveying brand culture through unique geological landscapes — HELLY HANSEN
1. Kailas: Becoming an Ecosystem Builder for Outdoor Sports
Kailas has officially signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Xiaojin County, Sichuan Province, to jointly develop and operate a regional outdoor sports training project. The total investment amounts to RMB 100 million [approx. USD 13.7 million], fully funded by Kailas.
Sichuan, known for its rich mountainous terrain and solid outdoor user base, has become a strategic hub for sports and outdoor brands looking to expand their presence and promote mountain culture in the Chinese Mainland.
Xiaojin County, home to iconic mountain resources like Mount Siguniang, is an ideal location for mountaineering, ice climbing, hiking, and other outdoor activities.
Leveraging core resources such as Mount Siguniang, the partnership will focus on building an integrated system combining training, mountaineering culture, and a branded IP ecosystem. It aims to implement a full-chain development model—covering school establishment, event operations, talent training, and the integration of culture and tourism—to turn Xiaojin County into a global benchmark destination for outdoor sports.
Unlike brands pursuing mass-market visibility, Kailas has remained committed to cultivating vertical niches and growing its core user base.
By forming a deep connection with a world-class natural outdoor environment, Kailas is transforming its “Only for Climbing” brand DNA into immersive, tangible experiences—effectively setting itself apart from the increasingly homogeneous outdoor market and establishing a distinct competitive edge.
Shifting from simply selling products to operating an ecosystem, this model delivers both professional capabilities and cultural experiences to dedicated outdoor users, strengthening engagement and brand loyalty.
In the challenging terrain of Mount Siguniang, consumers can directly test the performance and reliability of Kailas gear in real-world conditions—offering a level of credibility that surpasses traditional advertising.
Meanwhile, a systematic training program allows Kailas to expand its base of professional outdoor enthusiasts, while also locking in potential future core customers.
Since launching its “Unclimbed Peak Plan” in 2006 to encourage climbers to conquer previously unscaled peaks and build a comprehensive mountain database, and initiating the “Seeking Crags in China” public welfare program in 2012—developing over 2,000 premium climbing routes across 54 cities—Kailas has evolved from a gear provider supporting exploration to a key force in popularizing outdoor sports in China and shaping the entire outdoor industry ecosystem.
2. ANTA: Launching Benchmark Products with High Quality-to-Price Ratios
ANTA has released three core products under its “Super ANTA” IP: the FlameShell fleece, the EvergreenShell jacket, and the Tencel × Wool T-shirt.
This launch goes beyond simply adding new items. It reflects ANTA’s strategy of democratizing high-performance technology—previously reserved for professional or premium products—by making it accessible to the general public.
Take the FlameShell fleece, for example. It uses Polartec’s top-tier Micro Series fabric but is priced at just RMB 299 [approx. USD 41]. Designed for versatility, it bridges professional outdoor use and daily commuting, aligning with modern consumers’ desire for multi-functional, practical apparel.
The “Super ANTA” channel, which houses these products, is a newly developed retail concept built by the ANTA team. These stores are characterized by their large size (averaging 1,000 sqm), broad category coverage, strong value-for-money positioning, and one-stop shopping experience.
Putting consumer needs at the core, Super ANTA stores break free from seasonal limitations to offer year-round inventory. Store layouts are based on activity scenarios and storytelling themes, rather than traditional product categories, creating a more immersive experience.
Consumers in Tier 1 and 2 cities are becoming increasingly sensitive to quality-to-price value, and this group continues to grow.
ANTA shared with Luxe.CO that their best-selling items in Super ANTA stores are precisely these performance-oriented, high-value-for-money products.
ANTA Group Chairman Ding Shizhong has repeatedly emphasized that ANTA aims to be “a brand the public can afford.” He stated, “Winning public and consumer recognition is the greatest value a brand or company can achieve.”
This IP strategy exemplifies how product innovation can reshape perceptions—breaking the simplistic notion that “expensive equals good, cheap equals bad.” By delivering real value for money, ANTA is raising its brand profile and positioning itself for breakthroughs in the fiercely competitive sportswear market.
This initiative is underpinned by ANTA Group’s robust supply chain and long-term technological capabilities, as well as the brand’s keen insight into consumer use cases and technology accessibility.
According to the brand, ANTA plans to open around 160 Super ANTA stores by 2025 to further roll out and scale this strategy.
3. HELLY HANSEN: Conveying Brand Culture Through Unique Geological Landscapes
HELLY HANSEN recently teamed up with global brand ambassador Wang Yibo to host an immersive event themed “Beyond Vision, Hidden Worlds Await” at Shuanghe Cave, the longest cave system in Asia.
Located in Zunyi, Guizhou Province, Shuanghe Cave is a massive karst cave system, currently the third-longest dolomite cave in the world, with a total mapped length of 437.1 kilometers and a vertical depth of 912 meters as of 2024. Comprising 115 interconnected cave entrances, it is renowned as a “natural museum of karst geology.”
The event was held with academic support from the “China National Geography Scientific Expedition” team, lending it professional credibility.
Founded in 1877 in Norway as a specialist in sailing gear, HELLY HANSEN has grown to become one of the first outdoor brands to develop function-specific clothing for diverse outdoor settings—including camping, sailing, and urban rainwear.
In 2008, the brand launched the ODIN series, designed for harsh mountain and high-altitude environments. In June 2024, the ODIN line provided protection for a biodiversity research expedition led by the China National Geographic in Motuo, Tibet.
Now a flagship collection, the ODIN series was also the core gear showcased at this event.
Rather than focusing solely on technical specifications, HELLY HANSEN guided participants through a hands-on experience inside Shuanghe Cave’s ancient geological formations—allowing the awe-inspiring natural landscape to serve as the ultimate expression of the brand’s performance.
By leveraging this one-of-a-kind local terrain, HELLY HANSEN used its product strength and deep brand heritage to immerse participants in a sensory-rich narrative that conveyed the brand’s values and outdoor spirit.
At the event, Wang Yibo—clad in an ODIN series shell jacket—joined a conversation with cave exploration experts about underground geology.
Beyond being a popular entertainer, Wang Yibo is also a professional racer and extreme sports enthusiast. His daring ice climbs on Tibetan glaciers have gone viral, aligning perfectly with HELLY HANSEN’s adventurous brand ethos and bringing it vividly to life.
Today, HELLY HANSEN continues to focus on its core categories—sailing, outdoor, and skiing—while further cultivating outdoor culture across specific niches.
According to YOUNGOR’s 2024 annual report, HELLY HANSEN has achieved rapid growth, with sales surging 116%, thanks to strong demand in the outdoor and sports sectors.
| Image Credit: Luxe.CO Design, Brand Official Channels
| Editor: Elisa
