Summer 2022 – CHANGE & NEW BEGINNINGS: JACK WOLFSKIN UNVEILS GROUND-BREAKING SUMMER COLLECTION

For more than four decades, German-based JACK WOLFSKIN has been a major name in the outdoor world. When the brand was founded in the early ’80s, people were drawn to explore the world. And a growing number of these travellers became involved in hiking local trails and faraway destinations. JACK WOLFSKIN was hugely popular at the time, especially with globetrotters and those looking to escape everyday life for a limited moment or seeking extreme travel experiences. The outdoor boom of the ’90s evolved to include more shared outdoor experiences among family and friends in nature. Today, the passion for discovering the environment through adventures and expeditions is at an all-time high. JACK WOLFSKIN considers it its mission to create many shared and transformative moments of discovery, for as many people as possible with its performance equipment, designed in Germany, applying all of the company’s outdoor knowledge.

In the summer of 2022, the Idstein-based brand positions itself with confidence and ambition, to be a driving force in the outdoor industry, presenting a collection that sets the standards in both sustainability and technical performance in all global markets.

Milestones & Partnerships

The 2022 summer collection features numerous innovations in the technical apparel range and at the core of the footwear and equipment segments.

Absolutely fundamental to JACK WOLFSKIN’s capacity for innovation are the company’s strong partnerships. For product development, JACK WOLFSKIN closely works with various leading experts in the textile industry - such as the renowned, long-established company POLARTEC®, or, starting recently, the talented young team at brrr°, who have developed a triple cooling technology utilizing natural effects of minerals. JACK WOLFSKIN also partnered with textile fibre manufacturer Lenzing to develop an absolute novelty: the world’s first combination of a recycled membrane with a natural outer layer.

Further vital alliances include organizations such as the Fair Wear Foundation, Grüner Knopf (Green Button) and bluesign©. They are key cornerstones to the implementation and monitoring of strict social and ecological standards throughout the entire supply chain.

Inspiration & Community

JACK WOLFSKIN’s multi-functional products are ideal for pursuing a multitude of explorations as demonstrated through its #GOBACKPACK tours or hiking adventures on WOLFTRAILS. #GOBACKPACK is the brand’s highly successful social media campaign, connecting countless backpackers around the world to form an inspiring community. This campaign will continue into the summer of 2022, taking a fascinating, one-of-a-kind adventurous journey to the vast and rugged landscapes of Mongolia. The WOLFTRAIL multi-day hikes, also brought to life by JACK WOLFSKIN, focus on shared experiences in breath-taking natural landscapes: the untouched wilderness of the Carpathian Moutains, the rugged solitude of the Scottish Highlands - or, as of summer of 2022, the Austrian Alps.

The Highlights: Shaping a sustainable future

With its new body-contact carrying system AEROSHAPE, JACK WOLFSKIN substantiates its ambition to be an innovation driver in the industry: recycled polyester, extremely efficient manufacturing processes, padding made from algae foam - this carrying system featured in hiking and cycling backpacks is exceptional for its lightweight, comfort and resource-saving design.

JACK WOLFSKIN pioneers further significant innovations with the technical TERRAVENTURE hiking boots that pair sustainability with reliable performance. It’s a first, integrating a recycled, waterproof and breathable TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE membrane into the footwear collection. As standard, the weather proofing includes a hydrophobic material finish,allowing water to repel off the shoe without allowing water to penetrate the structure of the surface layer. This finish is applied without adding per- and polyfluorinated chemicals (PFC’s).

“A sustainable, ecological footprint in footwear requires specialized material applications, processes and testing methods,” says Selim Say, Vice President Footwear. “The mid-cut outdoor boot featuring a proprietary membrane, involves up to 150 different materials, thus being multiple times more complex than conventional footwear but you can feel the difference throught the fit, comfort and performance.”

Also, no other brands besides JACK WOLFSKIN offer bluesign© certified materials within the footwear industry. Therefore, the effort involved in selecting, manufacturing and testing a product is correspondingly higher than in other segments.

The popular, casual ECOSTRIDE Outdoor Lifestyle footwear models extensively rely on natural as well as recycled materials. Only undyed and resource-saving materials are chosen: organic cotton and hemp, natural as well as recycled rubber.

The 3-Layer-Revolution

In the textile segment, JACK WOLFSKIN manages to be the outdoor industry’s first brand to pair an all-natural outer layer with a proprietary membrane made from recycled materials. TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE LYOCELL 3L (three-layer) combines TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE membrane, made from a blend of post-consumer and pre-consumer waste, with TENCEL™ Lyocell fibres, which are sourced from sustainably managed wood.

“Our TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE LYOCELL 3L fabric marries the TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE membrane made from production cuttings, with an outer layer made from TENCEL™ Lyocell fibres,” says Daniele Grasso, Vice President Product & Apparel. “In addition, a jersey inner is made from recycled polyester. Thus, our main material is composed of three sustainable fabrics, as we combine recycled materials with natural fibres.”

JACK WOLFSKIN’S design team had to overcome the technical challenge of bonding TENCEL™ outer fabric with the TEXAPORE ECOSPHERE membrane and the reverse side. All three components react at different temperatures so the product developers went to great lengths to guarantee the waterproof performance while maintaining breathability. At the same time, the team had to ensure that the laminate was durable and would not disintegrate when washed.

Over time, each of these technical 3-layer jackets takes on a look of its own through wear and weather exposure adding to the individual appeal without losing performance attributes.

Innovation, sustainability and history come together in the Spring/Summer 2022 collection as JACK WOLFSKIN continues to expand its influence as an independent apparel, footwear and equipment brand that is designed for all explorers who live to discover. Please take a moment to personally explore the collection in depth through the following materials and contact us with questions and requests for samples and imagery. Until then, take time to get outside and experience our world with your friends and family.