Survey shows Swedish apparel brand seen to be ahead of rivals with long-lasting garments
Serious golfers in the UK consider Galvin Green as the leading apparel brand on the market when it comes to both sustainability and innovation, according to new independent research that highlights the growing significance of sustainable golf within the playing community.
Findings from research conducted earlier this year by Sports Marketing Surveys* into environmental concerns and brand perceptions among more than 2,200 golfers playing regularly found that Galvin Green was seen as the most innovative golf clothing brand – ranked three percentage points higher than its nearest rival – and the joint-highest rated apparel company in terms of offering sustainable garments.
Three out of four UK golfers interviewed say that sustainability is a key issue in golf right now and one that’s only going to increase in importance over the next decade, while the vast majority think it’s important that brands advance their sustainability lines. Almost all of the UK golfers surveyed view product durability and longevity as the most important sustainability factors when considering new garments.
The long-lasting nature of its products has always been regarded as a key focus by Galvin Green, while sourcing quality, eco-friendly fabrics and discovering innovative manufacturing techniques has been the cornerstone of the brand’s creative process in more recent years. Backed up by this latest independent research, this strategy is one that clearly resonates with golfers in Europe’s largest market.
“We started talking about sustainability more than a decade ago and have always had a vision to produce top quality golf clothing that lasts longer than others,” said Sofia Ask Klason, Product Manager at Galvin Green. “This outlook has automatically resulted in our introducing more sustainable products into our ranges that are highly durable. We’ve found that consumers are willing to pay for garments that last longer – as long as they perform well, which ours always do,” he added.
The survey’s results were extremely positive for Galvin Green. More than a third (36%) said they would consider buying Galvin Green apparel in the future, with half of those surveyed being willing to spend up to 50% more for a sustainable brand. A strong presence among professional players was also noticed, with Galvin Green being regarded as the third leading brand among elite players on Tour and second in terms of style.
“These results provide huge motivation to everyone at Galvin Green,” said CEO Nicholai Stein. “They prove that sustainability is a real concern to golfers in the UK and our efforts to produce longer lasting garments that limit ecological impact are not going unnoticed. The durability of our products is always something we have prided ourselves on, so to see that arising as the key issue for golfers justifies our long-standing commitment to creating quality products that last as well as perform well,” she added.
Almost half of golfers surveyed (46%) deemed eco-certification as important to some degree, which reflects well on the brand’s commitment to sourcing fabrics that minimise both carbon footprint and ecological impact. The most recent Part One 2022 utilises both Bluesign® or Oeko-Tex® Standard 100 approved fabrics to offer the widest range of sustainable apparel on the market.
Galvin Green boosted its green credentials even further over the past 12 months by winning the ‘Sustainability in Sport’ award at the 2021 Sports Technology Awards for its DWIGHT half-zip sweaters made from fabric derived from recycled plastic bottles and becoming a leading Innovation Partner with the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf – a partnership designed to help speed up the progress of sustainability in and through golf.
“Galvin Green has shown great leadership in the golf apparel sector for a number of years with a series of important sustainable product innovations and a drive to push the boundaries with a sustainable mindset,” said Jonathan Smith, Founder & Executive Director of the GEO Foundation for Sustainable Golf. “The brand’s focus on revolutionary technologies, pioneering fabrics and creating products that last made from certified materials throughout the supply chain sets an example for the whole industry on how to innovate responsibly and sustainably,” he added.
For details of the latest clothing options, visit www.galvingreen.com
*The research was conducted among British men and women golfers in February 2022 by leading sports research company Sports Marketing Surveys, with the aim of understanding the key sustainability practices and concerns of golfers.