THE INTRODUCTION OF MALDEN MILLS’ POLARTEC® brand in 1991 not only spurred the growth of a $3 billion outerwear market begun with its Polarfleece brand, it also solidified the fabric line as a high end, respected brand. Yet as Malden Mills looked to the future of Polartec fabrics, concerns arose that Polartec’s connections with “fleece” would limit perceptions of the company’s products, potentially hindering prospective growth.

Malden Mills turned to PLAN-it Marketing to assess the viability of new Polartec fabrics for launch in the marketplace, as well as to help name and position the fabrics. For this, PLAN-it worked with “hard core” and “enthusiast” sports participants and Polartec retailers to develop an in-depth understanding of their attitudes and behavior with respect to performance outerwear.

We explored the perceived value of the Polartec brand and how to leverage its equity across new fabric introductions. We also evaluated key benefits sought in performance outerwear that would drive purchases and assessed reactions to actual product samples to understand behavior and performance. Ultimately, we provided Malden Mills with recommendations for new product opportunities and enhancements.

As a result, Polartec / Malden Mills successfully launched two new fabrics, including HEAT, a technological advancement in body temperature maintenance. Our work also resulted in the development of a new naming system for its current fabric lines that encompasses the brand’s full range of products.

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