Yusra Mardini is not only a professional swimmer, but also an encourager for millions of refugees around the world. She comes from Syria, where her career as a swimmer began under her father's training. In 2015, Yusra came to Germany as a refugee herself, along with her sister Sara. On the run, her training paid off: She saved the lives of nearly 20 people.
Once in Germany, she came to the attention of the Berlin club Wasserfreunde Spandau 04 - from then on, things went steeply uphill. Yusra participated as part of the Refugee Team in the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and the 2021 Olympics in Tokyo. A film about her life was released on Netflix in late 2022. A documentary on ARD and Arte followed in July 2023.
We have for you 6 exciting facts about a swimmer who is far more than just a competitive athlete and reveal what Mardini does today.
More articles showing how women are impacting the sports world:
Product stewardship, manufacturing ethics, near-flawless traceability in a relatively long and fragmented supply chain... These will all soon cease to be exceptional differentiators for the textile industry. But how can this new world be represented in KPI?
Technical, social and communicative challenges as well as regulatory requirements determine the everyday work of the sports industry. On the one hand, there are new image risks due to reputation damage, name shaming or negative influences from "dis-influencers". On the other hand, global sourcing pressures and advances in technology and biology are forcing the textile industry to take a collaborative approach. It needs a macro vision in a rapidly changing environment. Artificial intelligence, metaverses, virtual reality - this coming 4.0 world needs to be understood quickly! Performance indicators are shifting and the requirements for outdoor and leisure sports industries need to be redefined.
In the sporting context, performance is a goal, and governance is the means to achieve those goals. Care Leadership can be defined like this: Leading by engaging oneself, acting empathetically, giving meaning to what employees and teams do, and improving working conditions for everyone. The purpose of this new Key Performance Indicator (KPI) is to guide a project or brand that integrates the common good. Some organizations or certifications are already championing them (Bcorp™, Ellen Macarthur Foundation, Fashion for Good, Textile Exchange). Visionary leaders rely on inspiration to foster relationships with suppliers and on information to contribute to innovation and business development. Pure-player leaders like Nike are playing the holistic marketing card, for example, with their new Instagram account: Nike Well Collective.
Some brands even work directly with NGOs to drive legislative change. This is the case, for example, with Picture Organic™, which is a member of the association "En mode climat" and is working to solve the problem of "vice premium". Or all the brands that collaborate with The Microfibre Consortium™ or the Fair Wear Foundation™. Those brands that collaborate best and achieve exceptional audit scores can advance to the Fair Wear Leaders category. This leadership principle helps create levers for sustainable redirection, a strategic action plan and measurable impact goals that will be reflected in design, sourcing, purchasing, logistics, e-commerce, etc. Is this the embodiment of leadership in times of crisis?
"With more than 580 members of the collective, we are using our influence to drive regulations that will force all players in our industry, including us, to do better." - Picture Organic ™
Although the Green Deal does not set specific requirements for textile sourcing, it indirectly impacts the fashion industry and promotes more sustainable practices in the textile supply chain. It also provides market opportunities for solution developers, certification bodies, suppliers and traceability actors. There are four key focus areas for the textile industry: promoting sustainable sourcing practices, circularity, social responsibility, and transparency and traceability.
Sourcing includes, for example, using recycled or organically grown fibres, adopting more environmentally friendly manufacturing processes, or reducing water and energy consumption. It also includes promoting the use of recognized environmental certifications and labels, and establishing tracking systems to ensure that products are manufactured in an ethical and environmentally friendly manner. For example, this is data that will be part of the eco-label. The downside is that end consumers have a hard time grasping the complexity of some of the data. To simplify the presentation, the UN and UNEP have just published a guide to responsible communication in the fashion industry. It aims to align communication in the fashion industry with the 1.5-degree climate target and broader sustainability goals.
A critical mind and collaboration between stakeholders and departments can help avoid greenwashing. Some of the specific requirements related to textile sourcing that are susceptible to greenwashing may be set out in other regulations or initiatives. The REACH regulation for chemicals or certification standards such as GOTS (Global Organic Textile Standard) and OEKO-TEX™ are examples. These regulations and initiatives complement the general objectives of the Green Deal. The European Commission also monitors so-called "imported" emissions.
"Since June 2021, the European Commission has been proposing a mechanism to adjust the EU's CO2 limits (MACF). This instrument would apply on imported products the current CO2 pricing for emission-intensive European products." - Ministry of Economy and Finance on the adjustment of the European Union CO2 limits.
Metaverses are a new field of activity for marketing and communication. Thanks to artificial intelligence, the creative field is becoming almost limitless. The Fabricant Studio™ is the first digital fashion house to develop exclusively digital clothing collections and collaborations. It operates at the intersection of fashion, gaming and blockchain and has already collaborated with Puma™, Napapirji™ and Peak Performance™. Adidas recently unveiled the "ADIDAS EXPERIENCE AT MVFW 2023." The Adidas Metaverse series consists of eight unique garments that have already been sold as part of their Metaverse community strategy. In terms of enhancing customer relationships, the Metaverse can deliver immersive experiences like those seen in recent Louis Vuitton campaigns with Pharrell Williams. Personalization and international engagement can also be found here, as well as the development of collaborations and communities, which are strong in live shopping behaviours in Asia. The metaverse is increasingly attracting interest from companies looking for innovative customer relationship and engagement strategies. Gaming commerce is definitely on the upswing.
Whether through bio inspiration with bio sourcing and biomimicry, fibre-to-fibre circularity, extended producer liability, extended materials due diligence, or potential chemical contamination, a whole new world of professions related to textiles is already emerging. These specialists are material breeders, biotechnology engineers who can manipulate alternative materials (leather, feathers, bio components and algae). They are chemists who promote eco-friendly dyeing solutions and their circularity, or operational circularity experts who move from linear to circular production, which even includes the "second life phase" of the material. Some brands are already doing this. There are also specialized environmental impact lawyers (biodiversity, CO2 emissions, and water management) who can help assess the risk associated with the sourcing source or country of production.
All of these new areas of expertise could be overseen by Chief Sustainable Officers (CSOs), Chief Performance Officers (CPOs), or Sustainable Product Owners (SPOs) who can help guide the challenges of supplier sourcing, data collection, and verification.
The environmental, social and financial costs of climate change impacts are becoming increasingly visible, especially in terms of tight raw material supplies. Immediate tangible action is becoming a real requirement, not only in terms of ethics and image, but also in terms of trade. The reindustrialization of certain industries in Europe, such as linen, or the creation of new industries, such as the post-consumer fibre cycle, are well underway. Technology underpins the possibilities for high value-added production, as evidenced by the Chamatex 4.0 factory or the CETIA operations centre for cutting and sorting fibres and accessories. Reindustrialization was also one of the points of the Fashion Pact signed in 2019 with targets for 2030, and the question of European reindustrialization of the textile industry should be asked primarily for products that can be sourced locally or nearby and have appropriate technologies and low-energy resources. These impact questions address categories 4, 5 and 6 of the carbon footprint.
The main arguments must concern sourcing, purchasing, and production, rather than transportation, which surprisingly often has the lowest carbon impact in a product's LCA.
From a marketing and influencer marketing standpoint, artificial intelligence could have a powerful operational force. Photoshop™ and its new Sensei Gen AI image editing tool could fundamentally change the way campaigns are created. Adobe says Photoshop's generative fill tool, which is included in the beta version, will simplify the creative process, reduce manual intervention and help make informed decisions and guide marketing initiatives. To connect design and sales, there are companies such as Virtual Vr™ and Threekit™ that specialize in 3D visualization solutions and product customization.
Recently, Threekit launched GPT™, which provides a product personalization feature using keywords and linking to the brand's product catalogue. The result: a 3D configurator, virtual photography and augmented reality from conception to sale on the e-commerce website. By integrating 3D shopping capabilities, the TaylorMade™ golf brand is using this technology for its golf clubs.
"We had a vision to make our website even better. Threekit made that vision a reality, and the results speak for themselves." - John Gonsalves, Vice President Direct to Consumer & Digital at TaylorMade Golf Company
Artificial intelligence is becoming a tangible tool for creating communication campaigns on a large scale. The Etam brand launched its first, 100% virtual campaign for swimsuits in summer 2023. Subsequently, Mobile AI with the Google Virtual Try On™ feature can enable users* to see how the products would look on them. By using the smartphone camera directly, the products are digitally projected onto the face or silhouette via augmented reality. This can facilitate the purchase decision process by showing users how a product fits their style before they buy it online or go to a store.
Positive harmonization of global supply chain management is needed to drive a robust and sustainable system with more accurate data, less waste and overproduction. This will not happen without technology and verification frameworks. This industry belongs to all of us, so let's work together to make digital and sustainable know-how a norm in an optimized and viable business-to-human (B2H) business model.
Whether for solving a problem, developing a product, or recruiting new members, companies and associations rely on innovative ideas in many ways. The necessary inspiration sometimes comes out of nowhere. But one should not rely on it. It is better to prepare the ground for creative processes at an early stage with appropriate concepts. Today, idea management is much more than a quick brainstorming session in the office.
In the comic, things seem relatively simple. A bit of hard thinking, a quick snap of the fingers - and the imaginary light bulb above your head lights up, signalling the arrival of a flash of inspiration. In real life, the search for the sparkling idea is usually more difficult. Nevertheless, it is by no means pure chance. Smart idea management can help companies, associations and organizations create an atmosphere in which creativity flourishes.
Ideation or business inspiration are the names of the methods that serve as a catalyst for idea generation. But why are they in such demand at the moment? "When ideas come from within, they are very authentic and usually fit in with what a club, association or company represents," explains Torsten Weber, professor at CBS University and transformation expert at the German Football League (DFL). "For new ideas, club members or employees are often the best source. They know the structures and, as a rule, also have the concern to help develop or further develop something in order to optimize processes."
So Google allows its employees to be innovative in different ways. One well-known example is the 80/20 rule. It encourages employees to spend 80 percent of their weekly working time on regular projects. 20 percent is left over for their own ideas and approaches. This opens up space for innovations in all directions.
Just like the unconventional flair of the gigantic Googleplex. The corporate headquarters in Mountain View, a part of Silicon Valley, looks like a mix of adventure playground and all-inclusive resort. In addition to retreats for a nap, there's a miniature golf course, a soccer field, a gym and other sports options. After all, a shared workout with colleagues is a great way to philosophize about the tasks at hand. It is also thought that employees who are relaxed and having fun are capable of top creative performance.
What also speaks for sport in the creative process: It seems to literally shake good ideas out of their drawers. And it doesn't even take a sweaty match to get the mind going as well as the body. Gray matter loves movement. A few steps are enough to get them going. Some techniques for brainstorming take advantage of this.
One of them is brain walking. This variation of the well-known brainstorming is a creativity method in which, for example, flipcharts are distributed in a certain area: on a floor, in a stairwell or even in the fresh air. Each of these charts contains a question or a problem. All participants now go from station to station and write down their ideas on the respective points. The movement gets the brain moving and helps good ideas get off the ground.
If you want to increase the speed a little, you can unpack your jogging shoes. A round through the park floods the body with oxygen and stimulates creativity. But you shouldn't overdo it. If you run out of breath, your body has other things to worry about than the next brilliant thought.
"I think these incentive systems are very important and would like to see us implement them much more in associations and companies," says Weber. Ultimately, however, it is not the form of idea management that is decisive, but the overall picture. "Without innovations and creative new approaches, there is no improvement, no optimization, but only a kind of standstill. That's why it's so important that something happens in clubs, associations and companies." And soon, hopefully, numerous imaginary light bulbs will light up above the heads of association members and employees to indicate a much-needed flash of inspiration.
Reward for hard work: ISPO.com has won the most prestigious communications award in the German-speaking world. The BCM Award in Gold honors the online magazine's outstanding strategy.
Best of Content Marketing - that is the name of the award presented annually by an independent jury of experts from the Content Marketing Forum industry association. ISPO.com was one of only three candidates to make it onto the shortlist in the "Strategy" category of what is probably the most prestigious award in the field of marketing and corporate communications. And now the final hurdle has been cleared: Gold goes to ISPO.com.
In their statement, the jury explained why they awarded gold to ISPO.com: "Congratulations on this all-around successful submission! Very coherent and professionally set up strategy with exciting process and impressive KPIs! Creating a target-oriented communication solution for the challenge of a B2B trade show is not easy. Here, an entire publishing house plus award and club was created at once, which could hold its own as an independent business model even without the actual "product" trade show."
"As an independent magazine with a full journalistic editorial team and 360-degree omnichannel communication via newsletters and social media, ISPO.com reaches hundreds of thousands of users every month," says Christoph Beaufils, Product Owner of ISPO.com. "Our communication strategy combines classic trade show communication, with novel online magazine and independent marketing. The BCM Award recognizes this complex strategy, which pays into our trade shows ISPO Munich and OutDoor by ISPO as well as the ISPO Group's Business Solutions and generates its own profits."
"The competition was tough, but we were always convinced that with ISPO.com's unique strategy we had a more than real chance of winning the Gold Award," says Karsten Lohmeyer, Managing Director of sayang.gmbh. The Content marketing agency provides the editorial staff of ISPO.com.
The BCM Award is not the first prize ISPO.com has received. Already in 2022 the FOX Award, that there is probably no better way to efficiently reach sports professionals and consumers.
"The renewed award for ISPO.com is a wonderful incentive for the editorial team to keep up the good and often exhausting work. After all, as with all good digital strategies, the work never stops," says Dorothea Neu, who recently became recently taken over as editor-in-chief of ISPO.com on the trade show has taken over.
"Receiving the BCM Award in Gold is the result of a great team effort, both at the trade show, sayang.gmbh, and all the other agencies and stakeholders involved in the ISPO Group," adds Karsten Lohmeyer.
According to its own statement, the Best of Content Marketing Award is the only award in the communications and marketing industry that consistently focuses on content. It thus honors the "best of the best" in content-driven communication.
Around 200 independent experts decide in 37 categories who has earned first silver and then perhaps gold. The BCM is organized by the Content Marketing Forum (CMF)the association of content marketing experts in the German-speaking world.
If you are in a pickle, take up a pickleball racket, and have a game, you’ll realize why the popularity of this racket sport is growing. It is officially the fastest-growing sport that is taking the world and the sports industry by storm. It is an inclusive approach to a racket game, not dependent on age or gender or a high level of agility and strength.
The pickleball phenomenon is down to inclusivity, fun, and accessibility and it is pulling in the crowds, the result of a great workout as you move around the court, inside or outside. So much so is the speed if picket ball growing, there is even a world pickleball day, so make a note in your diary for October 10.
Invented in 1965 just outside Seattle on Bainbridge Island by three dads – Joel Pritchard, Bill Bell, and Barney McCallum, decided to create some summertime fun for their kids, using mismatched equipment they had to hand. The racket sport is inspired by a combination of tennis, badminton, and table tennis, requiring a rigid plastic perforated ball. The name pickleball is said to have originated later, derived from the sport of rowing. There, the boat in which those athletes end up who otherwise could not get a place is called a pickle boat.
Having more than 4.8 million participants in the US, and a growth of 39.3% over the last two years, pickleball was officially announced as the fastest-growing sport in America for the second year in a row, according to The Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) 2022 Sports, Fitness, and Leisure Activites Topline Participation Report.
It isn’t just the US it is growing, but globally, a direct result of the COVID lockdown, as it was a sporting activity that you could socially distance with. Continuing to grow, with the UK and China fast becoming passionate about the game, clubs are springing up in over 60 countries.
A pickleball court is the same size as a doubles badminton court and measures 20×44 feet. In pickleball, the same court is used for both singles and doubles play. The net height is 36 inches at the sidelines and 34 inches in the middle. The court is striped similar to a tennis court with right and left service courts and a 7-foot non-volley zone in front of the net. Courts can be constructed specifically for pickleball or they can be converted using existing tennis or badminton courts.
With low-level difficulty, the sound and feel of hitting the hard plastic ball is a feel-good stress-busting factor. It is inclusive, encouraging competition, movement, and stress release, but also friendship and social aspects as pickleball clubs are being invested in globally.
Verified Market Research has calculated the global pickleball equipment market size was valued at USD 518.98 Million (€485.18 million) in 2022 and is projected to reach USD 1.06 billion by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 9.52% from 2024 to 2030.
Pickleball isn’t just a sport it is a lifestyle, and this is where we are seeing heritage sports brands, Adidas and Fila to name a few, that have delivered to the traditional racket market, including tennis, extend their collection. At the same time, a new breed of brands is emerging from the pickleball phenomenon.
Whilst it is the fastest-growing sport in the US, it has now gathered speed in China, looking set to be a surefire hit for the future. Chinese-based brands have responded to the uptake of this racket sport, with LiNing and Anna Sui just two established sports brands to create collections.
So what is pickleball attire? Like the game, the apparel pulls from the tennis and racket sport sector, but with a twist. There is a stronger design impact in terms of colors and prints, pulling from the activewear/gym sector than the traditional tennis white.
Lightweight, moisture management, and anti-odor fabrics dominate. Prints are a must, adding a frisson of fun to this area, plus pushing a new direction for athleisure – these pieces are good to go in city street as they are on the court – just like the yoga legging that spawned the whole athleisure movement. It isn’t just the established sports brands delivering on kit, US-based fashion designer Norma Kamali launched a ‘pickleball dress’ that sold out, one that would take you from pickleball to a glass of post-play prosecco.
Skorts (skirts with integrated shorts) feature, as does the ‘pickleball dress’, a term that is likely to come as synonymous as the ‘little black dress’ (LBD) in the fashion world. Crew neck T’s and shorts – again casual attire that crosses boundaries. Graphics and slogans feature, with brands purely pushing the pickleball mood.
Whilst it has enticed a massive following of players, as with all sports there is a pro league. What is interesting is the investors involved, giving a heads-up to the potential of pro play.
Last year NBA stars including Kevin Durant and Draymond Green all invested in pickleball teams. Retired NFL stars like Tom Brady and Drew Brees also announced they had bought into their own squads. This investment will be instrumental in taking the pro-pickball league to a new level.
As it is the fastest growing sport, and with no Olympic recognition as yet, at the pace it is going, maybe pickleball will hit 2030. But, don’t wait until then, check out the skills of pickleball at ISPO! Rackets at the ready, the pickleball court can be found at ISPO Munich 2023, in Hall B3 – but don’t get ‘pickled’, that is this sports term for the players scoring 0 points!