At this very moment, we are witnessing the mass displacement of families and individuals in the harsh cold of winter – it is both a great tragedy, and an immediate humanitarian priority. As an outdoor industry association, we may not have the ability to influence military actions, but we can mobilise our members and the wider sector to aid the innocent civilians who are being affected by those actions.

Read a statement from the EOG on the ongoing crisis in Ukraine

Our industry specialises in the design, manufacture, and production of kit that can help people in the harshest conditions, and we can step up now to provide assistance.

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This is not a marketing opportunity, it’s a call to action.

This page is designed as a resource for those wishing to support those displaced or otherwise affected by the conflict.

This page will be regularly updated as we get new information.

Our colleagues at the Polish Outdoor Group, KEEN (through its Polish distributor), and at the Scandinavian Outdoor Group are already coordinating efforts to acquire and distribute outdoor gear to refugees who are fleeing from the conflict, and other affected individuals.

‍Items currently urgently required.

• Sleeping bags
• Sleeping mats
• Torches
• First aid kids

• Portable power banks
• Jackets - for men, women and children
• Shoes - in all sizes, for men, women and children
• Small day bags, school packs for kids
• Larger bags and duffles for families to carry

Piotr Turkot from the Polish Outdoor Group is co-ordinating efforts in Poland and shipments into Ukraine via distributor AMC supported by Ukrainian alpinist Nikita Balabanov.

We advise any organisation who wishes to provide aid to first contact Piotr on pt@4outdoor.pl to ascertain what is needed and he can then provide details and a shipping address in Poland. ‍

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Any outdoor industry organisation that is able to offer materials or products to support civilians affected by the conflict in Ukraine can also contact:

• The EOG team on info@europeanoutdoorgroup.com
• The Scandinavian Outdoor Group on david@scandinavianoutdoorgroup.com
• KEEN on Jeroen.meijer@keenfootwear.com

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Keen are also supporting cash donations via the GlobalGiving Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund.

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Sport4Ukraine - joint appeal for donations from various companies and associations in the sports industry: "You donate - we double".

Siegbert Müller, founder and managing director of OUTTRA, initiated and organised the joint appeal for donations: "Sport4Ukraine! You donate - we double".

Together with AlpenStrand, the BSI, VDS, SAZsport, SPORT2000 as well as Chillaz, Joe Nimble and socialPALS, OUTTRA forms the first core team to support this social commitment. By means of emergency aid, various relief organisations are supported in order to alleviate the suffering of the people affected by the Ukraine war and to send a signal of solidarity.

The vision behind this is:

"we want to alleviate the consequences of the Ukrainian war for the people and show that we as a sports industry can make a difference together".

In order to pursue this vision, a core team has decided to double every additional donation up to a total budget, which is available daily on the sport4ukraine website. This total budget is continuously increased by further contributions from the permanently growing core team. Associations, brands, retailers, service providers and publishers in the sports industry who would like to support this campaign can supplement the core team at any time and thus increase the total donation budget. But individual employees or end customers can also support the project with a donation contribution.

Currently, sport4ukraine works together with Aktion Deutschland Hilft, the German Red Cross, UNHCR,Save the Children, Caritas Austria and Nachbar in Not. Further information on the idea, the core team, the processes and the current donation amounts can be found on the website sport4ukraine.de.

Sympatex has a quantity of two and three layer laminates in various colours (from bright to muted colours), that are 100% waterproof, 100% windproof and optimally breathable with the right choice of tape. These laminates are available to any brands that have the capacity to use that material to make garments and send them to the organisations that are coordinating efforts to support those affected by the conflict. It would be an advantage is the manufacturer has some experience in taping.

More information on the materials can be found HERE.

The quantity available depends on the location of a brand’s manufacturing facility, as Sympatex has materials in Europe and Asia and will try to minimize shipping. If you are interested in getting hold of some of the material, please contact Verena Ordemann from Sympatex’s corporate social responsibility team on verena.ordemann@sympatex.com or +49 (0)160 3380651.

‍We will continue to monitor the situation closely and adapt our approach accordingly. However, for the moment, our message is clear.

This is an urgent humanitarian crisis and outdoor companies can help civilians on the ground who are in need.

If you can assist, please let us know and we will facilitate that however we can.