As the coronavirus outbreak has changed how people go about their daily lives around the world, outdoor brands are shifting focus from making profits to donating equipment. As we all know, healthcare workers are putting themselves at risk everyday to help patients with coronavirus.
Keen recently announced a global campaign to donate 100,000 pairs of shoes to anyone who needed them, mostly healthcare workers. By March 23, Keen had given away 75,000 pairs in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.
Salewa in Italy, one of the hardest hit countries, has converted its entire factory to producing personal protection equipment (PPE) for healthcare workers. It cost around one million dollars to convert. Salewa and other European brands have adapted their factories in the past to produce equipment to help front line workers.
La Sportiva was founded in 1928 by Narciso Delladio in Italy and during World War II, he helped to provide Italy’s soldiers with custom mountaineering boots. The outdoor community is fully capable of stepping up even more to help. The sooner we all get through this, the sooner we can get back to the mountains and road trips.