• Activewear/Outdoor Gear
• Cleantech
• Advanced Manufacturing
• Software

» Targeted Clusters Home

Why Activewear?

• Portland firms are internationally renowned for their design talent and innovation.
• Heritage firms have provided a strong talent pool and nurturing environment to expanding/start-companies.
• Portland's reputation as a design center allows local talent to export their skills globally.

PDC recognizes the interdependence between local firms producing goods and offering services that rely on creativity in design and engineering to manufacture or market consumer products.

PDC focuses its recruitment, retention, expansion and industry collaborative efforts on firms within these definitions:

• Activewear and Outdoor Gear: Companies that design, manufacture, and/or market sporting and athletic apparel and camping, hiking and outdoor gear.  
  • NAICS: 315, 33992, 3162, 5414, 42391 and 4243.
    
    
• Bicycle Frame Building: Companies that design, manufacture, and/or market bicycles and bicycle accessories; custom framebuilders.
  •  NAICS: 336991

• More than any other cluster PDC focuses on, the firms and entrepreneurs within these clusters have made Portland a force to be reckoned with in the Activewear and Outdoor Gear world for the last thirty years.

• Cluster companies and entrepreneurs have global ties that provide pathways for exporting local expertise, recruiting skilled workers, sourcing and nurturing innovation domestically and globally.

• In addition to workers that Activewear and Outdoor Gear companies employ, there is a significant amount of additional economic activity generated by contractors and freelancers that provide services primarily to this cluster but who are self-employed in the Portland region.

• This cluster is instrumental in bringing young talent to the region – people drawn by Portland’s cool factor, affordability and live-work balance.

• This cluster is synergistic with Portland and Oregon’s unique environment offering a diversity of recreational opportunities, and residents who are passionate about their outdoor activities. People from outside Oregon visit for the range of outdoor recreational opportunities, bringing tourism resources to the city, region and state.

• Footwear Manufacturing and Bicycle Frame Building are both sectors that grew more than 70 percent between 2001 and 2006. Specialized Design grew more than 30 percent during that time.

• Portland/Oregon is a lab for activewear companies, with a rich environment for testing product: diverse recreational opportunities and a population that is passionate about their outdoor activities.

• Strong creative talent, young labor pool and seasoned local executive mentors
  

• The region is home to three Fortune 500 activewear companies: Nike, adidas, and Lucy
  

• Local angel investors embrace activewear start ups
  

• Lower real estate costs than major fashion destinations like LA or NYC
  

• Port access to Asia
  

• Leadership in sustainability

• Competitive, proprietary nature of industry makes it hard to convene firms
  

• Lack of organizing privately led cluster association
  

• BIT/BLF puts Portland at a competitive disadvantage with surrounding jurisdictions.

• Lack of globally recognized design program
  

• Access to venture capital

• Currently establishing work plan for industry analysis

• Finalizing IGA to develop a business plan for a materials library.

• Exploring feasibility of Oregon Lounge experience with industry at Outdoor Retailer Summer Market July 2009.