Hi-Tec Sports International Announces 2020 Collaboration with Sealand Gear

The London-born heritage brand puts sustainability first in new capsule collection

SHERMAN OAKS, Calif., Jan. 16, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Hi-Tec Sports International Holdings B.V., a subsidiary of Apex Global Brands (Nasdaq: APEX), a global brand ownership and marketing organization, is proud to announce a new collaboration between HI-TEC® and Sealand Gear, the South African-based upcycle and ecocycle brand renowned for its environmentally and socially responsible products and accessories. Designed and developed with HI-TEC® footwear licensee International Brands Group, the explorative design collaboration will feature an enviromentally concious limited-edition release of HI-TEC®’s iconic Sierra Re:Flex trail shoe, which marks Sealand’s debut within the footwear industry, as well as a collection of everyday travel bags and accessories.

Emphasizing the city-to-trail functionality of both brands, the outdoor crossover collaboration draws inspiration from travel of all forms, whether it be the explorer, the daily commuter, the jet-setter or festival go-er. The newly designed model of the Sierra Re:Flex trail shoe featured in the collaboration will incorporate environmentally conscious materials and be packaged in resuable dual-purpose fuctional travel kits that will replace the conventional shoebox and eliminate excess waste.

"With global distribution over 40 years, HI-TEC^® has demonstrated its unique ability to continuously innovate,” says Henry Stupp, Chief Executive Officer of Apex Global Brands. "Sustainability – whether that be in the manufacturing process or sourcing of materials – is a demand from the consumer that we are committed to delivering. By partnering with Sealand, a brand that has put social and environmental responsibility at the forefront of everything they do, we’re confident that this capsule collection will deliver sustainable products that impact our customers, as well as, help shape the practices of the industry at large.”

Manufactured using a combination of upcycled materials and various natural, plant based composites, the collaboration will be the first sustainably focused capsule collection for HI-TEC^®, which was initially founded in 1974. It is the first step in HI-TEC^®’s long-term sustainability plan, which will launch the brand’s environmental commitment to responsible sourcing and supply chain transparency.

"The collaboration represents the coming together of like-minded brands to make a genuine positive change to our industries,” stated Jasper Eales, Co-Founder and Creative Director of Sealand. "We have embraced this opportunity to work with a global shoe brand, who has strong heritage roots in our home country, South Africa, while at the same time build product to last. Visually our brands speak to a similar urban outdoor audience, so we have kept this in mind and created a trail sneaker and range of bags that can walk the streets or the mountains with the same ethical style. We are pleased to see how our small business from, Cape Town South African, can lend itself to inspire and influence bigger business to improve and best protect the planet.”

The collaboration will be available to view during Paris Fashion Week from January 16-22, 2020 at Awaykin Showroom and is scheduled to launch Summer 2020 at select retailers worldwide.

About HI-TEC^®
HI-TEC® is driven by a mission to get the world outdoors and experience a new view. Leading outdoor crossover culture, the brand enables those who find themselves both in the city and on the trail, to seek new experiences. From discovering the great outdoors to running through urban jungles, HI-TEC^® is versatile anywhere.

HI-TEC^® was founded in 1974 in the appropriately named village of Shoeburyness in Essex, England. The original success grew from the breakthrough design and development of HI-TEC®’s first ever shoe, the HI-TEC^® Squash.

HI-TEC^® specialises in Outdoor, Lifestyle and Sport footwear, apparel and accessories for all the active family. HI-TEC^® created the first light-hiking boot, the Sierra Lite, and continued to create innovative outdoor and sport products from lightweight walking and hiking boots, to comfortable running and court shoes and waterproof winter boots and summer sandals. HI-TEC^® products are developed with the needs of consumers in mind. Innovation is driven by the desire to understand how our products are used to ensure consumers are Comfortable Anywhere.

Hi-Tec® Sports is a subsidiary of Apex Global Brands, a publicly traded company (NASDAQ: APEX). For more information, visit www.Hi-Tec.com or follow Hi-Tec® on Instagram at @hitec.

About Sealand
Born in Cape Town where mountains and ocean vividly connect, Sealand creates environmentally smart high-end Bags, Accessories and Apparel. We are here to protect the natural environment while uplifting our community through innovative design and creativity. We reuse the structural properties and textures of waste material in a new context while mitigating the generation of waste and promoting social and environmental responsibility.

Our start-up team lives the Sealand brand with combined passions for business, for the wondrous outdoors, for life. While Mike Schlebach and Jasper Eales are known as the founders of Sealand, it is the studio crew that drives us. Amongst the Sealand family sit big wave surfers, innovative oddballs, highly skilled craftsmen and women, and some of the widest smiles the African continent has to offer.Together, we are the creative minds and fabrication specialists behind Sealand Gear, bringing inspired design in upcycled material texture combinations from the drawing board to the rack. We try to play our part for the environment and by supporting us you do too.

About International Brands Group
International Brands Group (IBG) are global leaders in design, development, sourcing & sales of branded sports, outdoor, uniform and safety footwear.

With over 40 years of experience and a portfolio of established global footwear brands, including HI-TEC®, MAGNUM® and INTERCEPTOR®. IBG work with distributors and retailers within the sports, outdoor, uniform and safety industry, with leading quality distribution worldwide. 

Through ongoing innovation, design, development and brand management IBG seeks to continually take our brands to the next level. Our portfolio of brands delivers fit for purpose products with top performance qualities and value, building equity with our customers and consumers.

About Apex Global Brands
Apex Global Brands is a global brand ownership and marketing organization that manages, creates and elevates a growing portfolio of high-equity lifestyle brands. The brand portfolio spans multiple consumer product categories and retail tiers around the world and includes Hi-Tec®, Magnum®, 50 Peaks®, Interceptor®, Cherokee®, Tony Hawk®, Liz Lange®, Point Cove®, Carole Little®, Everyday California® and Sideout®. The Company currently maintains license agreements with leading retailers and manufacturers that span approximately 140 countries in over 20,000 retail locations and digital commerce. For more information, please visit the Company's website at apexglobalbrands.com.

Forward Looking Statements

This news release may contain forward-looking statements regarding future events and the future performance of Apex Global Brands. Forward-looking statements in this press release include, without limitation, express or implied statements regarding: the Company’s forecasted operating results for Fiscal Year 2020, including impacts from potential tariffs, currency fluctuations and Brexit; the Company’s expectations regarding its new and existing license agreements and the performance of its licensees thereunder; the Company’s ability to sustain necessary liquidity and grow its business; and anticipated market developments and opportunities. A forward-looking statement is neither a prediction nor a guarantee of future events or circumstances and is based on currently available market, operating, financial and competitive information and assumptions. Forward-looking statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expected or projected, including, among others, risks that: the Company and its partners will not achieve the results anticipated in the statements made in this release; risks that anticipated revenues will be lower than anticipated or that expenses will be higher than anticipated, which could cause the Company to fail to meet the financial covenants in its credit facility and thereby give its lender the right to terminate the forbearance and declare an event of default and to exercise its rights under the credit facility; global economic conditions and the financial condition of the apparel and retail industry and/or adverse changes in licensee or consumer acceptance of products bearing the Company’s brands may lead to reduced royalties; the ability and/or commitment of the Company’s licensees to design, manufacture and market Cherokee®, Hi-Tec®, Magnum®, 50 Peaks®, Interceptor®, Carole Little®, Tony Hawk® and Hawk Brands®, Liz Lange®, Everyday California® and Sideout® branded products could cause our results to differ from our anticipations; the Company’s dependence on a select group of licensees for most of the Company’s revenues makes us susceptible to changes in those organizations; our level of indebtedness and restrictions under our indebtedness; and the Company’s dependence on its key management personnel could leave us exposed to disruption on any termination of service. A more detailed discussion of such risks and uncertainties are described in the Company’s annual report on Form 10-K filed on April 23, 2019, its periodic reports on Forms 10-Q and 8-K, and subsequent filings with the SEC the Company makes from time to time. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For more information, please contact:
Apex Global Brands:
Nadine Iacocca, VP Global Marketing
nadinei@apex-gb.com

Sealand:
Jasper Eales, Creative Director
jasper@sealandgear.com

ADDO Investor Relations:
Kimberly Esterkin, Patricia Nir
kesterkin@addoir.com; pnir@addoir.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/a77afba9-ae21-420c-af63-6549600d63b4