For over a year now, the Austrian clothing manufacturer iFLOW and the Snowsports Academy have forged a remarkable partnership. Together, they set a goal to design a ski suit that not only sets standards in functionality and design but also meets the rigorous requirements of the Snowsports Academy. As a brand that proudly claims to be "born on the Arlberg," expectations were high from the outset. The suits had to withstand extreme weather conditions – from storms and freezing temperatures on glaciers to rain, sunshine, and mild weather – to best support the team in their work.
The Beginnings
The development phase was marked by creative ideas and the challenge of technically implementing them. Florian Matt, one of the co-founders of iFLOW – primarily responsible for development and production – infused the project with his extensive experience and skill. A highlight of this early collaboration was the first tests during the Interski Congress in March 2023 in Levi, Finland. In freezing temperatures of up to -30°C, the prototypes were tested under real conditions by iFLOW CEO Thomas Ebster and a team from the Snowsports Academy, quickly proving their quality. After some adjustments, the suits went into production and reached the team in time for the season start in November.
An Intense Test Year
The following year proved to be the ultimate stress test for the suits. Changing weather conditions from rain and storm to snow and sunshine provided a broad testing range. The suits were not only used in the Austrian Alps but also in further, sometimes exotic locations such as Georgia, Greece, in snow halls in the Netherlands and Dubai, and on the Snowsports Academy's Skimachine rolling carpet.
Conclusion and Outlook
The collaboration with iFLOW has proven to be extremely inspiring. The passion and endeavor of Thomas Ebster and Florian Matt to develop world-leading ski suits have excited all involved and significantly shaped the collaboration. Thanks to the professionalism of iFLOW, a targeted collaboration was possible, and the results were convincing already in the first year.
After the initial analysis meetings, we are brimming with creative ideas for further development. These innovations are already being integrated into the model for the 2024/25 season. We look forward to the continuation of our successful partnership with great enthusiasm and are already excited about the next winter, in which we will once again be well-equipped to withstand all weather conditions.
Visit the iFLOW website here: https://iflow.biz
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