Roots Marks Milestone 50th Anniversary with Limited Edition Collections and Roots Stories

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Aug 15, 2023, 06:00 ET

TORONTO, Aug. 15, 2023 /PRNewswire/ - Global lifestyle brand Roots Corporation ("Roots," or the "Company") (TSX: ROOT) celebrates its landmark 50th anniversary with several limited edition collection launches and collaborations as well as a new content series called, Roots Stories.

"At the heart of Roots 50-year legacy lies an unwavering commitment to quality, authenticity, and innovation. As we mark this milestone, we remain inspired by our rich heritage and continue to drive forward with a dynamic vision of creative leadership and a dedication to crafting meaningful connections with our global community. The Founders and I are immensely grateful to the team at Roots (past and present) who continue to support this incredible journey," commented President & CEO of Roots Corporation, Meghan Roach.

Roots formal beginning was marked by the opening of its first store on August 15, 1973, but the Brand was born in a small Algonquin Park cabin out of an enduring love of the great Canadian outdoors from its Founders, Michael Budman and Don Green.

"We would like to thank the Canadian public and our supporters worldwide for bringing Roots into their hearts and allowing us to celebrate the first 50 years of Roots. We want to give our thanks and gratitude to our wives, Diane and Denyse, who have been essential to every step of the journey and to Karl Kowalewski and his family for being there from the beginning. The Roots Brand is 50 years young. We are thrilled to have created a solid foundation and are excited to see the growth continue so Canada and the rest of the world can experience the authentic Roots lifestyle," added Michael Budman and Don Green.

Today, although core elements of the brand have moved forward into the future, its mission to do the right thing for people and the planet, while honouring its values rooted in community, authenticity, integrity, and freedom, remain steadfast.

Tapping into the deep emotional connections the Brand and its Founders have built over the last 50 years, Roots will be pulling from its rich archives for its limited-edition anniversary collections, resurrecting past favourites all the way from the 70s, 80s, and 90s, and releasing future-forward designs that honour its rich heritage as well as the Canadian environment that serves as a consistent thread of inspiration. Throughout the year and until July 2024, a carefully curated assortment of must-have commemorative products with limited runs alongside capsule collections will excite long-time Roots loyalists and garner fanfare from a new consumer base. The first product drop will be the Roots Sporting Goods Collection and the Golden Beaver collection, an update on Roots core classics with a 50^th anniversary spin

In the lead-up to the 50th Anniversary, Roots strategically invested in its preferred fibres and materials initiative, which now represent over 85% of its collection, including moving its highest volume Cooper Collection to organic and recycled materials. Continuing these efforts into its milestone year, the heritage brand has committed to extending sustainable updates to more consumer-favoured product categories, investing in earth-forward materials, as well as upcycled and circular initiatives that extend a product's lifecycle.

As a way of honouring the role Roots has played in generations of Roots customers' lives over the last 50 years, Roots will be releasing Roots Stories on its website. This anthology, produced by Emily Spivack, author of the New York Times bestselling turned Netflix series Worn Stories, will chronicle the intersection of generations of Roots customers, and the part Roots pieces have played in their lives as told by Roots customers - from everyday folks to notable personalities. Closely following Roots Stories, a Roots 50th anniversary commemorative print magazine, an echo of Budman and Green's 1980's magazine, Paris Passion, that honoured arts, culture, design, fashion, and more, will launch. The first limited edition issue, 50 Years of Roots, will be released in-store in September.

Integrating the celebrations into the in-store and online shopping experience, Roots is offering customers making purchases the opportunity to participate in a Spin-the-Wheel activation between August 15, 2023 and September 4, 2023. By 'spinning the wheel', customers will have a chance to win prizes ranging from a grand prize gift card valued at $5,000 CAD to exclusive promotions, and other product incentives.

To learn more about Roots 50th anniversary, please visit roots.com and join the brand in celebrating on August 15, 2023.

ABOUT ROOTS

Established in 1973, Roots is a global lifestyle brand. Starting from a small cabin in northern Canada, Roots has become a global brand with over 100 corporate retail stores in Canada, two stores in the United States, and an eCommerce platform, roots.com. We have more than 100 partner-operated stores in Asia, and we also operate a dedicated Roots-branded storefront on Tmall.com in China. We design, market, and sell a broad selection of products in different departments, including women's men's, children's, and gender-free apparel, leather goods, footwear, and accessories. Our products are built with uncompromising comfort, quality, and style that allows you to feel At Home With Nature^™. We offer products designed to meet life's everyday adventures and provide you with the versatility to live your life to the fullest. We also wholesale through business-to-business channels and license the brand to a select group of licensees selling products to major retailers. Roots Corporation is a Canadian corporation doing business as "Roots" and "Roots Canada".

SOURCE Roots