Mats Lundqvist
Product Developer
GALVIN GREEN
Interview with Matt Ward
BACKGROUND
I have been working for GALVIN GREEN since the mid-80’s. When we started GALVIN GREEN we used our own experiences from the golf course I have been playing the game for 35 years.
Creating products with functions we ourselves liked and believed we needed for good golf clothing. The fact that we developed all the functions / details for the garments to be specialized for playing golf made us stand out a bit compared to our competitors at that time.
THE LUNDQVIST STORY
In my teens I played football (soccer), tennis, bandy (sport on ice/skates/stick/ball), all sports that included a ball was an attraction for me. When I hit a golf shot the first time I was hooked right away, spending the next few years mostly on the golf course.
During those years playing a lot of golf, I found out what I liked to wear on the golf course and what I was missing. These were fun times and led me to what I am doing today.
What impact has the global pandemic had on Galvin Green reaching your customer base?
March to June 2020 was really quiet. Most of our customers (golf shops) were under lock down and a lot of golf courses around the world were closed. But, from June the situation stabilized, shops and courses were allowed to open again and it seemed that all golfers were eager to get back out on the course.
This was clearly positive for our business and the second half of 2020 was quite okay.
Beginning of 2021 has seen lockdowns again on several markets, but we hope for the situation to stabilize again soon.
What distinguishes Galvin Green from your competition?
GALVIN GREEN is a brand all about golf. We don’t do any side collections aimed at other sports, we are fully focused 365 days / year to develop functional clothing for golfers.
The fact that we are so specialized in golf separates us from some of the big multisport brands, and gives GALVIN GREEN a clear identity.
What are the key strategies needed to both attract and maintain connection to Millennial buyers — male and female?
Sustainability is key. And will be even more important going forward. We produce quality clothing you can wash and wear over and over again. Long lasting quality products is probably the best way to reduce the carbon footprint.
We use fabrics that are Bluesign certified, or OEKO-TEX certified, and whenever possible we use recycled fibers.The sustainability of a product is already important to many consumers and will become even more so going forward.
You are specifically engaged in the design arena — what causes specific items to become tired versus those that truly inspire?
Items with overly complicated features and / or are over-designed can become tired quickly. But, items with a clear, pure design and purpose will live a lot longer.
Are there certain challenges tied specifically to the USA market versus the European side where Galvin Green is based?
When we first started in the US we got some comments that our European sizing was not okay for US golfers, but that has clearly changed.
The perception of how a garment should fit / look has become more global and now we get mostly good comments on our sizing also from US consumers.
What role does the customer feedback process have in your design efforts going forward?
Customer feedback is very important. We have a lot of dedicated customers / retailers and consumers that gives us feedback on our products. Constructive feedback helps us to improve and engineer even better products.
Do professional golfer endorsements still move the needle in terms of consumer sales?
Some pro endorsements can probably be good in terms of consumer sales. Not being an expert at all, I think the endorsement world has changed somewhat with social media. Nowadays, it is not only the top 10 in the world rankings that are visible for consumers.
Today’s buyers have less loyalty to specific brands when compared to past generations. How does Galvin Green foster customer loyalty for its efforts today and in the future?
It is important that our design and look is contemporary, and it’s very important that we stay true to our golf-functional values – producing quality products engineered to be used by golfers.
Galvin Green uses the tagline — “We never compromise.” What does that mean in today’s marketplace?
It means we will not compromise on the quality or function of our products, just to achieve an attractive / commercial price level.
The biggest challenges facing Galvin Green — short and long term — is what?
Short term: The pandemic is of course a big challenge. Closed golf courses, closed shops, disrupted supply chains.
Long term: How can we as a brand, become even more sustainable is a long term challenge. With new technology emerging on how to produce better, more environmentally friendly textiles this will continue to be high on our agenda for years to come.
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