XTM to open flagship store in Torquay this weekend

A sneak peek inside XTM Performance’s flagship store on Spring Street, Torquay. Photo: HANNAH KENNY

LEADING Australian snow and outdoor company XTM Performance is preparing to open its new headquarters and flagship retail store in Torquay this weekend.

Now in its 20th year of operation, XTM has grown to produce over 300 products sold domestically and internationally while remaining Australian owned and designed.

Company founder and Torquay local Pete Forras – who competed in two events at the 1988 Winter Olympics – has been the brains behind the carbonneutral building located on Spring Street.

XTM’s Aly Lamb said the new HQ was part of XTM’s NoCO2 roadmap which was started a decade ago in partnership with Australia’s Carbon Reduction Institute.

“The store is set to showcase retailers how best to display XTM products and to garner quality customer feedback to help product development,” she said.

“Continuing with our NoCO2 target, in the last 12 months XTM has managed to remove over two tonnes of plastic from their packaging, stopped over 11,079 plastic bottles from reaching landfill with the development of their recycled fleece range and has also utilised the natural power of Australian merino in over 24 per cent of our products.”

In a bid to give back to the community, XTM took part in its fourth consecutive Heat the Homeless appeal over the month of May.

Since 2016, XTM has been collecting pre-loved snow jackets to clothe the homeless during winter.

About 2,500 jackets were received during the first year of the initiative, a figure which has now risen to 14,000.

“It just made sense to us. We thought there are so many high-quality jackets now, some only getting a few weeks of wear before being replaced. It would be great to get more life out of these products we are making and get thousands of those out to people who could use a warm jacket this winter,” Mr Forras said.

Ms Lamb said the new retail store will present itself as a local drop off point for old snow jackets collected as part of the XTM’s Heat the Homeless Appeal.

XTM Torquay is located at 44 Spring Street and will open its doors for the first time this Saturday June 1. For more information, visit xtm.com.au.