Helly Hansen Sees Big Opportunity in Work Footwear, Plots Move Into Outdoor

Helly Hansen Sees Big Opportunity in Work Footwear, Plots Move Into Outdoor

Vicki M. Young

Fri, September 4, 2026 at 9:16 PM GMT+3 4 min read

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Norwegian brand Helly Hansen is growing its work footwear business and launching outdoor shoes in China next year.

Kontoor Brands Inc. — which acquired the brand for $900 million last year — revealed a five-year growth plan on Wednesday in Oslo, Norway, the company's home base. Footwear is a key part of the strategy within several pillars outlined by Joseph Alkire, Kontoor's president and chief financial officer. The big priorities include supercharging U.S. growth; expanding in technical outdoor, including trail running, hiking backpacking, climbing; and powering the workwear category globally.

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In the brand's workwear segment, shoes are already about 20 percent of the overall business, and "actively growing,' one source told Footwear News.

According to Patrik Falkenby, global managing director, workwear, who built the brand's workwear business, the category is a "fantastic opportunity." It first launched for fall 25, and was previously licensed but is now operated in house.

Most of the brand's work business comes from safety footwear, protective to cap, puncture-resistant soles and other proprietary and branded technologies. While mostly a wholesale operation, Mike Karapetian, Kontoor's vice president of global brand and operations finance, and corporate investor relations, said there is room to grow it as a direct-to-consumer business as Helly Hansen expands in the U.S. market.

Karapetian also told investors that the sport segment is 75 percent of global revenue, largely in apparel in ski and sailing. The balance is in accessories and footwear, "which represents a meaningful opportunity as part of our win premium outdoor strategy."

"In the U.S., we have only 1 percent share of the premium outdoor market, and we are just getting started in the $15 billion workwear market," Karapetian said. "Within sport, our innovation platforms and unique design language brings newness to a market that is already benefiting from increased consumer demand for outdoor-based activities."

As part of the new initiatives, Borre Hegbom, senior vice president and global head of Helly Hansen, said the brand is separating workwear and sport into two distinct organizations.

To start, Hegbom said the brand will launch outdoor footwear in China for spring 2027.

The Helly Hansen operation in China, working through a 50-50 joint venture with a local partner called Youngor, started to take off in 2023, according to the executive. The first foray in China was in sailing, and now it will expand to include outdoor.

He noted that the brand has a "premium position" in China.

"In 2025, we ended close to 90 doors and a revenue of around $100 million," Hegbom said, adding that the business has already delivered 80 percent growth for the first half of this year. The plan is to open another 40 doors this year. Adding outdoor and footwear is how the brand plans to bring its China business "to the next level."

The bulk of the Helly Hansen business is in Europe, where it continues to see opportunities, particularly in ski, Hegbom said.

For the U.S., growth has been primarily through specialty doors. "The plan is to increase the number of doors going forward to 25 percent to 35 percent penetration," he said, adding that the plan to build out the business includes e-commerce, which it hopes to double by 2030.

Helly Hansen operates 12 retail stores in the U.S., mostly in ski and sailing locations. The ultimate plan for market is 45 percent to 50 percent growth from wholesale and 50 percent to 55 percent from direct-to-consumer.

Kontoor was spun off in 2019 from VF Corp. Since then is has delivered an annualized total shareholder return of 15 percent, according to Alkire. Kontoor has also sold off noncore and other underutilized assets, such as the Rock & Republic brand and Lee. Today, the core anchor of the Kontoor operation centers around Wrangler jeans and Helly Hansen.

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