Under Armour Makes Friends with Cotton

Despite introducing a controversial ad campaign several years ago to declare that “cotton is the enemy,” performance apparel manufacturer Under Armour has announced that it will introduce its first all-cotton performance shirt in the spring of 2011. While it will have the same “sweat-wicking” capabilities as its line of skin-tight synthetic performance apparel, the cotton version is targeted at less intense athletes and is intended to expand the company’s reach to a new level of customer, Under Armour CEO Kevin A. Plank said during a conference call with analysts to discuss third quarter earnings.

“This evolution will introduce Under Armour to a whole new audience of consumers while bringing a new level of performance to a category where expectations for it have been low,” Plank said during the call. “We’re confident this innovation will expand both the reach and equity of our brand.”

It’s a big shift for the company to move into cotton performance wear, but it’s being made from a position of strength, not desperation. Under Armour–with third-quarter earnings of $0.68 per share–beat analysts’ expectations for the sixth consecutive quarter.