If you have gone shopping for sportswear, then you have likely seen Puma products in-store or online.
Whether you are a loyal Puma customer or are simply curious about the company, you might find yourself wondering if Puma is a good brand.
Let’s discuss Puma and ten reasons why it is a good brand.
Is Puma A Good Brand? (10 Reasons It Is)
1. Use Of Sustainable Materials
Puma is regarded as one of the most sustainable companies and they work to ensure that their products are made out of sustainable materials that are still high quality.
Puma has spent the time to research and discover the best ways to source materials that are sustainable and still of great quality so they can create products that will last.
The company has stated that in 2021, 99% of their cotton had originated from sustainable sources as well as nearly the same amount of polyester in apparel and leather in shoe products.
They have stated that until 2025, 100% of their cotton, leather, polyester, down feathers, paper, and cardboard will all come from sustainable sources.
A. Leather
By 2021, 99% of the company’s leather came from a tannery that was awarded a medal rating by the Leather Working Group.
The Leather Working Group works to improve the leather manufacturing industry.
B. Cotton
Puma also partners with the Better Cotton Initiative which helps to improve cotton farming globally.
By 2025, Puma plans to source 100% of its cotton from sustainable sources.
Currently, the company uses more sustainable cotton such as Better Cotton, organic cotton, and recycled cotton.
The farmers who work for Better Cotton are working to minimize the harmful effects of crop protection practices, use water efficiently, conserve natural habitats, and preserve the quality of the fibers.
C. Polyester
The polyester that Puma has decided to use must be certified by either bluesign® or Oeko-Tex.
The system used by bluesign® eliminates harmful substances from the beginning of the manufacturing process.
They have set standards in place in order to prevent unsustainable materials from being used in products.
Puma has also committed to 75% usage of recycled polyester by 2025.
Their recent numbers showed they have recently used approximately 40% recycled polyester.
This will help them to avoid waste and greenhouse gas emissions.
D. Packaging
Over the last year, Puma has used 88% certified or recycled paper and cardboard in its packaging.
All paper bags that are used in their stores as well as the tags on products are FSC certified.
FSC works hard to make sure that forests are managed properly and carefully.
This means that the natural habitats are preserved and that the forests are still beneficial to local people and workers.
E. Down Feathers
Since 2020, Puma has been using 100% RDS-certified down for any products that use down feathers.
The RDS ensures that the down in a product does not come from birds that have been live-plucked or force-fed.
The down instead comes from birds that have been properly cared for.
2. Reasonable Pricing
When compared to competitors such as Nike and Adidas, Puma is considerably cheaper in price.
A good number of Puma’s shoes cost under $100, but Nike and Adidas have very few styles that fall below the $100 mark.
Puma has their Cali Women’s Sneaker which is $80, but the comparable Nike Air Force 1 is $110.
The two shoes are extremely similar in style, but the $30 price difference can be a lot for some customers.
Customers choose to purchase Puma over Nike and Adidas because they are still getting a high-quality product, but for a more reasonable price.
This has gained a following of customers who may not want to pay or cannot afford the higher prices of competing brands
3. Environmentally Conscious
As a company, Puma has made large efforts to become more environmentally friendly and sustainable.
Puma has created a target amount of greenhouse gas emissions that it would like to hit.
They want to aim to reduce their own emissions by 35% and the emissions of their supply chain by 60% relative to their sales between 2017 and 2030.
To make a true effort to reach these goals, they have partnered with the United Nations Climate Secretariat to develop the Fashion Industry Charter on Climate Action.
The Charter’s commitments include net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
Puma was also ranked the most sustainable brand in the industry according to Business Wire.
This was published by Business of Fashion, which ranked the 30 largest companies in the fashion business.
This is a large accomplishment for Puma as a company and something that they pride themselves on.
Along with their goal of reducing carbon emissions, Puma has purchased 100% renewable electricity through renewable electricity tariffs and renewable energy attribute certificates.
They have changed the company’s car fleet to those that use electric engines and also began using more sustainable materials.
4. Variety Of Products
Puma has developed products in a wide variety of categories.
Many people think of Puma as a shoe brand, but they have branched out into several other categories as well.
This has made them a great go-to store for not only shoes but also clothing and accessories.
A. Shoes
Puma offers men’s and women’s fashion shoes as well as basketball shoes, running shoes, soccer cleats, and training shoes.
They also have created a wide range of sandals for both men and women.
Their shoes come in a large range of styles, colors, and sizes so everyone can find something that fits their wants and needs.
B. Clothing
Puma has created extensive clothing lines for both men and women.
The clothing lines include t-shirts, polos, tracksuits, pants, loungewear, dresses, skirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, and maternity items.
Over the years, they have expanded their clothing lines and continue to add new items consistently.
C. Kids
The kids’ line that Puma has created is also expansive.
They offer boys’ and girls’ fashion sneakers as well as shoes for sports including basketball, soccer, and running.
Puma also has kids’ clothing that ranges in sizes from infant to nine years old.
D. Accessories
When it comes to accessories, Puma has almost any accessory you could want.
They offer hats, sunglasses, and sports equipment including soccer balls, watches, socks, and backpacks.
5. Customer Satisfaction
Overall, customers have been very satisfied with Puma as a brand.
According to Comparably.com, in a survey of 90 employees and customers of Puma, those interviewed ranked the product quality a 4.3 out of 5 stars, the pricing a 4.1 out of 5, and the customer service a 4.2 out of 5 stars.
Puma ranked higher than Adidas in customer service because they were given a 4.1 out of 5 stars.
The brand was ranked #63 in the list of Global Top 100 Brands.
This list was ranked by customers and the brand made the list due to the happiness of its customers.
6. Workplace Culture
Puma as a company has worked hard to create a very positive workplace culture for employees, which in turn leads to happier customers.
They live by the slogan, “Be You.”
This means that they work hard to have a diverse and inclusive workplace.
Puma wants each employee to feel comfortable coming to work and simply being themselves.
Puma has stated that they have goals that they are aiming to achieve when creating their workplace environment.
They are looking for workplace diversity and attempt to hire people from different backgrounds to help the company continue to grow in all aspects.
Workplace inclusion is another goal that Puma is aiming to achieve and they want a culture that encourages collaboration and fairness so that every employee can contribute.
The company also strives for continuous accountability so that they can identify and break down systemic barriers as well as listen to their employees.
By listening to their employees, they show that they take feedback seriously and have an interest in identifying the areas of the brand that need improvement.
7. Transparency
Puma has been acknowledged as one of the most transparent brands.
They have always been extremely open about their mission, their goals, and even their finances.
The brand has been more than willing to be public about the exact steps they are taking to be more sustainable as well as to foster a better workplace for their employees.
Their website allows anyone to look at financial reports from not only the most recent year but also from the last 20+ years.
The public also has access to all of the information and voting results from their annual general meeting.
By providing this information to the public, they are allowing customers to see exactly what is happening within the company and the decisions that are being made about the future of the company, its customers, and its products.
8. Payment Options
As technology has changed, Puma has also updated their payment options to try to accommodate all customers.
As a company, they recognize that customers want to have multiple payment options and some may even want to make payments in installments.
Not only does Puma accept all major credit cards, but they have also started taking Apple Pay.
This makes it convenient for customers who do not want to have to pull out their credit cards when making a purchase.
For some customers, this can make the difference between making a purchase and putting it off because they do not have their card next to them.
This could potentially result in a lost sale for Puma, so offering Apple Pay has been an added benefit for them and customers.
You can also pay for your Puma purchase using PayPal.
This gives some customers added peace of mind as PayPal is secure and you are protected from unauthorized purchases.
This also prevents the seller or merchant from ever seeing your credit card numbers or bank account information.
Puma now offers the option to make purchases with Afterpay.
When using Afterpay, your purchase will be split into four equal payments.
The payments are interest-free and your first payment is typically due at the time that you make your purchase.
After this, the payments will be made every two weeks until you have paid off the remainder of your purchase balance.
Outside of offering a wide range of payment options, Puma also offers more service discount options than their competitors.
They offer frontline healthcare workers such as doctors, nurses, and first responders 20% off as well as offering 10% off to service members and teachers.
They must verify their ID through Puma’s website and once that is complete, they are eligible for the discount.
9. Innovation
Puma has continued to strive to be innovative and always wants to be the first to try something new with their company and products.
One of Puma’s first innovative products was the Brush Spike which featured Velcro for the first time on performance footwear.
This was something new and different that had not been done before.
The tiny rows of spikes that were on this shoe maximized traction and minimized resistance.
These shoes made such a difference that some people who wore these shoes broke world records at the 1968 Olympic Trials.
The innovations that Puma develops are guided by the principle of adaptive dynamics.
They consider this the pursuit of creating new products that adapt to the human body.
This is evident with the self-lacing Fit Intelligence training shoe.
This shoe adapts to the person wearing it by “learning” how loose or tight it can lace.
10. Collaborations
Puma has not only continued to be innovative and creative with their products, but they also continue to collaborate with other brands and people in order to create new product lines that are unique and special for their customers.
Their collaborations are intended to provide customers with shoes, clothing, and accessories that are designed with a wide range of celebrities ranging from athletes and artists to large well-known companies.
Their most recent collaboration is with Palomo and centers on genderless apparel and shoes while aiming to tell the story of a sports icon in an ideal world.
How Long Has Puma Been Around?
The brand was originally founded in 1948 by Rudolph Dassler and his brother Adolph Dassler in Germany.
The two brothers formed the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory.
However, the relationship between the two brothers began to go downhill, so they formed two separate entities which later became Puma and Adidas.
When the brothers initially formed the two separate entities, Puma was called Ruda, but the name was later changed to Puma.
Is Puma Considered One Of The Top Sportswear Brands?
Puma has been around for quite some time and has been an extremely successful brand overall.
They have now become one of the top sportswear brands in the world and are competitors of brands such as Nike and Adidas.
According to Statista.com, Puma is ranked the third largest sportswear brand in the world based on revenue.
They fall behind Nike (first) and Adidas (second).
However, they are ahead of large brands such as Lululemon, Columbia, Under Armor, and Asics.
Puma is highly regarded by customers and can be considered one of the top apparel and shoe brands in the world.
Conclusion
PUMA’s use of sustainable materials, their reasonably priced products, and the care and attention they give to the environment make them a good brand that has a large following of loyal customers.
Their transparency has gained the trust and respect of employees, customers, and suppliers across the world.
PUMA is considered one of the top sportswear brands in the world and it is easy to see why.
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