Atlantis x Thru Hiking: built for the long-distance ways

Atlantis x Thru Hiking: built for the long-distance ways.

Atlantis partnered with Thru Hiking to support Trail Days Europe, an event dedicated to the long-distance hiking community. The collaboration focused on developing functional merchandising designed to meet the real needs of hikers in outdoor conditions. More than just an accessory, the headwear was conceived as a tool for performance and comfort, as well as a symbol of belonging. By translating Thru Hiking’s visual identity into a wearable product, the project helped strengthen the connection between participants and the community. A collaboration where product, context, and purpose came together.

The Partner

company name: Thru Hiking

typology: Sport Event, Long hiking

sector: Hiking Community

Trail Days EU is an event organized by Thru Hiking for the second consecutive year in the heart of the beautiful De Hoge Veluwe National Park in the Netherlands. Born from Elmar Teegelbeckers’ passion for long-distance hiking trails, since 2020 the main goal of this fast-growing community has been to provide up-to-date and reliable information on trails across Europe, inspiring hikers to experience long-distance routes with greater awareness and confidence.

At Atlantis, we decided to support them by taking care of the merchandising for their event, Trail Days Europe, which brought together 1,200 participants, more than 40 brands, and hikers from 15 countries for a day full of talks, workshops, and activities.

The Challenge

Thru-Hiking was born digitally with the aim of connecting and inspiring the long-distance hiking community. Over the past year, its network has grown significantly through collaborations with official trail organizations, partnerships with outdoor brands, features in industry magazines, and the involvement of professional and influential hikers within the community.

For this reason, the challenge was to develop merchandising capable of responding concretely to the needs of participants and to the outdoor context in which the community operates.

It was not just about creating a product that was aesthetically coherent, but about identifying an accessory that was genuinely useful, functional, and suited to the experience of those who live nature and long-distance trails firsthand.

On top of this, there was a further challenge: translating the collective’s recent rebranding (rich in new colors, fonts, and logos) into a cap capable of becoming a distinctive symbol for the community. The goal was to turn Thru-Hiking’s new visual identity into a recognizable product, able to strengthen the sense of belonging and accompany participants beyond the event itself.

The Journey

From these starting points, the product selection process began. Together, we identified two styles from the Atlantis collection capable, on the one hand, of accompanying participants in their future outdoor experiences and, on the other, of reinforcing the sense of belonging to a community through an accessory designed to live well beyond the event.

Erie is a cap designed to meet the needs of those who spend a lot of time outdoors and look for a product that is practical, lightweight, and functional. Made from recycled materials such as nylon and polyester, it reflects the shared commitment to environmental sustainability. Its breathable construction, combined with a foldable visor that is easy to pack away, makes it especially convenient to carry during long hiking days. It is ideal for tackling dynamic trails, even in more demanding outdoor environments.

Alongside Erie, the choice also fell on Darwin, an unstructured 5-panel camper hat from the new 2026 collection. Made from organic and recycled cotton canvas, it features a plastic buckle closure with an elastic loop, as well as a flexible ReTraze® visor made from recycled material obtained from discarded fishing nets.

In this case, beyond the technical and material aspects, the visual impact of the style also played a key role: its wide customizable front area makes it ideal for becoming a recognizable symbol of the collective.

Not just a product to wear, but an identity-driven element capable of expressing the project’s visual world and accompanying the community over time.

The Results

product peculiarities:

WR–PFC free: water-repellent treatment without components harmful to the environment

Main fabric: 100% recycled nylon

Recycled polyester mesh on the sides

-18% CO2eq* compared to conventional materials

product peculiarities:

Main fabric: 80% organic cotton, 20% recycled cotton

Self-fabric sweatband

Flexible recycled ReTraze® visor

-20% CO2eq* compared to conventional materials

*Reductions are calculated through a sensitivity analysis contrasting the environmental impact of low-impact materials against conventional ones, using the certified CF Atlantis calculation tool v. 0.7. This tool meticulously tracks the Cradle to gate journey from raw material acquisition to final product delivery at the Atlantis warehouse.

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