Adapting Through These Unique Times

Like so many among our community of gyms and gymnasts, friends and neighbors, the Destira team has felt the shake-up in all that these historical past weeks have brought us.

What could be described as a disaster of colossal proportions has begun to feel — to us — more like opportunity than calamity. Driving our decision-making over the last couple of months has been the question, How do we want to adapt to our changed circumstances in a way that lifts up both our business and our team members, but our community as well?

New Programs and Products for 2020

Since we have the pleasure to work with clients and customers nationwide, we wanted to be sure to provide needed products and services to our all customers, in whichever phase of staying home or reopening they are in. Our team came at the problem from all angles and have launched one entirely new product and two new programs since March 2020.

NEW PRODUCT: FACE MASKS

A year ago we never could have guessed that the new product we’d launch in 2020 would be non medical-grade face masks, but here we are. And we’re very proud of them and the work that went in to bringing our masks to market. 

Destira’s first-generation face masks have been meticulously tailored for a perfect, comfortable fit on children’s faces. As parents ourselves, we know that an uncomfortable or distracting mask isn’t likely to be worn for long. And just like you, we desperately want to get our children back to the activities that they love as quickly and safely as possible.

But in defiance of our desire to launch our masks as quickly as possible, we did not rush product development for our masks. We think that if you’re going to put something on your face, or on your child’s face, that it should be completely non-toxic and safe to breathe through indefinitely.

Learn more about our Face Masks.
Order Destira Face Masks.

NEW PROGRAM: CUSTOMIZED FUNDRAISER LEOTARDS with HOSTED ONLINE SALES

We wanted to use our Custom Apparel program to offer revenue-generating opportunities to clubs and gyms as well, and our iconic 2020 I Can and I Will design was a perfect fit to design and produce customized leotards quickly with a style that had already proven very popular in the market.

Our intention with this special offer is to to foster unity both across the gymnastics community, and within each specific club, with the standard front and the personalized back. And with no art fees, and hosted sales on destira.com, it’s easier than ever for our gym clients to sell custom logowear to their athletes and families.

One gym owner wrote us to say that the funds earned from their United 2020 tank was literally helping to keep in the lights on at the gym, and we could not be happier to have been able to help.

Learn more or inquire about United 2020 Fundraising Leotards.

NEW PROGRAM: DIGITAL PRO SHOP

Even as some gyms are able to re-open, not everyone who welcomes their athletes back is able to open their pro shop, if they have a shop on-site. Whether gyms have a closed pro shop, no shop, or just want to expand their available inventory, our new Digital Pro Shop program makes it incredibly easy to continue to earn commission on leotard sales, without having to hold or process physical inventory.

Learn more and sign up for our Digital Pro Shop Program.

 

Your Pandemic Experience will Vary

Whenever your gym is able to open, chances are it will be a little different in there than when you left.

When Lisa Adlard of Avant Coeur Gymnastics in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, began to welcome back team athletes in May, she shared her plan with us so that we could understand and better empathize with our customers’ experiences and challenges during this time.

Some adjustments at the gym are simple, like keeping doors and windows open for increased ventilation, frequent, scheduled hand-washing, and limiting the number of people inside the building at once.

Other adaptations are might be more noticeable, like having each athlete use her own mobile locker instead of the gym facilities, and adopting a no-contact policy among gymnasts and coaches. Gymnasts in Idaho aren’t required to wear masks at practice, but they are asked to keep one in their bag in the event that physical distancing isn’t possible, such as when caring for an injury.

Redefining Normal

It’s becoming clear that, at least in some parts of the country, we won’t be springing back to the “normal” we once knew any time soon. In the case of returning to gym practice — we hope that necessary adaptations don’t prevent you from having fun practicing the sport you love with people you care about.

We’re excited about our Digital Pro Shop and Custom Hosted Sales, and have no immediate plans to end either program. Sending our clients payment instead of receiving it from them feels like an awesome turn of events and we’re not eager to give up that feeling. We’re also feeling super proud of our Face Masks, as much as selling or wearing face masks was not in our plan for our business or our lives.

As eager as we are to get back to the friends, family, and activities we love, we’re adapting well to the unexpected turns of 2020. We hope you are too. When you get a moment, please let us know how it’s going.