The robotics industry is "on fire," and 361 DEGREES has quickly entered the robot wearable sector. 361 DEGREES recently announced that its wholly-owned subsidiary, 361 Degrees (Xiamen) Sports Technology Co., Ltd., has signed a strategic cooperation agreement with Standard Robots (Wuxi) Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "Standard Robots"). The partnership aims to leverage both parties' respective advantages and resources to establish strategic cooperation in robot wearable clothing, footwear, accessories, and embodied intelligent robot materials.

According to public information, Standard Robots is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the research, development, and application of industrial-grade mobile robots. Its core business covers the full-chain services of autonomous mobile robots and flexible logistics solutions.

According to information disclosed by 361 DEGREES, the cooperation model involves jointly establishing a company focused on AI intelligence and building a "Future Sports Exploration Laboratory." The partnership will develop robot-applicable clothing, footwear, accessories, and other equipment (robot wearables), establish strategic cooperation in embodied intelligent robot materials, promote deep integration between traditional footwear and apparel manufacturing and artificial intelligence, and accelerate transformation in the value chain of smart manufacturing and retail industries.

With the hosting of the 2025 World Robotics Conference and the 2025 World Humanoid Robot Sports Games, robotics has become the hottest topic. 361 DEGREES' entry into this field has sparked considerable skepticism in the industry: "Is this just following trends?" "Why is a sports company getting into robot wearables? It doesn't make sense..."

Independent retail commentator Ma Gang stated bluntly: "Making shoes and clothing for robots is somewhat puzzling. Humans have a stronger demand for intelligent wearables than robots need human-style clothing. Previously popular fitness trackers and currently hot smart glasses are combinations of technology and wearables. Making wearables for robots is like producing clothing for pets. For robots, they already come equipped with necessary protective gear when manufactured. 361 DEGREES' entry into the robot wearable equipment track seems more like following trends."

Additionally, there's another perspective suggesting that 361 DEGREES' foray into robot wearables represents an attempt at transformation.

From a performance perspective, 361 DEGREES' development over the past two years can be described as impressive. Financial reports show that in 2024, 361 DEGREES achieved revenue of 10.07 billion yuan, up 19.6% year-on-year, with net profit of 1.15 billion yuan, up 19.5% year-on-year.

Joining the 10-billion-yuan revenue club represents a milestone for 361 DEGREES. Now that it belongs to the same revenue tier as the three major domestic sports giants, 361 DEGREES may want to advance further. After all, Xtep, ranked third in the industry, achieved revenue of 13.58 billion yuan in 2024, making it possible for 361 DEGREES to overtake it.

In its announcement, 361 DEGREES stated that through partnering with Standard Robots, the 361 Group accelerates its integration of artificial intelligence and intelligent manufacturing capabilities, opening a new chapter in brand transformation and upgrading. This strategic layout marks 361 Group's strategic leap from a traditional sports brand to a "technology + sports" ecosystem enterprise.

"In recent years, 361 DEGREES' development pace has been slow, falling behind Anta, Li-Ning, and Xtep in product planning and marketing. The difficulty of breaking through upward is significant, and catching up with Xtep is no easy task," Ma Gang commented. Currently, 361 DEGREES' development appears overly conservative. Taking running as an example, Xtep has invested most aggressively in products and marketing, yielding the richest returns. 361 DEGREES follows a follower strategy, which carries lower risk but also misses some opportunities. For instance, in the outdoor category that has been popular in recent years, 361 DEGREES has few standout products.

From current development trends, for 361 DEGREES to achieve breakthroughs in industry rankings or consumer perception, it needs a highlight capable of igniting brand development, similar to Anta's Arc'teryx, Li-Ning's trendy China Li-Ning brand, or Xtep's running shoes.

"Actually, 361 DEGREES has been seeking breakthrough points in recent years. Its children's line and cross-border business have shown decent growth, but adult sports equipment has experienced lackluster growth. This requires further consolidation by 361 DEGREES, or the advantages of its fundamental market position may be eroded by brands like Hongxing Erke and Qiaodan Sports. 361 DEGREES should firmly grasp mid-to-low-end consumers and capture some consumers from brands like Hongxing Erke and Qiaodan Sports, which might better achieve breakthrough," Ma Gang added.

Regarding development-related issues, attempts to reach 361 DEGREES for comment were unsuccessful by press time.