PUMA’s collaboration with Costco Australia is going from strength to strength.

In the 70 years since the label launched, PUMA has established a reputation as the creator of products for the fastest athletes on the planet; and it all started in 1919, when brothers Rudolf and Adolf Dassler founded the Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory in their parents’ home in Herzogenaurach, Germany.

For 28 years, the pair worked together to create what would become world-renowned sports shoes. In 1936, track and field star Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the Berlin Olympics – all while wearing Dassler spikes. Two world records and five Olympic records were smashed by athletes wearing the brothers’ shoes. It quickly became apparent that the Dasslers understood craftsmanship, quality and speed.

Though the brothers eventually went their separate ways, the dream was far from over. Rudolf opened a new factory, and in October 1948, the PUMA brand as we know it today was officially born.

While synonymous with top-level sportsmanship and high-street style alike, PUMA is also a major player in the social enterprise stakes. The brand recently signed a 10-year deal with Carlton AFL club, and is the official player apparel partner of the Melbourne Vixens netball team.

PUMA also partnered with The NAB League last year to support education, wellbeing and coaching programs for aspiring AFL players of all genders.

The company is also dedicated to building a better planet. From working to reduce carbon emissions, electricity usage and waste, to ensuring workers’ health, safety and human rights are top priority, along with an ongoing push to use more sustainable materials and eliminate hazardous chemicals from its supply chain, PUMA is constantly working towards an improved future.

“Sustainability is a key value of PUMA, deeply integrated in our business operations,” CEO Bjørn Gulden shares on the company’s website. “It guides our company to work faster toward a more just and sustainable future.”

One of PUMA’s earliest mottos, dating back to the ’30s and ’40s, was ‘Made with quality’ – so a partnership with quality-conscious Costco only made sense. But while the businesses have been working together for many years in the United States, it’s only been in the last five years that an Aussie partnership has been forged.

“Our relationship formed back in 2015, as we felt the brand was very sought after by our members,” explains Costco women’s apparel buyer Tahlia Micallef. After achieving huge success with a range of PUMA socks and underwear, Tahlia and men’s apparel buyer Jennifer Cataldo explain, they decided to widen the range to include apparel and accessories – a gamble that definitely paid off.

Today, the PUMA x Costco range spans everything from tees to sneakers, tracksuits to casual shoes – and underwear and socks are still staples of the business.

The PUMA range for Costco Australia is specially designed with Aussie members in mind, explain the buyers. “We scope the market to see what is trending,” explains Jennifer of the product development process. “We then meet with PUMA to discuss our vision as well as reviewing their strategy and trends to ensure they both align.”

“The PUMA assortment offered at Costco is in line with what you will find in the general retail space, from both a quality and trend perspective,” adds Tahlia. “Due to our buying power and our low margins, we are able to offer these to our members at a great value.”