Next challenge: taking on Nike and Columbia Sportswear.

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Sportswear giant Nike is scheduled to announce its Q3 2013 results on March 21.

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Sportswear company Nike, which has endorsed Collins, also supported his decision.

BBC: NBA player Jason Collins comes out as gay

Sportswear giant Nike and brewer Anheuser-Busch were among the companies who this week announced they were ending their sponsorship of Armstrong, while continuing to back his foundation.

BBC: Armstrong makes first speech since USADA doping report

This process of a famous international company slowly opening up and making its corporate social responsibility ( CSR) improvement efforts transparent echoes the experience of U.S.-based sportswear company Nike, which became infamous in the 1990s for its exploitative manufacturing practices, including the use of sweatshops and child labor.

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From wearable devices such as those being pioneered by sportswear manufacturer Nike, and Jawbone to digital tattoos and "things that you can swallow that will check you out from inside, (such as) a project that adds an artificial organ to help the body use water more sparingly", Fairs believes the future could well be defined by objects almost disappearing entirely.

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Sportswear companies Columbia, Adidas and Nike are experimenting with Zeroloft for use in gloves and footwear.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Among the sportswear brands distributed by Belle are Nike, Converse and Adidas.

FORBES: China Retail Giant Belle Reports 10% Rise in Same-Store Sportswear Sales

Adidas is catching up with Nike in the race to be China's top sportswear company, on the strength of products like high-heeled tennis shoes.

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