Activewear Market Report: Trends, Forecast and Competitive Analysis to 2031

The future of the global activewear market looks promising with opportunities in the men, women, and kid markets. The global activewear market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 9.1% from 2025 to 2031. The major drivers for this market are the increasing health consciousness globally, the rising popularity of fitness activities, and the growing demand for athleisure apparel.

• Lucintel forecasts that, within the distribution channel category, in-store is expected to witness higher growth over the forecast period.
• Within the end use category, women are expected to witness the highest growth.
• In terms of region, North America is expected to witness the highest growth over the forecast period.

Gain valuable insights for your business decisions with our comprehensive 150+ page report. Sample figures with some insights are shown below.

Emerging Trends in the Activewear Market

The activewear market is in a constant state of evolution, driven by innovation, changing consumer lifestyles, and a heightened global awareness of health and wellness. This introduction will explore five key emerging trends that are fundamentally reshaping the industry, ranging from technological integration in garments to a profound shift towards sustainability and inclusive design. These trends collectively highlight the market's trajectory towards more personalized, performance-driven, ethically produced, and broadly accessible activewear solutions.

• Athleisure Dominance and Versatility: Athleisure continues to be a driving trend, fusing the distinction between workout wear and everyday fashion. Customers are now looking for activewear that is both comfortable and stylish and versatile enough to easily shift from the gym to social occasions or workplace settings. This trend forces brands to create products that have both high-performance functionality and fashion sensibility, with comfortable fits, trendy colors, and versatile silhouettes, making activewear a wardrobe staple beyond exercise.
• Sustainability and Circularity: Awareness of the environment is influencing an enormous movement towards sustainable activewear. Brands are incorporating more eco-friendly materials like recycled polyester, organic cotton, Tencel, and new bio-based materials into their offerings. In addition to materials, the growing concern is the whole product life cycle, such as ethical production processes, low water and energy usage, and product take-back and recycling scheme initiatives in support of a circular economy. Such a trend addresses the need for sustainable and transparent brands from consumers.
• Technological Integration and Intelligent Textiles: Technological integration into activewear is the new trend, bridging performance and user experience. It covers intelligent textiles that incorporate sensors for biometric tracking (breath, heart rate, muscle activation), temperature regulation capabilities, and moisture-wicking functionalities that outperform regular textiles. The use of self-cleaning or odor-repellent technologies is also being explored. This technological development appeals to performance-driven athletes and health-conscious consumers who desire data-driven insights and maximum comfort in their physical activity.
• Inclusivity and Body Positivity: The activewear industry is shifting towards increased inclusivity, providing more sizes, fits, and styles to accommodate different body types and demographics. This is a reflection of an overall shift towards body positivity and representation in society. Brands are opening up their size charts, creating clothing that complements different figures, and using diverse models in marketing campaigns. This change makes activewear available and desirable to a wider consumer demographic, promoting a more accessible and inclusive fitness culture.
• Personalization and Customization: Consumers are demanding more distinctive activewear that embodies their personal style and particular requirements. This trend is fueling demand for personalization and customization features, from personalized prints and hues to fitted sizes and modular construction. Brands are utilizing digital technologies like 3D printing and high-tech manufacturing methods to provide customized activewear solutions. This enables consumers to showcase their uniqueness and achieve the perfect fit and functionality for their particular activity, making for a more interesting and differentiated shopping experience.

These new trends are essentially transforming the activewear industry by pushing innovation, advocating for responsible practices, and opening up accessibility. The industry is becoming a more dynamic and responsive industry, with products that are not just high-quality performers but also sustainable, technologically driven, inclusive, and extremely personalized. This evolution ensures activewear becomes an ever-relevant and growing segment, constantly evolving in response to the changing needs of an increasingly health-conscious and socially conscious global consumer population.

Recent Developments in the Activewear Market

The activewear industry is experiencing a phase of rapid transformation, characterized by technology advancements in product innovation, consumer participation, and eco-friendliness. Here, five major recent trends that are deeply influencing the market landscape, ranging from the incorporation of advanced materials and digital technologies to the growing focus on ethical manufacturing and accessible design, will be discussed in the introduction. Together, they are defining a more dynamic, technologically driven, and socially responsible activewear industry.

• Cutting-Edge Material Innovation and Performance Improvement: The latest trends have witnessed a dramatic breakthrough in the field of material science for sportswear. There is growing use of cutting-edge fabrics that provide enhanced moisture-wicking, breathability, compression, and odor-repelling properties. This has also involved the creation of light yet resilient materials that boost sports performance and comfort. Smart textiles and nanotechnology are also being incorporated to enable features such as temperature control and biometric monitoring, expanding what activewear can do in terms of performance and functionality.
• Digital Revolution and E-commerce Supremacy: The activewear industry has witnessed a fast-paced digital revolution, with e-commerce emerging as the leading channel of sales. Strong online websites, direct-to-consumer (DTC) strategies, and digital-powered immersive experiences such as virtual try-ons and customized suggestions are being heavily invested in by brands. Social media marketing, influencer partnerships, and live streaming sales events are pivotal to connect with consumers and drive digital sales, drastically changing the way activewear products are found, promoted, and retailed.
• Increased Emphasis on Sustainability and Ethical Manufacturing: One of the biggest recent trends is the increased emphasis across the activewear supply chain on sustainability and ethical manufacturing. Consumers are increasingly calling for green materials (e.g., recycled synthetics, organic) used in production, lower water and energy usage in factories, and fair labor conditions. Companies are answering by introducing sustainable ranges, achieving certifications, and being open about their environmental and social contributions, and ethical considerations have become an important buying factor for many consumers.
• Athleisure Becomes Mainstream as Day-to-Day Fashion: Athleisure has become a powerful fashion trend with a stronghold on mainstream fashion, breaking into day-to-day wear from its origins in exercise wear. This evolution is marked by activewear technology and aesthetics merging seamlessly into daily wear options for everything from casual days to working from home. This transition has expanded the market's appeal, leading brands to design utility pieces that prioritize comfort, visual beauty, and usability in a world where activewear has become a staple wardrobe item.
• Greater Inclusivity and Diverse Sizing: Some recent trends involve a big move towards increased inclusivity within activewear, with brands offering broader size ranges to accommodate a greater diversity of body types. This also carries over to more inclusive marketing campaigns with a wider range of ages, ethnicities, and capabilities. This emphasis on inclusivity is an increasing consumer demand for brands that truly accept body positivity and provide convenient options for all, so activewear is an open environment for all individuals.

These new trends are combining to shape the activewear market in aggregate, pushing innovation in materials and digital interaction, while also creating a more sustainable and equitable industry. The transition towards athleisure as a form of everyday fashion has broadened the scope of the market, while tech innovation and a firm focus on ethical manufacturing are reshaping consumer demand. This dynamic change is giving rise to a more advanced, consumer-driven, and socially conscious activewear industry.

Strategic Growth Opportunities in the Activewear Market

The activewear industry offers many strategic growth prospects in a range of key applications, supported by changing lifestyles, advances in technology, and an increased emphasis on wellness and health. Below is an introduction to five critical growth areas, categorized according to their main application, discussing where dramatic expansion and innovation are on the cards. These range from intensive sporting activities to regular lifestyle wear, indicating the malleable nature of activewear and its growing adoption into everyday life.

• High-Performance Sports and Training: A key opportunity exists in creating activewear for professional athletes and dedicated fitness enthusiasts. This use requires innovative material science, state-of-the-art moisture management, compression where it matters, and ergonomic constructions designed to maximize performance, recovery, and injury prevention. Brands can spend capital on research and development to produce highly functional clothing for a particular sport (e.g., running, yoga, weightlifting) that confers quantifiable benefits, addressing a consumer base that will pay a premium for enhanced performance and technological advancement.
• Athleisure and Lifestyle Wear: The ongoing strength of the athleisure movement provides huge growth opportunities. This brand is centered on activewear that transitions perfectly into streetwear, combining fashion, comfort, and functionality for daily life, not just exercise. There are opportunities to create transitional items that go from active pursuits to relaxed social environments easily. These include trendy leggings, cozy hoodies, fashion joggers, and transition-friendly sports bras. Companies can capitalize on design sensibilities, celebrity sponsorships, and influencer endorsements to attract a wide consumer market wanting comfortable yet stylish clothing for everyday life.
• Outdoor and Adventure Activewear: Increased enthusiasm for outdoors-based activities such as hiking, climbing, trail running, and water sports offers a strong growth opportunity. This product needs activewear that is resistant to varied weather conditions, long-lasting, and with properties such as UV resistance, water resistance, and quick evaporation. Companies can concentrate on creating technical clothes that will function in harsh conditions yet remain comfortable and light. Partnerships with outdoor equipment manufacturers and prioritization of eco-friendly, tough designs can appeal to adventure seekers.
• Recovery and Wellness Wear: Another growing opportunity lies in activewear for recovery after workouts and general well-being. This encompasses tops with compression that target muscle recovery, infrared technology to enhance circulation, and soft, comfortable materials for rest. Opportunities also arise for sleepwear with active functions or dedicated clothing for yoga, meditation, and other mindfulness activities. This section addresses consumers with an emphasis on holistic well-being and wanting activewear that addresses the body's recovery and relaxation requirements.
• Personalization and Customized Activewear: The growing need for individual and personalized products offers a real growth area for personalized and customized activewear. This use enables consumers to customize their own apparel, select certain colors, patterns, or include personal monograms. Brands can use digital printing technologies, on-demand production, and web-based configurators to provide customized activewear. It appeals to people and teams looking for individual identity, tailored fits for unusual body forms, or event-specific or group-specific wear.

These strategic growth prospects are deeply influencing the activewear sector by pushing diversification and specialization in product offerings. Targeting distinct applications, ranging from high-performance sports to daily lifestyle, recovery, outdoor activities, and tailored options, brands are able to address a broader range of consumer needs and preferences. This strategic emphasis guarantees long-term market growth, encourages innovation, and enhances brand loyalty, ultimately creating a more segmented, dynamic, and consumer-driven activewear sector.

Activewear Market Driver and Challenges

The activewear market is a dynamic industry, influenced by an intricate interrelationship of key drivers and challenges, encompassing numerous technological, economic, and regulatory forces. Appreciating these forces is paramount in grasping the market's prevailing trend and projecting its future development. Though consumer health awareness and technical materials drive development, fierce competition and supply chain complexities are serious impediments. This report will explore the main forces driving growth and the main inhibitors of advancement in the activewear market.

The factors responsible for driving the activewear market include:

1. Growing Health and Well-being Awareness: One of the main drivers of the activewear market is the worldwide explosion of health and well-being awareness. An increasing number of people are focusing on fitness, sport, and physical activity, resulting in a direct demand for relevant clothing. This includes beyond team sports to ordinary pursuits such as walking, cycling, and at-home exercise. Consumers are enthusiastically looking for comfortable, functional, and performance-enhancing activewear that aligns with their fitness objectives and enables a healthier lifestyle, fueling steady market growth.

2. Leadership of the Athleisure Trend: The long-standing athleisure trend is a key driver, shifting activewear from functional equipment only to a mainstream fashion category. Comfort and convenience have become more important to consumers, who seek activewear that doubles as both exercise and everyday clothing. This makes it harder to define athletic wear from leisure wear, increasing the market's appeal beyond pure sports enthusiasts to a wider consumer base of people who enjoy combining style, comfort, and practicality in their everyday clothing needs.

3. Innovation in Fabric and Design Technology: Ongoing improvements in the technology of fabrics and garment design strongly propel the market. Advances like moisture-wicking, odor control, UV protection, and temperature adjustment make clothes more comfortable, functional, and longer-lasting. Integrated sensors in smart textiles for biometric tracking are also on the horizon. Such technological improvements not only enhance the consumer experience but also enable the design of niche activewear for varying activities, appealing to consumers looking for state-of-the-art performance technologies.

4. Development of E-commerce and Digital Marketing: The fast growth in e-commerce websites and the success of digital marketing practices are key drivers. Online shopping provides consumers with unprecedented convenience, broader product offerings, and competitive pricing. Brands use social media, influencer marketing, and direct-to-consumer channels to target audiences, foster brand affinity, and encourage sales. This online transformation has reduced the barriers to market entry for new brands and allowed existing players to increase their international reach, transforming sales and consumer interaction.

5. Increasing Disposable Incomes and Urbanization: Higher disposable incomes, especially in the emerging markets, combined with urbanization at a fast pace, support market growth. With improving living standards, consumers earn more discretionary income to spend on fashion and health-related goods. Urban life tends to favor fitness pursuits and wants for apparel that is comfortable and functional. This demographic trend expands the activewear consumer base to make it more accessible and appealing to a greater portion of the world population.

Challenges in the activewear market are:

1. Ferocious Market Competition and Brand Over-saturation: The activewear industry is extremely competitive and fast becoming over-saturated with many global players, domestic brands, and new players competing for market space. This intense competition results in overly aggressive pricing strategies, high marketing spends, and continuous pressure for innovation. Small brands lack the economic muscle, large distribution networks, and brand equity of big players, making differentiation and consumer loyalty very difficult.

2. Complexities of the Supply Chain and Sustainability Concerns: The international production of activewear includes complicated supply chains, many times in different countries for raw materials, production, and distribution. Complexity can bring logistical issues, higher expense, and exposure to geopolitical disruptions. In addition, consumer and regulatory scrutiny for sustainability and ethical production further complicates the scenario, necessitating substantial investment in environmentally friendly materials, ethical manufacturing practices, and secure supply chain practices.

3. Intellectual Property Infringement and Counterfeiting: High demand and popularity of activewear, particularly from popular brands, expose the market to intellectual property infringement and counterfeiting. Intellectual property infringement and counterfeiting not only destroy brand value and sales but also affect consumer safety because counterfeit products consist of inferior materials and have no quality control measures in place. Brand protection and preventing the spread of counterfeits are still major challenges to activewear brands, and they have to remain watchful and take action through the courts.

Overall, the activewear sector is driven by powerful tailwinds in the shape of growing health consciousness, athleisure, technology, and e-commerce expansion. These spurs create an active ecosystem of growth and product development. But the market also faces significant headwinds from stiff competition, intricately managing complex supply chains, the need for sustainability, and the ever-constant specter of counterfeiting. Thriving and innovating in this fast-changing and highly competitive global market will be critical for brands, and that will depend on successfully addressing these challenges while capitalizing on the growth drivers.

List of Activewear Companies

Companies in the market compete on the basis of product quality offered. Major players in this market focus on expanding their manufacturing facilities, R&D investments, infrastructural development, and leverage integration opportunities across the value chain. With these strategies activewear companies cater increasing demand, ensure competitive effectiveness, develop innovative products & technologies, reduce production costs, and expand their customer base. Some of the activewear companies profiled in this report include-

• Adidas
• Nike
• PUMA
• The Columbia Sportswear Company
• VF Corporation
• PVH
• ASICS Corporation
• Skechers
• Under Armour
• Hanesbrands

Activewear Market by Segment

The study includes a forecast for the global activewear market by distribution channel, end use, and region.

Activewear Market by Distribution Channel [Value from 2019 to 2031]:

• In-Store
• Online

Activewear Market by End Use [Value from 2019 to 2031]:

• Men
• Women
• Kids

Activewear Market by Region [Value from 2019 to 2031]:

• North America
• Europe
• Asia Pacific
• The Rest of the World

Country Wise Outlook for the Activewear Market

The activewear market worldwide is seeing a huge boom, fueled by a combination of factors such as increased health awareness, the dominant athleisure culture, and ongoing developments in material science. The vibrant industry is no longer restricted to performance wear but has blended smoothly into daily fashion, where comfort and function take center stage. In major global markets such as the United States, China, Germany, India, and Japan, recent trends point towards both global tendencies and regional peculiarities, ranging from sustainability and intelligent textiles to localized brands and niche markets with a specialized focus.

• United States: The U.S. activewear market maintains strong momentum, driven mainly by the powerful athleisure trend where consumers equate activewear for both sport and everyday wear. Major advancements involve heavy investment in sustainable materials, such as recycled polyester and organic cotton, as a part of growing environmental consciousness. Brands also incorporate smart technologies for tracking performance and offering more options for personalization. Online stores and direct consumer models are growing dramatically, providing customers with greater choice and personal experiences, supporting the fusion of fashion and fitness.
• China: The Chinese activewear industry is seeing explosive expansion, spurred by increasing health and wellness consciousness among its fast-growing middle class and robust government-led sports promotion. Local players such as ANTA and Boriding are capturing considerable market share via multi-branding strategies, cutting-edge material innovation, and robust digital connectivity, typically drawing on social media platforms and influencer marketing. There is a notable trend of luxury and fashion brands entering the sportswear segment, merging high fashion with functionality. E-commerce platforms with features like AR/VR try-ons and live streaming sales are central to consumer engagement.
• Germany: The German activewear market emphasizes quality, performance, and sustainability. While traditional global brands continue to be a dominant force, demand for eco-friendly and ethically sourced activewear means investment in sustainable materials and ethical manufacturing practices is on the rise. Customization and personalization features are becoming increasingly popular, enabling consumers to personalize products. The market also continues to observe innovation in performance-enhancing technical fabrics such as temperature-regulating and moisture-wicking materials, as the health-conscious consumer base both requires and appreciates functionality as well as environmental sustainability.
• India: The Indian activewear market is expanding and is being propelled by rising disposable incomes, growing health and fitness awareness, as well as spreading Western lifestyle influences. As global brands are increasing their presence, domestic manufacturers are also cropping up with a focus on cheap yet functional sportswear. A recent move is the international brand pressure towards local manufacturing, led by companies such as ASICS, driven by government policy on shoe imports and a need to provide a consistent supply. This will help reach out to the diverse and growing consumer base.
• Japan: The Japanese activewear market is dominated by demand for technically advanced, high-quality, and aesthetically pleasing products. The focus on performance continues, yet the trend of athleisure is also making inroads, with an emphasis on stylish yet comfortable activewear for daily use. Brands are putting money into research and development to innovate fabrics that provide higher comfort, breathability, and durability. There is increased focus on environmentally friendly practices and sustainable materials, consistent with the worldwide environmental focus. The market also reflects a high influence of sport and outdoor niches, demanding specialized equipment.

Features of the Global Activewear Market

• Market Size Estimates: Activewear market size estimation in terms of value ($B).
• Trend and Forecast Analysis: Market trends (2019 to 2024) and forecast (2025 to 2031) by various segments and regions.
• Segmentation Analysis: Activewear market size by distribution channel, end use, and region in terms of value ($B).
• Regional Analysis: Activewear market breakdown by North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and Rest of the World.
• Growth Opportunities: Analysis of growth opportunities in different distribution channels, end uses, and regions for the activewear market.
• Strategic Analysis: This includes M&A, new product development, and competitive landscape of the activewear market.

Analysis of competitive intensity of the industry based on Porter's Five Forces model.

This report answers following 11 key questions:

• Q.1. What are some of the most promising, high-growth opportunities for the activewear market by distribution channel (in-store and online), end use (men, women, and kids), and region (North America, Europe, Asia Pacific, and the Rest of the World)?
• Q.2. Which segments will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.3. Which region will grow at a faster pace and why?
• Q.4. What are the key factors affecting market dynamics? What are the key challenges and business risks in this market?
• Q.5. What are the business risks and competitive threats in this market?
• Q.6. What are the emerging trends in this market and the reasons behind them?
• Q.7. What are some of the changing demands of customers in the market?
• Q.8. What are the new developments in the market? Which companies are leading these developments?
• Q.9. Who are the major players in this market? What strategic initiatives are key players pursuing for business growth?
• Q.10. What are some of the competing products in this market and how big of a threat do they pose for loss of market share by material or product substitution?
• Q.11. What M&A activity has occurred in the last 5 years and what has its impact been on the industry?