Gitnux/Report 2026

Athletic Wear Industry Statistics

The global sportswear market is estimated at $437.4 billion in 2026, explore verified company figures, execution data, and risk constraints across the athletic wear value chain.
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Athletic Wear Industry Statistics
Samuel NorbergWritten by Samuel Norberg·Fact-checked by Maya Johansson
Published
How this report is researched
01Editorial Scope

Gitnux editors write the brief first: the topic, the inclusion rules, and the frame for what belongs.

02Source Research

Agents search the published record and log every extracted figure back to the passage it came from.

Read our full methodology →

Search agents attach provenance to every extracted figure.

Next review: within 31 days

01 Industry overview

The athletic wear industry at a glance

The global sportswear market is estimated at $437.4 billion in 2026, with growth driven by fitness participation, athleisure and online-to-offline retail, although expansion is moderating in mature regions.

$437.4B[56]
Global market size, 2026
10.7%[56]
Global CAGR, 2026–2033
$48.9B[8]
U.S. athletic apparel sales, 2025
33.1%[56]
North America market share, 2025
Market size
The global sportswear market was valued at $399.4 billion in 2025 and is estimated at $437.4 billion in 2026. In the United States, athletic apparel wholesale sales reached $48.9 billion in 2025, up 2.2% year over year.[56][8]
Forecast & CAGR
Global sportswear revenue is forecast to reach $890.4 billion by 2033, implying a 10.7% CAGR from 2026 to 2033. McKinsey and Euromonitor project a more moderate 6% annual growth rate from 2024 to 2029 for the broader global sportswear market, reflecting slower growth in mature regions.[56][37]
Market share & regions
North America held the largest regional share at 33.1% of global sportswear revenue in 2025. Euromonitor-based estimates cited by DBS put 2024 sportswear market sizes at about $155 billion in the United States, $55 billion in China and $53 billion across major European markets.[56][57]
Segmentation
Sports footwear accounted for 64.4% of global sportswear revenue in 2025, while men’s products represented 55.5% and offline channels 76.8%. The market is also commonly divided into apparel and footwear, men’s, women’s and children’s products, and online and offline distribution.[56]
Key players & concentration
Major global participants include Nike, adidas, lululemon, Puma, Under Armour and On. Nike reported $13.0 billion in Nike Brand apparel revenue for fiscal 2025, while lululemon reported $11.1 billion in fiscal 2025 net revenue; these figures illustrate the scale of leading brands but are not directly comparable to total market size.[22][11]
Trends, drivers & challenges
Growth is supported by the blurred boundary between performance apparel and everyday fashion, health and wellness priorities, sports participation and sports content. McKinsey reported that two-thirds of Millennial and Gen-Z consumers wear athleisure multiple times per week, while tariffs, inventory management and slower growth in Asia-Pacific, Western Europe and Latin America remain challenges.[37][8]
Consumer behavior & competition
Athleisure has become a frequent-use category: two in three Millennial and Gen-Z consumers wear it multiple times per week, and 56% of Gen-Z consumers rate fitness as a very high priority. Competition combines large global brands with specialized and premium challengers, while direct-to-consumer and omnichannel distribution remain central strategies.[37][57]
M&A
M&A remained active across sportswear and adjacent retail. ANTA completed the acquisition of a 29.06% stake in PUMA for €1.5055 billion in October 2026, while DICK’S completed its acquisition of Foot Locker in September 2025 and now operates more than 3,200 stores across 20 countries.[58][59]
Regulation
New York prohibits the sale of new apparel containing intentionally added PFAS from January 1, 2025; a further threshold-based restriction is due no later than January 1, 2027, and restrictions on outdoor apparel for severe wet conditions begin January 1, 2028. These rules affect water-resistant and performance apparel supply chains, testing and product certification.[60][61]
Latest news
The most significant recent ownership development is ANTA’s October 2026 completion of its €1.5055 billion purchase of a 29.06% PUMA stake, making ANTA PUMA’s largest shareholder. In the U.S., SFIA reported that sporting-goods wholesale sales reached nearly $130 billion in 2025, with athletic apparel at $48.9 billion.[58][8]

02 Ranking

Top 10 Companies in the Athletic Wear Industry

The leading companies in the athletic wear industry, ranked on market impact, performance, momentum, innovation and brand popularity.

Updated November 11, 2026 · Next review December 11, 2026

Verdict

Deckers Brands stands out for performance running and active footwear because HOKA generated $2.6 billion in fiscal 2026 net sales, while Amer Sports focuses on technical sportswear, footwear and sporting goods since it reported 26.7% revenue growth and a 10.7% operating margin.

Ranked by Overall score · How we score ↓

Editor's top 3 picks

Where to start, by need.

  1. #1 Overall · Leader in performance running

    Deckers Brands

    US

    Ranked #1 · 9.2 · Performance running

    Why we picked it: The performance running and active footwear focus is backed by HOKA’s $2.6 billion fiscal 2026 net sales and a 23.6% operating margin.

    See in ranking ↓Visit deckers.com ↗

  2. Leader in technical sportswear

    Amer Sports

    FI

    Ranked #2 · 9.1 · Technical sportswear

    Why we picked it: Technical sportswear and footwear sit alongside sporting goods, with 26.7% revenue growth and a 10.7% operating margin.

    See in ranking ↓Visit amersports.com ↗

  3. Leader in global sportswear

    adidas

    DE

    Ranked #5 · 9.0 · Global sportswear

    Why we picked it: Global athletic footwear, apparel and accessories are supported by €24.8 billion 2025 net sales and an 8.3% operating margin.

    See in ranking ↓Visit adidas-group.com ↗

Pick 1 is the #1 company overall. Picks 2 and 3 are the highest-ranked companies in the top 5 that add a new segment.

Full ranking

Sort by
Top 10 companies in the athletic wear industry, 2026 – Gitnux ranking
#CompanyOverall ↓Company snapshot
1

Deckers Brands

Performance running · US

9.2
2

Amer Sports

Technical sportswear · FI

9.1
3

ASICS

Performance running · JP

9.0
4

New Balance

Performance running · US

9.0
5

adidas

Global sportswear · DE

9.0
6

lululemon athletica

Premium athletic apparel · CA

8.9
7

Brooks Sports

Performance running · US

8.6
8

Columbia Sportswear

Outdoor active apparel · US

8.3
9

Xtep

Chinese running sportswear · CN

8.2
10

PUMA

Global athletic footwear, apparel and accessories · DE

7.7

How we score

  • Impact (30%): scale and weight in the market (revenue, market share, employees, market position).
  • Performance (20%): recent revenue growth and operating margin; an analyst assessment where a company does not publish them.
  • Momentum (20%): growth trajectory and future potential.
  • Innovation (15%): R&D intensity and how technologically advanced the company is.

Popularity (brand search demand, 15%) counts toward Overall but is not published as a column. Overall leaves out what is not known.

Scale Scores are shown on a 7–10 scale with one decimal; bars start at 7.0.

Cadence Recalculated when new figures are published; next review December 11, 2026.

Independence. Rankings are editorially independent. Scores, ranks, picks and the verdict follow the method above; no company can pay to change them.

Cite this ranking

APA

Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Top 10 companies in the athletic wear industry. In Athletic Wear Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/athletic-wear-industry-statistics/#top-companies

report visual · Comparison

NIKE Brand revenue by geographic operating segment, fiscal 2025

North America leads with $19.6B.

North America$19.6B
Europe, Middle East & Africa$12.3B
Greater China$6.6B
Asia Pacific & Latin America$6.3B
Global Brand Divisions$48.0M
source-verifiedsec.gov

03 Statistics

Technology & Innovation

Automation and digital operations show measurable throughput effects, including adidas reporting 3× greater picking efficiency after warehouse automation at its Northern European distribution center.

Automation in the athletic wear industry

  • 3× greater picking efficiency was reported by adidas after implementing warehouse automation at its Northern European distribution center.[1]
  • 70,000-plus stock-keeping units were handled at adidas’s automated distribution center, where automation reduced the size and complexity of the picking operation.[1]

Digital Transformation in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 26% of textile-ecosystem companies in the EU reported having a concrete digital-transformation strategy in 2024.[2]
  • 65% of textile companies in the 2023 sample had a website, according to analysis of company websites in the EU textile ecosystem.[2]
  • 38.3% of textile-ecosystem SMEs in the EU used online platforms in 2023.[2]
  • 4.8% of textile-ecosystem SMEs in the EU had adopted digital-twin technology in 2023.[2]

Technology Adoption in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 58% of North American fashion and apparel manufacturers used supply-chain-management software in 2023.[3]
  • 40% of North American fashion and apparel manufacturers used electronic data interchange in 2023.[3]
  • 44% of North American fashion and apparel manufacturers used warehouse-management systems in 2023.[3]
  • 58% of North American fashion and apparel manufacturers used enterprise resource planning software in 2023.[3]
  • 54% of North American fashion and apparel manufacturers used product-lifecycle-management software in 2023.[3]
  • 68% of North American fashion and apparel manufacturers used an online payment platform in 2023.[3]

Cloud Computing in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 32.3% of textile-ecosystem SMEs in the EU had adopted cloud technologies in 2023.[4]
  • 16% of apparel organizations with revenue below $100 million had already moved to cloud ERP in 2025.[3]
  • 39% of apparel organizations with revenue below $100 million were in the process of moving to cloud ERP in 2025.[3]
  • 48% of apparel organizations with revenue of $100 million or more were in the process of moving to cloud ERP in 2025.[3]
  • 19% of apparel organizations with revenue of $100 million or more had already moved to cloud ERP in 2025.[3]
  • 33% of textile-ecosystem companies in the EU used cloud technology in 2024.[2]

Big Data in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 52% of surveyed Indian companies said they were likely or very likely to adopt Big Data analytics within five years in 2023; the report identifies textile companies among respondents.[5]
  • 12.8% of textile-ecosystem SMEs in the EU had adopted big-data technologies in 2023.[2]
  • 12% of textile-ecosystem companies in the EU used big-data technology in 2024.[2]
  • 12.8% of European textile SMEs had adopted Big Data and related data analytics in 2023, according to the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems survey.[2]
  • 12% of companies in the European textile ecosystem reported Big Data adoption in 2024, based on the EMI Enterprise Survey.[2]

IoT in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 14% of textile-ecosystem SMEs in the EU used Internet of Things technology in 2023.[2]
  • 20% of textile-ecosystem companies in the EU used Internet of Things technology in 2024.[2]
  • 14% of European textile SMEs reported using Internet of Things technologies in 2023, according to the European Monitor of Industrial Ecosystems survey.[2]
  • 64% of surveyed Indian companies said they were likely or very likely to adopt aspects of IoT within five years in 2023; the report identifies textile companies among respondents.[5]
  • 32.26% of textile-industry respondents in an Asia-Pacific survey reported moderate integration of smart technologies such as IoT and production data analytics in 2026.[6]
  • 20% of companies in the European textile ecosystem reported Internet of Things adoption in 2024, up from 14% in 2023.[2]

Innovation in the athletic wear industry

  • 522 sports-technology patent families were attributed to Nike between 2016 and 2025, according to WIPO’s global patent analysis.[7]

04 Statistics

Data & Analytics

Data visibility and reporting are quantified through traceability and supplier data capabilities, with 44% of fashion and apparel businesses verifying traceability data in 2025.

Business intelligence in the athletic wear industry

  • 4.2% was the 2023 growth rate for U.S. sporting-goods, fitness and related-recreation product sales tracked by SFIA, including sports apparel and athletic footwear.[8]
  • 3.2% was the 2024 growth rate for U.S. athletic-apparel category sales, according to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association data reported by SGB Media.[9]
  • $30.6 billion in U.S. athletic-apparel category sales was recorded in 2024, with outerwear, baselayers and swimwear among the fastest-growing subcategories.[9]
  • 26.8% was the cumulative increase in U.S. sporting-goods, fitness and related-recreation product sales from 2019 to 2023, according to SFIA.[8]

Data analytics in the athletic wear industry

  • 2.4 million steps were logged by more than 400 athletes during Nike Project Amplify prototype testing, globally.[10]
  • More than 75% of lululemon production volume was represented by its core Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers used for environmental data reporting.[11]
  • One in-house adidas tool was developed to measure footwear and apparel environmental footprints, including greenhouse-gas emissions, by 2023.[12]

Data Quality in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 44% of fashion and apparel businesses verified their current traceability data in 2025, based on a survey of more than 450 industry professionals globally.[13]
  • 75% of fabric-level textile firms could report process input and output volumes at batch level in 2025 across the surveyed Global South markets.[14]
  • 46% of fashion and apparel businesses had visibility into Tier 4 raw-material suppliers in 2025, according to a global industry survey.[13]
  • 77% of raw-material-level textile firms could report process input and output volumes at batch level in 2025 across the surveyed Global South markets.[14]
  • 79% of yarn-level textile firms could report process input and output volumes at batch level in 2025 across the surveyed Global South markets.[14]
  • 51% of garment-level textile firms could report process input and output volumes at batch level in 2025 across the surveyed Global South markets.[14]

Data Governance in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 32% of raw-material suppliers in the surveyed textile supply chains used recognized data-sharing standards in 2025, compared with 55% that used none.[14]
  • 30% of textile firms using recognized data-sharing standards reported using ISO/IEC 27001 in 2025, making it the most commonly cited standard.[14]
  • 52% of textile firms affected by the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation reported using industry data-sharing standards in 2025.[14]
  • 83% of surveyed textile firms in the Global South actively shared product-related data with suppliers in 2025, while 17% had not adopted this practice.[14]
  • 45% of textile firms not affected by the EU Ecodesign for Sustainable Products Regulation reported using industry data-sharing standards in 2025.[14]
  • 38% of surveyed textile firms in the Global South used recognized industry standards for data sharing in 2025, while 44% used none and 18% were unsure.[14]

KPIs in the athletic wear industry

  • 50% is lululemon’s 2030 target for renewable electricity among core Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers.[11]
  • 60% was lululemon’s maintained absolute reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse-gas emissions from its 2018 baseline, measured for own operations.[11]
  • 60% is lululemon’s target for reducing Scope 3 emissions intensity from purchased goods, services and upstream transportation against its 2018 baseline.[11]
  • 98% of waste from adidas Tier 1 and Tier 2 suppliers is targeted for diversion from landfills by 2025.[12]

05 Statistics

Strategy & Growth

Go-to-market mix matters, with On reporting 33.7% direct-to-consumer sales growth in 2025 versus 2024.

Growth in the athletic wear industry

  • 30.0% was On’s reported net-sales growth in 2025 compared with 2024.[15]
  • 33.7% was On’s reported direct-to-consumer sales growth in 2025 compared with 2024.[15]
  • 16.6% was PUMA’s currency-adjusted direct-to-consumer sales growth in 2024.[16]

Differentiation in the athletic wear industry

  • €1,269.7 million was PUMA’s accessories revenue in 2024.[17]
  • €4,733.6 million was PUMA’s footwear revenue in 2024, compared with €2,813.9 million from apparel.[17]
  • €2,813.9 million was PUMA’s apparel revenue in 2024.[17]
  • 50% of lululemon’s independent directors were women and 20% identified as members of an underrepresented community in 2025, supporting the company’s differentiated governance profile.[11]

Mergers and acquisitions in the athletic wear industry

  • $500 million was lululemon’s 2020 acquisition price for at-home fitness company Mirror.[18]
  • $1.1 billion was the approximate enterprise value of JD Sports’ 2024 acquisition of Hibbett.[19]
  • 21% was the premium to Hibbett’s April 22, 2024 closing price implied by JD Sports’ acquisition offer.[19]
  • $25 million was JD Sports’ expected minimum medium-term cost synergy from acquiring Hibbett.[20]

Strategic partnerships in the athletic wear industry

  • 150,000 customers were served by Varsity Brands, whose long-standing brand relationships include Nike, adidas, Under Armour, New Balance and lululemon, in 2024.[21]
  • €427.9 million was the sales generated by PUMA’s United Legwear partnership in the 2024 financial year.[17]
  • 51% was PUMA’s capital share in PUMA United before the partnership shifted to an exclusive licensing structure in November 2025.[17]
  • 2037 is the end year of Nike’s extended global outfitting, merchandising, marketing and content partnership with the NBA, WNBA and NBA G League.[22]

06 Statistics

People & Workforce

Work model adoption is quantified: among global manufacturers in 2024, 42% of non-factory-floor employees worked in hybrid arrangements versus 10% for factory-floor employees.

Remote Work in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among non-manager manufacturing employees able to work remotely, 67% can work from home two days per week, according to a 2024 member survey.[23]
  • In 2024, 15% of non-factory-floor employees at surveyed global manufacturers worked fully remotely, compared with 8% of factory-floor employees.[24]
  • In a global survey of more than 1,000 fashion professionals, 65% identified flexible working policies as the most important employer benefit.[25]
  • Across U.S. manufacturers, 95% of employees with work flexibility use it, according to a 2024 member survey covering operations and production roles.[23]

Hybrid Work in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among global manufacturers in 2024, 42% of non-factory-floor employees worked in hybrid arrangements, compared with 10% of factory-floor employees.[24]
  • Among fashion and beauty professionals globally, 52% preferred a hybrid schedule with two or three days in the office.[25]
  • Across surveyed manufacturers in 2025, 79% operated a hybrid model for non-production employees, while 17% were fully back in the office.[23]
  • In 2025, 23% of surveyed manufacturers were actively updating hybrid policies to add more structure around required office days.[23]

Employee Engagement in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • Moncler Group recorded a 76% employee engagement rate in 2024, based on responses from 6,777 employees worldwide.[26]
  • NEXT Group reported a 75% overall employee-engagement score in 2025/26, exceeding its cited UK fashion-retail benchmark of 64%.[27]
  • Fast Retailing reported a 78.0% overall employee-engagement index in its fiscal 2025 survey, covering 36,827 respondents globally.[28]
  • Burberry reported a colleague engagement score of 74 points in its fiscal 2023/24 Glint survey.[26]
  • Global Fashion Group reported that 76% of employees would recommend it as a great place to work in its 2025 engagement survey.[29]

DEI in the athletic wear industry

  • 50% was Nike’s 2025 target for women’s representation in its total global employee base.[30]
  • 100% pay equity across all employee levels was Nike’s stated annual target for 2025.[30]

Change Management in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • Across surveyed fashion and apparel companies, 75% were already on a digital-transformation journey and reporting positive results in 2023.[3]
  • Fashion and apparel companies attributed a 39% improvement in sales and customer-service on-time-in-full KPIs to digital transformation in 2023.[3]
  • Fashion and apparel companies attributed a 37% improvement in analytics and business-intelligence KPIs to digital transformation in a 2023 survey.[3]
  • Fashion and apparel companies attributed a 40% improvement in procurement KPIs to digital transformation, according to a 2023 industry survey.[3]
  • Fashion and apparel companies attributed a 35% improvement in inventory and warehousing KPIs to digital transformation in a 2023 survey.[3]

07 Statistics

Customer & Sales

Retention and loyalty show brand-specific outcomes in UBS’s 2025 survey, including 71% Nike U.S. loyalty rate and 49% Brooks Sports U.S. loyalty rate.

Customer experience in the athletic wear industry

  • 44 was Brooks Sports’ Net Promoter Score among U.S. respondents in UBS’s 2025 global sportswear survey.[9]
  • 38 was lululemon’s Net Promoter Score among U.S. respondents in UBS’s 2025 global sportswear survey.[9]
  • 53 was Nike’s Net Promoter Score among U.S. respondents in UBS’s 2025 global sportswear survey, the highest score reported in the survey.[9]
  • 49 was Hoka’s Net Promoter Score among U.S. respondents in UBS’s 2025 global sportswear survey.[9]

Customer retention in the athletic wear industry

  • 60.1% of lululemon’s first-purchase customer cohort had made at least one additional purchase by the eighth quarter after acquisition, based on U.S. credit-card data.[31]
  • 50.1% of Nike’s first-purchase customer cohort had made at least one additional purchase by the eighth quarter after acquisition, based on U.S. credit-card data.[31]
  • 23.5% of lululemon’s first-purchase customer cohort made at least one additional purchase by the first quarter after acquisition, based on U.S. credit-card data.[31]
  • 43.4% of Under Armour’s first-purchase customer cohort had made at least one additional purchase by the eighth quarter after acquisition, based on U.S. credit-card data.[31]
  • 17.1% of Nike’s first-purchase customer cohort made at least one additional purchase by the first quarter after acquisition, based on U.S. credit-card data.[31]

Customer acquisition in the athletic wear industry

  • 54% of U.S. consumers who had ever purchased Under Armour bought the brand at least once in the previous six months in UBS’s 2025 survey.[9]
  • 61% of U.S. consumers who had ever purchased lululemon bought the brand at least once in the previous six months in UBS’s 2025 survey.[9]
  • 50% of U.S. consumers who had ever purchased Fabletics bought the brand at least once in the previous six months in UBS’s 2025 survey.[9]
  • 58% of U.S. consumers who had ever purchased Hoka bought the brand at least once in the previous six months in UBS’s 2025 survey.[9]

Customer loyalty in the athletic wear industry

  • 49% was Brooks Sports’ U.S. loyalty rate in UBS’s 2025 sportswear survey.[9]
  • 41% was ASICS’s U.S. loyalty rate in UBS’s 2025 sportswear survey.[9]
  • 29% was lululemon’s U.S. loyalty rate in UBS’s 2025 sportswear survey.[9]
  • 32% was adidas’s U.S. loyalty rate in UBS’s 2025 sportswear survey.[9]
  • 71% was Nike’s U.S. loyalty rate in UBS’s 2025 sportswear survey, calculated as the share of buyers purchasing Nike more than any other brand divided by those buying Nike at least once annually.[9]

Lead generation in the athletic wear industry

  • 14% of global consumers surveyed by UBS said they planned to purchase Under Armour athletic apparel within the following 12 months.[9]
  • 16% of global consumers surveyed by UBS said they planned to purchase Puma athletic apparel within the following 12 months.[9]
  • 13% of global consumers surveyed by UBS said they planned to purchase New Balance athletic apparel within the following 12 months.[9]
  • 53% of global consumers surveyed by UBS said they planned to purchase Nike athletic apparel within the following 12 months.[9]
  • 62% of global consumers surveyed by UBS said they planned to purchase adidas athletic apparel within the following 12 months, the highest rate among brands measured.[9]

08 Statistics

Marketing & Brand

Demand creation scale is measured through spending and direct-to-consumer mix; Nike reported $5.0 billion fiscal-2025 demand-creation expense and 42% direct-to-consumer share of total Nike Brand revenue.

Marketing in the athletic wear industry

  • $5.0 billion was Nike’s fiscal-2025 demand-creation expense, up 9% year over year, covering brand marketing and sports marketing worldwide.[22]
  • $4 billion was the approximate marketing spend of leading activewear and athleisure brands in 2020, according to an industry digital-performance index.[32]
  • 4.5%–5.0% of sales was lululemon’s estimated advertising spend in 2024, compared with 8%–13% for many large sportswear competitors.[33]

Digital marketing in the athletic wear industry

  • $4.5 billion was Nike Brand digital sales in the second quarter of fiscal 2026, down from $5.1 billion in the same quarter of fiscal 2025.[22]
  • 14.4% was TikTok’s share of voice among U.S. clothing brands in the second quarter of 2024, the highest recorded platform share in the apparel analysis.[34]
  • 14.2% was Facebook’s share of voice among U.S. clothing brands in the second quarter of 2024, narrowly below TikTok.[34]
  • 42% was Nike Brand’s direct-to-consumer share of total Nike Brand revenue in fiscal 2025, including digital commerce worldwide.[22]

Branding in the athletic wear industry

  • 19 times was the maximum earned-media-value multiple generated by influential creative voices compared with typical brand-owned accounts in sports and athleisure in 2025.[35]
  • 10% was adidas brand sales growth in Europe on a currency-neutral basis in 2025, reflecting locally relevant assortments and brand activations.[12]
  • 21% was the combined retail-value share of Nike, adidas and lululemon in U.S. sportswear in 2025.[36]
  • 3 percentage points was the estimated market-share loss of Nike and adidas combined between 2019 and 2024 in the global sportswear market.[37]

Social media in the athletic wear industry

  • $43.0 billion was the total earned media value generated by the top 100 sports and athleisure brands and leagues in 2025, up 30.2% year over year.[35]
  • 640% was the projected growth of online and digital fitness between 2021 and 2028 in a fitness-social-media industry analysis relevant to activewear brands.[38]
  • $28,000 was Instagram’s average earned media value per post for sports and athleisure in 2025.[35]
  • $126,000 was YouTube’s average earned media value per post for sports and athleisure in 2025, more than 4.5 times Instagram’s $28,000.[35]

Influencer Marketing in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • 1.8% was the average influencer engagement rate for giant fashion brands, compared with 1.9% for challengers and 1.6% for up-and-comers in 2024.[39]
  • $15.1 billion in earned media value was generated by the top 100 global fashion brands in 2025.[35]
  • 25% of fashion earned media value came from TikTok globally in 2025, following 45.2% year-over-year growth in TikTok fashion earned media value.[35]
  • 1.21 trillion impressions were generated by fashion influencer content globally in 2023, primarily on Instagram.[40]
  • 76% of fashion earned media value was generated by affordable fashion brands globally in 2025.[35]

09 Statistics

Operations & Execution

Inventory and restructuring costs are tracked alongside channel mix, including Nike’s $7.5 billion global inventory balance at May 31, 2025 and Under Armour’s $280 million cumulative restructuring through the second quarter of fiscal 2026.

Process optimization in the athletic wear industry

  • $305 million was Under Armour’s anticipated total cost for its fiscal 2025 restructuring plan, scheduled to be substantially complete by December 31, 2026.[41]
  • 2 fulfillment centers were included in lululemon’s 2024 discussion of its global distribution and fulfillment infrastructure, alongside third-party logistics capabilities.[11]
  • 2 new stores were opened by a specialty apparel company in fiscal 2025, with improved shopper conversion and higher average order values supporting process execution.[42]
  • $280 million was Under Armour’s cumulative restructuring and transformation cost through the second quarter of fiscal 2026, supporting process and operating-model changes.[41]

Operational efficiency in the athletic wear industry

  • 35% was Under Armour’s direct-to-consumer share of global revenue in the reported quarter.[41]
  • 4% was Under Armour’s reduction in SG&A expense in the reported quarter, attributed primarily to lower marketing expenses and disciplined cost management.[41]
  • 7% was Nike’s fiscal-2025 reduction in operating overhead expense, driven by lower wage-related and administrative costs.[22]

Quality management in the athletic wear industry

  • 1% was Under Armour’s inventory decline in a fiscal-2025 quarter, reflecting tighter inventory control and supply-chain benefits.[41]
  • 2% was Under Armour’s year-over-year inventory decline in the reported quarter, bringing inventory to approximately $1.1 billion.[41]
  • $7.5 billion was Nike’s global inventory balance at May 31, 2025, unchanged from the prior year after inventory-management actions.[22]
  • $1.1 billion was Under Armour’s inventory balance in the reported quarter, up 4% year over year after inventory-management initiatives.[41]

Supply chain in the athletic wear industry

  • 170–220 basis points was Under Armour’s expected fiscal-2027 gross-margin improvement range, partly reflecting supply-chain benefits but offset by higher fuel and freight costs.[41]
  • 49.6% was Columbia Sportswear’s U.S. segment gross margin in 2025, up from 49.1% in 2024 because healthier inventory composition reduced clearance and promotional activity.[43]
  • 0.8 percentage points was Nike Brand’s fiscal-2025 gross-margin benefit from lower product costs, partly offset by warehousing and logistics costs.[22]
  • 0.2 percentage points was Nike Brand’s fiscal-2025 gross-margin pressure from higher warehousing and logistics costs.[22]

Outsourcing / Offshoring in the fashion and textiles sector (sector benchmark)

  • Among 67 surveyed apparel and footwear brands globally, approximately 7% reported mature practices across strategic sourcing, collaborative supply planning, and proactive supplier management.[44]
  • Among large U.S. fashion companies with 1,000+ employees, approximately 60% sourced apparel from at least 10 countries in 2025.[45]
  • Among surveyed apparel and footwear brands globally, 49% prioritized transforming their supply base to increase margins or decrease costs over the next two years.[44]
  • Among U.S. fashion companies, 60% sourced less than 10% of their apparel products from China in 2025.[45]
  • Among U.S. fashion companies, more than 80% planned to further reduce apparel sourcing from China over the following two years through 2027.[45]

10 Statistics

Finance & Pricing

Margins and promotional pressure show up in year-over-year effects, including Nike’s fiscal-2025 gross margin of 42.7% and a 1.8 percentage points gross-margin pressure from average selling price effects.

Pricing strategy in the athletic wear industry

  • 3.6% was the year-over-year increase in combined direct-to-consumer average selling price in 2025 for the athletic-apparel company reported in the filing.[42]
  • $150–$300 was the typical retail price range for lululemon men’s jackets in 2024, with some styles reaching $500.[33]
  • 1.8 percentage points was Nike Brand’s fiscal-2025 gross-margin pressure from average selling price effects.[22]
  • 4.2 percentage points was the fiscal-2025 gross-margin improvement for the apparel company in the filing, driven by reduced promotional activity and higher average unit retail prices.[42]

Cost reduction in the athletic wear industry

  • $13 million was Under Armour’s restructuring and transformation expense recorded in the second quarter of fiscal 2026.[41]
  • $24.5 million was Levi Strauss’ restructuring charge in the year ended November 30, 2025, compared with $185.6 million in 2024.[42]
  • 7% was Nike’s fiscal-2025 reduction in operating overhead expense, reflecting lower wage-related and administrative costs.[22]
  • $121 million was Under Armour’s cumulative cash restructuring and transformation cost through the second quarter of fiscal 2026.[41]

Profitability in the athletic wear industry

  • 42.7% was Nike’s fiscal-2025 gross margin, down 190 basis points from fiscal 2024.[22]
  • 53.4% was the fiscal-2025 gross margin of the apparel company in the filing, up from 49.2% in fiscal 2024.[42]
  • 50.0% was the 2024/TTM gross margin for global athletic and performance companies in an active-apparel market analysis.[46]
  • 62.5% was the 2024/TTM gross margin for the active-life and premium-outdoor apparel category in an active-apparel market analysis.[46]

Financial planning in the athletic wear industry

  • $1,594.2 million was unused corporate revolving-credit capacity at December 31, 2025 for the athletic-apparel company reported in the filing.[42]
  • $5.3 billion was Nike’s fiscal-2025 shareholder distribution through share repurchases and dividends.[22]
  • $1.1 billion was Under Armour’s revolving-credit facility capacity referenced in its fiscal-2027 outlook and liquidity planning.[41]
  • 20.2% was Nike’s return on invested capital at May 31, 2025, compared with 34.9% at May 31, 2024.[22]

11 Statistics

Product & Service

Product iteration and lifecycle programs are quantified, including 400 athletes testing Nike Project Amplify prototypes and 90% of lululemon’s global markets targeted for product-use extension opportunities by 2030.

Product development in the athletic wear industry

  • 400 athletes tested Nike Project Amplify prototypes, recording more than 2.4 million steps across nine hardware iterations, globally.[10]
  • 35% of adidas net sales came from apparel in 2024, while footwear represented 59% and accessories and gear 6%, globally.[12]
  • 182 sports-industry patents were filed by Nike in the fourth quarter of 2023, the highest total among companies tracked in the analysis, globally.[37]
  • 13% of Nike revenue, 5% of adidas revenue, 7% of Puma revenue, 13% of Under Armour revenue and 20% of lululemon revenue were associated with activewear innovation cycles in the cited analysis.[47]

Product lifecycle in the athletic wear industry

  • 90% of lululemon global markets are targeted to offer product-use extension opportunities, including repair or resale, by 2030.[11]
  • 1.35 million Decathlon second-hand products were sold in 2024, globally.[48]
  • 3.15% of Decathlon group sales came from second life, rental and repair activities in 2024, up from 2.87% in 2023, globally.[49]

After-sales in the athletic wear industry

  • 1,730 Decathlon repair workshops were operating at December 31, 2024, globally.[48]
  • 3,042,090 product repairs were carried out by Decathlon in 2024, globally.[49]
  • 3,705 repairs were reported by Oberalp in 2025, up 19% from 3,104 in 2024, for its Salewa products.[50]
  • 1,650 Salewa products entered Oberalp’s Second Life program in 2025, down 20% from 2,064 in 2024.[50]

Value proposition in the athletic wear industry

  • $2.53 billion was the revenue level On was on track to surpass in 2024 as it expanded its performance and lifestyle proposition.[37]
  • 26% of the global athleisure market was attributed to Asia in 2024, according to the cited market analysis.[51]
  • 32% of the global athleisure market was attributed to the United States in 2024, reflecting demand for apparel adaptable to sport, leisure and work.[51]
  • 28% of the global athleisure market was attributed to the European Union in 2024, according to the cited market analysis.[51]

12 Statistics

Sustainability & Ethics

Material and climate targets are reported with quantified metrics, including adidas’s 249,743 tonnes of recycled product and packaging materials by weight in 2024.

Sustainability in the athletic wear industry

  • 42.7% of adidas product and packaging materials by weight were recycled materials in 2024, totaling 249,743 tonnes.[12]
  • 85% of adidas primary cardboard packaging was recycled in 2024, while 83% of polybags were made from recycled plastic.[12]
  • 37.4% of adidas product and packaging materials by weight were biological materials in 2024, totaling 219,020 tonnes.[12]
  • 99% of adidas polyester use came from recycled polyester in 2024, globally.[12]

ESG in the athletic wear industry

  • 46,045 full-time adidas employees were reported at December 31, 2024, across the company’s disclosed workforce regions.[12]
  • More than 160 social-impact organizations partnered with lululemon in its FY24 impact program, globally.[11]
  • 10 million people were reached by lululemon’s social-impact partners between 2021 and 2024, according to partner-reported program data.[11]
  • 15,990 part-time adidas employees were reported at December 31, 2024, across the company’s disclosed workforce regions.[12]

Ethics in the athletic wear industry

  • 1,412 temporary employees were reported by adidas in Germany in 2024, within its disclosed workforce data.[12]
  • 5,754 adidas employees were reported as working non-guaranteed hours at December 31, 2024, across disclosed regions.[12]
  • 2,016 part-time adidas employees were reported in Germany at December 31, 2024, within the company’s workforce disclosure.[12]
  • 46,045 full-time employees were included in adidas’s workforce disclosure at December 31, 2024, supporting transparency on employment conditions.[12]

CSR in the athletic wear industry

  • More than 160 social-impact organizations partnered with lululemon during the period covered by its FY24 impact report.[11]
  • 2018 was the year lululemon achieved global gender pay equity, which it reported maintaining through FY24.[11]
  • 10 million people were reached through lululemon’s social-impact partners between 2021 and 2024, according to the company’s FY24 impact reporting.[11]
  • 2020 was the year lululemon achieved full pay equity in the United States, which it reported maintaining through FY24.[11]

Circular economy in the athletic wear industry

  • 10% of adidas polyester is targeted to come from recycled textile waste by 2030, globally.[12]
  • 1.35 million second-hand Decathlon products were sold in 2024, equal to 0.76% of total group sales, globally.[49]
  • 3.15% of Decathlon sales came from second life, rental and repair activities in 2024, compared with 2.87% in 2023.[49]
  • 43% of adidas materials used in products and packaging were secondary or recycled materials in 2025, globally.[12]

Carbon footprint in the athletic wear industry

  • 60% was lululemon’s reported reduction in Scope 1 and 2 greenhouse-gas emissions from its 2018 baseline for own operations.[11]
  • 2% of adidas inbound transportation was by air freight in 2024, a logistics metric relevant to the company’s product carbon footprint.[12]
  • 60% is lululemon’s target for Scope 3 emissions-intensity reduction from purchased goods, services and upstream transportation against its 2018 baseline.[11]
  • One adidas in-house tool measured environmental footprint and greenhouse-gas emissions for footwear and apparel products by 2023.[12]

14 Statistics

Globalization & Expansion

Supply footprint and direct-to-consumer mix are quantified, including adidas’s 388 independent Tier 1 supplier facilities across 39 countries in 2024.

Globalization in the athletic wear industry

  • 39 countries hosted adidas’ 388 independent Tier 1 supplier facilities in 2024.[12]
  • 27 countries supplied PUMA International Trading GmbH through 141 independent suppliers in 2025.[16]
  • 12% of lululemon’s 2024 net revenue came from the Asia-Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa regions combined.[11]
  • 27.5% of PUMA’s total sales came from direct-to-consumer activities in 2024.[17]

Cultural adaptation in the athletic wear industry

  • 1,600 female supervisors from 76 factories in six countries joined adidas’ Women Leadership Program in 2024.[12]
  • 67% of adidas’ supplier facilities were located in Asia-Pacific in 2024, reflecting the region’s importance to the company’s sourcing model.[12]
  • 46,000 workers participated in adidas’ gender-equality survey across its supply chain in 2024.[12]
  • 40.7% of adidas employees at director level and above globally were women in 2024, up from 39.6% in 2023.[12]

Supplier management in the athletic wear industry

  • 388 adidas Tier 1 supplier and subcontractor facilities operated across 39 countries in 2024.[12]
  • 141 independent suppliers in 27 countries supplied PUMA International Trading GmbH in 2025, compared with 153 suppliers in 2024.[16]
  • 27% of adidas’ total product volume came from Vietnam in 2024, followed by 19% from Indonesia and 16% from China.[12]
  • 223 facilities in 32 countries manufactured adidas products for 34 licensees in 2024.[12]

Stakeholder management in the athletic wear industry

  • 46,000 supply-chain workers participated in adidas’ gender-equality worker survey in 2024.[12]
  • 20% of lululemon’s directors identified as members of an underrepresented community in the 2025 proxy statement.[11]
  • 34 adidas licensees manufactured products through 223 facilities across 32 countries in 2024.[12]
  • 1,600 female supervisors from 76 factories participated in adidas’ supplier leadership program in 2024.[12]

Distribution channels in the athletic wear industry

  • 41.8% of On’s 2025 net sales came through direct-to-consumer channels, while wholesale represented 58.2%.[15]
  • €2,425.4 million was PUMA’s direct-to-consumer revenue in 2024, representing 27.5% of total sales.[17]
  • €6,391.8 million was PUMA’s wholesale revenue in 2024.[16]
  • 21.1% was PUMA’s currency-adjusted e-commerce sales growth in 2024.[17]

Key questions about the athletic wear industry

What is the 2026 size of the global sportswear market?
The global sportswear market is estimated at $437.4 billion in 2026.
How fast is the market growing from 2026 to 2033?
Global CAGR is 10.7% from 2026 to 2033, with a forecast to reach $890.4 billion by 2033.
Which companies lead the athletic wear industry?
Deckers Brands stands out for performance running and active footwear because HOKA generated $2.6 billion in fiscal 2026 net sales, while Amer Sports focuses on technical sportswear, footwear and sporting goods since it reported 26.7% revenue growth and a 10.7% operating margin.
Which technology shifts show up most in operations and data work?
Warehouse automation drove 3× greater picking efficiency at adidas’s Northern European distribution center, and 58% of North American fashion and apparel manufacturers used enterprise resource planning software in 2023.
How concentrated is demand across regions and channels?
North America held 33.1% of global sportswear revenue in 2025, and offline channels accounted for 76.8% of the market.
What compliance issues can affect product supply chains for performance apparel?
New York prohibits intentionally added PFAS in new apparel from January 1, 2025, with a further threshold-based restriction due no later than January 1, 2027.
Reference

Cite This Report

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APA
Samuel Norberg. (2026, November 11). Athletic Wear Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/athletic-wear-industry-statistics
MLA
Samuel Norberg. "Athletic Wear Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 11 Nov 2026, https://gitnux.org/athletic-wear-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Samuel Norberg. 2026. "Athletic Wear Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/athletic-wear-industry-statistics.

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