Indoor Sportswear and Fitness Apparel

August 2013 | 28 pages | ID: ICD936FC7E3EN
Textiles Intelligence Ltd

Abstracts

Demand for indoor sportswear and fitness apparel is robust thanks to rising levels of participation in individual and team sports and fitness activities. Although consumer spending has been restrained in many parts of the developed world, demand has been buoyed by sharp increases in disposable incomes in key economies in the developing world, along with major advances in fabric technology. Spending on such activities is also being encouraged by companies developing sophisticated wearable systems which are compatible with various devices, such as smartphones and tablets, and which make physical exercise a more enjoyable, rewarding and engaging experience. Participation in sports and fitness activities is likely to increase with greater awareness of the benefits of physical exercise - indoor and out - and greater emphasis on healthy living. This report provides a wealth of information, insight and analysis of the sportswear market and participation in indoor sports and fitness activities, as well as the properties of indoor sportswear, and the fibres and fabrics used to manufacture it. It also features information on wearable technology in indoor sports and fitness activities. Furthermore, the report presents examples of product innovations in the indoor sportswear market and provides an outlook for the future.

Contents

SUMMARY

INTRODUCTION

THE SPORTSWEAR MARKET

Retail channels for sportswear
Key suppliers in the indoor sportswear market

PARTICIPATION IN INDOOR SPORTS AND FITNESS ACTIVITIES

Factors affecting sports participation
GDP per head
Sports promotion campaigns
Developments in technology

PROPERTIES OF INDOOR SPORTSWEAR

Breathability
Wear comfort
Light weight
Muscle compression
Appropriate fit
Antimicrobial action
Anti-static action
Fashion content

FIBRES AND FABRICS USED IN INDOOR SPORTSWEAR

Natural fibres
Synthetic fibres
Smart materials and technologies used in indoor sportswear
Structure of fabrics used in indoor sportswear

WEARABLE TECHNOLOGY IN INDOOR SPORTS AND FITNESS ACTIVITIES

Portable media players
Fitness activity monitors
Sports watches
Sports and fitness apps
Exergames

INNOVATIONS IN INDOOR SPORTSWEAR

Adidas: NBA Revolution
Adidas: Techfit Powerweb
Mizuno: Performance Sleeveless G2 Jersey
Natori: sports bra
Nike: Hyper Elite Basketball Uniform
Radiate Athletics: Radiate
Spalding: Synergy Polo
Speedo: Fastskin3 Racing System
Tommie Copper: Therapeutic Copper Compression
ViewSport: Sweat Activated Technology
Yonex: badminton shirts

OUTLOOK

List Of Tables

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Athletic and non-athletic indoor sports activities
Table 2: Key suppliers of indoor sportswear, 2013
Table 3: EU27: rates of participation in activities pursued in fitness centres, 2009
Table 4: EU27: rates of participation in physical exercise by location, 2009
Table 5: World’s ten most popular sports, 2012
Table 6: Expenditure per head and growth in the indoor sportswear market in selected countries, 2009 and 2010
Table 7: Characteristics of fibres used in fabrics for indoor sportswear
Table 8: Examples of smart materials and technologies with applications in indoor sportswear
Table 9: USA: use of digital fitness devices while engaged in a sport or other physical activity, 2011

About

Demand for indoor sportswear and fitness apparel is set for strong growth despite constrained consumer spending, according to Issue No 45 of Performance Apparel Markets from the business information company Textiles Intelligence.

Global demand for this type of clothing is rising steadily despite extreme weakness in key economies around the world. The rise is attributable to a number of factors, notably: a growing awareness among consumers of the benefits of indoor exercise for health and wellbeing; an increase in participation, particularly among women, in a number of indoor sports and fitness activities; a rise in the number of
indoor sports facilities; and huge improvements in the functionality and comfort of garments designed for indoor exercise.

Also, recent developments in wearable devices are providing participants of indoor sports with greater levels of reward. These devices are capable of gathering a person's performance data and enable the person to track improvements in their performance -- which, in turn, increases their motivation.

Suppliers of indoor sportswear and fitness apparel are attempting to cater to the needs of this market by creating products which whet the appetites of style conscious fitness enthusiasts, thereby encouraging greater spending on indoor sports and fitness activities.

A prime example is yoga wear, a market segment in which participation has increased markedly in recent years and which has been very successfully targeted by the Canada-based company Lululemon. In the early 2000s, Lululemon enjoyed a virtual monopoly in the US yoga wear market and between 2000 and 2012 sales grew massively. This has lured major indoor sportswear players -- including Nike and Adidas -- into a market once considered to be too small a niche to justify entering it.

Future development efforts in the field of indoor sportswear and fitness apparel are likely to be focused on making physical exercise even more effective, rewarding and enjoyable by further enhancing the functionality and comfort of garments.

Such achievements have the potential to drive up participation in indoor sports and fitness activities and thereby fuel demand for indoor sportswear. Prospects for this growing market therefore remain bright.