If you had to name a top sportswear brand, you would probably choose the brand you swear by! Nike, Puma, Adidas, what would it be?
Well, in reality, the best sportswear brand can be picked and chosen according to their profit and valuation on one end, while on the other, it is about what people want!
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Best sportswear brand and competitors
Let us have a look at consumers’ preferences and how well these brands have done for themselves:
1. Nike
Nike is the largest sports accessories brand in the world. As of 2020, its annual revenue was $40 billion approximately.
Nike is an American brand, and Phil Knight and Bill Bowerman founded the company in 1964. The name Nike is actually from Greek mythology.
Nike is the name of a Greek goddess who represents victory. Nike has been in the news for many reasons, and they have been very brand savvy.
They are involved in well-known ad campaigns, the most recent one being with Lil Nas X. The footwear is innovative, and they have recently gone into sportswear.
Nike has always been associated with edgy advertisement campaigns. Such as their t-shirt line consisting of lines like ‘Dope’ and ‘Ride Pipe.’
Their new line of shoes launched in association with Lil Nas X has been controversial as the ‘Satan Shoes.’
Though these controversies have been extensive, they made them popular with the younger generation.
The edgy humor and the risqué attitude of the brand help garner more attention. This has helped the company remain at the top of the sportswear industry for years now.
If someone asks you to name a top sportswear brand, you might say Nike.
2. Puma
When looking for the name of a top sportswear brand, Puma is one we had to add! It is one of the leading sportswear brands in the world.
It ranks as the third largest athletic accessories and causal foot and dress wear brand. Puma has a fascinating history with Adidas.
The founders of the two brands are brothers in real life. But after a disagreement, the brothers split and founded separate companies. Rudolf Dassler founded the company in 1948.
Initially, the brand was supposed to go by the name ‘Ruda,’ the initial letters from the founder’s name, but then changed it to Puma.
Puma has tried to keep itself updated with the changing market environments.
In 2016, Puma won the Innovation Award due to the new strategic market supply schemes they introduced.
But recently, Puma has been associated with some controversy regarding forced labor. The 2010 era was one of the most popular eras of the company.
They are associated with several well-known sponsorships.
3. Columbia Sportswear
Columbia Sportswear is a must addition to the list of top sportswear brands.
It is an American company specializing in manufacturing and selling products for camping and skiing. It is one of the oldest sports accessories manufacturing companies out there.
Paul Lamfrom founded the company in 1938. One of the main reasons this company is so popular is because of its high-quality waterproof jackets.
The company has been conscious of environmental impact and its relationship with brand image. They stopped using alpaca wool in their clothing line after 2019.
The company operates in more than 70 countries. Sports jackets, footwear, shoes, shirts, headgear, and other sports apparel are available in the Columbia Sportswear section.
The company has adopted specific animal welfare policies in its business strategy, but they came in much later.
Though the company has become environmentally conscious, it has only happened in the last few years.
However, the company is implementing innovative technology and striking designs to return to the game’s top.
Still, Columbia Sportswear is in the top ten sportswear brands you would easily recognize. They don’t have a robust online media presence.
4. Adidas
If you ask someone to name a top sportswear brand, there is a high probability of getting Adidas as an answer!
Adidas is a famous German company that shares a link with Puma. The founder of Adidas, Adolf Dassler, named the company after the initials of his name.
It is the second largest sportswear company in the world after Nike. In Europe, Adidas has the largest market.
The three stripes of the company are very famous and synonymous with the brand name and image.
Initially, the Dassler brothers had a single shop named Dassler Brothers Shoe Factory. From there, Adidas and Puma were born.
You can differentiate the marketing and corporate image into eras. There was the Tapie era, during which Adidas went through a revival.
Post Tapie era saw Adidas acquiring Reebok in 2006. In recent years, Adidas has been going through a brand revitalization effort. It sold Reebok in 2022.
Throughout, the company has been associated with several well-known celebrities. But they haven’t fully utilized social media to its peak as Nike, and other sportswear brands have.
Regardless, the company is still doing highly in business.
5. Reebok
Reebok is a company that is famous in the sportswear section. It is an American brand that focuses on producing clothing and fitness wear.
Adidas acquired the company in 2005 and resold it to Authentic Brands Groups. Reebok is often credited with designing the first athletic shoes specifically for women.
The brand initially had a good market stock and had close ties with tennis. The brand patronized many famous tennis players and associations.
Reebok’s shoe designs are some of the more experimental and daring ones. They push the envelope and develop creative ways of designing footwear.
New sportswear brands to try
Recent years have seen some newcomers into the active and sportswear market and stiff competition to the sportswear behemoths.
Some of those companies are Under Armour, Nobull, Castore, and Kitsbow. Let us learn a little about them and why they are currently growing in the footwear industry.
1. Under Armour
Under Armour is a new global sensation with operations based in India and New Delhi.
Though the brand was originally from Baltimore, USA, the former MD of Under Armour, Tushar Goculdas, is now at the brand’s helm.
Under Armour has three market segments targeting women’s and men’s sportswear and trendy and colorful shoes.
There are around 28 stores that Under Armour operates from, and it has a particular following on the famous fashion retail store online Myntra. The brand is quite popular in India.
It is a relatively new brand, with Kevin Plank finding the business in 2018. In 2019, the brand reportedly had a revenue of $5.27 billion.
Plank’s public support for the Trump administration was the most notable among several controversies.
While Under Armour is struggling overseas, it has a relatively strong position in the Indian market.
But this comes against the backdrop of Adidas and Nike consolidating their business operations in India.
Under Armour also had a strong collaboration with Dwayne Johnson in 2016.
While things are still unfolding for the business, there is no doubt that the domestic operations in India seem to be doing more lucratively.
2. Nobull
Nobull is a relatively new company that originated in 2014. It is a private sportswear company based in Massachusetts, USA.
Michael Schaffer and Marcus Wilson are the company’s founders, and the brand operates in the sporting goods and lifestyle industries.
The founders have a connection to another sports apparel brand Reebok. The company has a plethora of relaxed and comfortable trainers for both men and women.
The most famous products that they have are their shoes. Nobull also has a connection to CrossFit Open. While they are not a big company, they certainly have loyal customers.
3. Castore
Castore is a brand you may have heard about when going through online sportswear.
Carter Sporting Club Limited, or Castore, is a clothing and sportswear brand based in Manchester, England. They offer premium and luxurious sportswear to their customers.
Though they can be lowkey in the advertisement, those who know the brand love it! Castore supplies its products to over 50 countries worldwide.
Primarily, the brand endorses and sponsors tennis, cricket, and football teams. This company comes from the joint effort of a pair of brothers again!
In 2015, Philip Beahon and Thomas Beahon founded the brand, both of them having athletic engagements themselves.
They sell accessories and sportswear primarily globally, with more than 400 employees as of 2020.
The brand is ascending in the highly competitive industry with successful collaborations with players like Andy Murray. They paired up with McLaren to endorse the Formula One team in 2021.
In 2022, the brand has declared new collaborations with Aston Villa, Milton Keynes Dons, and La Liga.
4. Kitsbow
The brand is one of the best cycling and mountain bike sportswear apparel brands you can ever see!
Kitsbow is super sustainable and implements a lean management strategy. The brand prides itself on not making its products in bulk but to order.
This brings an element of customization to the flare of the brand name. Kitsbow cycling apparel is a successful company based in the USA with modern sensibilities.
They plan to expand into new markets in 2023 and invite customers to participate in the expansion project through Wefunder.
They boast 100% recyclability of the packaging of their products with durable quality. Their apparel is not only great for cycling but also environmentally sustainable.
Their denim products are iconic. And on their website, they have a Kitsbow blog where you can find new trends in their apparel.
The Mescal Ventilated apparel from Kitsbow is the most popular article of clothing that the company is offering its customers!
The top sportswear brand
To name a top sportswear brand, we would think of Nike. It is the leader in sportswear and the most trusted among sportspeople and celebrities. With over $137 billion worth, this brand has global domination.
New brands are coming up every month with new designs, luxurious fabric, and added features which give staunch competition to other brands. But brand recognition is an essential factor in customer preference.
People are likelier to buy products from popular companies that have been in the industry for a long time and whom famous people endorse.
Under Armour, Nike, Puma, Adidas, Lululemon, and Asics are some of the top sportswear brands that people recognize immediately.
Final thoughts
While we can name a top sportswear brand, it majorly differs from customers’ preferences. We can all have a favorite brand, but it is important to consider what influences our choice.
Is it the endorsements and brand ambassadors? Is it the price or the reviews?
You can like a particular brand for the perfect fit or material, but you can also consider them as a status symbol.
Ideally, activewear must be considered as a crucial choice as undergarments, especially when involved in athletics. It always helps when you keep it comfortable irrespective of the brand.
