Wholesale sales of sports apparel in the U.S. 2008-2023

The statistic depicts the manufacturers' (wholesale) sales of athletic apparel in the U.S. from 2008 to 2023. In 2023, wholesale sales of athletic apparel amounted to about 46.3 billion U.S. dollars, an increase of 22.8 percent compared to 2019.  

Athletic apparel market

Athletic apparel is a general term referring to high-functionality clothes designed to enhance performance, but also to support and protect the body while playing sports. Since different sports put strain on different parts of the body and are played in different conditions, athletic wear differs in materials, fit, or design from one sport to another. The sports apparel market is divided into high-performance gear for professional athletes, consumer products and “athleisure”- sportswear for everyday life. Just some examples of athletic apparel include yoga pants, football jerseys, running socks, swimwear, and baseball caps.

Major players

The most important players on both the global sporting goods market and the global sport apparel market are adidas and Nike. Every year, these industry giants generate the highest sales numbers when it comes to sports apparel and athletic footwear. VF Corporation, which is another key company within the sportswear industry and the apparel industry as a whole, is responsible for more than ten brands, including but not limited to Eastpak, JanSport, Altra, The North Face, Napapijri, and Vans.