February 2025
Keigo Enomoto, Senior Researcher, Consumer Marketing Unit
 

In December 2024, we published the market report "Sports Apparel Market 2025." Although the fiscal year 2024 financial results for participating companies are not yet finalized, we estimate that the domestic shipment scale for manufacturers in 2024 will be ¥625.59 billion, a 102.7% increase compared to the previous year.

Over the years, sports apparel manufacturers and material developers have introduced numerous innovative functionalities. Some notable examples include "sweat-absorbent and quick-drying" technology, essential in all sports; "waterproof and breathable" features, indispensable for mountaineering; and "moisture-absorbing and heat-generating" technology, particularly useful in winter golfing. Since sports activities often occur in environments different from daily life and involve more intense movements, developing advanced features that can withstand such conditions can often be adapted to enhance comfort in everyday life. These technologies, initially designed for sportswear, have gradually been adopted in everyday wear, becoming familiar features for general consumers. The evolution of sports apparel has significantly contributed not only to athletic performance enhancement but also to improving comfort in daily life. However, these functionalities were developed over a decade ago, and in recent years, sportswear-related manufacturers have struggled to develop new, innovative functions. While they have introduced new products by making superficial changes such as design and silhouette, there is an undeniable sense of stagnation.

One promising solution to revitalize the market is the introduction of "sustained cooling functionality." In recent years, summers have tended to be longer and hotter, with temperatures sometimes reaching dangerous levels for outdoor activities. Currently, the "contact cooling" function is common for providing a sense of coolness. As the name suggests, it provides a cool sensation when in contact with the skin and is often integrated into sportswear and innerwear. However, according to retail store interviews, many consumers find that while contact cooling provides an initial sensation of coolness, it does not sustain its effect during physical activity. Consequently, there is broad consumer interest in a functionality that effectively mitigates heat throughout the duration of exercise.

Enhancing heat-countermeasure functionalities is crucial for the future of the sports apparel market. The demand for sportswear is centered on sports scenes and is significantly influenced by the number of participants, which is already affected by population decline and low birth rates. Additionally, since many sportswear items are consumables, demand fluctuates based on the frequency and duration of sports participation. If heat-related illnesses such as heatstroke become more prevalent, concerns over health risks may lead to a decline in the frequency and duration of sports participation during summer, further impacting demand. In fact, in recent years, many schools have canceled club activities when temperatures exceed a certain threshold. Retailers near such schools have reported poor summer sales due to frequent activity cancellations. With population decline expected to continue, it is necessary for the sportswear industry to take measures to maintain participation frequency and duration. Therefore, it is crucial to enhance heat-mitigation items for the summer season, and the need for sustained cooling functionality that alleviates heat during physical activity is increasing.

According to manufacturers, there are still significant technical challenges in developing sustained cooling functionality. However, if these challenges are overcome and a function that provides sufficient effects in sports scenes is introduced, it is expected to be adapted for general life items, as seen in previous sports apparel. In recent years, extreme heat has made even stepping outside a potential hazard. Therefore, there would be substantial potential demand for such technology among individuals who must leave their homes or workers exposed to harsh outdoor conditions. Given the broad range of potential demand, items equipped with sustained cooling functionality could significantly boost the sports apparel market. We look forward to the emergence of products that greatly enhance comfort in summer sports scenes and daily life, and the resulting market revitalization.