The Growing Legging Industry is Here to Stay
Tiya Antony
Fashion News Editor
Technavio, a market research company, has estimated that the yoga clothing market is expected to grow by 17 million USD by 2027. The estimation is focused on bottom wear consisting of leggings, sweatpants, joggers, and more with the main contributor to the growth being North America. The leading drivers for this projected growth is the increase in the popularity surrounding yoga and medication for stress relief, fitness, and overall improvement of well-being.
Statista predicts with data analysis that 4 billion pairs of leggings and tights will be manufactured in 2027. These data patterns indicate a cultural shift that would not have been predicted in the 1980s, when leggings were ridiculed articles of clothing. Leggings have gone through various changes and innovations through the years, starting with leggings that lose elasticity in the washing machine to current highly engineered leggings made of better materials.
Vuori is a brand based in California and their trademark ‘BlissBlend’ fabric was developed with 75% recycled materials to create weightless and stretchy tights. The senior vice president of Vuori’s women’s designs states that “fabric innovation is one of our biggest priorities.” The company spent three years in various mills across Europe and Asia in order to retain materials that allow active performance and protect the environment. There is major competition in the legging industry with highly followed Instagram pages such as Gymshark, Lululemon, Hey Honey Yoga, Skims, On! Running, and more. Traditionally known sports brands like Adidas, Nike, and Puma have also highlighted their legging products for women. One spokesperson of Nike stated that “ultimately our goal is to design products that make moving easier, for women and girls to feel confident, comfortable, beautiful, and strong, all backed by incredible science and innovation.” Luxury brands like Prada and Loewe also offer leggings in various collections. There is an ever-increasing want for fitness apparel that is based on performance wear, which has led to such a huge shift in cultural fashion choices.
Although a major driver in this shift is the fitness and wellness culture along with the popularity surrounding yoga, another large contribution is that Gen-Z consumers gravitating towards comfort and casual outfits. Promoting females to value comfort in various situations allow leggings to be a staple in the closet, as they allow for breathability. Leggings are also more appealing because they are inclusive to all body types, which is not found in all other bottom options like denims. This is easier to achieve with leggings because of the innovative elastane materials for the stretching property that evenly holds a variety of body shapes. Leggings are clearly here to stay as society embraces comfort, casual clothing as well as turn their attention towards overall physical well-being.
Contact Tiya at antonyti@shu.edu