The activewear market in China is experiencing significant growth, benefiting foreign brands amid a broader shift towards health and wellness activities. Companies such as the UK-based cycling apparel brand Rapha and Canada’s Lululemon are seeing substantial increases in sales as Chinese consumers embrace fitness-related lifestyles.

Rapha, which opened its first store in Shanghai late last year, reported a steady rise in business, with foot traffic among the highest globally. Chief Executive Fran Millar noted the enthusiasm among Chinese consumers, who often invest in high-end equipment and gear, signaling deep engagement with the cycling community.

This surge aligns with broader trends across the region’s activewear sector. Finnish firm Amer Sports, partially owned by China’s Anta, reported a 43% jump in sales to $1.9 billion last year across mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Its portfolio includes brands such as Salomon and Arc’teryx, which have found growing demand in the outdoor apparel segment.

Similarly, Swiss shoemaker On noted "standout momentum" in China and South Korea, with first-quarter sales in the Asia-Pacific region up 44%. Columbia Sportswear also confirmed solid sales growth in China amid ongoing consumer interest in outdoor and sportswear products.

Lululemon’s China net revenue rose by 29% to $1.8 billion in the year ending January, contrasting with a 1% decline in its Americas revenues. The company highlighted plans to intensify its investment in China this year, anticipating that most new stores will open on the mainland. San Yan Ng, Lululemon’s regional president, attributed growth to the brand’s tailoring of products for local tastes and an evolving consumer focus on wellness.

The rise in outdoor and fitness activities in China has accelerated since the Covid-19 pandemic, reflecting long-term demographic changes beginning in the 1990s. Joe Eberling, CEO of Wild Rampage, a strategic partner for backpack maker Osprey in China, recalled the markedly different social attitudes toward exercise decades ago, noting that groups of runners are now routinely visible on city streets and form part of active brand-led community events.

Brands are increasingly organizing social and fitness events. Rapha holds almost daily cycling rides in Shanghai, while Lululemon’s “community-led” campaigns, such as the “Summer Sweat Games,” attract thousands of participants. For some consumers in affluent areas such as Hangzhou, owning premium activewear brands has become a marker of social status. Yoga instructor Sherry Shen described Lululemon as “social currency” for individuals earning above RMB 10,000 ($1,500) per month.

Despite this upbeat momentum, foreign consumer goods firms face ongoing challenges in China. The country’s regulatory environment can be unpredictable, exemplified by the blacklisting of PVH, owner of Calvin Klein, following accusations from Beijing over alleged boycotts of Xinjiang cotton. Diplomatic tensions also complicate supply chains, with the U.S. maintaining restrictions on imports tied to alleged forced labor in Xinjiang, allegations denied by China.

Economic headwinds persist as China’s property market slows, a sector where many consumers hold significant wealth. Still, industry participants remain optimistic about the long-term potential of China’s active lifestyle market. Eberling reflected on two and a half decades of outdoor product sales in China, describing growth as uneven but expressing confidence that participation in fitness and outdoor activities will continue expanding, signaling that the market is in an early stage of development.