The sportswear market - Italy

The sportswear market encompasses the production, distribution and marketing of garments designed for the practice of individual or group physical and sporting activities, designed to ensure performance, comfort and technicality. In recent years, this market has also gradually expanded into the casual and lifestyle sphere, with increasing daily use of garments originally designed for sports. It includes product categories such as tracksuits, pants, T-shirts, technical jackets, sweatshirts, swimwear and accessories for specific disciplines. The segment involves sports brands, textile manufacturers, retailers, e-commerce platforms and specialty retailers, with an increasing focus on sustainability, technological innovation and digital product customization. Globally, the market will grow from $369.17 billion in 2024 to $649.41 billion in 2030 (+76%), with a CAGR of more than 10%. In Europe, it will grow from 94.88 billion in 2025 to 163.15 billion in 2034 (+72%, CAGR >6%). In Italy, the value will grow from €14 billion in 2025 to €16.55 billion in 2030 (+18.2%), with an annual average of about +3.4%. The sector declined by -16% in 2020 but showed more resilience than the fashion industry as a whole, supported by e-commerce and smart working. The "athleisure" trend and the spread of an active lifestyle further supported demand. The structure of the Italian market shows high fragmentation: in 2024, there are 1,259 active companies (ATECO code 14.19.2), clearly recovering from the low in 2023 (965). There are 9,248 employees in the sector (up 25 percent from 2023), with a direct correlation between the number of enterprises and employees. Approximately 80 percent of businesses are self-employed or partnerships, confirming a production fabric made up of small craft businesses. Italy shows a significant trade surplus in the sector: in 2024 exports exceed imports by three times, with a coverage rate around 300 percent. The main outlet markets are China (12.92 percent), the U.S. (11.45 percent) and Switzerland (8.03 percent), while imports come from low-cost production countries such as China (12.63 percent), Spain (4.27 percent) and France (3.93 percent). Domestic production contracted sharply, from 7.08 million head in 2021 to 3.71 million in 2023 (-47.6%), with an estimated recovery of +47.2% in 2024 (5.46 million). The predominant segment is men's tracksuits (68.81%), followed by women's tracksuits (15.49%) and swimwear. The average monthly expenditure of Italian households on sporting goods is growing steadily: from €2.23 in 2020 to a forecast of €4.18 in 2024 (+88%). Sports services are also expected to recover: from €8.6 in 2021 to €13.61 in 2024. Major brands active in Italy include Decathlon (2024 turnover: €1.6 billion, 16.7 percent share), Nike (€1.42 billion, 14.8 percent), Adidas (€550M, 5.7 percent), Cisalfa (€700M, 7.3 percent) and Intersport (€700M, 7.3 percent). Italian companies include Macron (€45M), Tecnica Group (€155M) and Alpinestars (€100M). The offer covers a wide range of garments (pants, sweatshirts, raincoats, polos, fleece) with average prices ranging from €8.90 to €45.98 depending on the category. The consumer price index had a moderate growth of 0.6 percent over the 2020-2024 period. Product innovation is driven by digital technologies (AR, 3D fitting), sustainability (packaging, cruelty-free materials), and omnichannel models, increasingly centered on e-commerce. Regulation is defined at the European level by EU Reg. 1007/2011 on textile labeling, while consumption trends are strongly influenced by sustainability: in 2024, 63 percent of Italian consumers bought sustainable sportswear and 66 percent preferred items without animal materials. This reflects the growing orientation of younger generations toward responsible and transparent choices.