Sportswear has been firmly established as a type of casual clothing or `leisurewear' since the 1980s, and this places it within the broader markets for clothing and footwear. In 2008, consumers spent an estimated £3.25bn on sports clothing and £1.28bn on sports footwear. This represents 8% of their total outlay on clothing and 19% of their spending on footwear.

Although most of the sportswear sold to consumers is bought as leisurewear, and not for playing the sport for which it was originally designed, the inspiration for `sports fashion' nevertheless comes from specific sports and the technical needs of apparel for those sports. A host of sports are involved, grouped broadly into teamsports (e.g. football, rugby), fitness activities (swimming, jogging, working out) and outdoor pursuits. Examples of major markets produced by these activities (whether for `function' or for `fashion') are replica football shirts, tracksuits, running shoes and fleece tops.

Branding is important for both function (participants seek the correct `performance' items) and fashion in sportswear, and two brands have emerged as global leaders. Nike Inc had global sales of $18.63bn in 2008, operating on such a scale that it was able to design new Nike footwear for every sport at the Beijing Olympics. In 2008, Nike bought the UK football brand Umbro. adidas, originally a German football-boot specialist, is now a global brand producing clothing and footwear for numerous sports. Since 2006, adidas Group has also included another global brand, Reebok.

The UK has its own sportswear groups, although, like Nike and adidas, they commission almost all of their manufacturing outside the UK. This makes the UK market almost totally dependent on imports, mainly from the Far East — a structure that has produced vertically integrated sportswear companies (i.e. companies that are active in manufacturing/importing and retailing). The largest of these companies are: Pentland Group, the owner of brands such as Mitre, Berghaus and Speedo, and the controller of the JD Sports retail chain; and Sports Direct, primarily a retailer (through Sports World stores) but also the owner of famous brands such as Dunlop, Slazenger and Kangol.

A nervous few years lie ahead for sportswear companies, as for the global economy in general, but the underlying factors are promising. The run-up to the London Olympics in 2012 should stimulate interest in many sports, with knock-on demand for functional sports apparel. Those in the Baby Boomer generation (now entering their 60s) are keen on a healthy, active lifestyle and have been brought up accepting a casual style of dress, as well as having an interest in a variety of sports.

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