Whether a business idea or a personal project, designing sportswear is an exciting venture and an excellent opportunity to get creative, but with so much to think about, it can start to feel overwhelming.
Read these top tips to guide you in creating your great sportswear.
1. Find your target audience
This is crucial to any business’s success: who are you designing and selling the products to? Why do you want them to be interested?
Once you know your target group, put yourself in their shoes and think about how your product could catch their eye. Sportswear is a massive industry with a lot of competition. How can your product stand out? Think about design, benefits, colors, and accessibility.
If you’re unsure about the answers, speak to your target audience. You could ask people to fill in a questionnaire, host a market research day, or invite them to give their thoughts. Social media platforms like Twitter and Reddit are great places to get honest opinions from the people you want to target.
2. Choose your fabrics
This is a big decision to make and could influence the success of your product. Most sportswear is made from cotton or polyester. Both have their pros and cons.
Cotton feels lovely and is very breathable. However, because it absorbs sweat and collects moisture from the skin, it can feel heavy and stay wet for much longer. This fabric wouldn’t be suitable for people doing high-intensity cardio.
Polyester is also breathable and has the benefit of being lightweight, which is great for weightlifting or a jog on the treadmill. It can also protect the skin from harmful UV rays! However, bacteria are prone to growing faster on polyester compared to cotton. When it comes into contact with sweat, odor is produced. Not ideal for anyone.
Other options are available, such as spandex, synthetic, and bamboo fiber. Explore your options with USA sportswear manufacturers to see which is best for you.
3. Consider the current trends
You don’t have to always follow trends – not doing so could make you stand out – but it’s a good idea to know what is popular. For example, style is becoming more important to people, especially when sportswear has become an important fashion trend for everyday wear. As a result, you have to consider both style and functionality.
This is where you can get creative and decide which trends you follow and which ones you leave behind. Do you want a chic, timeless line or something unique and colorful?
4. Think sustainable
Sustainability has become extremely important to many young people, so this is not something you want to skim over. According to the UN, the fashion industry is believed to be the second most polluting industry in the world. It’s therefore important for your reputation and the planet’s sake to be as environmentally friendly as possible. In fact, having sustainable sportswear is a great way to stand out and reach a new market of potential buyers.