Activewear Trends for 2024: What to Watch This Year | NovaTomato (2024)

Activewear is everywhere right now. Garments previously reserved for the gym and sporting events are making their way into every aspects of our lives. Increasingly, consumers are embracing the comfort, flexibility, and style activewear can provide, at home, in the office and on the streets.

This makes now a fantastic time for creative professionals considering launching their own fashion brand to explore the activewear niche. Learning about the latest activewear trends for 2024 gives you an opportunity to stay one step ahead of the competition when building your business.

Today, we’re going to take a closer look at some of the most significant trends influencing the style, design, and structure of workout, gym, and athletic clothing.

The Top Activewear Trends for 2024: Style Trends

One of the things that makes activewear so attractive to today’s consumers is its versatility. Comfortable athletic pieces, from leggings and pants, to sporty tops and shirts can feature a variety of patterns, colors, and styles. Here are some of the top activewear trends worth watching in relation to style if you want to create your own sportswear brand.

Bold Colors and Details

The days of boring gym and activewear are over. As consumers wear these garments for a wider range of events and activities, they’re looking for pieces that highlight their personal style. Bright colors and bold details are becoming extremely common. Workout pieces with exposed zippers, cutouts, and color-block components are all trending in 2024.

Mesh Sections

Activewear material is appealing because it’s comfortable, soft, and breathable. Manufacturers are constantly looking for new ways to give consumers more freedom of movement, and cooler workout experiences. That means experimenting with things like mesh sections on shirts and leggings. Not only are mesh components super breathable, but they’re stylish too.

Stripes

When it comes to design options for activewear, few things are more enduring than stripes. Striped patterns are easy to add to any activewear garment, and they give designers a unique opportunity to experiment with contrasting colors and geometric elements. You can explore everything from bold and vibrant stripes, to zig zags, for a retro effect.

Seventies Glam

Speaking of going retro, many activewear designs are now embracing nostalgia in a big way. Seventies glam style garments combine flared yoga pants with colorful leggings and figure-hugging tops. These pieces give consumers an opportunity to show off their figure and their personality at the same time, with interesting, decorative looks.

All-over Print Design

Concepts like print on demand are taking over the fashion world, offering designers and creatives an easy way to experiment with new designs and patterns, with minimal risk. Some vendors even offer access to all-over print design methods, which allow for more bold, eye-catching components on leggings, shirts, and other activewear items.

Tennis Chic

Sporty looks are here to stay, and certain kinds of sporting apparel are gaining more attention than others. Tennis-style looks, featuring tailored polo shirts, and short pleated skirts are extremely popular right now. Many major fashion designers have begun investing in the “tenniscore” concept in recent years, and demand is likely to grow in 2024.

Sustainable Fabrics

Throughout the fashion industry, demand for more sustainable products has been increasing, particularly among younger generations. Many influential companies are beginning to embrace sustainability in their production processes, using non-toxic inks and recycled materials. This trend is likely to continue as eco-conscious customers continue to fill the market.

The Trending Garments in Activewear

The activewear industry is brimming with opportunities for fashion designers. Garment options range all the way from leggings and yoga pants, to sweatpants, bra-style tops, and even shorts and skirts. Here are some of the most profitable garments worth adding to your collection as you join the $425.5 billion activewear industry.

Yoga Pants

Combining comfort with a sensual appeal, yoga pants have soared into the spotlight in recent years. Demand for yoga-inspired clothing has only increased as more consumers continue to embrace the idea of working out at home. By 2030, the yoga clothing market should be worth around $46.67 billion. Remember, the best yoga pants are stretchy, flexible, and ultra-soft.

Bra Tops

2024 is the year of femininity and self-expression. Women are championing body confidence on a massive scale, with crop tops and bra-style tops galore. This is common in the activewear landscape too, where smaller garments are replacing layers and full-length tops. Ribbed bra tops, sports bras, and other comfy, yet stylish products are everywhere right now.

Performance Polo Shirts

The polo shirt is an enduring classic of the athleisure industry, and it’s continuing to capture plenty of attention in 2024. Specifically, major brands like Ralph Lauren and Lacoste are investing in more performance-focused polo shirts, designed to offer breathability and moisture resistance during activities at the gym.

Men’s Shorts

Just as women are becoming more comfortable with the idea of showing off their bodies, men are also switching from full-length pants and sweats to shorts for their workout routine. Comfy and breathable shorts are a great option for any custom activewear collection. You can also experiment with things like men’s yoga shorts and swimming shorts.

Mini Dresses and Skirts

Driven heavily by the “tenniscore” movement, shorter dresses and skirts are also becoming more popular in the activewear industry. Many of these garments are now evolving, with mini shorts included to help give women more confidence when they’re running around the tennis court.

Workout One-Pieces

Comfortable and convenient, one-piece workout pieces are becoming a top seller in the athletic industry. Yoga bodysuits, workout dresses with built-in shorts, jumpsuits, and active rompers are all making a splash, thanks to support from industry influencers. These products can really make an impact when combined with all-over print designs.

Popular Color Trends in the Activewear Industry

We’ve already noted that bright colors are influencing some of the biggest activewear trends for 2024. However, it’s not just bright and vibrant shades that are grabbing more attention right now.

If you want to expand your product collection, there are plenty of other color strategies worth checking out. For instance, the rising interest in sustainability and self-care is giving way to an influx of more natural, earthy colors and softer hues. Soft color palettes combining browns, golds, pinks, and peaches are common among major brands.

These color palettes take a softer approach to the activewear landscape, and help consumers to show off their sunny and positive personalities.

Shades of blue are also particularly popular in activewear and athleisure today. From icy shades to electric hues, brands are starting to mix and match different shades of blue for a fresh and revitalized look.

Taking Advantage of Activewear Trends with NovaTomato

There are plenty of amazing activewear trends for fashion designers and entrepreneurs to take advantage of this year. As interest in self-care and exercise continues to grow, activewear retailers are experiencing a boom in popularity.

The good news for would-be designers is you don’t necessarily need a huge budget or lots of business experience to get involved in the activewear revolution. At NovaTomato, we provide entrepreneurs with everything they need to create an amazing activewear line.

We can create a host of different types of garments, from leggings to activewear bras, using sustainable, highly breathable, and performance-rated materials. Plus, with our AI-infused design tools, you’ll have no problem making your garments stand out.

Start adding some of the latest activewear trends to your product collection with help from NovaTomato today. Contact us to find out more.

FAQs

Still uncertain about activewear trends?

Let’s see if we can answer some of your questions.

What Is the Gym Wear Trend in 2024?

The “gym wear” trend, or activewear trend essentially refers to the growing popularity of athletic and gym-inspired clothing for everyday wear. More people than ever before are wearing athletic clothing in every part of their lives, leading to a boom in the activewear industry.

Is Athleisure Going out of Style in 2024?

No! It’s actually bigger than ever. Today’s consumers are more interested in comfortable, practical, and versatile clothing they can wear anywhere. Athleisure clothing is still an incredible market for fashion brands and creators to explore.

What Activewear Trends Will Be Popular in 2024?

There are plenty of activewear trends worth exploring in 2024, from comfortable garments with bright designs and striped patterns, to 70’s inspired yoga pants. The best way to choose the right trends to invest in for your store is to research your target market and their current preferences.