Earlier restricted to grey and black tones, sports bras are being revamped with new colors and fabrics. Green hues Khaki, Olive and Sage are dominating the color palette for sports bras in 2022 with green accounting for 9 per cent of entire color palette. As per an Edited report, products in neon shades are seeing lower demand at retailers Gap, Athleta and Gymshark.

High impact design gain popularity

Sports bras boasting of a high impact design are gaining popularity as seen from the growing demand Marks & Spencer’s new S/S’22 range launched under active wear brand Goodmove. Featuring the brand’s innovative cup technology, the range offers front adjusting straps for maximum support.

Demand for seamless styles continues

The popularity of seamless bras continues in 2022 with demand on boohoo and PreetyLittleThing increasing 53 per cent and 48 per cent respectively. The new no-seam sports bra range by H&M has been widely appreciated by shoppers as have been the new seam-free bra collections launched by Forever 21, TALA and Free People.

Investment in sustainability increases

Compared to 28 per cent last year, around 29 per cent sports bras are being made from recycled materials. Adidas has launched a new range made from 79 per cent recycled polyester in collaboration with Peloton. US brand Athleta has also launched products made from 13 per cent recycled nylon and polyester. Nike and Athleta have introduced products containing lyocell.

Brands are launching sports bras made from recycled fabrics. H&M increased its share of recycled styles across the US and UK 150 per cent year-on-year. Missguided has increased its range of recycled sports bras to 23 compared to just nine options last year. Similarly, retailer Hush has launched S/S’22 range made of 78 per cent ECONYL® recycled polyamide. Other DTC brands selling sustainable sports bras in the market include Boody, Nube, Tala, Girlfriend Collective, Boob Design, etc.

Price range widens with more retailing options

The price range starts at $28 as in case of adidas and goes up to $108 with Lululemon’s Enlite high support bra being the most expensive. Puma has witnessed a 14 per cent rise in sports bra prices due to the availability of more retailing options and collaborations with Goop and Liberty.

Rise in raw material prices, use of sustainable materials and rising consumer demand are boosting prices in the UK. Retailer Gymshark's prices for fit seamless bras surged £20 to £25, while prices of Apex Sports Bra have increased to £45 from £40 last year. The average price of Nike's sports bras has also surged 8 per cent YoY, with the brand offering more options in the £35-£40 price range.

Promoting eco-friendly products

Sports bras are classified according to their low, medium and high impact. They are mostly made with specialized fabrics as in case of activewear brands Nike, adidas and Lululemon. Next has introduced a sports bra guide to educate shoppers on suitable styles while Marks & Spencer has launched a range of post-surgery bras. Adidas is offering two options in its Stella McCartney range. Together, these brands aim to create a smoother navigation experience for shoppers. They also plan to introduce a sustainability filter or use symbols to show eco-friendly products on their websites.