One of the biggest apparel trends this year has been “athleisure” which is activewear or comfortable gear worn outside of sport settings. It started off when women began wearing yoga pants outside of the yoga studio and has expanded to new product categories, such as “joggers,” a more stylish version of sweatpants. As brands incorporate the athleisure look into their lines, we’ve received a steady stream of inquiries requesting assistance in sourcing factories that specialize in this trend. At Maker’s Row, we’ve come across some awesome athletic apparel factories and wanted to share a few (500 more athletic apparel factories here):
1. Paul Francis Designs
Paul Francis handles everything from development to small-scale production and utilizes state of the art processes to ensure proper fit + draping – two key ingredients when creating an activewear line!
2. JLD Studios
Originally, JLD Studios focused on pre-production development work such as tech packs and pattern making. Last spring, JLD expanded to a larger facility and began zero-minimum production runs. Located in Portland, OR, the activewear capital, JLD works with many performance brands.
3. Kichatna Apparel Manufacturing
Kichatna is also located in the activewear hub of Oregon and works with brands that specialize in sportswear and outerwear. Pro tip: Kitchatna doesn’t handle pre-production in-house so be sure to link up with a design studio that can assist with the development process.
4. Spoiled Rotten USA
Based in the Bronx, NY, Spoiled Rotten is a full service factory that can handle projects from concept to production. Quick turnaround times + 5-star reviews + competitive pricing make it a great option when sourcing for an activewear line. Fun fact: They recently designed an outfit for a top-tier tennis star that was sported at the U.S. Open.
5. Dynotex
A recipient of a CFDA award, Dynotex utilizes the latest technology + solutions in its Brooklyn HQ. Its services range from concept to development and it has the capacity to take on small projects (100-200 units) as well as larger ones (up into the thousands).
Design your own athleisure line
A search for “activewear” on Maker’s Row produces a list of 516 manufacturers. Get started here.
You might also be interested in
- »Powerful Tips for Manufacturing an Activewear Line
- »Designing a Successful Activewear Line
- »Activewear Trends 2015: Sustainable & Made Local
