Why Yoga Fashion Merchandise Has Increased?

The e-commerce giant has witnessed an increase in demand for yoga fashion merchandise in the Indian market. The retailer has seen a growth of over 225 percent year-on-year for yoga products under sports products category. The majority of the demands it noted were from urban areas. Mumbai, Delhi, Bangalore & Hyderabad emerged as top four cities that ordered such products. The growth of this segment is primarily driven by the change in consumer demand, which has shifted from basic need-based purchases to occasion-specific purchases. Many new categories have been added to consumer’s wardrobes today, including sports/gym wear, loungewear, occasion-specific ethnic wear, nightwear, party wear, formal wear, etc. Thus, the overall consumption and average spending have increased dramatically.E-commerce retail, which only makes up 8% of the retail sector, accounts for 19% of apparel retail. This contribution is expected to surge to an estimated 25%, over the next five years. This is largely due to the increasing importance being given to convenience consumers due to severe time-paucity. They, therefore, prefer all-under-one-roof formats like malls, multi-brand outlets, lifestyle stores, and even such alternate channels as online retail, mobile commerce, and direct selling. This trend has boosted the growth of corporatised retail within the apparel segment. Also, alternate shopping channels are not impacted by direct retail expenses and other related challenges and are increasingly being preferred by retailers as well. The rest 60 per cent comes from other Tier I, II and III cities.“Yoga mats lead this category with close to 80 per cent product demand". In fact, E-commerce has been delivering Yoga mats to far-flung remote areas.

The rise in demand for activewear and the sporty fashion for both the gym and for the casual streetwear has boosted sales for makers of the clothing and the retailers that sell it. Athletic gear is running laps around the competition - doing even better than the overall retail industry, which is humming along as shoppers feel more comfortable about opening their wallets because of the improving economy."Active wear is booming, with sales growth exceeding that of the apparel market as a whole. “Consumers are drawn to its comfort and versatility, and the fact that it still makes a fashion statement."Consumer wear yoga pants, running gear and basketball shoes not just for the gym, but also around town as casuals. Athletic gear is comfortable after all, and analysts say the attention manufacturers are making to fabrics and new colors and styles have helped to broaden the category's appeal. And there's a lot of probability for the athletic apparel making industry to grow even further. Lululemon, for example, wants to expand beyond its female yoga-loving roots to reach more men. In the next few years, the company hopes its men's business will grow.They certainly deserve a chunk of the credit for the recent active wear explosion, though the company did alienate some of its potential clients when its founder said its clothes aren’t meant for some women’s bodies. Wearing yoga pants on the sidewalk, to the grocery store, to class wherever used to be a thing to be mocked, but no longer. Now, it’s commonplace. The e-commerce opportunities aren't just limited to achieving more balanced sales between the genders.There is international expansion. And for Under Armour, the running shoe industry is particularly alluring.While athletic clothing sales are mostly taking off; the stock market is still picking winners and losers in the field. Despite those exceptions, the athlete costumes never disappointed e-commerce. Business continues to improve, even for the weaker players. Finish Line's sales rose 8.6% in the latest quarter.