Rising Fitness Participation Fuels Demand For Women's Performance Apparel Across Australasia

The global activewear market, valued at $345.79 billion in 2025 according to Fortune Business Insights, continues to expand at a compound annual growth rate of 8.57 percent through to 2034. Within that trajectory, women's activewear has emerged as a particularly strong growth segment, with the women's category accounting for 47.9 percent of total activewear revenue in 2025, according to Grand View Research. The trend reflects a broader behavioural shift as consumers across all demographics increasingly incorporate structured fitness routines into daily life, driving sustained demand for garments engineered around movement and performance rather than appearance alone.

In New Zealand, where 73 percent of adults participate in sport or recreational activity at least once per week according to Sport NZ's Active NZ survey, this demand has extended to specialist garments designed to support high-intensity training. Women engaged in gym-based resistance training, running, and team sports increasingly seek compression tights for women that offer graduated pressure, muscle stabilisation, and moisture management during prolonged activity. The sports compression wear market, valued at $1.27 billion in 2023, is projected to reach $2.95 billion by 2032, growing at a compound annual growth rate of 10.1 percent, according to Business Research Insights.

Seasonal variation in training patterns has also contributed to growing interest in shorter compression garments suited to warmer conditions and indoor training environments. Athletes and recreational gym-goers participating in CrossFit, cycling, and HIIT-style classes frequently turn to womens compression shorts as a practical alternative during warmer months, with the global compression wear and shapewear market reaching $17.2 billion in 2024 according to IMARC Group. The trend toward shorter, high-waisted compression garments has gained particular traction among consumers who prioritise freedom of movement alongside muscle support, reflecting the broader convergence of athletic function and everyday wearability that now characterises much of the activewear sector.

Providers such as Evom Fitwear have responded to these shifting preferences by developing compression ranges engineered specifically for female athletes, incorporating features such as four-way stretch fabrics, flatlock seaming, and graduated compression zones tailored to the biomechanics of women's training. As participation rates among New Zealand women in organised and informal sport continue to climb, industry observers anticipate that demand for purpose-built women's compression apparel will remain a consistent growth driver within the broader Australasian activewear market through the remainder of the decade.

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