CHENNAI: Introduction of an International Yoga Day and fitness wave among millennials have made active wear more mainstream. With running, cycling and yoga becoming part of individual lifestyles and corporates pushing fitness, active wear is fast replacing the casual attire.

According to fashion e-tailers, active wear has become a new segment of casual or even professional wear, which is slowly eating into the share of regular T-shirts. “For every four T-shirts bought, the third or fourth is a sporty or a yoga Tshirt. In the bottom wear, yoga pants are eating into the share of formal trousers, khakis or denim. In fact, denim players are coming with yoga pants like variations in denim,” said Sujayat Ali, CEO, Voonik.He said while active wear is at a 30% premium compared to their casual counterparts, the category is witnessing a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 25%.

While top global brands such as Fila and Puma are witnessing heady growth, homegrown brands like Urban Yoga, Forever Yoga, and Bhusattva are also witnessing high sales. “Most of the apparel we have is made of cotton, which makes it easy to stretch. We also have a yoga-on-the-go category, where people can wear yoga dresses even while they are not exercising. This lifestyle-based adoption of active wear has also contributed to the 30% growth we see,” said Aditi Mirani, brand head, Urban Yoga.