Apparel and accessories integrating performance and technical characteristics—such as moisture-wicking, extra comfort, easy care, support, light weight, or a range of other traits—have represented one of the fastest-growing sectors in the textile industry over the last four to five years.
So it follows that performance wear also has been an active area within licensing. This is particularly true when it comes to apparel and accessories tied to sports and fitness properties, fashion and footwear labels, relevant celebrities, and other closely related brands.
Functional and performance apparel has become so entrenched that even character properties are now riding the trend:
- Roy Lowe & Sons produces technical socks for snow sports that feature Hello Kitty as well as characters from DC Comics, Looney Tunes, and Star Wars.
- Zara Terez, a women’s performance wear maker, markets a collection of leggings, skirts, and other items patterned with imagery from King Digital’s Candy Crush mobile game.
- Under Armour and Bell are among the companies creating performance sports apparel for the Marvel characters.
The interest in performance and technical clothing on the part of licensors beyond the logical sports/fitness and fashion segments shows how important these types of garments have become in licensing, mirroring their growth within the apparel industry in general.
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