16 Activewear Brand Success Stories [2024]
Have you ever thought about starting an activewear brand?
The health and fitness industry is booming, and with this rise along with the increasing amount of people working from home, activewear has become incredibly popular over the last few years.
Marketing is the key to success for any company, especially activewear brands. Three components of a successful clothing brand—quality product, great price, and amazing service.
Here are some real-life success stories of starting an activewear brand to steer you on the right track:
1. Be Activewear ($1.5M/year)
Julie New, founder of Be Activewear, came up with the idea for her online retail store after realizing there was a need for a place where women of all sizes could find affordable Australian activewear and swimwear. With only $150, Julie launched the store in October 2014 and now generates over $1.5 million a year in sales, attracting customers through strategic Facebook and Instagram campaigns.
How much they make: $1.5M/year
Current team size: 1
Australian woman launches affordable activewear store with only $150 and now sees over $1.5 million a year in revenue, using Shopify as the sales platform and Facebook and Instagram campaigns as the best source of advertising.
2. Spuds ($180K/year)
Paul Dickey, the founder of Spuds, came up with the idea for his men's performance apparel company after realizing the lack of versatile clothing options for men that combine both style and performance. Fed up with having to choose between workout gear and everyday clothing, Dickey set out to create performance apparel that could be worn anywhere. Through extensive research, meetings with manufacturers, and the help of a mentor, Dickey developed his first product, The Classic Short, which focuses on fit, color, and a unique double-sided fabric.
How much they make: $180K/year
Current team size: 0
Spuds, a men's performance apparel company founded by Paul Dickey, successfully raised funds on Kickstarter in 2017 to create their unique Classic Short range, made with a fabric that combines style and comfort but is also packed with technology and high-performance features, and hopes to fill the gap in the market for men's activewear that looks good but also performs well.
So... can you actually make money with a activewear brand?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
3. Go Mama ($36K/year)
Natalie, a wife, mother, and Service Woman in the Royal New Zealand Air Force, came up with the idea for Go Mama Maternity Activewear during her own maternity journey. Frustrated by the lack of affordable and functional activewear options for pregnant and breastfeeding mothers, she decided to create her own line of clothing that supports physical activity and mental well-being. With minimal experience in business and fashion, she conducted extensive research, sourced suppliers from Alibaba, and launched her business, attracting customers through community groups on Facebook.
How much they make: $36K/year
How much did it cost to start: $20K
Current team size: 2
Natalie launched a successful side hustle during her part-time parental leave, designing and selling budget-friendly maternity activewear which generated a consistent $3k per month revenue with a target to grow the business to become a full-time role.
4. Infinite Elgintensity Gym Apparel ($101K/year)
Elgin Mones, also known as Infinite Elgintensity, came up with the idea for his gym apparel business after his fitness comedy videos went viral on YouTube. He decided to capitalize on his newfound popularity by selling workout clothes to his fanbase. Using his dark sense of humor and love of video games, Elgin created designs and slogans that resonated with his audience and complemented his YouTube content, allowing him to generate revenue from both ad revenue and apparel sales.
How much they make: $101K/year
Current team size: 1
Learn how a lawyer turned YouTube comedian turned gym apparel entrepreneur created a profitable side business selling gym apparel with designs based on his dark sense of humor and love of video games, reaching a monthly revenue of over $8,000 by capitalizing on his newfound YouTube popularity and keeping an eye on competitors.
So... can you actually make money with a activewear brand?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. MuskOx ($360K/year)
Brad Hoos, founder of MuskOx, came up with the idea for his men's clothing line by realizing that men needed more thoughtful gear to simplify their lives. He sought out the expertise of a designer and together they created high-quality, functional clothing that is fitting for everyday adventures. Since their launch, MuskOx has grown a significantly supportive customer base and has developed partnerships to support wildlife conservation.
How much they make: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 4
MuskOx, a men's outdoor apparel brand created in 2019, has gained a supportive customer base and already generated $10k in monthly revenue, offering quality gear for everyday adventure that is designed to last.
6. Garage Gym Barbell Apparel ($84K/year)
Susie Q Aranda, the founder of Garage Gym Barbell Apparel, came up with the idea for her business after experiencing her own health transformation. Starting with personal goals and achievements in fitness, she expanded her passion for helping women and created a line of gym apparel. Through a partnership with a graphic designer and utilizing social media marketing, Garage Gym Barbell Apparel has grown into a successful business, consistently making $7k in sales every month.
How much they make: $84K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
Current team size: 0
This case study details a woman who started a women's gym apparel business from her garage, and has since grown consistently, with $7k a month in sales, by retaining customers through personal connections & genuine marketing, and plans to continue expanding with her passion.
So... can you actually make money with a activewear brand?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Thor Fitness Europe ($144K/year)
Joel St John, the founder of Thor Fitness, came up with the idea for his CrossFit and lifestyle brand while on his honeymoon. With his background in design and music production, he saw an opportunity to create head-turning products for the CrossFit community. Through validation from friends and social media, he realized he could turn his idea into a reality and started building the brand.
How much they make: $144K/year
Current team size: 1
Joel St John founded the sustainability-conscious Crossfit and lifestyle brand Thor Fitness, which has become an established household brand within the Crossfit community, with a steady flow of orders coming in from around the world, all while remaining a successful side hustle with monthly revenues of over $12k.
8. Absolute Fitness Apparel ($7.8K/year)
Anthony Mellor, founder of Absolute Fitness Apparel, was inspired to start his fitness-fashion brand after being influenced by fitness influencer Christian Guzman. With no prior business or fashion experience, Mellor embarked on a trial and error process to build his brand, focusing on quality content and optimizing his website for mobile use. Despite currently operating at a loss, Mellor has plans to expand his team and focus on incorporating innovation, practicality, and value into every garment.
How much they make: $7.8K/year
Current team size: 0
Absolute Fitness Apparel is an online based fitness-fashion brand in the UK that successfully launched 5 lines with 2.11% conversion rate, 1.6k average monthly traffic, and £43.50 average sale by focusing on influencer and affiliate marketing, SEO, Facebook ads, high-quality content, and mobile-optimized ecommerce platform.
9. Gymshark ($1.3B/year)
How much they make: $1.3B/year
Current team size: 850
Gymshark founders started with a website selling fitness supplements and seven years later, they now make a whopping turnover of $130 million.
10. Lululemon ($6B/year)
How much they make: $6B/year
Current team size:
11. Kica Active ($380K/year)
How much they make: $380K/year
Current team size:
12. Nimble Activewear ($5M/year)
How much they make: $5M/year
Current team size:
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- 4,818 founder case studies
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- 8,628 business ideas
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- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
