The activewear craze has taken over the apparel industry as retailers and brands have sought to capitalize on comfort above all throughout the pandemic. Target, a retailer that has continued to thrive during the coronavirus outbreak, made a big bet on workout-ready clothes—and it’s paying dividends.
In just one year, Target has grown its private-label activewear brand All in Motion past the $1 billion sales mark, making it Target’s 10th such owned brand to achieve that goal. The product line now includes more than 700 items across shirts, pants, bras and underwear, outerwear, swimwear and accessories.
All in Motion’s arrival on the market was fortuitous, say the least, with the retailer launching the new brand just two months ahead of the pandemic’s recognized global spread. The launch touched on numerous trends that were already gaining traction within apparel, whether it was a focus on activewear and loungewear, as well as the growth of more size-inclusive and sustainable options.
So when shoppers started working from home as the pandemic spread, the All in Motion brand was poised to thrive while apparel as a whole struggled.
“Our owned brands are truly a differentiator for Target, and in its first year, All in Motion stood out in the marketplace, providing guests incredible activewear and sporting goods for whatever their daily lives bring—at an only-at-Target value,” said Jill Sando, executive vice president and chief merchandising officer, style and owned brands, Target. “We’re proud that our brands are meeting guests’ evolving needs and sparking moments of daily comfort and joy for the entire family when they need it most.”
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Since the launch, Target says its leggings, sports bras and yoga mats are the most popular items within the All in Motion line. Additionally, Target alluded to its hand weights and kettlebells being big sellers as gyms closed and reopened in limited capacity, with the company selling 21 million pounds’ worth of these steel-based items—enough to build a second Eiffel Tower. The company sold 7 million square feet of yoga mats in the year since the All in Motion launch, enough to cover 122 football fields.
According to Target, the design team reads the customer reviews of the All in Motion products and uses those findings to continue to improve the products and expand the brand.
The feedback has led Target in January to launch a new collection within All in Motion called “Seamless” based on comfort, soft fabrics, versatility and performance. The 11-piece assortment includes a quarter-zip and a T-shirt for men, a long sleeve T-shirt, a half-zip sweatshirt, a tank top, a sports bra and leggings for women, a T-shirt and a long-sleeve pullover for boys and a T-shirt and leggings for girls. Product prices range from $10 to $30.
So how did All in Motion get so popular so quickly?
On top of the already advantageous environment for activewear, the brand’s products are designed to offer the quality fabrics that premium activewear brands provide, while offering shoppers affordable prices. These include wicking, water-resistant, UPF50+ protection and odor control, along with signature details like secure zip pockets and thumbholes in sleeves.
Items are available in sizes XS-4X for women, S-3X for men and XS-XXL for kids. All sizes go through fabric wear tests and workout classes prior to release to ensure that the products not only fit, but actually are effective for their purpose.
And beyond size inclusion, the brand is marketed toward the whole family for every stage of the fitness journey.
Most of the All in Motion activewear products incorporate sustainably sourced materials. This includes recycled polyester and sustainably sourced cotton, primarily Better Cotton and organic cotton. Target defines sustainable cotton as grown with maximized water efficiency, optimizing inputs and chemical use, using improved soil health and having ethical working conditions.