BARELYHUMAN

Barelyhuman – Separating average from awe-inspiring!

An innovative sports brand, developing the mind and body combination in producing the
ultimate athletes.
TABLE OF CONTENTS

1. Introduction …………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 02

2. Market Analysis ………………….………………………………………………………………………………… 02

3. Competitor Analysis ……………………………………………………………………………………………... 05

4. Athleisure Consumer Profiles & Trends 2021 / 2022 …………………………………………….. 07

5. Why Barelyhuman? ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 09

6. Project Overview & Products ……………………………………………………………………………….. 10

7. SWOT Analysis ……………………………………………………………………………………………………… 10

8. Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………………………………. 11

9. Appendix A …………………………………………………………………………………………………………… 12

1
 1. Introduction
There is a very clear demarcation between an average and an awe-inspiring athlete; and at
Barelyhuman, we believe that it is not only physical. This not so thin line is defined by
“mental health” for us. The place of mental health in sports cannot be overlooked in this
competitive landscape. The reality is simple that mental health has a particularly significant
role in making a successful athlete and we aim to achieve that with our athleisure.

Athleisure is not a new concept, although it has recently become a fashion trend. It began
surfacing in the 19070s when health and fitness started gaining people’s attention. Soon
people started prioritizing comfort in what they wear. In fact, workplaces began promoting
casualwear, with several studies showing that comfort increases performance and creativity.
By the turn of the millennium, athleisure become hugely popular. The US athleisure market
is expected to grow from $46 billion in 2016 to $350 billion by 2020, according to data
published by market research firm the NPD Group.

Athleisure wear has gained immense popularity for the following reasons:

a. Makes people feel comfortable and calmer

b. Makes people feel more active and healthier
c. Gives an empowering and inspirational feeling
d. Supports a short workout during lunchtime and other free times

2. Market Analysis
The word 'athleisure' is a combination of athletic and leisure. Athleisure has become a
fashion trend that includes apparel designed for workouts and other athletic activities but
are not limited to being worn at the gym or while exercising.
As the global fitness industry continues to grow, and an ever-increasing number of people
adopt healthier and more mindful lifestyles, the world is beginning to see the positive and
widespread impact that this new way of life is having on the athleisure clothing market. As
stylish athleisure becomes a staple in many wardrobes, both in day-to-day life as well as in
the gym, according to Savills Research the market is on track to be worth £6.7 billion over
the next five years in the UK.
Notably, since 2011, the investment activity within this market has been profound, with
total capital invested globally in athleisure reaching £5.19 billion across 678 deals. A total of
738 investors have made commitments to over 300 athleisure brands, signifying the
appetite for this sector within the wider retail and leisure market. As a result, recently the
industry is beginning to see the effect that this significant transactional activity is having on
the bricks and mortar stores of these brands, with the athleisure sector generally being seen
as a shining light in a wider struggling fashion and clothing market. Whilst the retail
environment for the wider fashion industry continues to face several challenges, it’s positive
to see the athleisure subsector battling against the headwinds.

2
In March 2020, the online athleisure powerhouse Gymshark opened a pop-up store in
London’s Covent Garden to much fanfare, with the store not only selling Gymshark’s
specialist gym clothing range, but also hosting in-store fitness classes for consumers. Of all
athleisure brands, Lululemon has generated the highest levels of capital investment in
recent years, raising a staggering £817.07million.

 Athleisure / Activewear Market Size

The global athleisure market size was accounted for USD 300 billion in 2018 and is projected
to touch USD 517.5 billion by the year 2025. According to Millions Insight, the global
athleisure market is anticipated to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% through the forecast period of
2019-2025 with the online distribution channel expected to grow at the fastest CAGR of
8.5% over the forecast period. Whereas according to the market research company Allied
Market Research, the global activewear industry is expected to reach a value of nearly $547
billion by 2024.

The sportswear industry is clearly a winner in 2021 as consumers continue to spend time at
home exercising and seeking comfort in trying times. Although the fashion industry
struggled last year, it seems that activewear and athleisure brands flourished more than
ever. With most business meetings taking place in front of a notebook at home, leggings,
sweatpants, and loungewear have quickly become inherent pieces of our professional
wardrobes. True Fit’s Fashion Genome (via Direct Commerce), which analyzes data from
17,000 brands and 180 million True Fit users, confirms that athleisure orders jumped 84%
since the start of the pandemic; in the U.K. alone, sales of women's athleisure bottoms were
five times higher in December 2020 than they were in April 2020. And order volumes for
men's athleisure clothing sales were 20% higher than in 2019. American retailer Target
reportedly reached $1 billion in sales for its activewear line, All in Motion, which had only
just launched before the pandemic.

The UK sportswear market is forecast to grow by 20.9% out to 2023 to reach £6.7bn, with
consumer focus on leisure and wellness supporting growth as well as consumer desire to
wear sportswear as casualwear. Over the coming five years, the sportswear sector will
outperform all other major retail sectors. Order volumes of women’s athleisure apparel rose
in the UK by 84 per cent since the start of the pandemic in 2020. Order volumes of women’s
athleisure bottoms peaked in December 2020, with almost five times the volumes of orders
placed in April during the first national lockdown. Men’s athleisure clothing sales weren’t as
pronounced as the rise in demand among female shoppers for leisurewear, but still finished
the year 20 per cent higher in terms of order volumes than in 2019.

 Key Factors Driving the Athleisure Market

The rise in adaption of fashionable and stylish athleisure wearing in offices and workplaces
is projected to propel the demand of the market. Additionally, exclusive brand campaigns by
manufacturers through celebrity endorsements and engagement in social media have
changed the perception of millennials and young customers around the world.

3
Premium athleisure dominated the market with over 65% in the total revenue in 2018. Key
manufacturers like Lululemon Athletica, Inc.; PUMA SE; Under Armour, Inc.; Adidas AG; and
Nike, Inc. are promoting their brands by celebrity endorsements and introducing new
products to capture a large consumer base. For example, Elsa Hosk endorses the brand
"Sporty & Rich" promoting retro sportswear from '80s and '90s and it designs cool
activewear pieces that have a cult following among the celeb and fashion set.
Innovation of products and expansion of product portfolio are expected to propel the
demand in the market in the coming years.
Further, huge number of fashion events are promoting casual and fashionable sportswear in
the region. Around 25 fashion shows are held in the U.S. every year. These factors are
projected to propel the demand for athleisure products in the upcoming years.

 Major Players Insights

The major global players in the industry include, but are not limited to,
i. Adidas AG
ii. PUMA SE
iii. Nike, Inc.
iv. Under Armour, Inc.
v. Lululemon Athletica, Inc.
vi. Human Performance Engineering (HPE)
vii. Gymshark
viii. JD Sports Fashion PLC
ix. Esprit Retail B.V. & Co. KG

New domestic players like Esprit Retail B.V. & Co. KG and TEREZ are significantly capturing
the market with good pricing strategies.

 Distribution Channel Insights

In terms of distribution channel, the athleisure market can be classified into:
i. Online
ii. Company owned portals
iii. E-commerce sites
iv. Offline
v. Supermarkets & hypermarkets
vi. Other retail-based outlets
The online distribution channel is anticipated to grow at the fastest CAGR of 8.5% over the
forecast period. Further, digital platforms like social media, Instagram, Facebook, YouTube
and Snapchat influence consumer preferences. Additionally, celebrity endorsements have a
great impact on the apparel industry, as celebrities have a large number of followers on
their social media accounts that considerably helps in boosting their online sales of
athleisure wears in the forecast period. For example, Kylie Jenner is the brand ambassador

4
of Adidas and endorses its products to her millions of followers over Instagram. Similarly,
Victoria Beckham and Gigi Hadid endorse Reebok’s products.

The offline distribution channel dominated the market with over 75% share in the total
revenue in 2018. Major companies like Nike, Inc.; Adidas AG; PUMA SE; and Lululemon
Athletica, Inc. are concentrating on opening brand outlets to gain traction over its
competitors. For example, Adidas AG, in September 2018, announced that it would open
several stores in India as it’s planning on increasing its product line in the nation. The
company planned on opening around 20 outlets by 2020.

3. Competitor Analysis
The athleisure market is moderately fragmented with a few players garnering major chunk
of the market share. These manufacturers have a presence through a network of
distributors and suppliers worldwide. Contract manufacturing is the key for many large
brands to meet the demand. Some of the major players of athleisure are highlighted below.

i. Adidas AG
Adidas AG is a German multinational corporation specialized in manufacturing shoes,
clothing, and accessories. The company has strong presence in over 100 countries
worldwide and employs more than 57000 people. The company every year produces over
900 million sports and sports lifestyle products with independent manufacturing partners.

ii. PUMA SE
Established in the year 1948, PUMA SE is a German company specialized in manufacturing
athletic and casual footwear, apparel, and accessories. The company has independent
partners with authorized license to develop, design, sell, and manufacture eyewear,
fragrances, watches etc. The company has strong presence in Europe, North America,
Middle East & Africa, Asia, and South America.

iii. Nike, Inc.

5
Nike, Inc., together with its holdings, develops, markets, sells, and designs athletic apparel,
equipment, footwear, and accessories worldwide. The company offers athletic products in
nine categories such as Nike basketball, running, football, the Jordan brand, women’s
training, men’s training, action sports, sportswear, golf etc. As of 2018, the company
employs over 73,000 people in North & South America, Europe, Middle East & Africa, and
Asia Pacific.

iv. Under Armour, Inc.

Under Armour Inc. is active in the development, marketing, and distribution of branded
performance apparel, footwear, and accessories for women, men, and young athletes, and
for active lifestyle and outdoor activities. The company’s sales are primarily generated
through wholesale channels, which include national and regional sporting goods chains,
independent and specialty retailers, department store chains, and leagues and teams etc.

v. Lululemon Athletica, Inc.

Lululemon Athletica, styled as lululemon athletica, is a Canadian multinational technical
athletic apparel company domiciled in Delaware and headquartered in Vancouver. It was
founded in 1998 as a retailer of yoga pants and other yoga wear, and has expanded to also
sell athletic wear, lifestyle apparel, and accessories. While it is true that it originated in
Vancouver, Canada, Lululemon has grown to the point of now having a global community.

vi. Human Performance Engineering (HPE)

As defined by HPE itself, it is the activewear brand of a new generation. Founded in 2014,
the brand vision is to empower everyone to feel confident wearing HPE, to encourage
movement, health, and wellness. In just a few short years Human Performance Engineering
(HPE) has become known as one of the top technical sports apparel brands. Known equally
for its performance capabilities and fashion – HPE offers true athletes and lovers of style a
product that takes them from body sculpt to brunch. The brand continues to gain rapid
momentum in its native UK but also through growing distribution in the US, a market
anxiously awaiting performance apparel that doesn’t sacrifice style. In an activewear market
long dominated by a few powerhouse brands, HPE is building affordable luxury with
performance and innovation for everyone.

vii. Gymshark
Gymshark is a British fitness apparel and accessories brand, manufacturer and retailer
headquartered in Solihull, England. Founded in June 2012, it took the UK by storm.
Gymshark creates and distributes its own range of fitness wear. In 2020, the company was
valued at over £1 billion.

viii. JD Sports Fashion PLC

6
JD Sports Fashion plc, more commonly known as JD Sports or JD, is a British sports-fashion
retail company founded in 1981 and based in Bury, Greater Manchester, England with shops
throughout the United Kingdom, Europe, the United States, Asia, New Zealand and
Australia.

4. Athleisure Consumer Profiles & Trends 2021 / 2022

As consumers continue to face lockdowns globally making many concerned about going
outside, indoor activities are of key importance for the activewear product development.
Also due to cancellation of the organized sports activities in 2021 people have turned to
their backyards to keep active and busy.

From the last few seasons, the difference between the activewear and athleisure market
spotted winning the various consumer's profile. As millennials and GenZ consumers are
more like demanding the conscious fashion, and polarized for a social cause or highly
interested in on-demand quick satisfaction from the brand, brands need to come up with
the highly personalized options. The activewear market in 2020 and 2021 is anticipated to
revolve around the technical and digital lifestyle satisfaction while coming up with
sustainable fashion.

i. Indoor Generation: Consumers preferring home gym

According to F-Trend’s research more than 68% of athleisure consumers prefer the home
gym system rather than visiting the gym centre. Consumers spend 90% of their time indoors
and their homes are so well insulated that not enough fresh air and daylight can get in.
Today, 84 million Europeans currently reside in buildings so damp and mouldy that they are
a potential threat to physical and mental wellbeing. The resulting poor indoor air can
provoke a whole range of illnesses from headaches and sore eyes to allergies, asthma – and
worse. People are 40% more likely to have asthma when living in a damp and moldy home.
Brands need to work on indoor activewear where fabrics could provide you the possibility to
allow fresh air and breathable and damp drying tech.

ii. Nomad Consumers

Demand for the Activewear with utility and technical details are now must-have for on-the-
go consumers. The digital nomad's demand for clothes that are highly comfortable with
sports features while doing any activity, thus from the last few seasons, big pockets, elastic
knot details became essential merchandise for a way to carry their big sized mobiles, purse,
and few other daily essentials. The growth of the Utility fashion trend has also fueled the
demand for the utility-active wear category. The technical utilitarian-based sport parka will
be an essential item for the winter season. Big front and back pockets also add the style
statements.
Extreme outdoor sports resulting in outdoor apparel, such as weatherproof jackets,
raincoats, hiking boots, adventure-ready accessories, and utility pocket pants, has been

7
appearing as much in big cities as in natural habitats. The rise of this new functional dress
code is considered by some fashion experts to be a new form of escapism from the urban
and digitized world signifying a growing desire to connect with nature.
As the lines between working out and “going out” are blurring, future activewear has
evolved into balancing functionality with fashion. From metallic colors to leggings with zips
and pockets, the demand for hybrid sportswear pieces is growing strong. In fact, searches
for leggings with pockets are up 180% over the past 3 months while searches for “zip
leggings” have risen by 76%.

iii. Yoga Culture

According to Lyst.com:- The rise of yogic culture over the last two years has resulted in a
42% increase in the number of yoga-related products sold through Lyst.
Fashion searches for yoga clothing have increased significantly with the demand for “yoga
leggings” specifically up 36% month on month. More than 32% of activewear shoppers on
Lyst opt for colors when buying yoga wear pieces.
According to online searches indicate that pastel colors especially light blue, baby pink, lilac,
beige and white – have gained traction and are frequently being used in “yoga” searches.

iv. Backpackers: rise of bicycle sports

In the US, the UK and other European companies there is a 26% rise in bicycle pack related
activities that are expected to rise in the next two years. In a world concerned about
sustainability, pollution, health, and convenience, perhaps the tech-forward answers to
today's commuting problems are electric bikes.
The growth of the electric bike industry also brings an opportunity to the fashion world to
develop a new highly fashionable option for travelers to inspire them.
Electric bikes are gaining popularity in Europe and Asia by storm, and big cities of the USA
like Los Angeles and Atlanta possess a demand for the e-bikes on the streets, and the
prospects of commuter adaptation seem promising.

v. Rise of Athflow

Athflow emerges as the fresh name in the fashion business that combines Athleisure,
Elegance, and Flow. This style is seeking a comfortable and fashionable balance between
office dressing and daily styling.
According to the recent 2020/21 detailed analysis of consumers, it is anticipated the global
fashion trend of 2021 will focus on Smart casual. It is expected that comfortable clothes will
play a leading role in the wardrobe for the years to come.

8
 5. Why Barelyhuman?
 Brand Identity
a. Barely Human aims to incorporate a community that encourages mental
mindfulness while still motivating athletes to achieve the physical fitness they
want. Mental health in today’s world is generally associated with negative
connotations. So, at BarelyHuman we aim to detach this negative schema by
referring to this as “Mind Health”.

b. There is a common misconception of assuming athletes are healthy as indicated

by their consistent physical activity making it seem impossible for them to suffer
from issues related to mind health. As such, people describe athletes as the
mentally tough humans who can display persistence towards a particular goal,
even in the face of adversity. While this is critical, as is the case for any other
person, athletes are not immune to the possibility of being both physically and
mentally overwhelmed by the challenges they face in their personal as well as
professional lives, specially in the competitive environment of sports.

 Our Mission
“Reinventing the ultimate athlete”
i. Changing the negative stigma attached to mental health
ii. Emphasising the importance of combination of mind health and physical health to
producing the ultimate athlete - Creating a rejuvenating community to reform and
develop positive mind health in sports and specially sportspeople

 Short-term Brand Goals

i. To develop an engaging community of people who wear athleisure, both athletes

and non-athletes
ii. To take mind and physical health into social production
iii. To create a brand Identity focusing on athleisure products that rejuvenate and
enhance athletic performance

 Long-term Brand Goals

i. To compete with Nike, Adidas, Gymshark, Lululemon etc., as a recognised global

athleisure brand
ii. To create a global community of individuals mindful of their mind and physical
potential
iii. To develop and build our first HQ in the UK

9
 6. Project Overview & Products
At Barelyhuman, we believe that our product will be substantially unique and different to
other sportswear and athleisure. Our products will aim to satisfy athletes of any level - from
amateur to pros or anyone who wants to engage in any form of sports activity. Our seamless
desire to cater for everyone will ultimately bring in revenue from the line of clothing and will
allow the brand to transition into other areas as well.
We provide quality sportswear for the gym and other daily activities. Furthermore,
providing athletes with excellent and comfortable fits allowing them to perform at their best
ability. Broadly our products are categorized as follows,

 Jackets
 Hooded Tops
 T-shirts
 Techpants
 Running Shorts
 Sports Bras
 Cycling Shorts
 Leggings

7. SWOT Analysis

 Strengths
i. Unique - the foundation behind carries a lot of meaning.
ii. Provide athletes with excellent sportswear allowing them to perform at their
best -Comfortable leisure wear which allows to wear it for multipurpose reasons.
iii. Produce an effective and innovative sportswear to improve your performance in
the gym - Compression clothing as a base layer (second skin).
iv. Dry moisture management in all our sportswear – keeping you fresh and dry.
v. Aggressive costs allowing to compete in the competitive landscape.

 Weaknesses
i. Brexit might cost BarelyHuman additional charges and taxes – that is once Brexit has
been finalised – Finding appropriate pricing is going to be difficult as there are a lot
of competitors in this field - When it comes to sportswear, consumers always tend to
go for what is cheap especially online - Other competitors set low prices which there
is not enough room for innovation.
ii. The market becomes easily saturated like that.
iii. Limited product range as the business is still brand new and just emerging.

 Opportunities
10
 i. New openings in this market, people demand comfort and versatility from their
sportswear – High demand sportswear in general
ii. People are becoming more active or are more aware of their bodies
iii. Sportswear/gym wear has become a part of daily clothing
iv. Support global marketing events such as (future thinking)
v. World cup
vi. Olympics
vii. Rugby world cup
viii. English premier league (Domestically) – this will lead to brand exposure
ix. Potentially start off small maybe like I said keep domestic, potentially use
Loughborough university sporting events like athletics or the big matches for football
and rugby
x. Maybe Evo stick premier league/conference
xi. App development
xii. Potential of opening recreational spaces (gym, calisthenics park)

 Threats
i. Heavy competition in this market (gym and sportswear), most notably Gymshark
who have built a massive empire.
ii. However, we hope to build our own legacy through our own brand-new innovative
ideas – Similar market strategies – those competitors will most likely have similar
market strategy

8. Conclusion
Athleisure wear has gained immense popularity because it makes people feel comfortable,
calmer, more active and healthier; and this is exactly what will propel the demand of the
same in the times to come.
The drivers will continue to be the increasing importance about fitness among the millennial
and GenZ population and their increased spending capacity on lifestyle needs with the
restraint being the high cost of the athleisure apparels. Any brand that can capitalize on this
will sure be standing long after the dust settles.

Appendix A (References)

11
 https://alalastyle.com/blogs/news/what-does-athleisure-wear-really-mean
 https://www.savills.com/open/fashion/why-athleisure-is-going-for-gold-in-the-uk-
retail-market-during-lockdown/
 https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/athleisure-market-size-to-expand-at-
8-1-cagr-by-2025-owing-to-rising-adaption-of-fashionable-amp-stylish-athleisure-
wearing-in-offices-amp-work-places-million-insights-825931408.html
 https://www.millioninsights.com/industry-reports/global-athleisure-market?
utm_source=prnewswire&utm_medium=referral&utm_campaign=prn_07Apr2021_a
thleisure_rd2
 https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbescommunicationscouncil/2021/05/03/the-rise-
of-athleisure-in-the-fashion-industry-and-what-it-means-for-brands/
 https://www.reportlinker.com/p05043301/The-UK-Sports-Market.html
 https://www.fibre2fashion.com/news/retail-industry/uk-athleisure-order-volumes-
rise-since-pandemic-started-272626-newsdetails.htm
 https://www.transparencymarketresearch.com/athleisure-market.html
 https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190528005339/en/The-Global-
Athleisure-Market-to-2025-Analyzed-by-Product-Fabric-and-Region---
ResearchAndMarkets.com
 https://store.globaldata.com/report/vr0158sr--the-uk-sportswear-market-2018-
2023/
 https://f-trend.com/blog/designing-activewear-millennial-202021

12