Australian activewear brands could be missing out on a lucrative new market, according to Euromonitor.
Euromonitor senior research analyst Julia Illera said the sports apparel category in Australia is forecast to grow 6.2% on average over the next five years.
Illera said brands such as Nike, which recently introduced a hijab designed for female Muslim athletes, are doing well to target multicultural consumers.
“Given Australia’s outdoor lifestyle and multicultural population, demand for modest sportswear is expected to continue to grow.
"There are opportunities for modest sporting apparel beyond competitive sport, with government, communities and individuals pushing initiatives for a more inclusive approach to sports in Australia.
"With most of Australia’s population concentrated in coastal regions and families sharing a fair amount of time at the beach or swimming pool, items like the Burqini are expected to gain further traction as more Muslim and non-Muslim women recognise its multiple benefits, including sun protection, flexibility and modesty.
"Apart from Nike’s ‘Pro Hijab’, however, new product development within halal sporting apparel has been relatively slow.
"Key developments, such as the Capster, a sporting hijab from Dutch designer Cindy van den Bremen, and the Burqini, were introduced to the market more than 10 years ago.
"Yet the segment has benefited from global trends in the sports category, including the emergence of sports-inspired apparel.
"With a new generation of fashion designers, retailers and bloggers closely following global fashion trends and adapting them to be religiously acceptable, there is certainly vast potential for halal variations on contemporary “sports-luxe” or “athleisure” trends."