Recorded answer text · ChatGPT · 25 October 2026
If you want to know what activewear brands Brits actually wear - rather than just what looks good on Instagram - the big names are Nike, Adidas, Gymshark, Puma and New Balance, with Sweaty Betty, Lululemon and Fabletics strong in the more specialist leggings-and-gymwear market.
The important distinction is that the brands people recognise, the brands they buy, and the brands they wear for a specific workout aren't necessarily the same.
## The UK activewear landscape
!Buy Nike Zenvy Women's High-Waisted Full-Length Leggings - Seaweed/Black @ Nike Qatar
1\. Nike
(Mainstream favourite)
The safest all-round answer: gym kit, running gear, leggings, sports bras and trainers. In a UK survey, 37% of Brits spontaneously associated sportswear with Nike, ahead of Adidas at 26%. www.appinio.comwww.euromonitor.com
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2\. Adidas
The other giant of British sportswear. Particularly visible in trainers, tracksuits, three-stripe leggings and casual athleisure. Adidas had 96% brand awareness in a 2025 UK survey, narrowly ahead of Nike at 95%. www.appinio.comwww.euromonitor.comwww.statista.comwearemassive.co.ukiris.ipsos.com
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!Gymshark Vital Regular Leggings - Base Green Marl | Gymshark
3\. Gymshark
The gym-culture favourite: matching sets, seamless leggings, fitted tops and lifting clothes. Especially relevant if you're thinking of younger gym-goers and fitness communities. Gymshark ranked third in the same survey of what sportswear brings to mind, at 9%. www.appinio.comiris.ipsos.comwearemassive.co.uk
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!Sweaty Betty Power Pro 7/8 Workout Leggings, Black
4\. Sweaty Betty
A recognisable British specialist for premium leggings, yoga, Pilates and studio classes. It also ranked second for exercise clothing in a 2025 fitness-participation industry survey, behind Nike. www.appinio.comiris.ipsos.comwearemassive.co.uk
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!Lululemon Align Tank - True Navy - lulu fanatics
5\. Lululemon
The premium option, particularly for yoga, Pilates, studio workouts and understated athleisure. More specialist than universal: UK brand awareness was 50% in 2025, versus 63% for Gymshark. www.appinio.comwww.euromonitor.comwww.statista.comwearemassive.co.ukiris.ipsos.com
## Other brands Brits genuinely buy and wear
Adidas · Nike · Puma
## 96%
Adidas awareness
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Most-mentioned sportswear brands
Nike · Adidas · Gymshark
Consumer survey
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Most popular exercise clothing among surveyed event participants
Nike · Sweaty Betty · ASICS
2025 survey
Sources: www.statista.comwww.appinio.comwearemassive.co.uk
One useful reality check: in a UK consumer survey, 65% prioritised comfort and 57% considered price when buying sportswear, and 59% said they wore workout clothes outside workouts too. That helps explain why affordable mainstream brands coexist with premium and influencer-led labels. www.appinio.comwww.euromonitor.comiris.ipsos.comwww.statista.comwearemassive.co.uk
My take\: if you're trying to understand the British market for women's gymwear specifically, start with Nike, Gymshark, Adidas, Sweaty Betty, Lululemon, Adanola and Fabletics. If you're looking at what people wear for sport overall, add Puma, ASICS, New Balance and Decathlon.
The mix changes considerably by audience, though: are you interested in women's leggings and matching gym sets, men's gymwear, or activewear across the whole UK market?
