Performance apparel represents one of the most dynamic sectors of the international textile and clothing industry, according to Performance Apparel Markets, a new publication from Textiles Intelligence.

In the European Union, the sports market, including both apparel and equipment, is worth just over Eur37 bn. In the USA it is worth around US$46 bn.

Although participation in team sports is declining on both sides of the Atlantic, the market for performance apparel is being fuelled by the increasing awareness of the health benefits of sporting activities. In both the USA and the European Union, spending on women's sports apparel is growing faster than spending on men's. This has been partly due to the rise in sports participation by women.

The market for high-tech performance fabrics is benefiting from great strides in technology, according to Performance Apparel Markets. In the past decade, the pace of fabric innovation - spurred by globalisation and the shift away from a rigid two-season year - has speeded up considerably.

The market for performance apparel fabrics is also being fuelled by the emergence of new fibres, new fabrics and innovative process technologies. Synthetic fibres and coatings have largely replaced traditional fabrics such as cotton. The development of high-tech fibres and fabrics has also led to greatly improved comfort levels, especially in high-energy sports and activities pursued in extreme weather conditions.

Consumers are demanding apparel for sporting and outdoor activities which is technically and functionally even more advanced. To a growing extent, they are taking attributes such as comfort and design for granted. Moreover, they are showing an increasing willingness to pay extra for performance features which can help to maximise their competitive edge when participating in sports. Such features include moisture management, temperature regulation, stretch, lightness, wind and water resistance, and friction reduction.

The sportswear market is also having an important spin-off effect on other apparel sectors such as leisurewear, bodywear and youth wear, says Performance Apparel Markets. In fact the distinction between high-tech sportswear and leisurewear has become blurred. Designer and store brands have expanded into sports-style apparel while performance sports brands have created their own lifestyle and casual looks. Casual wear, sport chic and designer sport have become increasingly popular. For a discerning group of customers, fashion without function, and vice versa, is no longer sufficient.

In response to consumers' growing demand for functionality and performance, manufacturers of performance fibres are shifting their attention away from chasing volumes in mass markets to specialising in higher value added products such as "smart" textiles which can adapt their properties to the wearer's needs. Some have adopted an unorthodox approach to development. Sportswear giant Nike, for example, has signed an exclusive deal with Philips Electronics to develop a new generation of high-performance digital devices and apparel aimed at improving athletic performance. Nike and Philips are just two of a growing number of companies exploring the idea of computerised clothing. Over the next decade, a wide range of "digital apparel" items are likely to enter the sportswear and leisurewear markets.

Competition in all segments of the performance apparel market - from fibre manufacture to apparel production - has been heating up and the main beneficiary has been the consumer. First quarter results for companies specialising in sports and outdoor apparel have been mixed. While companies such as Puma and Columbus Sportswear Company enjoyed a robust increase in sales in the first three months of this year, others such as Russell Corporation and VF Corporation saw a decline in sales on a year-on-year basis. The slowdown in consumer spending on apparel has taken much of the blame.

One of the key performance criteria in modern day sports and active outdoor wear, says Performance Apparel Markets, is moisture management-the ability of a garment to transport moisture away from the skin to the garment's outer surface. The market for moisture management fabrics is dominated by DuPont's CoolMax brand. However, the pace of development has accelerated over the past ten years, and a growing number of companies have started to compete with DuPont. The number of polyester-based moisture management fabrics on the market, for example, has increased dramatically in recent years.

One of the world's leading manufacturers of polyester-based moisture management fibres is Wellman. This company's Sensura, Ultura and ComFortrel Plus brands are now to be found in a wide range of garments for sports and outdoor activities. Indeed, Wellman plans to refocus the strategy of its polyester fibres business towards more differentiated, higher value added products -- in response to competitive pressures and a decline in its production volumes, which contributed to a drop in the company's sales and earnings last year. The company is cautiously optimistic about its prospects for 2002.

Further developments in the field of moisture management are likely over the next few years as manufacturers strive to boost the functionality of their offerings. The next generation of textiles could see the development of fabrics which are able to respond to changes in the environment by adjusting their pore size or thickness to allow moisture through.