Inside China’s Rapidly Growing Outdoor & Sporting Goods Market

Published on August 26, 2025

China’s US$55.8B sports and outdoor e-commerce market is climbing fast, and it’s not stopping to catch its breath.

In 2024, the sector grew by 20% year-on-year, powered by the country’s appetite for fitness, nature, and gear that does more than just look the part. Whether it’s hiking boots that can survive a monsoon or quick-dry tees for a camping trip, Chinese consumers are buying into the outdoors as both a lifestyle and a mindset.

And while local brands are in the race, it’s the international players — often niche or highly specialised — that are slipping ahead. Think ultra-marathon shoes from Sweden or camping gear engineered to survive the Australian bush. The kind of brands that know their tensile strength from their thermal conductivity. That’s who’s quietly winning.

Overview:

Foreign Sports & Outdoor Brands are Gaining Ground in China

China’s not always an easy ride for foreign brands. Plenty have shown up and then quietly fizzled out. But in the world of sports and outdoor gear? The story’s playing out very differently.

Brands like On Running and Lululemon have made headlines recently, but they’re just the tip of what’s become a fast-growing trend. Today, at least 6 international outdoor and sportswear brands are pulling in over US$500 million a year in China.

Outdoor apparel sales have doubled in 5 years, and foreign players have carved out a serious chunk of that. It’s not just the giants either. Mid-sized, niche brands from Canada, the US, Europe, Australia, Japan, and South Korea are all thriving — whether through local partners, subsidiaries, or joint ventures. The paths are different. The outcome’s the same: growth.

What ties them together?

They’ve shown up. Not just with ads, but with presence. They’re building communities, not just customer lists.

On Running is a standout. They’re not shouting in from the sidelines. They’re in the crowd, on the track, part of the culture. Their content features local runners and real events. It feels local because it is local. Compare that to the tired celebrity-led campaigns from Adidas in China, and the gap is obvious.

The numbers tell the rest: On Running pulls in 1.85% engagement on RedNote and 2.01% on Douyin. Adidas? Just 0.27%.

It’s about tone. Successful sports and outdoor brands understand how people hike, run, climb, and camp in China — and more importantly, how they talk about it.

That’s the difference. They’re not parachuting in. They’re already there.

Why Outdoor Lifestyles are Booming in China’s Cities

Across China’s cities, something’s shifted. More people, especially the under-35 crowd, are trading screen time for skyline views. Hiking in China is booming, and not just among hardcore nature types. It’s the go-to remedy for digital burnout. When your city’s flanked by mountains or edged by forest, escape is just a cab ride away.

And the numbers back it up. According to Discripto®, WPIC’s proprietary data technology, online sales of outdoor jackets hit US$2.7 billion in 2024, up 49% year-on-year. It’s not just about the trail anymore. Performance gear is everywhere, pushed through livestreams, short videos, and influencer content that makes a fleece hoodie look like high fashion.

And it sort of is.

Gorpcore (outdoor kit as everyday style) is fuelling demand for jackets, packs, and gear that may never see a real mountain. Hiking boots are following suit. Online sales of mountaineering and trail shoes climbed to nearly US$500 million in 2024, up 52% from the year before.

Government policy played its part. The Healthy China 2030 initiative encouraged active lifestyles. Then COVID closed gyms and cancelled flights. Nature became the fallback, then the preferred option.

Camping took off. First the glossy, curated glamping setups. Then the full DIY weekends. Social feeds exploded with campsite walk-throughs, packing lists, and tent hauls. Being outside became its own form of content. And content, as ever, drives everything in China.

How Outdoor Culture is Shaping Consumer Behaviour in China

The outdoor boom in China has gone far beyond the specialised gear. It’s changing what people eat, what they wear, what they pack for their pets, and even how they see themselves.

Snacks and drinks? Needs to be grab-and-go, no mess, and preferably photogenic next to a mountain sunrise.

Beauty and personals care? Products that can handle sun, sweat, and temperature swings are having a moment. Form meets function.

Even pet care’s gone alpine. If your product doesn’t fit in a daypack or keep a dog safe in the mountains, it’s probably staying home.

And then there are the brands with no obvious connection to sports or the outdoors, but they’re showing up anyway. Hosting nature clean-ups. Dropping co-branded gear. Crafting “back to nature” narratives. It’s not about product fit anymore. It’s about values.

And that’s the real takeaway: it’s not about the gear. It’s about how quickly things shift in China, and how much upside there is for brands that move fast and thoughtfully.

The foreign brands making headway in China aren’t necessarily the loudest. They’re the most tuned in. They speak the culture, not just the language. They find their audience and show up with something that feels real.

That’s where WPIC comes in. We help brands figure out where they fit, how to speak, and who to speak to.

Curious where your brand fits on China’s new lifestyle map? Let’s talk.

About WPIC

Leadership

Careers

Newsroom

Inside China’s Rapidly Growing Outdoor & Sporting Goods Market

Overview:

Foreign Sports & Outdoor Brands are Gaining Ground in China

Why Outdoor Lifestyles are Booming in China’s Cities

How Outdoor Culture is Shaping Consumer Behaviour in China

Latest related articles

Jake’s Take: Quality Trumps Cheap in China’s Brand Battle

South Korea’s Sports & Outdoor Market 2025 Trends

Jake’s Take: Why China is Swapping Louis Vuitton for Lululemon