Apparel brand owners make China’s ‘top 100’

Although much of the world’s retail sector has been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic, purchases of athleisure products in China are reported to have grown significantly. This has been encouraged in part by the perceived importance of health and fitness among the Chinese population and the forthcoming 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games. Companies named in a newly-published ‘China top 100’ list of apparel brand owners include Anta Sports Products and Li-Ning Company, both of which are said to have enjoyed success by leveraging a recent wave of national pride.

Founded in 1994, Anta Sports Products is a multinational corporation based in Jinjiang, and was reportedly the world’s third-largest sportswear company by revenue in 2019. The organisation’s operations involve designing, developing, manufacturing and marketing sportswear, footwear, apparel, accessories and other products within a brand portfolio consisting of Anta, Descente, Fila, Kingkow, Kolon Sport and Sprandi. Having set up an investor consortium, Anta Sports Products acquired the Finnish sportswear group Amer Sports and its many internationally-recognised brands in 2019.

Beijing-headquartered Li-Ning Company Limited manufactures a range of goods, including sports and casual footwear, clothing, equipment and accessories. Established in 1990 by former Chinese Olympic gymnast Li Ning, it is associated with a number of well-known athletes and sports teams, and has the announced intention of building into a leading global sporting goods company.

The photograph above shows an Anta Sports store in Shenzhen.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 3 of the December 2020 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

Other articles from this issue »

---