Gap, Target Join Retail Rush Into Athletic Apparel

Everywhere you look there's an athlete on the go. Or so it seems from what people are wearing on the streets: running shoes, compression tees, bike shorts, yoga pants. The trend is a winner for a bunch of brands and the retailers that are scrambling to carry them or their own labels to meet demand. Active wear is the fastest growing apparel sector and performance wear is the fastest growing subsegment, industry observers say. Overall active wear sales in the U.S. grew 9 percent in the 12 months ending in June.