The global counterfeit sportswear market is showing no signs of slowing down, propelled by growing consumer enthusiasm for sports, fitness culture, and streetwear fashion. The seven-page Textiles Intelligence report highlights that premium-priced performance apparel has become a prime target for counterfeiters as global demand for branded products continues to rise.
The popularity of sports icons, fitness influencers, and professional teams has amplified the demand for branded apparel, creating a lucrative opportunity for counterfeit operations to thrive. Price disparity is another factor fueling this growth — for instance, in 2024, the average retail price of authentic replica football shirts in the UK was around £76.50, compared to just £11 for counterfeit versions.
Access to counterfeit products has also become easier than ever. Previously confined to street vendors and informal markets, fake sportswear now proliferates across e-commerce sites, social media platforms, and resale apps, reaching global audiences with minimal regulation.
Platforms such as Facebook Marketplace, Instagram, TikTok Shop, and WhatsApp have emerged as major channels for counterfeit sales, offering convenience, anonymity, and steep discounts that attract unsuspecting consumers. Meanwhile, resale platforms like Depop, Grailed, and StockX—popular among younger, trend-conscious shoppers—face ongoing challenges with fake listings and fraudulent sellers.
Although these platforms have begun implementing authentication systems and buyer protection policies, counterfeit goods continue to infiltrate the market, especially through peer-to-peer transactions.
In response, major sportswear giants such as adidas (Germany) and Nike (USA) are strengthening their anti-counterfeiting measures by adopting blockchain-based tracking systems, digital authentication tags, smart QR codes, and invisible inks. These tools enable consumers to verify product authenticity via dedicated apps and customer service channels.
Additionally, AI-driven image recognition and machine learning technologies are being deployed on online marketplaces and mobile apps to help identify counterfeit items more efficiently.
However, experts caution that counterfeiters continue to adapt quickly, often staying one step ahead of enforcement efforts due to inconsistent regulations, easy online accessibility, and increasingly sophisticated replication techniques.
The report emphasizes that long-term success in combating counterfeiting will depend on collaboration among brands, regulatory authorities, digital marketplaces, and consumers, working together to ensure authenticity, accountability, and trust in the sportswear industry.