Women's Plus-size Spending Grew Over Three-Times Faster than the Rest of the Apparel Market in 2021, NPD Says

Jeans, tops, and swimwear are the top categories where U.S. consumers want more options in their size.

PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y., May 17, 2022 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Since 2019, there has been consistent revenue growth in plus-size apparel in the U.S. across all generations, demographics, and household incomes. Sales revenue for women's plus-size apparel grew by 18% in 2021, compared to 2019, which is over three-times faster than consumer spending on the remaining women's market, according to The NPD Group.

After casual apparel, basics — including bras, underwear, and shapewear — make up the largest share of apparel units sold in plus-size apparel, at 27%, compared to 19% for the rest of the market, based on the new Inclusive Apparel Market Trends report from NPD. Basics is also an area where inclusivity has been a particular focus for brands and retailers — most recently with Lizzo's announcement of her new shapewear line, Yitty. On the other hand, jeans, tops, and swimwear are the top categories where consumers want more options in their size.

"Plus-size is a booming yet underserved area of the apparel industry," said Kristen Classi-Zummo, apparel industry analyst at NPD. "The intimate apparel market has been a pioneer in inclusive sizing, proving that the consumer will spend on categories where she feels well-represented. Successful apparel brands understand and connect with their customers' unique values and lifestyles."

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About The NPD Group
NPD is a global market information company offering data, industry expertise, and prescriptive analytics to help our clients understand today's retail landscape and prepare for the future. Over 2,000 companies worldwide rely on us to help them measure, predict, and improve performance across all channels, including brick-and-mortar, e-commerce, and B2B. We have services in 19 countries worldwide, with operations spanning the Americas, Europe, and APAC. Practice areas include apparel, appliances, automotive, beauty, books, B2B technology, consumer technology, e-commerce, fashion accessories, food consumption, foodservice, footwear, home, home improvement, juvenile products, media entertainment, mobile, office supplies, retail, sports, toys, and video games. For more information, visit npd.com. Follow us on Twitter: @npdgroup.

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SOURCE The NPD Group