There are emerging trends that are driving the track shoe industry in the US. These are the most essential trends anticipated to transform the market outlook in 2021. They include:
- Increase use of eco-friendly products
- Innovations insole technology
- Growing preference for customized and premium goods
- Customization through 3D printing
- Increased focus on shoe designing
- Shoe-knitting technology
1. Increase use of eco-friendly products
With the rising need for environmental preservation, the majority of consumers are now demanding sustainable goods. Retailers cater to this high demand by emphasizing producing products that lessen the negative impacts on the environment. For this reason, organic cotton, plastic materials, water-based adhesives, and recycled runners are replacing traditional leather, nylon, polyurethane, synthetic rubber, and other synthetic substances in the production of track shoes.
2. Innovations in the sole technology
The ever-growing competition among international players has paved the way for the advancement of innovative track shoes, emphasizing enhancing user experience. People investing in track shoes seek high-quality and cost-effective products that will improve their playing and running skills. The top players are releasing products with enhanced technologies that can enhance the general experience of the user. The recent technology that is becoming famous is the use of polyurethane capsules to produce track shoes. The capsules offer the user buoyancy, letting them use less energy.
Some track shoes come with in-built detectors to track the distance covered, calories burned, and speed.
3. Increasing preference for customized and premium products
The majority of manufactures of track shoes are now embracing customization. Retails such as amazon are getting recurring gains from customizing products for their client base using Big Data. Also, vendors are increasingly focusing on offering clients personalized items, hence improving client engagement and loyalty. Up to 25 percent of shoes bought online are customized; this translates to $2billion worth of all customized shoe sales.
Adding to the increasing need and demand for personalized track shoes, there is also a significantly higher demand for premium items. High costs of products influence client perceptions about the product. A high price quote is perceived to provide high quality, good comfort, and good performance. So, demand for customized and premium track shoes is anticipated to increase.
4. Customization through 3D printing
Customization of track shoes via 3D printing technology has become the most notable trend that dominates the track market. Many brands are using these innovations to create outsoles depending on the digital model of the user’s feet.
5. Increased focus on shoe designing
Retailers in the track shoes market are looking for different products and designing methods to meet the increasing demand for more sustainable and better sports shoes. The improvements in the science of sneaker manufacturing have allowed vendors to concentrate on secondary client needs such as style, improvement of performance, and comfort. Some shoes are designed to offer users a higher degree of energy return. The release of such kicks designed incorporating unique consumer needs is boosting the market growth.
6. Shoe-knitting technology
Shoe-knitting is the recent trend that is taking the track shoe industry by storm. Leading track footwear manufacturers such as Nick and Adidas have adopted this technology. Instead of using different fabrics to weave dense lawyers for the upper part of the shoes, this shoe-knitting technology targets snug-fitting kicks, like a pair of socks.
Hibbett’s track shoes mainly comprise sneakers worn while playing track sports like squash, badminton, or basketball. The shows are function-built and are meant for specific track games.
