U.S. clothing sales may exceed pre-pandemic levels, with comfortable styles becoming the main focus!

Research firm NPD said sales in the U.S. apparel market this year are expected to exceed pre-pandemic levels in 2019.

According to the survey, sales in the US apparel market in the first eight months of this year increased by US$13.3 million, a 10% increase, compared with the same period in 2019 .

The increase in sales is because most consumers need to replace the clothes in their wardrobes this year. Data shows that 61% of consumers said they need to buy new clothes, mainly because the original clothes are worn out, the size has changed, and the number of outings has increased.

Based on these demands, NPD expects the fastest-growing apparel sales categories this year to be sleepwear, underwear, socks and other basic necessities.

Since the outbreak, as most people need to work from home, the sales of pajamas have increased significantly. In fact, pajamas are also the fastest growing clothing category so far this year. According to another NPD survey report, the definition of "pajamas" is constantly expanding, and 70% of women said that in addition to sleeping, they would choose to wear pajamas and slippers at other times.

In addition, as vaccination rates rise and more people choose to go out, demand for intimate apparel has also begun to pick up. In the first eight months of this year, sales of intimate apparel increased by 25% year-on-year compared with 2019.

For women, sales of smooth and wire-free bras increased 46% and 41% respectively, while underwire bras grew 9%.

For men, sales of underwear and undershirts increased by 21% in total. Among them, the growth of undershirts was particularly obvious, with sales of undershirts increasing by 47% year-on-year in 2019, far higher than the 13% increase in other tops.

In addition, socks sales have also seen growth this year, up 27% in total. It is understood that sales of all types of socks have increased. However, the preferences of men and women are different. Men like crew socks, while women prefer low-top socks.

Kristen Classi Zummo, director of apparel market insights at NPD, said that these data show that the epidemic has affected people's dressing patterns, and consumers will prioritize comfort when buying clothes.

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