China Outdoor Apparel Surges +22.2% on Camping Boom

Executive Summary

China's outdoor footwear and apparel market reached CN¥ 8.46 billion in 2023MAT sales revenue, growing +22.2% year-over-year (YoY) even as the broader fashion market contracted -13.8%. The growth was driven entirely by premiumization --- sales volume actually declined -6.3%, meaning higher average selling prices fueled the revenue surge. Shell jackets led the category at CN¥ 2.43 billion (+30.4%), while domestic brand Camel (骆驼) dominated with +112.0% revenue growth and 13.7% market share.

Revenue Surges While Volume Declines

The outdoor segment's +22.2% revenue growth masks a fundamentally different story on the volume side. Sales volume declined -6.3% YoY to 21 million units, confirming that the category's expansion was driven entirely by higher average selling prices. Leading brands leveraged livestream influencer sales to promote outdoor sports styling, expanding the market for premium items. Cold-weather categories such as shell jackets and down jackets --- which carry higher unit prices --- dominated purchasing, especially during the Double 11 promotional season.

Revenue YoY growth was positive in every single month from January 2022 onward, while volume growth remained negative in most months^[1]. The strongest revenue surges occurred in June 2022 (+51.2%) and August 2022 (+58.2%), months that benefited from both seasonal demand and the premiumization trend. Volume growth showed its first sustained recovery in June-September 2022, coinciding with the return of outdoor activity post-lockdown and the camping boom. However, by Q4 2022, volume returned to negative territory even as revenue stayed positive --- confirming that the premium shift, not volume expansion, is the primary growth driver for this category.

Sales revenue grows +22.2% YoY to CN¥ 8.46 billion despite volume decline

Shell Jackets and Sun-Protective Clothing Lead Growth

Shell jackets are the undisputed category leader with CN¥ 2.43 billion in sales revenue and +30.4% growth, benefiting directly from the camping and outdoor recreation boom. Social media-driven trends --- from glamping fashion to "Yama Style" techwear --- amplified consumer demand for functional yet stylish outdoor products. Three anchor categories --- shell jackets, sun-protective clothing, and down jackets --- collectively account for over 60% of category revenue, creating both opportunity and risk for brands concentrated in these segments.

The fastest-growing sub-categories reflect a broadening of outdoor activity types:

• Trail running shoes: +66.6% (CN¥ 95.9 million)
• Sun-protective clothing: +48.4% (CN¥ 1.39 billion)
• Performance underwear: +40.5% (CN¥ 130 million)
• Softshell jackets: +39.5% (CN¥ 223 million)
• Hiking and trekking shoes: +33.9% (CN¥ 580 million)

Conversely, ski wear collapsed -83.6%, likely due to pandemic restrictions limiting resort access. The contrast between surging everyday outdoor categories and declining specialized extreme gear underscores that casual outdoor recreation --- not elite adventure sports --- is driving this market.

Shell jackets lead at CN¥ 2.43 billion with +30.4% growth, trail running shoes surge +66.6%

Camel Dominates While International Brands Hold Premiums

Camel (骆驼) achieved +112.0% YoY revenue growth to CN¥ 11.6 billion, establishing clear domestic brand leadership with 13.7% market share --- exceeding The North Face (CN¥ 8.2 billion) by 41%. The brand's aggressive livestream-powered marketing and broad product range spanning multiple price points drove the surge. The top 15 brands capture approximately 68% of total market revenue, making outdoor footwear and apparel one of the most concentrated fashion sub-segments. Twelve of fifteen leading brands posted positive YoY growth --- a stark contrast to the broader fashion market where most brands declined.

Among international brands, all three leaders achieved positive growth. Arc'teryx (始祖鸟) led at +36.3%, The North Face posted +23.5% on a larger base, and Columbia grew +11.6%. Columbia's more modest performance potentially reflects its mid-market positioning that faces the most direct competition from domestic challengers. The premium price gap remains significant: Arc'teryx commands a CN¥ 2,085 average price --- 4.4 times Camel's CN¥ 475 --- yet this gap has narrowed as domestic brands premiumize. Consumer willingness to pay higher prices reflects growing attention to product quality, wearing experience, and brand equity.

Camel dominates with CN¥ 11.6 billion and +112.0% growth, dwarfing international rivals

Price Shift Toward Mid-to-High Tiers

The sub-CN¥ 500 segment contracted from 41.7% to 34.7%, shedding -7.0 percentage points of revenue share. Gains were distributed across multiple mid-to-high tiers, with the CN¥ 500-1,000 segment expanding +3.1 pp to 23.0%, the CN¥ 1,000-1,500 tier growing +2.1 pp, and the CN¥ 2,500+ segment gaining +2.2 pp^[2]. Only the CN¥ 2,000-2,500 tier declined (-1.1 pp), suggesting some consumers in this range either traded up to the premium tier or down to the CN¥ 1,500-2,000 range.

This shift reflects multiple converging factors:

• Consumers placing greater emphasis on quality and wearing experience
• Growing popularity of higher-priced shell jackets and down jackets
• Leading brands' success in using livestream marketing to justify premium pricing
• Government policy support through the "Outdoor Sports Industry Development Plan (2022-2025)" targeting a CN¥ 3 trillion total industry scale

Sub-CN¥ 500 share drops -7.0 pp as consumers trade up to premium outdoor gear

Key Takeaways

• China's outdoor apparel market grew +22.2% to CN¥ 8.46 billion, the standout segment in an otherwise declining fashion market
• Growth was driven entirely by premiumization; sales volume declined -6.3% while ASP surged across all leading brands
• Shell jackets led at CN¥ 2.43 billion (+30.4%), followed by sun-protective clothing at +48.4% growth
• Camel dominated with +112.0% growth and 13.7% market share, while Arc'teryx commanded a 4.4x price premium at CN¥ 2,085 ASP
• The sub-CN¥ 500 price tier contracted -7.0 pp as consumers traded up to mid-to-high segments

## About the Data

This analysis draws on Moojing Market Intelligence (魔镜洞察) data covering the 2023MAT period (February 2022 to January 2023). Moojing tracks 400,000+ brands across 30+ e-commerce platforms, representing 58-65% of China's online retail GMV. For full methodology and additional insights, see the complete Fashion & Footwear whitepaper.