Catalan cycling clothing manufacturers hold their own against the industry giants

BarcelonaThe Titan Desert in Morocco is one of the toughest races in the world of endurance cycling. Over the course of six stages, participants cross the Atlas mountain range and the dunes of the Sahara Desert to complete a route of nearly 600 kilometers and more than 6,000 meters of positive elevation gain. And the 2026 edition, held between late April and early May, had a Catalan seal. The brand Inverse, based in Mollet del Vallès, was chosen to design and manufacture the official jersey for the competition, a garment adapted to withstand the heat, wind, and sand of the landscape, which several of the 475 cyclists who took on the challenge wore.

In an activity of great popularity like cycling, the presence of Catalan manufacturers within the technical clothing sector is much more than symbolic. Unlike other mass sports like football, basketball, and athletics, where giants like Nike, Adidas, and Puma share a large part of the pie, cycling is characterized by greater atomization. In this scenario, which has been ongoing for years, local brands have managed to find their market niches and stand their ground against the industry giants.

According to data from the Mercantile Registry, the three main cycling clothing manufacturers based in Catalonia—Tactic, Inverse, and Hoko (the latter also offers products for running)—achieved an aggregate turnover of 13.1 million euros in 2025, a figure that has remained stable over the last five years. Apart from these three proper names, the country has a wide network of companies with their own workshops (see the map), to which must be added local brands that outsource production. Compared to the titans of the sector, the contrast between small and large is much less pronounced than in other disciplines. As an example, the Italian group Manifattura Valcismon—which groups the brands Castelli, Sportful, Karpos, Zoot, and Tailfin—had a turnover of 110 million euros in 2025. Furthermore, it must be taken into account that the company is also present in segments such as ski clothing. Other brands like the British Rapha, currently in a slump, closed the fiscal year with sales of around 100 million euros, while the benchmark Spanish brand, the Murcian-based Gobik, totaled revenues of 51.4 million euros.

The ingredients for the success of Catalan manufacturers are mainly three, as pointed out by academics and professionals in the sector consulted by ARA. Firstly, Catalonia is a benchmark on a European and global scale, with a high capacity to attract visitors due to the suitability of the landscape, the climate, and the infrastructure. The second reason has to do with its industrial trajectory and its technical knowledge, a history that dates back to the 19th century, with all the advances brought by the textile industry that turned the country into a benchmark for manufacturing. And finally, the ability to create organized communities that drive the proliferation of specialized manufacturers.

Growth engines

It is easy, when driving on Catalan roads on a summer weekend, for any driver to come across groups of cyclists, all dressed in matching jerseys. What used to be federated clubs have now adopted a new form, and it is here that Catalan manufacturers have managed to find their niche. People no longer associate as much with traditional clubs; now they meet in small groups with various interests, from retirees who stop for breakfast to those who want to train at a good level," comments the export sales director of Tactic, Marc Carbó, one of the leading companies in the Catalan industry, founded in the late nineties and with facilities in Bescanó (Gironès).

For this company as well as for others located in the Catalan territory, customization has become their main source of income. Over time, the country's manufacturers have seen the difficulties of competing in collection clothing – pieces produced in large quantities, aimed at individual clients and for the spring-summer and autumn-winter seasons – and have opted for this segment: more complex orders for groups of a few dozen people and where customization has no limits. From the design of logos and their placement on the clothing to the type of fabric, the adaptability of the pad, and the material that forms the headbands. From the sector, they point out that customized fabrics represent, on average, at least three-quarters of the total turnover of the businesses.

"Our clients know us, they see and touch the product, we send them sizes so they can try them on, we advise them on the design, and we offer them an after-sales service," they explain from Tactic. Between the start of an order and the delivery, a minimum of six weeks can pass, in order to offer the highest possible quality and reduce any margin of error to a minimum. For the company, furthermore, proximity – a good portion of the buyers are Catalan – is a fundamental element. "Buying at home always provides more security," comments Carbó. Quim Cassany, one of the people in charge of Quetzal, a company based in Girona specialized in cycling and running apparel founded after the pandemic, is of the same opinion.

For Cassany, the sense of community in the world of cycling is much stronger than in other sports, like soccer. He, who is a fan of cycling and trail running, corroborates this. "In the end, we know the sport from the inside because we maintain direct contact with it. We go out to ride with our clients, we are much more present in their day-to-day lives," he comments. At the same time, Cassany sees personalization as a key factor that has contributed to boosting the business even further. "In these last few years, the profile of the cyclist who wants to look good while grabbing a coffee has appeared. Until relatively recently, cycling was not conceived as a fashion sector, but now things have changed," he observes.

A saturated market?

The growing popularity of cycling in Catalonia has also translated into the proliferation of new sportswear brands in the territory. Especially after the pandemic, the voices consulted agree in pointing out that the sector has experienced an unprecedented boom that has reached the point of saturating the market. Good proof of this is the evolution of sales of the three large Catalan workshops. From the year 2013 to 2020, just when the COVID-19 crisis broke out, their income soared by 53.6%, while between the 2021 and 2025 fiscal years the aggregate figures have barely varied, and has stabilized above 13 million euros (see the chart), all this coinciding with the emergence of new competition.

"We find ourselves in a fairly mature market, with a number of users that is what it is," points out Joaquim Sabater, marketing director of Inverse, the Valles-based company and pioneer of cycling apparel in Catalonia, with origins dating back to 1969. Companies like his have already anticipated the situation and entered into new lines of business. While customization continues to be a fundamental pillar, the company has begun to diversify sources of income and become a multi-sport brand. Inverse is the official provider of the clothing collection for the Catalan Triathlon Federation and has ventured into the world of custom kits for sports such as basketball and volleyball.

Another growth vertical is internationalization, especially in search of markets with higher purchasing power that continue to value quality over price. Tactic, for example, is already looking primarily towards the French market, and Inverse is also present, besides France, in countries like Switzerland and in some areas of Germany and the Benelux.

Despite the saturation of the Catalan market, the sector still has a wide path ahead, according to experts. "Growth does not depend on having more cyclists, but on understanding the consumer," notes Edgar Romero, doctor in sports management and professor at the Johan Cruyff Institute. For this academic specializing in sports marketing and business development, the market will follow this process of "stabilization," but companies that manage to "play their cards well" will continue to consolidate their activity.

Beyond new international markets, the voices consulted cite several segments with strong growth potential, especially within customization. Garments adapted for profiles that opt for the electric bike, more innovation in the women's clothing line, and disciplines gaining followers, such as the gravel modality –a bike model designed to ride on both asphalt and dirt tracks and greenways–, are just some examples. "Cycling is sport, it is health, it is sustainability. There is a good future, it is just necessary that some things end up falling into place," summarizes Carbó. What seems undoubted is that Catalonia and its manufacturers will continue to play a fundamental role within an industry with its own particular giants. For the moment, the peloton is moving forward with determination; the goal will be not to get dropped.