Lululemon Vs Gymshark: Which Brand Is Better for You?

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Looking for your next set of workout outfits that are durable, reliable, and affordable? Check out our guide on lululemon vs Gymshark.

There is no better way to fight the stresses occasioned by the global financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic than a good yoga routine or a sweaty gym workout. And for this, you require perfect fitness wear. A quick search will bring you two renowned brands in this space; lululemon and Gymshark

To the inexperienced eye, the two brands seem to be alike; they both produce sports apparel and are both found in yoga and the gym. But this is nowhere near the truth. In this article, you’ll learn to set each brand apart and touch on what the two share in common. 

But first, a trip down memory lane to the genesis of the two companies and find out how they became the global behemoths they are today.

Lululemon Vs Gymshark: Background 

The two brands are arguably among the most influential brands in the clothing fitness industry. Lululemon is a Canadian company, while Gymshark is a British company.

Lululemon


The brand’s history can be traced back to 1998, when its founder, Chip Wilson, opened his first store in Vancouver, Canada.

The apparel store has grown to more than 200 stores from these humble beginnings. It has been featured on several occasions in Fortune Magazine as one of the “fastest-growing companies.” 

Gymshark


Any conversation about fitness wear wouldn’t be complete without the mention of Gymshark.

Founders Lewis Morgan and Ben Francis did the impossible when they grew the company from sewing products in their parent’s garages back in 2012 to the billion-dollar global giant it is today. The phenomenal growth is a testament to the top quality of pieces that the company produces. 

Since it was founded, the company has been exclusively engaged in direct-to-consumer sales; a marketing approach that has cushioned the company from the social restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Differences Between Lululemon Vs Gymshark

1. Availability

Like many businesses of the time, lululemon started as a walk-in store and gradually grew to open other stores worldwide. With over 207 stores spread over all the global fashion capitals, lululemon ensures that its customers can try on their favorite clothes anywhere.

However, the brand has also incorporated direct-to-consumer sales in its operations in recent years. It has developed an excellent website where customers can have a glimpse of the latest offerings and hottest sales. 

A recent entrant in the industry, Gymshark didn’t have the luxury of time to open new walk-in stores. However, what the founders lacked in real estate, they made up for in technological prowess. Gymshark was among the first British fitness apparel businesses to heavily rely on Influencer marketing to promote its products, and it paid off big time.

With this, the brand has already established a reputation as a reliable online source for fitness apparel. The focus on direct-to-consumer sales came in handy with the recent outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced many businesses to shut down physical operations.

The GYMSHARK online store is professionally developed yet easy to navigate, allowing people with basic internet knowledge to navigate and make purchases. The online store also features the brand’s best-sellers, among other options. 

2. Environment

The modern customer is environmentally conscious and will prefer products according to these beliefs. As such, lululemon has embarked on a campaign to reduce the company’s carbon footprint by reducing the number of its products ending up in landfills.

They achieve this through the RETHINK-REVIVE-REDISCOVER movement, where customers can trade in their old lululemon gear for an e-gift card that can be redeemed on their online at any lululemon store. 

Gymshark, in its operations, complies with the REACH, which stipulates the limits and restrictions of chemical substances that could harm consumers, workers, and the environment.

However, some of the materials they use are not eco-friendly, and there is no evidence that they minimize textile waste. 

3. Materials Used & Quality

Many people who try lululemon agree that its products stand the test of time. The secret ingredient for this has been on a brand trademarked fabric.

The material is composed of lycra elastane and nylon mixed in a 20:80 ratio. Each of the two components of Luon has impressive qualities. The stretchiness of lycra elastane ensures you can do those yoga poses without the worry of an unfortunate tear.

In contrast, the softness of nylon ensures that you’re comfortable when wearing your favorite lululemons. 

On the other hand, the majority of the Gymshark offerings are elastane, nylon, and polyester. Nylon is the primary material of the three due to its softness. Gymshark focuses on providing its customers with a comfortable experience when working out. 

Polyester is known for its sweat-wicking properties, which help you feel dry even after an intense workout. However, this also comes with an odor problem since the material will absorb the sweat.

Finally, elastane provides the stretchiness of the apparel. With the three, you get the perfect material for stretching, running, and any other workouts you might be engaged in.

The materials that Gymshark uses are often cheaper than lululemon’s, and from personal experience, we can attest that sometimes this shows. For example, there have been a couple of instances where the Gymshark leggings that we’ve ordered have been see-through. Not good, especially if you are squatting at the gym!

4. Price Point

With lululemon, the prices vary with the products. However, they’re still considered to be among the top-end brands in the market. Take the timeless classic black Down For It All Jacket as an example. Despite being a best-selling product, this jacket will set you off $198. 

The brand is also known for its relatively expensive limited-edition offerings, with some fetching a price tag of over $1,500. 

Not everyone can afford over $100 in fitness wear, which is the demographic that Gymshark aims to cover. With this brand, you get a wide range of fitness wear at a relatively low cost.

An example is their Fraction Crop Top, a trendy fitness shirt that will surely turn heads in the gym. It’s made up of 100% cotton, is breathable, and features dropped shoulders and a screenprint branding at the waistline.

These fashionable pieces attract a price of only $26. Also, the brand occasionally has huge discounts on its products, and 40% slashes in price are a regular occurrence. 

Our Favorite Lululemon Vs Gymshark Pieces

1. Shirts
lululemon vs Gymshark: Hot pink long sleeve exercise shirt from Lululemon
Get these on lululemon
lululemon vs Gymshark: Peach long-sleeve exercise shirt from Gymshark
Get this on Gymshark

Lululemon has trendy shirt pieces in their catalog. One of their bestsellers is the Swiftly Tech Long Sleeve Shirt 2.0 Race Length.

Its lightweight and porous design is custom for the athlete user but can also be worn during meditation sessions. The shirt comes in various colors, from orange soda to wild mint, and sizes range from 20 to 0. However, the shirt is pricey, ranging from $68 to $78.

Representing Gymshark in the shirt category is the Vital 2.0 Seamless Long Sleeve Top. The top remains among the affordable choices on the market, and it retails for $30.

Its price is impressive considering the outstanding features of the shirt, including its seamless design, making the shirt hug your body smoothly.

The Vital’s stretching design makes it suitable for pregnant users regardless of the size of the bump, and we all know how difficult it can be to get the perfect workout top when pregnant. 

2. Leggings
lululemon vs Gymshark: Black leopard print leggings from Lululemon
Get these on lululemon
lululemon vs Gymshark: Pink high-waist workout leggings from Gymshark
Get these on Gymshark

There are innumerable selections you will love in lululemon’s leggings category. One of the best pants is their Align High Rise Pants.

The feature that stands out is the invisible pockets, which come as a massive relief for anyone who has experienced the inconvenience of not having your essentials with you when doing yoga. Its soft nylon material provides soft leggings that blend with your skin.

You’ll get the top-selling lululemon leggings for $100, which is among the most expensive options. 

In contrast, Gymshark’s affordability is evident in its offering, the Flex High Waisted Leggings, generally priced at $40.

The sizes of the leggings range from Extra Small to Extra Large. You also get a wide variety of colors to choose from. Despite the relatively low cost, you still get the sweat-wick technology characteristic of Gymshark.

Also, unlike lululemon’s low seam design, the leggings come in a seamless fabric that provides a silk-like smoothness on your legs, allowing you to feel one with the leggings.

3. Shorts
Mauve and grey camo-print shorts from Lululemon
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Olive green camo print shorts from Gymshark
Get these on Gymshark

The Hotty Hot Low-Rise Lined Shorts is an obvious choice you’d love from lululemon’s many offerings because this selection ticks well with most customers.

One, it comes with a slew of colors to choose from. You will love their camo-mauve variety, a unique style that goes with many shades of tops.

Two, the shorts have a light fabric, making them perfect for running, and does not require ironing.

Finally, it comes with an inbuilt soft liner for extra comfort, even during strenuous workouts. Like other lululemon garments, the Hotty Hot Low-Rise Lined shorts are high in the price spectrum, as their $68 price tag shows.  

The Training Loose Fit Shorts from Gymshark are a must-have in your gym bag, and here’s why. Few things are as uncomfortable as sweaty shorts when in the gym.

In contrast, these shorts are purely 100% polyester, a fabric known for its moisture-wicking properties. They also feature a trendy contrast logo around the waist.

Also on the waistband is a silicone grip, for that excellent grip even when running. You’ll get all these fantastic features at an affordable price of $30.

With these Gymshark shorts, size shouldn’t be a problem since they come in all sizes from XS to XXL. There are numerous colors to choose from, but you will most likely love the cute green print option.

What Is “Meh” About the Two Brands

While there seems to be much to celebrate for the two brands, there are some shortcomings. For instance, the two brands don’t seem to champion products for plus-sized men or women.

Many of the models you’ll see on their respective websites were slim women. Maybe they need to bring out their plus-sized offerings on their websites to cater to all sizes. 

The Bottomline

The two brands are undeniably among the most popular in fitness wear, and they seem to complement each other, as the merit of one was the demerit of the other. However, the environmental consciousness of lululemon appears to tip the scales in the brand’s favor. 

The bottom line is that the brand choice will dictate what you’re looking for in fitness wear. If you’re looking for affordability, Gymshark would be an excellent choice.

On the flipside, lululemon would be the perfect fit if you’d rather have good quality material regardless of cost. It’s a matter of what tickles your fancy. 

Perhaps this is not the most straightforward answer, but we hope that this guide will help you make an informed decision on lululemon vs Gymshark. 

Here’s a better suggestion; try different products from the two brands. After all, it’s one way of enjoying the best of both worlds.

We hope you enjoyed this analysis of lululemon vs Gymshark! For more similar posts, check out the articles below.

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