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The athleisure industry has transformed the way consumers dress. What started as a niche category has become one of the most influential segments in apparel, driven by a unique combination of performance, comfort, lifestyle and brand experience. Today’s leading athleisure brands invest heavily in innovative materials, product development and customer engagement to differentiate themselves in an increasingly competitive market.
Yet while products and consumer expectations continue to evolve, packaging has often remained unchanged.
For decades, the apparel industry has relied on plastic polybags as the standard solution for garment protection, transportation and fulfilment. While effective from an operational perspective, growing sustainability commitments, evolving regulations and changing consumer expectations are encouraging brands to explore alternatives.
Modern consumers pay attention to more than the product itself. For athleisure brands built around performance, wellness and conscious living, packaging is increasingly becoming an extension of the brand experience rather than simply a shipping requirement.
Recent independent consumer research conducted by Quad revealed that packaging material has a direct impact on how consumers perceive, engage with and evaluate a brand.
The study found that 79% of consumers preferred paper packaging over plastic, while 77% associated paper packaging with environmentally responsible brands. Participants also perceived paper packaging as more thoughtful, more premium and better aligned with modern brand values.
The impact extends beyond perception. During the unboxing experience, paper packaging generated up to 60% more visual attention than traditional plastic polybags, creating additional opportunities for storytelling, brand engagement and customer connection.
For brands that invest heavily in product innovation and customer experience, these findings highlight an important reality: Packaging is no longer a neutral operational component. It has become a visible and influential part of the brand itself.
Alongside changing consumer expectations, the regulatory environment is evolving rapidly.
Across major markets, new legislation is encouraging brands to rethink material choices, improve recyclability and reduce unnecessary packaging waste. In Europe, the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is reshaping expectations around packaging design and circularity, while initiatives such as California’s SB 343 are increasing scrutiny around recyclability claims and environmental messaging.
For apparel brands operating globally, preparing early can help reduce future disruption while supporting broader sustainability objectives.
Many leading brands are already evaluating alternatives to traditional plastic polybags—not only to address emerging regulatory requirements, but also to stay ahead of changing market expectations.
For many apparel and athleisure brands, the transition away from plastic is no longer driven by a single factor.
Consumer expectations are evolving. Sustainability commitments are becoming more ambitious. Packaging regulations are becoming more demanding. Together, these forces are encouraging brands to rethink the role packaging plays throughout the customer journey. At the same time, brands are discovering that packaging can deliver benefits beyond environmental performance.
Designed specifically for apparel, Vela™ helps brands replace traditional plastic polybags with a paper-based alternative that supports product protection, operational efficiency and scalability. Today, more than 300 million Vela bags have entered the market, helping brands reduce their reliance on plastic while maintaining the performance required by modern global supply chains.
Brands including Puma, Diadora, New Balance, Burton and Oakley have already adopted Vela™ as part of their packaging strategy, demonstrating that moving beyond plastic does not require compromising on functionality, presentation or customer experience.
As apparel brands continue to prepare for evolving consumer expectations, sustainability commitments and packaging requirements, Vela™ offers a practical path forward.
The question is no longer whether apparel packaging will change. The question is who will lead the change.
As more brands rethink the role of packaging in sustainability, customer experience and brand perception, paper-based alternatives are becoming part of the conversation. Vela™ was created to help make that transition possible.
Explore how leading apparel brands are moving beyond plastic.
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