It might be an invention even greater than sliced bread, and that is the invention of the track pants that you can wear at work without anybody even noticing. It happens, and many brands are moving in on this trend.
The brand known as Public Rec specializes in this form of leisurewear that is comfortable and elegant at the same time, and these are pants that will do just this job for you. You can wear them to work.
Here you have a brand providing track pants with a beautiful fit, and don’t match up to that stereotype of saggy sweats that you can’t leave the house in. These, you can.
Public Rec was founded by an entrepreneur who had worked previously in finance and launched Public Rec with what he called the All Day Every Day Pant. He used Kickstarter to launch the product and made $175,000, which was $160,000 over his initial goal.
With a starting price point of $155, these are pants with fabric that feels and fits great and can be paired with almost anything. For women, you have the Here to There Legging that accomplishes the same goal. The market for Public Rec is 85 percent American, two percent Canadian, and 59 percent male with the key demographic being the 25 to 34-year-old.
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1. Lulumon offers more affordable garments than Public Rec and has wider brand recognition
The name Lulumon is a popular one and one that is known around the world. That is one advantage that Lulumon has over Public Rec. Lulumon also offers a lower price point with a starting price of $118 for the same kind of track pants that you can wear to work.
Lulumon also offers a wider product line that includes shorts, sweaters, jackets, and tops, and they have also added personal hygiene products to their product lines.
A key marker of the Lulumon brand is fabric selection, and this is what has made them so popular. The fabric that Lulumon uses is called Luon, and it is made of a high number of nylon microfiber to help with moisture wicking in its garments and also for compression.
Many people like Lulumon because their clothing fits well, and this compression provides a unique fit that makes the body look nicer.
The brand is marketed all over the world and has a larger male market share than female. They have a unique brand strategy that results in their customers feeling like they are part of something bigger, part of the Lulumon community.
This Canadian-based company has grown to make Fortune’s Fastest Growing Companies list in 2013. This is a product that is fitted, comfortable, wearable almost anywhere, and beloved by many as a result.
2. Uniqlo’s sweatpants for men offer the perfect fit for a much more affordable price than Public Rec
Uniqlo is a Japanese company that brings sexy sweatpants to the table that you can wear to work, or anywhere if you style them right. This company makes casual wear and while founded in Japan, has markets all over the world.
One way these pants are different from Public Rec is in the price point, which starts at $49.90 for men’s wear-to-work sweat pants. They are described by many as having the perfect fit, and these are also sweats that come with a lot of pockets which is a feature.
The country was founded by two Japanese men looking for the same thing that every other leisurewear company started looking for – pants that looked and felt good. A streamlined fit was the inspiration behind their starting product. These are also pants that come with a jogger cuff but not a baggy fit.
The key market for Uniqlo is Japan, where they have 32 percent of its customers. They also have a large market share in the United States with 20 percent of their customers shopping from America. The United Kingdom, Australia, and Taiwan are other countries that have caught on to these affordable sweatpants. The key demographic this company sells to is 25 to 34-year-olds.
3. Outdoor Voices is a brand with a lower price point than Public Rec but offers a similar fit
When Parsons graduate Tyler Haney decided to build her own athletic wear company, she had no idea how big her company would grow, or how fast it would. Outdoor Voices was founded in 2013 in New York City and focuses on athletic wear that looks and feels good.
The pants are estimated to be half the price of Public Rec but offer a very similar fit and function that Public Rec pants offer. These are pants that you can wear almost anywhere.
By 2014, the company had been chosen by J. Crew to be one of the companies in the “Brands We Love” category in London. Outdoor Voices then developed their brand to be sold as kits that included both a top and a bottom to make the pants more marketable.
In time, millions were invested in the company. Outdoor Voices moved to Austin to tap into a larger market. By 2020, during the pandemic, Tyler Haney resigned from the company and laid off 15 employees, but the company continued on and the brand recognition continues today.
Prior to that, the pants became popular through the line Hoka One One and an app called the O.V. Trail Shop. The app would help customers find stores and shop online for leisure apparel. The appeal of this brand is fitted pants are made of a fabric that is breathable and offers comfort and sweat-wicking during almost any activity.
The company currently has over 91 percent American customers and one percent Canadian. It also sells to the United Kingdom, the Philippines, Italy, and many other countries, selling primarily to the 25 to 34-year-old age group.
The market is also predominantly women, with approximately 70 percent of Outdoor Voices customers being women. The brand for many is considered to be the “little black dress” of sweatpants.
4. Reigning Champ’s slim sweatpants are to die for, and compare well to Public Rec’s price point
When you are looking for a pair of slim sweatpants that you just don’t want to stop wearing, try the Reigning Champ’s. Founded in Canada in 2007, the Reigning Champ brand is about simplicity with well-constructed details.
This company makes its own fabric and creates “year-round staples” that anyone can wear. The price point is very similar to Public Rec’s, with a price range for slim sweats from $98 to $150, and to many, worth every penny.
The price point comes with an operating cost that is spent on making a durable product. Reigning Champ prides itself on both comfort and style but also makes its pants with flat seams to ensure both durable fabric and a fitted look. This also helps to prevent the pants from leading to any skin chafing if there is a light or heavy sweat.
The market here is predominantly male, and largely American, with 50 percent of its marketing being American and 41 percent of its marketing being Canadian.
Other countries that Reigning Champ sells to include the United Kingdom, France, Israel, and other European countries. Approximately 59 percent of its shoppers are male, and 40 percent are female, with most sales going to the 25 to 34-year-old demographic.
5. Southpole offers extremely affordable relaxed-fit pants that are as nice as Public Rec’s
Southpole was founded by Kenny Khym and David Khym, two brothers who wanted to create a sweatpant that was nice enough to wear to work, but, more importantly, had a relaxed fit.
Denim is in their repertoire of product lines, but overall they are creating streetwear that is incredibly sought after. The company was founded in 1991 and is targeted primarily at the urban market. The look is both edgy and hip.
This isn’t necessarily a look that you are taking to Wall Street, but it might be a look that you can take into the tech world for work. The market is global, with products sold in the United States, Canada, Europe, and Asia.
They are also very affordable and have to be given the urban market in the age group of 24 years old to 35 years old who are not likely to have high salaries in their lives yet. On Amazon, you’ll see prices starting in the high twenties, from $29 making them a very popular purchase.
The pants are made from a fleece that is a little heavyweight than other sweatpants that compare to Public Rec. Both the elastic and the ankles have elastic in them, with a large drawstring in the waist. The fabric is a combed polyester that feels soft and stays the same through multiple washes.
Because of the combed fabric, you may not find these pants to be the most breathable, but they are good for cooler climates. If you like them, the price point is good enough that you can grab a few pairs.
6. Mack Weldon’s sweatpant has a similar price point to Public Rec and focuses on innovation
The Mack Weldon brand was founded in New York City and offers a sweatpant that is very similar, almost identical, to the Public Rec sweatpant. This is a company that pours its heart and soul into the development and manufacturing of its products.
You are getting more than just a sweatpant here with pants that begin at $128. Fit and quality are number one with Mack Weldon, and they invest a lot in the development of their products. They even develop their own fabric and ensure that the design of every product offers attention to detail that is almost unparalleled in the business.
Mack Weldon calls this a “world-class experience” and it is one that emphasizes fit and design with details that you will ooh and ahh over. The design process begins in New York City, and the warehouse is based in Massachusetts.
The market is all over the world, as are the factories for Mack Weldon which markets in the United States, Asia, and South America. The company also prides itself on ethical manufacturing and considers social compliance to be important to its brand, ensuring that they only use safe and humane materials in the development of its products.
They are one of few companies that emphasize the importance of fabric development. Here you are going to see pants made with materials like the 18-hour jersey which is a combination of Lycra and cotton.
You can also get terry cloth sweats that may not be work wear but are fitted and comfortable all the same. You’re going to get a tapered fit here, and you can also get sweats with a zipper that may fly in the workplace quite easily.
The company’s customers are 91 percent from the United States, and two percent from Canada, and it also sells all over the world to the United Kingdom, China, and even Honduras. It has largely a male customer base, with 62 percent of its customers being male and 38 percent being female, and the key demographic being 25 to 35-year-olds.
7. Rhone Bolinas joggers are more affordable than Public Rec and also much more casual
Another very popular brand of sweat pants is the Rhone Bolinas jogger, which is not as ready for the workplace as the Public Rec pants are, but could be depending on where you work. These are pants you may just never want to climb out of. With a starting price point of $75, the Rhone Bolinas jogger is half the price of Public Rec, and it has a much more casual feel to it.
The fit here offers more room than the Public Rec pants, and you will see a roomier fit in both the thighs and the calves of the pants. Still, it is one of the most lightweight joggers available and is made of 95 percent cotton and five percent elastic.
One of the more common products in this company is the Bolinas Beach Jogger which emphasizes the lightweight feature of these pants. Although they are not exactly work-ready, with the right fit these can work on a Saturday night or with your favorite people for a Sunday afternoon game fest.
The market here is predominantly American, with 91 percent of the customers being American, and two percent being Canadian. Rhone Bolinas also sells to the United Kingdom, Thailand, China, and many countries in Europe. It also is predominantly male, with 63 percent of its customers being male, and 37 percent being female, in the ages of 25 and to 34-years-old.
8. Balmain is among the most luxury brand on the list but it offers pants that you will cherish forever
Having a pair of pants from Balmain is going to feel like you have won the lottery, and it should. These are pants with a starting price point of $950, showcasing their true luxury and style.
This is a luxury fashion house with a head office located in Paris, and a house that began operating right after the Second World War. Of course, Balmain offers a wide product line, but its pants compare well to Public Rec’s in that they can be worn anywhere.
You are going to see slim-fitted and tapered pants and pants that may look like dress pants but wear like tracks or sweat pants. Multi-pocketed cargo pants are also in the product line here. The brand sells all over the world to more affluent markets, both male and female, and in the age bracket of 35-54-year-olds.
One key feature of the Balmain brand is that it has been home to designer Oscar de la Renta in its history. Between 1993 and 2002, Oscar de la Renta worked for Balmain from New York City to bring texture and creativity to the brand. De la Renta’s flavor for a slim silhouette was a key talent that he used to design clothing that fit each person as if it was made for them.
Oscar de la Renta liked the couture design process, while Christophe Decamin his successor did not. Now, Balmain is more ready to wear and more accessible to the public.
Decani was replaced by Olivier Rousteing who had learned fashion in the house of Roberto Cavalli. Rousteing also liked the trendier aesthetic and global appeal of the brand and it is a look that appeals to the luxury market still today.