For the fifth year in a row, NPD Group has put out its estimates of the global market for swimwear. For 2009, the year it is reporting on, the worldwide swimming market, including retail, swimwear, beachwear and swim equipment, reach €8.6 billion. That's a 2 percent drop from the year before, the same drop suffered by the global sporting market overall. Between 2007 and 2008, the swim market grew by 3 percent, while the sport market was flat, and in the year from 2006 to 2007 swimming grew by 8 percent while sport rose by half that.

NPD says that the swimming market accounts for 4 percent of the total global sport market, which had a value of €213 billion in 2009. The group thinks the past trend of swimming outperforming sport will continue.

Broken down by segment, in 2009 swim gear, including equipment, for sportive uses, was worth €3.82 billion, making up 45 percent of the total swim market. Leisure use and beachwear made up the remaining 55 percent with a value of €4.74 billion. Renaud Vaschalde, global sports industry analyst for NPD, said that both of these segments were expected to help the overall market continue growing. Leisure and beachwear will be strong in hotter climates, such as Asia, the Middle East, North Africa and Brazil, while sporting gear will do better in developed markets as their populations age and people become more concerned with their health. It is limited to developed countries because swimming pools are expensive to build and maintain.

NPD measures market shares of swimwear brands in 10 important global markets. Overall, just a few brands dominate in performance swimwear, but a lot of small brands are active in swimwear for leisure/beach use. Performance brands will probably try to expand into the beachwear market in the coming years.

New trends discovered by the market research group include sun protection tops, especially for children and mostly in developed countries. They are becoming more affordable, costly less than €20, and are more efficient than sunscreen and sprays. Men are the untapped audience for these garments. Performance brands are expanding into swimwear that can be worn outdoors even in cooler climates, making use of thermal protection and body mapping but without the heavy bulk of surf-styled combinations.

The study counted the following products: swimsuits, bathing suits, bathing trunks, bathing shorts, bikinis, surf-brand swimwear, sun protection tops, swim caps, goggles, swim sandals, buoyancy aids, swimming trainers, water polo balls and equipment, aqua gym, and aqua fitness. It did not consider boardshorts, branded thongs, or equipment for marine sports such as scuba diving, skin diving and snorkeling.

Contact NPD at www.npd.com for a copy of the Global Sports Estimate 2010.