design
Castore is a Manchester-based precision performance sportswear brand designing premium athletic apparel and accessories across football, rugby, cricket, golf, Formula 1, and lifestyle, sold direct-to-consumer globally and through B2B teamwear partnerships with elite professional clubs and national teams.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded-
- HeadquartersManchester, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What design does
Castore is a Manchester-headquartered precision performance sportswear brand that designs, manufactures, and sells premium athletic apparel and accessories across men's, women's, and junior ranges. Its portfolio spans multiple sports disciplines, including football, rugby, cricket, golf, running, racket sports, swim, and Formula 1 motorsport, organized around sub-brand collections such as Apex (premium performance), Castore Golf (including its proprietary LVS Layered Ventilation System), Adapt (multi-sport), Flex (training), and Essentials, alongside luxury collaborations with Paul Smith and a co-branded Majesticks Golf Club line. Core product categories include performance tops, shorts, hoodies, jackets, gilets, joggers, and quarter-zips, plus accessories such as holdalls, backpacks, caps, and technical socks, with technical differentiation rooted in performance fabrics, moisture management, and engineered construction rather than digital or AI capabilities.
The company runs a hybrid go-to-market combining direct-to-consumer e-commerce through castore.com (with global checkout, multi-currency support, Klarna and PayPal integrations, and a dedicated US storefront), physical retail stores with a store locator, and a B2B teamwear program supplying official kits to a roster of professional clubs and national teams, including Rangers FC, Everton, Preston North End, England Rugby, England Cricket, Rugby Australia, Bath Rugby, Harlequins, Saracens, Leicester Tigers, Oracle Red Bull Racing, BWT Alpine Formula One Team, and TGR Haas F1 Team. Revenue is generated primarily through one-time unit sales of apparel and accessories, with pricing ranging from approximately $17 for socks to $153 for premium collaboration items, supported by free-delivery thresholds and next-day delivery on qualifying UK orders.
Castore's commercial positioning rests on three pillars: brand credibility earned through elite teamwear partnerships, technical performance enabled by proprietary fabric engineering, and design credibility extended through high-profile fashion collaborations. The company is privately held, headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, with a headcount of 251-500 employees, and reports operational e-commerce activity in the United Kingdom and United States.
design firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- design
- Legal name
- Castore
- Website
- https://castore.co.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Castore is a Manchester-based precision performance sportswear brand designing premium athletic apparel and accessories across football, rugby, cricket, golf, Formula 1, and lifestyle, sold direct-to-consumer globally and through B2B teamwear partnerships with elite professional clubs and national teams.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
design industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Performance Sportswear
- NAICS
- Sporting Goods Retailers (45911), Sporting and Recreational Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers (423910)
- SIC
- Wholesale-Apparel, Piece Goods & Notions (5130)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel (CRAAAEAE)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail (CRAMABAE), Fan Apparel & Wearables Retail (Licensed) (CRAMAOAE)
Keywords
Where design is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Manchester
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
design business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Direct-to-Consumer Apparel Sales: Castore generates revenue primarily through direct-to-consumer sales of its precision performance sportswear via its e-commerce platform and retail stores. The company sells clothing, accessories, and footwear across multiple sports categories including golf, football, rugby, cricket, motorsports, running, and lifestyle.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Unit Pricing | Pay-as-you-go | Standard retail pricing for apparel and accessories |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels3 records
Marketing channels7 records
design product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Castore manufactures and sells precision performance sportswear, including men's, women's, and junior athletic apparel, technical accessories, sport-specific team kits, and premium collaboration collections. It distributes its own products through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and physical retail, while also supplying custom and official teamwear to professional and amateur sports organizations.
Product overview
Castore is a precision performance sportswear brand offering a comprehensive portfolio of athletic apparel and accessories across multiple sports disciplines. The core offering includes men's, women's, and junior performance clothing (T-shirts, shorts, hoodies, jackets, gilets, joggers, 1/4 zips) sold through collections like Apex (premium performance), Castore Golf (specialized golf wear with LVS ventilation technology), Adapt (multi-sport), and Flex (fitness). The company operates both direct-to-consumer (castore.com with global shipping) and B2B teamwear divisions supplying official kits to professional sports teams including England Cricket, England Rugby, Rangers FC, Everton, Rugby Australia, Bath Rugby, Harlequins, Leicester Tigers, Oracle Red Bull Racing, BWT Alpine F1, and Haas F1. Premium collaborations include Castore x Paul Smith (luxury technical apparel) and Castore x Majesticks Golf Club. Accessories include holdalls, backpacks, caps, and technical socks.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Castore x Paul Smith: Luxury sportswear collaboration line with designer Paul Smith
- Apex
- Castore Golf
- LVS (Layered Ventilation System)
Products and services
- Apex Collection Premium performance athletic apparel collection featuring engineered fabrics, moisture management, and technical construction for serious athletes.
- Castore Golf Specialized golf apparel collection including polos, quarter-zips, shorts, trousers, gilets, and jackets designed for golf performance.
- Adapt Collection Versatile athletic wear collection designed for multi-sport performance and training activities.
- Flex Collection Flexible athletic apparel line focused on comfort and movement for training and fitness activities.
- Castore x Paul Smith Luxury collaboration line combining Castore's performance sportswear expertise with Paul Smith's design aesthetic, featuring technical hoodies, polos, shorts, gilets, and socks.
- Majesticks Golf Club Collection Exclusive golf apparel collection created in partnership with Majesticks Golf Club.
- Core Holdall Utility bag featuring a padded top handle, detachable shoulder strap, and Castore wing logo.
- Core Backpack Backpack with a padded back, adjustable shoulder straps, front zip pocket, and Castore branding.
- Active Cap Athletic cap featuring halo eyelets, a front logo, and an adjustable back fastener.
- 3 Pack Crew Socks Pack of crew socks with black branding along the side, part of the Castore x Paynter collaboration.
- Technical Ankle Socks Technical performance ankle socks in collaboration with Paul Smith, available in two-pack sets.
- Teamwear Program Custom sports team kits and apparel for professional and amateur sports clubs, including football, cricket, rugby, and golf.
- Preston North End Kit Official Preston North End football team apparel and merchandise.
- Rangers FC Kit Official Rangers Football Club team apparel and merchandise.
- Everton Football Kit Official Everton Football Club team apparel and merchandise.
- England Cricket Kit Official England Cricket team apparel and performance wear.
- Welsh Fire Kit Official Welsh Fire cricket team apparel and performance wear.
- Sunrisers Leeds Kit Official Sunrisers Leeds cricket team apparel and performance wear.
- England Rugby Kit Official England Rugby team apparel and performance wear.
- Rugby Australia Kit Official Rugby Australia team apparel and performance wear.
- Bath Rugby Kit Official Bath Rugby team apparel and merchandise.
- Harlequins Rugby Kit Official Harlequins rugby team apparel and merchandise.
- Saracens Rugby Kit Official Saracens rugby team apparel and merchandise.
- Leicester Tigers Kit Official Leicester Tigers rugby team apparel and merchandise.
- Oracle Red Bull Racing Collection Official Oracle Red Bull Racing team merchandise and apparel.
- BWT Alpine Formula One Team 2026 Collection Official BWT Alpine Formula One Team 2026 collection.
- TGR Haas F1 Team 2026 Collection Official TGR Haas F1 Team 2026 collection.
- Essentials Collection Core wardrobe staple pieces providing everyday athletic wear essentials.
- Women's Collection Women's athletic apparel including clothing and sports-specific wear for football, rugby, cricket, and Formula 1.
- Junior Collection Youth and junior athletic apparel for football, cricket, and rugby.
- Castore Gift Card Gift card for purchases from Castore's online store.
Companies that use design
Customer profileNamed customers16 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
design technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration3 records
Feature1 record
design partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Paul SmithcoreCastore has an ongoing collaboration with luxury fashion designer Paul Smith, producing the 'Castore x Paul Smith' collection. This collaboration brings together Castore's performance sportswear expertise with Paul Smith's distinctive design aesthetic, creating premium athletic apparel with fashion-forward styling. The collection includes technical hoodies, quarter-zip tops, performance shorts, gilets, and socks.
Scale indicators1 record
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
design competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Macron: Italian sportswear manufacturer that is one of the largest teamwear specialists in Europe, supplying kits to hundreds of professional and amateur football, rugby, basketball, and volleyball clubs. Castore competes directly for the same teamwear contracts and pursues an analogous premium team-kit positioning.
- Canterbury: Heritage rugby-focused sportswear brand owned by Pentland Group, supplying rugby kits to multiple national teams and clubs. Overlaps directly with Castore's rugby teamwear business (England Rugby, multiple Premiership clubs) and premium performance apparel positioning.
- Kappa: Italian sportswear brand with significant teamwear division (Kappa Kombat) supplying football clubs across Europe. Competes with Castore in the team-kit procurement market and shares a design-led, fashion-influenced sportswear positioning.
- Hummel: Danish sportswear brand with strong teamwear credentials across football, handball, and other sports. Competes with Castore for mid-tier professional and national team kit contracts in Europe and shares a multi-sport teamwear focus.
- Erreà: Italian teamwear specialist supplying official kits to numerous European football, basketball, and volleyball clubs. Direct competitor in the teamwear procurement space and operates a comparable B2B-plus-retail dual-channel model.
- Joma: Spanish sportswear manufacturer with substantial teamwear division supplying kits to football clubs and national federations. Direct competitor in European teamwear tenders with overlapping football, futsal, and basketball coverage.
Broad incumbents
- Nike: Global sportswear leader with the largest teamwear portfolio in the world, supplying kit deals to numerous football, basketball, and F1-adjacent sponsorships. Competes with Castore across both consumer sportswear and teamwear procurement, with vastly greater scale and marketing budget.
- Adidas: Global sportswear incumbent with major teamwear contracts across football, rugby, and other sports. Competes with Castore for both teamwear deals and consumer athletic apparel share, particularly in football where Adidas holds multiple elite club sponsorships.
- Puma: Global sportswear company with strong football and motorsport heritage including F1 sponsorship activity. Competes directly with Castore in teamwear procurement and consumer athletic apparel, with comparable motorsport and football portfolio overlap.
- Under Armour: US-headquartered performance athletic apparel brand positioned similarly to Castore in the premium performance tier. Overlaps in technical sportswear, teamwear sponsorship activity, and performance-engineering brand narrative aimed at serious athletes.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights6 records
Customer concentration
design social profiles
Digital presencedesign financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
design leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
design funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
design M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about design
What does design do?
Castore manufactures and sells precision performance sportswear, including men's, women's, and junior athletic apparel, technical accessories, sport-specific team kits, and premium collaboration collections. It distributes its own products through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and physical retail, while also supplying custom and official teamwear to professional and amateur sports organizations.
Is design a public or private company?
design is a private company. It is classified as unknown and is currently operating.
When was design founded?
design was founded in -1. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is design based?
design is headquartered in Manchester, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does design make money?
One revenue line is on record: direct-to-Consumer Apparel Sales.
Who are design's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Macron, Canterbury, Kappa, Hummel, Erreà and Joma. Broad incumbents are Nike, Adidas, Puma and Under Armour.
Does design have an API?
No public API is recorded for design.
What industry is design in?
design's product category is Performance Sportswear. Its primary akta.pro industry code is CRAAAEAE, Team Sports & On-Field Performance Apparel, with a secondary code of CRAMABAE, Team Sports Equipment & Uniforms Retail. Its NAICS code is 45911 and its SIC code is 5130.