You can wear them while exercising, lounging around, out on the town, or even to work. High-elasticity pants—whether designed for yoga or athleisure—are a versatile part of many women’s wardrobes. They may be more popular than another American staple: blue jeans.
US imports of women’s elastic knit pants exceeded those of blue jeans in 2017 for the first time, according to data from the US Census Bureau.
Denim imports have been declining since peaking in 2010, while imports of stretchy pants continue to rise. Since their peak, women’s blue jeans imports have declined by an average of 3.9% annually. Over the same period, elastic knit pants grew 25.7% per year on average.