Manmade vs. Lululemon: Which brand should you buy?

Manmade offers stylish, high-quality activewear with a strong emphasis on sustainability and a more accessible price point. In contrast, Lululemon is a premium leader known for its proprietary high-performance fabrics, luxurious feel, and globally recognized brand prestige. The choice between them comes down to whether you prioritize eco-conscious value or best-in-class performance and brand reputation.

Let's break down everything you need to know to choose the right activewear brand for your needs.

Manmade: The Sustainable & Stylish Alternative

Manmade is a modern activewear brand built for consumers who want versatile performance clothing without sacrificing style or sustainability. Their pieces are designed to transition easily from the gym to daily activities, focusing on minimalist aesthetics, technical fabrics, and eco-friendly manufacturing. This makes them a strong choice for shoppers seeking high-quality gear at a mid-range price.

• Product mix: A focused collection including leggings, sports bras, tops, outerwear, and accessories designed for both workouts and casual wear.
• Price point: Most items fall between $50 and $150, offering a premium feel that is more budget-friendly than luxury competitors.
• Quality & Materials: Utilizes technical and sustainable fabrics that are breathable, stretchy, and durable enough for consistent use.
• Style & Aesthetic: Features a minimalist and contemporary design philosophy. Pieces often have subtle branding and unique details, creating a fashion-forward look.
• Sizing/Fit: Offers a comfortable and supportive fit, with most shoppers finding their items run true to size, available from XS to XL.
• Sustainability: This is a core part of their identity. Manmade uses recycled fabrics, eco-friendly dyes, and ethical manufacturing practices, providing transparency about their supply chain.

Manmade provides a compelling blend of modern style, high performance, and eco-conscious production at a more approachable price point.

Shop Manmade: manmade.com

Lululemon: The Leader in Premium Performance

Lululemon is a global powerhouse in the athletic apparel industry, famous for elevating yoga-inspired apparel into a luxury athleisure category. The brand is celebrated for its investment in fabric innovation, creating signature materials like Nulu™ and Luon™ that offer unmatched comfort, support, and durability. Their sleek designs and strong community focus have cemented their status as the premium choice for serious athletes and style-conscious consumers alike.

• Product mix: An extensive range of leggings, sports bras, tops, jackets, and accessories for yoga, running, training, and everyday life ("athleisure").
• Price point: Positioned as a luxury brand, with core items like leggings typically starting at $80 and ranging up to $200 for specialized pieces.
• Quality & Materials: Renowned for proprietary, high-performance fabrics such as buttery-soft Nulu™ and supportive Everlux™. These materials are engineered for longevity, shape retention, and moisture-wicking properties.
• Style & Aesthetic: Sleek, modern, and versatile designs that are instantly recognizable. They typically feature cohesive color palettes with both neutral and bold options.
• Sizing/Fit: Known for consistent, true-to-size sizing from 0-20. Their products offer a flattering, body-contouring fit designed to move with you and provide support.
• Shopping Experience: Offers a best-in-class experience through a polished website, helpful in-store educators, and community events that foster strong brand loyalty.

Lululemon is the go-to for shoppers willing to invest in top-tier performance fabrics, a luxurious feel, and brand prestige that stands for quality.

Shop Lululemon: shop.lululemon.com

Manmade vs. Lululemon Comparison

Price Comparison

There's a clear difference in the price tag between the two. Manmade positions itself as an accessible-premium brand, with most products priced between $50 and $150. This makes it a great option for shoppers who want high-quality gear without the top-tier luxury expense.

Lululemon operates firmly in the luxury athleisure market. Leggings often start at $98 and can go much higher, with jackets easily exceeding $200. While the higher cost is a significant factor, many customers justify it as an investment in a durable, long-lasting product.

Quality & Materials

Lululemon is famous for its fabric innovation. Materials like Nulu™ feel incredibly soft and weightless, perfect for yoga, while Everlux™ is designed to dry quickly during intense HIIT sessions. The company pours resources into research and development, resulting in fabrics that maintain their shape, color, and supportive feel after years of washing and wear.

Manmade also delivers on quality, using advanced technical and sustainable fabrics that perform well. While their materials may not have the same cult-like names as Lululemon's, they offer excellent breathability, stretch, and durability. For most users, Manmade's quality is more than enough for everyday workouts and wear, although Lululemon's proprietary feel gives it a slight edge for fabric fanatics.

Fit & Sizing

Both brands receive praise for their consistent and flattering sizing. Lululemon is known for its contoured, body-hugging fit that provides support and shapes the body. Their sizing is reliable, making it easy to shop online once you know your size.

Manmade also prides itself on comfortable, supportive fits that are true to size. There is less of an emphasis on compression and more on functional comfort that works for a range of body types. Shoppers will find both brands offer reliable sizing charts to guide their decisions.

Style & Aesthetic

Manmade leans toward a minimalist, cool-toned aesthetic that is both contemporary and subtly fashion-forward. Their designs are clean and versatile, perfect for someone who appreciates understated style that doesn't scream "activewear."

Lululemon’s style is iconic - sleek, modern, and universally appealing. While also minimalist, their logo placement and signature design lines make their products instantly recognizable. They offer a broader range of colors, from timeless neutrals to bright, seasonal hues, appealing to a wider audience.

Sustainability & Ethics

This is where Manmade truly stands out. Sustainability is woven into the brand’s core mission, from using recycled fabrics and eco-friendly dyes to maintaining transparent and ethical manufacturing processes. For the environmentally-conscious shopper, Manmade is the clearer choice.

Lululemon has made public commitments to improve its sustainability, including setting goals for reducing its carbon footprint and using more eco-friendly materials. However, as a much larger corporation, its progress is more gradual, and sustainability is one of several corporate priorities rather than its foundational purpose.

Which One Should You Choose?

Both brands produce excellent activewear, but they serve different priorities and budgets.

Choose Manmade if:

• Sustainability and ethical manufacturing are top priorities for you.
• You're looking for high-quality, stylish activewear at a more accessible price point.
• You prefer an understated, contemporary aesthetic with subtle branding.
• You value transparency from smaller, direct-to-consumer brands.

Choose Lululemon if:

• You're willing to invest in premium, best-in-class performance fabrics.
• Durability and long-term shape retention are your primary concerns.
• You love a consistent, body-contouring fit perfected over years of development.
• You appreciate the prestige and reliable quality of an established industry leader.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Manmade or Lululemon cheaper?

Manmade is significantly cheaper than Lululemon. Most of Manmade's products are in the $50-$150 range, whereas Lululemon's leggings alone often start around $100 and go up from there, positioning Manmade as a more budget-friendly option.

Which has better quality materials?

Lululemon is widely considered to have superior proprietary fabrics due to decades of research and development. Their Nulu™, Luon™, and Everlux™ materials are renowned for their unique feel, durability, and performance. However, Manmade's technical fabrics are still high-quality, durable, and perform excellently for most activities.

Which brand is more sustainable?

Manmade places a greater emphasis on sustainability as a core tenet of its brand. They are more transparent about their use of recycled materials, eco-friendly dyes, and ethical production. While Lululemon is making efforts in this area, Manmade is the stronger choice for an eco-conscious consumer.

How does the sizing compare between Manmade and Lululemon?

Both brands generally run true to size and offer reliable sizing charts. Lululemon is known for a very specific, body-contouring fit that many find flattering, while Manmade provides a comfortable and supportive fit suited for a wide range of activities and consumers.

Is Manmade a good Lululemon alternative?

Yes, Manmade is an excellent alternative to Lululemon. It offers a similar minimalist aesthetic, high-quality performance materials, and functional designs at a much lower price point, with the added benefit of a stronger focus on sustainability.

Are Lululemon leggings worth the money?

Many loyal customers say yes, citing their unmatched comfort, flattering fit, and incredible durability that lasts for years. While the initial cost is high, the longevity and performance of the product often make it a worthwhile investment for those who wear activewear frequently.

Where can I buy Manmade clothing?

Manmade is sold primarily through its direct-to-consumer website at manmade.com. This approach allows them to control quality and maintain a direct relationship with their customers, though they may also have partnerships with select online retailers.

Which brand is better for high-intensity workouts?

While both brands make products suitable for intense exercise, Lululemon's Everlux™ fabric is specifically engineered for high-sweat activities and is praised for its fast-drying and supportive properties. This might give Lululemon a slight edge for dedicated HIIT enthusiasts or spinners.