US-based Joor says that the unisex category in its wholesale platform, which includes products from more than 14,000 global apparel brands, has “consistently increased” every year for the past five years.

Unisex wholesale traction volume has increased by 46% in the first half of 2023 compared to the first half of 2022. In the same period, the number of fashion brands on Joor’s platform has increased by 40% and wholesale transaction volume has grown by more than 11 times.

The news comes shortly after a Joor survey revealed that nearly three-quarters of brands (74%) reported wholesale made up over half of their sales with the majority of brands (51%) ranking wholesale as their top channel for investment, over e-commerce and DTC retail stores.

The trend is particularly apparent in Joor’s unisex handbags and accessories category, which has expanded by 69% compared to 2022. In the same period, unisex apparel has increased by 28% and unisex footwear has increased by 25%.

Joor says that the unisex category is growing fastest in the EMEA region, followed by South America, North America and APAC.

Joor’s CEO Kristin Savilia says: “We are seeing a definite increase in the appetite for unisex and genderless fashion on Joor. The past five years has seen phenomenal expansion in this category and continued demand from our global brands and retailers.”

Savilia adds: “Handbags and accessories has been the power category for growth in this area, driven by hugely popular styles and designs that appeal to all genders. We are confident that interest in unisex products will remain strong going forward.”

The figures come after a number of high-profile unisex launches from leading fashion brands, including Adidas’ Terrex HS – a unisex hoodie made using Spinnova wood-based fibres.

The news is in sharp contrast to previous years, which saw UK retailer John Lewis “surprised” by the reaction it received to making its children’s clothing gender neutral in 2017.