DECATHLON taps RHEON LABS as global innovation partner to power next-gen sports apparel
High-performance tech meets everyday movement, as Decathlon announces new partnership with materials innovator RHEON LABS.
DECATHLON, the world’s largest sporting goods retailer, announces a global partnership with British materials technology company RHEON LABS to make advanced material science part of everyday sport.
The collaboration gives DECATHLON access to RHEON’s full technology platform – including current and future innovations in strain-rate sensitive materials – enabling the development of apparel that enhances control, comfort and performance during physical activity.
The partnership brings together RHEON’s material innovation with DECATHLON’s experience designing for athletes.
The result: performance-driven apparel built to meet the needs of athletes, wherever and however they move, and make it accessible to all.
Built to move. Designed to adapt.
RHEON™ is a patented polymer that remains soft and flexible during everyday movement but stiffens dynamically in response to movement or impact. The result is support that adapts to the body’s needs in real time – improving comfort, control, and performance without sacrificing freedom of movement.
Stephen Bates, CEO at RHEON LABS, said “DECATHLON’s belief that innovation should serve everyone aligns perfectly with our own. RHEON™ started in elite sport – now, this partnership will unlock that same level of performance for millions more.”
The first launch from the partnership will be a KIPRUN running tight, arriving in AW25 and designed to focus energy and reduce muscle movement.
Additional developments are underway across other categories, including the Decathlon fitness sports specialist Domyos, with first technologies set to arrive in 2026.
Aurelien CORBIER, Textile Innovation leader at DECATHLON, said “Innovation truly matters when it empowers everyone. By partnering with RHEON LABS, we're taking materials designed for athletes and making them accessible to all. This aligns perfectly with our focus on providing excellent products for everyone, leading to better comfort, control, and performance.”
Collaboration at the heart of innovation
This partnership reflects a shared commitment to collective innovation, fueled by the diverse perspectives within both companies, across design, development and engineering teams, and a common spirit of curiosity and bold thinking.
DECATHLON and RHEON LABS are co-building a future where sport is more inclusive, more inspiring, and more essential than ever. A future where what we create today still matters 50 years from now.
About DECATHLON
A global multi-specialist sports brand catering for everyone from beginners to top athletes, Decathlon is an innovative manufacturer of sporting goods for all skill levels. With over 101,100 teammates and 1,817 stores worldwide, Decathlon and its teams have been working ever since 1976 to fulfil an ongoing ambition: Move people through the wonders of sport, to help them be healthier and happier in a sustainable future.
About RHEON LABS®
RHEON LABS® is a fast-growing collective of scientists, engineers, and designers based in London, UK. They are tied by a shared vision to create products that were previously thought impossible with conventional static materials. At the core of every product is the energy-absorbing super polymer, RHEON™.
Created by Dr Daniel Plant, the idea of RHEON™ was originally born from a NASA project, before being developed for over 15 years at Imperial College London – regarded as one of the leading institutes of innovation in the world.
RHEON LABS® partner with high-performance brands who share their vision to deliver products that were previously thought impossible.
About RHEON™ technology
Every now and then a new material is developed with a set of properties that were previously thought impossible.
At the core of RHEON™ is an energy-absorbing super polymer. It is soft and flexible in its natural state but absorbs energy by stiffening when subjected to force. It can be integrated into countless products to dissipate high levels of energy or give them unique responsive properties.
(c) photo RheonLabs.com