Crew Clothing expands sports sponsorship portfolio with move into padel

British lifestyle brand Crew Clothing has joined forces with UK padel league operator iPadel to become its official apparel partner.

The new partnership sees Crew Clothing expand its sponsorship portfolio, which already includes the Henley Royal Regatta, the Lawn Tennis Association, England Red Roses and the Exeter Chiefs.

As part of the partnership, Crew Clothing will outfit iPadel staff across both the winter and summer leagues, providing performance-led apparel through its Crew Sport line, which launched in 2025. The collection combines technical fabrics with ergonomic design and breathable, sweat-wicking materials.

Players in the iPadel leagues will also receive exclusive discounts on Crew Clothing pieces, allowing them to train, compete and relax in gear designed for "modern, active lifestyles".

Padel is one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports, currently thriving within established tennis clubs and expanding rapidly through dedicated indoor and canopied padel centres nationwide.

With over 400,000 active players in the UK in 2024, and 8.2 million Brits expressing interest in trying the sport, padel is quickly becoming a cultural phenomenon, attracting a diverse and engaged audience as it moves firmly into the mainstream.

Founded with a mission to grow and develop padel across the UK, iPadel has built a reputation for delivering high quality, accessible leagues that appeal to both seasoned players and newcomers to the sport.

Jon Baker, Sponsorship Projects Manager at Crew Clothing, said: “Padel is one of the most exciting growth sports in the UK right now, and iPadel is playing a key role in shaping its future.

“Becoming Official Performance Apparel Partner is a natural fit for Crew, allowing us to support players and staff with Crew Sport – technical, performance-led clothing that reflects our British sporting heritage and our ongoing commitment to supporting sport at every level.”

Ian Colligon, founder and Director at iPadel, added: “As padel continues to expand rapidly across the UK, it’s exciting to work with a brand that combines performance, quality and style, and that shares our ambition for the future of the sport.”

The news of the new partnership comes hot off the heels of last week’s announcement that Crew Clothing, which was founded in the back of a Salcombe windsurfing shop in 1993, is gearing to open a new 1,050 sq ft store at the Bluewater shopping centre in Kent on 26 February, as the brand’s UK retail expansion continues.

Commenting on the new store opening, Carol Kane, Head of Retail at Crew Clothing, said: “Opening at Bluewater is a really exciting moment for Crew. Over the past few years, we’ve seen strong and sustained growth across the business, and investing in a destination as iconic as Bluewater feels like a natural next step in that journey.

“It’s one of the UK’s most influential shopping centres, and this new store represents an important milestone for the brand as we continue to expand our physical retail presence.”