The activewear product data for upload teams covers two categories: standard apparel fields that apply to any catalog, and activewear-specific fields where brand-specific values cannot be guessed from a supplier file. UPF ratings follow a testable standard and teams record them exactly from the label. Compression levels, fabric technology names, and sports bra support classifications are brand terms only, and the merchant must supply them before the job starts.
Key takeaways
- Every activewear product needs the same core fields as any apparel upload: title, unique SKU per variant, price, images, and tags following your store's naming conventions.
- UPF ratings are standardized under AS/NZS 4399 (Australia uses AS 4399:2020 as of October 2026); upload teams record the exact number from the garment label and do not convert or estimate it.
- Compression levels, fabric technology names (such as Dri-FIT or AEROREADY), and sports bra support levels are brand-specific terms; teams cannot assign these without a reference sheet from the merchant.
- Shopify allows 3 options per product and up to 2,048 variants as of October 2025; activewear stores with more attributes use product metafields for additional specification data.
- A reference sheet mapping your brand's labels to consistent values, sent before the job starts, prevents mid-job pauses and avoids incorrect field entries.
The activewear product data your upload team needs
Two groups of data go into an activewear product record on Shopify. The first is standard product data: title, description, SKU, price, compare-at price, barcode, weight, product type, tags, vendor, and images. An upload team can work with these from any well-formatted apparel product file.
The second group is activewear-specific. These are the fields that separate an activewear upload from a general clothing upload, and where unclear or missing data causes jobs to stop. The table below lists the activewear-specific fields, what to include for each, and whether the values follow a standardized system or are defined by the brand.
| Field | What to include | Standardized? |
|---|---|---|
| UPF rating | The number from the garment label (e.g., UPF 50+) | Yes (AS/NZS 4399) |
| Compression level | Your brand's exact label (light, medium, high) | No (brand terms only) |
| Fabric technology name | The exact trademark from the product (e.g., Dri-FIT, AEROREADY) | No (registered trademarks) |
| Sports bra support level | Your label (low, medium, high, or extreme) as shown on the product | No (retail convention only) |
| Inseam length | Measured value per size in cm and inches | No (brand spec sheets) |
| Rise height | Your label (low, mid, high) or the measurement in cm | No (retail convention only) |
| Fabric composition | Percentage breakdown (e.g., 80% polyester, 20% elastane) | Yes (labeling standards) |
| Care instructions | Care symbols or text from the garment label | Symbols: ISO 3758 standard |
Some of these fields go into Shopify's core product record. Others go into product metafields or into the product description if metafields are not in use. Before the job starts, agree with your upload team which fields go where, so there are no questions mid-upload about where a UPF rating or compression label belongs.
For the Shopify product data entry service, having this breakdown in writing before work begins is part of the standard setup process.
Variant options in Shopify for activewear
Shopify allows up to 3 options per product, such as size, color, and length. As of October 2025, each product can have up to 2,048 variants. A leggings style in 5 sizes and 8 colors produces 40 variant rows, which is well within the platform limit.
Most activewear products use 2 or 3 of the available option slots:
- Size: XS to XL for standard alpha sizing, or numeric sizing for compression tights and socks
- Color: following your store's color naming convention
- Length or Style: a third option for stores that offer petite, regular, and tall lengths, or different cuts of the same product (such as a brief-cut versus a full-coverage version)
When more than 3 attributes need to be selectable for shoppers, the additional attributes go into product metafields. This applies to many activewear products: a running tight may need size, color, and length as variant options, leaving UPF rating, compression level, and activity category to be stored as metafields. Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy provides category metafields for apparel that can accommodate some of these fields when a product is assigned the correct category.
Before the upload job starts, confirm which attributes become selectable options and which go into metafields. Your upload team needs this in writing, because the field structure cannot be changed cleanly after products are live.
For stores with a mix of product categories, the related guide on briefing your upload team on activewear collections covers how to document the collection structure alongside the product data setup.
UPF ratings: what to send and why they must be exact
UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) ratings follow a formal testing standard. In Australia, the current standard is AS 4399:2020, which superseded AS/NZS 4399:2017 as of 2020 (New Zealand still references the 2017 edition). The ARPANSA guidance on labeling sun protective clothing explains how garments are independently tested and rated before a UPF claim can appear on the label.
The three protection categories under AS/NZS 4399 are:
- Good Protection: UPF 15 to 24
- Very Good Protection: UPF 25 to 39
- Excellent Protection: UPF 40 to 50+
UPF 50+ is the maximum rating and requires a tested UPF of 55 or higher before rounding down to 50+. A garment must also physically cover the shoulders and reach the hip line to carry any UPF claim.
For your upload team: provide the UPF number and protection category exactly as they appear on the garment label or spec sheet. The team records the number from the label; they do not test, estimate, or convert it. If a product has no UPF rating, the field stays empty.
Compression levels and fabric technology names
Compression levels in activewear are not standardized the way medical compression garments are. Medical compression follows regional standards such as RAL-GZ 387 in Germany, which assigns classes in millimeters of mercury (mmHg). Activewear brands use their own descriptors: light, medium, high, or extra-high compression. One brand's "high compression" for running may reflect the same physical pressure as another brand's "medium" for yoga. There is no conversion table between brands, and no formal testing process for these labels.
Fabric technology names are also brand-specific. Most are registered trademarks applied to specific performance finishes:
- Dri-FIT is Nike's trademark for a moisture-wicking finish applied to polyester microfiber fabric
- AEROREADY is adidas's current name for its moisture-managing technology, which replaced Climalite
- HeatGear and ColdGear are Under Armour's branded fabric constructions for warm and cool conditions
These names describe the brand's finish or construction, not generic material categories. An upload team entering "moisture-wicking polyester" instead of a product's specific trademark is entering a factually different value. The same applies in reverse: using a competitor's trademark to describe a different brand's product is incorrect and creates catalog problems.
The practical consequence is this: an upload team cannot assign compression levels or fabric technology names by looking at or handling the product. A supplier file that lists a compression level in the brand's own terms can be transcribed directly. A file that omits the compression data, or lists a generic term like "performance fabric," creates a field that must be left blank or queried back to the merchant. A short reference sheet sent before the upload starts, mapping each product's brand-specific labels to the fields in your store, avoids both outcomes.
A similar dynamic applies to activewear drop planning: the activewear drop timelines guide explains how specification data like this typically arrives from factories in sequence, which affects when an upload team can complete the product record.
For more on activewear upload jobs and the range of articles tagged to this genre, see the activewear product upload topic hub.
Sports bra support levels and sizing
Sports bra support levels follow a widely-used retail convention rather than a formal testing standard. The four tiers are consistent enough across retailers that shoppers recognize them:
- Low impact: yoga, Pilates, walking, stretching
- Medium impact: cycling, hiking, gym training, light cardio
- High impact: running, HIIT, jumping, high-intensity cardio
- Extreme or maximum impact: endurance sports, provided by some brands only
These tiers are not formally tested to a published standard. They are set by the brand. What goes into your Shopify product record is the brand's own label for each style, not a category derived from an external system.
Two sizing systems run in parallel across activewear brands. Alpha sizing (XS to XL, with 1X, 2X, and 3X for extended sizes) is the most common for sports bras. Bands and cup letters (32A, 34C, and so on) appear on higher-support styles where fit precision is more critical. Some brands list body measurements directly in centimeters.
When sending sports bra data to your upload team, include:
- The support level label for each style, exactly as your brand uses it
- The sizing system you use for that product (alpha, band and cup, or body measurements)
- A cross-reference table if your products use both systems, or if the same style exists in multiple size formats
This is the same principle covered in the womenswear size runs guide: variant structure for sized garments needs a written reference from the merchant before the upload begins, not a judgment call from the team.
Visit our fashion and apparel product upload service for more on how we handle activewear and clothing catalog jobs.
Frequently asked questions
What product data fields are specific to activewear uploads?
The fields specific to activewear are compression level, fabric technology name, UPF rating, sports bra support level, inseam length, and rise height. These are not part of a standard general clothing product file and cannot be inferred from a supplier spreadsheet. Of these, only UPF is standardized under a testing standard (AS/NZS 4399); the others are brand-defined terms that only the merchant can supply.
Can an upload team fill in compression levels from a supplier file?
Only if the supplier file already lists the compression level in the brand's own terms, in which case the team transcribes the value exactly. If the file omits compression data or lists a generic term such as "performance," only the merchant can supply the correct label. There is no industry standard that maps activewear compression descriptors between brands, so the team cannot estimate or convert an unknown value.
How many size and color variants can an activewear product have in Shopify?
As of October 2025, Shopify allows up to 2,048 variants per product, up from 100 in earlier years. A product with 5 sizes and 8 colors produces 40 variants, well within the limit. Shopify allows 3 options per product (such as size, color, and length). Additional attributes beyond 3 options go into product metafields.
Where does UPF rating data go in a Shopify product?
Shopify does not have a built-in UPF field in the standard product record. The most common approach is to store the UPF rating in a product metafield, include it in the product description, and add it as a product tag for filtering. If the store uses Shopify's Standard Product Taxonomy for apparel, the relevant category metafields may include an appropriate attribute field. Before the job starts, confirm with your upload team exactly where the UPF data goes and in what format, so it is consistent across the catalog.
