Baltimore-based Under Armour bets on innovation to turn around sports apparel brand

Fabric samples line the walls of the “materials library” in Baltimore-based Under Armour’s innovation labs in a corner of Building 37 on a corporate campus in Baltimore Peninsula. A trend board for spring 2026 stands nearby, meant to inspire with its display of athletic shoe uppers in the latest textiles.

The textiles team meets here with product designers to select fabrics for seasonal apparel pieces and hash out fabric ideas. Team members aim to find the best intersection of sportswear and innovation...