Decathlon Collaborates With RHEON Labs. to Develop Next-Gen Sportswear Using NASA Aerospace-Grade Metamaterials

Born for sports

Aimed at adapting

RHEON is a patented polymer that remains soft and flexible during everyday movement, but dynamically hardens during motion or impact. As a result, it supports real-time adaptation to the body's needs—enhancing comfort, control, and performance without sacrificing freedom of movement.

Stephen Bates, CEO of RHEON LABS, said: “Decathlon believes that innovation should serve everyone, which aligns perfectly with our philosophy. RHEON started in elite sports—now, this collaboration will bring the same level of performance to millions of people.”

The first product of this collaboration, the KIPRUN compression model, will be launched in 2025, aiming to concentrate energy and reduce muscle movement.

Other developments in different categories are underway, including a collaboration with Decathlon fitness and sports expert Domyos, with the first technologies set to debut in 2026.

Aurelien CORBIER, Head of Textile Innovation at Decathlon, stated: "Innovation truly matters when it empowers everyone. Through our collaboration with RHEON LABS, we have obtained materials specifically designed for athletes and made them accessible to all. This aligns perfectly with our commitment to providing excellent products for everyone, resulting in better comfort, control, and performance."

Collaboration is the core of innovation

This partnership reflects a shared commitment to collective innovation, driven by the diverse perspectives within the design, development, and engineering teams of both companies, as well as a common spirit of curiosity and bold thinking.

Decathlon and RHEON LABS are jointly creating a future where sports are more inclusive, inspiring, and important than ever before. The future we create today will remain important 50 years from now.

About RHEON Technology

The core of RHEON is a super polymer that absorbs energy. In its natural state, it is soft and flexible, but when subjected to force, it hardens to absorb energy. It can be integrated into countless products to dissipate high levels of energy or to endow them with unique responsive characteristics.

About RHEON LABS

RHEON LABS is a fast-growing collective of scientists, engineers, and designers based in London, UK. They are united by a shared vision to create products previously thought impossible with traditional static materials. At the core of each product is the energy-absorbing super polymer RHEON.

RHEON was created by Dr. Daniel Plant, originally stemming from a NASA project, and developed for over 15 years at Imperial College London, considered one of the world's leading innovation institutions.