The move follows the establishment of activewear research centres by Anta (alongside Tsinghua University) and Beijing Institute of Fashion Technology in the Chinese capital earlier this year.

According to reports, Peak intends for the laboratory to work alongside local universities, research institutes, design experts and both upstream and downstream enterprises to incubate innovative ideas related to sportswear and sports footwear production.

It is understood that the new laboratory has already forged links with Beijing Sport University, Shanghai University of Sport, Xi’an University of Technology, Wenzhou University and Quanzhou Normal University.

Local media also remarked that Peak has previously set up research and development centres in multiple locations, including Beijing, Quanzhou, Xi’an, Xiamen and the United States.

Company chief executive, Xu Zhihua, commented that “technological innovation products” have accounted for around 38% of all Peak inventions “in recent years”, with its investment in science and technology research and development now exceeding 3% of its total budget.