Decathlon relies on a unique global co-creation model. Across our 18 centres, designers, engineers, and product managers work hand-in-hand to bridge the gap between users’ needs and industrial reality.
Engineering, Design & Testing
Observe to better respond
We design for sport, right where sport happens.
To truly understand athletes, we design where sport happens. Our design centres are strategically located to enable direct co-creation and testing with real users.
Each year, our 6,000 products are designed to fit every practice, every goal – whatever the stage, the level or the ambition.
Our 36 families of patents evolve alongside athletes – from young enthusiasts to experienced sportspeople. Our teams boast the best possible vantage points to observe and analyse movement and technique – just a few paces away from real users putting products to the test in real conditions.
Every day, nearly 2,000 teammates are constantly finding new ways to approach sport. From a visionary doctorate looking 5 to 10 years down the line, to hands-on prototyper leveraging 3D printing to bring his ideas to life, at Decathlon we have them all. You’ll meet experts who question everything – sometimes even outside their own field. And we never work alone. Around the world, leading laboratories and partners help us push our designs ever further.
Industrial synergy: The art of prototyping
Decathlon masters 35 industrial processes – from textiles to electronics – to serve all our sports. Behind the scenes, our 11 Technical Departments partner with "best-in-class" global leaders to keep our solutions at the cutting edge.
Rapid prototyping: Our Fitness Lab alone creates 4,600 prototypes each year.
Integrated teams: Designers and engineers use 3D printing and dedicated workshops to iterate quickly, working closely with production teams to ensure feasibility.
Tested in the lab, proven in the field
Our laboratories are more than just testing spaces – they form a global validation ecosystem. Every product is tested through both scientific analysis and real-world conditions.
The "torture-test"
This is where we verify safety and long-term reliability before a product hits the shelf. Our network includes 16 specialised internal labs set across 8 strategic sites. 116 laboratories in total – including those of our network of certified external partners – and 100 dedicated laboratory experts validating innovations daily.
Mechanical testing: Machines simulate years of use in just a few days – for example, repeating a walking motion over 500 km or impact-testing helmets.
Chemical analysis: Ensuring every component is safe for the skin.
Aging tests: Making sure a product won’t shrink or fade, even after 50+ washes.
Tested in real conditions
We also rely on on-site labs located exactly where the sport happens. Their role is to test prototypes in their natural environment and gather immediate feedback.
For example: Our Water Sports centre is just metres away from the ocean in Hendaye (Atlantic coast in France), where they test neoprene resistance to salt and UV, while our Mountain teams in Passy tests gear on Mont Blanc, which is right on their doorstep.
Innovation is part of Decathlon's DNA
18design centers
worldwide6products
designed to fit every practice each year.35industrial processes
– from textiles to electronics – to serve all sports2teammates
constantly finding new ways to approach sport