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Sports & Muscle Relief OEM/ODM Solutions for Active Brands
Sports and muscle relief products must feel effective, comfortable and easy to use before, during and after activity. Zerun Cosmetic helps brands design complete systems: formats, cooling/heating sensations, textures, scents, claims, testing and MOQs aligned with athletes, gym users, physio clinics and retail channels.
Who we support in sports & muscle relief OEM/ODM？
We support sports brands, gyms, physio clinics, pharmacies and e-commerce labels that want modern, credible muscle relief products beyond old-style medicinal-smelling creams. Our role is to translate real usage moments into structured product ranges that feel professional and approachable.
Partner profiles we serve
- Sports and recovery partner types
- Sportswear and performance brands
- Gyms, fitness chains and training studios
- Physio, chiropractic and sports medicine clinics
- Pharmacy and mass retail private labels
- DTC and marketplace-led recovery brands
- Typical project starting points
- Gyms wanting branded pre- and post-workout products
- Sports brands adding recovery care to apparel or gear
- Clinics formalising in-house creams into own-label lines
- Retailers upgrading legacy products to modern profiles
- How we work with you
- Map usage moments: pre-activity, post-activity, daily aches
- Align formats with channels and price bands
- Build systems that are easy to explain and repeat in routines
Example sports partner profiles
| Partner Type | Main Channels | Key Needs in Muscle Relief | Typical Project Start Point |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gym / fitness chain | On-site retail, e-commerce | Simple, repeatable pre/post-workout products | Launch branded gels/creams at reception & online |
| Sportswear / gear brand | Retail, DTC, events | Recovery line tied to performance story | Add recovery creams/sprays to existing gear range |
| Physio / sports clinic | Clinic retail, recommendations | Credible, clinic-friendly cosmetic products | Replace unbranded creams with own-label recovery line |
| Pharmacy / mass retailer | Stores, online | Safe, effective, easy-to-understand range | Refresh ageing SKUs with modern formats & scents |
What Sports and muscle relief formats we can develop?
We design formats around real-world usage: quick-absorbing gels for locker rooms, creams for home massage, roll-ons for targeted areas, sprays for hard-to-reach zones and bath products for deeper relaxation rituals.
Product families and use cases
- Topical application formats
- Gels and gel-creams for fast absorption
- Creams and lotions for massage and comfort
- Balms and sticks for targeted, long-lasting application
- Convenient and on-the-go formats
- Roll-ons for small, localised areas
- Sprays and mists for hard-to-reach spots
- Wipes and patches (cosmetic positioning where relevant)
- Extended recovery formats
- Bath soaks and salts for whole-body relaxation
- Shower products with refreshing or warming notes
- Complementary body-care products for active lifestyles
Example format mapping
| Product Type | Main Use Case | Example Formats | Typical User Scenario |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gel / gel-cream | Fast, non-greasy muscle relief | Tube or pump gel | Post-workout locker room or home use |
| Cream / lotion | Massage-friendly comfort and care | Tube, pump bottle | Home massage, clinic treatment room |
| Roll-on | Localised, mess-free application | Roll-on bottle | Office, gym bag, travel |
| Spray / mist | Hard-to-reach or quick coverage | Trigger or fine mist spray | Back, shoulders, team sports sideline use |
| Bath soak / salt | Whole-body relaxation and recovery | Jar or pouch | Post-race, heavy training days |
How to design cooling and heating systems and overall sensation for sports relief products?
Cooling and heating sensations must feel intentional, not overwhelming. We help you design sensation profiles—cool, warm or alternating—that fit product type, target audience, climate and usage moment, while staying within cosmetic positioning.
How we approach sensation and actives
- Sensation mapping
- Light, medium and strong cooling experiences
- Gentle warming profiles suitable for wider audiences
- Clear differentiation between subtle daily comfort and intensive use
- Active system directions
- Cooling systems based on cosmetic-level actives
- Warming systems with carefully dosed components
- Supporting ingredients for comfort, glide and moisturisation
- Usage and communication
- Guidance on where and how often to use products
- Cautionary language for sensitive skin or certain areas
- Education on realistic expectations for sensation duration
How to optimise texture, absorption and residue control in sports and muscle relief formulas?
Athletes and active users dislike greasy, slow-drying products that stain clothes or equipment. We design textures that absorb at appropriate speeds, leave minimal residue and balance glide for massage with practical, everyday wear.
Texture and performance priorities
- Application and feel
- Light gels that spread easily without stickiness
- Creams with enough slip for massage but not greasy
- Balms that feel protective, not heavy or waxy
- Absorption and residue
- Targeted absorption times for pre- vs post-workout use
- Minimising residue on clothing, equipment and linens
- Considering layering with other body-care products
- Real-life testing focus
- Gym, outdoor and home-use feedback loops
- Climate and humidity considerations in target markets
- Adjustments based on athlete or trainer input where possible
What scent directions work best for modern sports and muscle relief products?
Many legacy muscle creams smell medicinal or overpowering. We help you define scent strategies that feel confident, modern and on-brand while avoiding overwhelming locker rooms, clinics and enclosed spaces.
Fragrance strategy for active users
- Scent direction options
- Fresh, clean and aquatic profiles
- Herbal, aromatic and spa-like blends
- Subtle, almost-neutral options for clinics and sensitive users
- Intensity and environment
- Lower intensity for confined spaces and clinics
- Bolder options for retail and lifestyle positioning
- Matching or extending existing brand fragrance stories
- Regional and channel preferences
- Pharmacy-friendly, low-risk fragrance choices
- More expressive scents for DTC and sports lifestyle brands
- Adjustments for markets with fragrance sensitivity concerns
What compliance, labelling and realistic claims should consider for sports and muscle relief lines?
Sports and muscle relief products often sit close to drug or medical categories. We help you stay within cosmetic and wellness claims while still communicating comfort, convenience and routine support clearly and credibly.
Claims and compliance framework
- Claims we typically focus on（cosmetic language）
- Cooling or warming sensations for comfort
- Relaxing, refreshing or soothing narratives
- Fast-absorbing, non-greasy or non-sticky textures
- Hydration, skin-care and routine-support benefits
- Claims and areas to treat cautiously
- Avoid “treats pain”, “cures injuries” or drug-like claims
- No medical condition or disease treatment claims
- Careful treatment of joint-related or injury-specific language
- Labelling and documentation
- Clear usage instructions and caution statements
- Ingredient lists and basic documentation for buyers
- Alignment with target region cosmetic regulations
Make A Sample First？
If you have your own formula, packaging idea, logo artwork, or even just a concept, please share the details of your project requirements, including preferred product type, ingredients, scent, and customization needs. We’re excited to help you bring your personal care product ideas to life through our sample development process.
MOQs, bundles and sports recovery roadmap planning
We help you decide how many SKUs to launch, how to structure formats and sensations, and how to phase bundles and channel-specific sets so you can test, refine and then scale your sports and muscle relief line.
Volume, bundling and roadmap
- MOQ and SKU planning
- MOQ bands by format (gels, creams, sprays, roll-ons)
- Shared bases across cooling and non-cooling variants
- Advice on starting with core SKUs before niche extensions
- Bundle and kit concepts
- Pre- and post-workout recovery sets
- Gym-branded kits for membership sales or pro shops
- Clinic and physio bundles for recommendation and resale
- Roadmap approach
- Phase 1: core everyday-use SKUs (e.g. gel + cream)
- Phase 2: add roll-ons, sprays or bath formats
- Phase 3: channel-specific editions, collaborations, seasonal kits
Indicative MOQ & timeline bands
Illustrative ranges only. Actual MOQs and timings depend on formula, packaging and market needs.
| Product Type | Typical Pack Size Example | Indicative MOQ Band* | Indicative Dev & Sampling* | Typical Use Focus |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gel / gel-cream | 50–150 ml tube / pump | ~3,000–5,000 units | ~8–12 weeks | Fast, non-greasy application |
| Cream / lotion | 100–200 ml tube / pump | ~3,000–5,000 units | ~8–12 weeks | Massage-friendly comfort and care |
| Roll-on | 50–75 ml roll-on bottle | ~3,000–5,000 units | ~8–12 weeks | Localised, mess-free targeting |
| Spray | 100–200 ml spray bottle | ~3,000–6,000 units | ~8–14 weeks | Quick coverage and hard-to-reach areas |
Exact figures to be confirmed case by case.
Frequently Asked Questions about Sports & Muscle Relief OEM/ODM Solutions
Most questions revolve around how small the sizes can be, how many SKUs to include, and how to keep kits profitable while still feeling generous. We usually respond with size, format and cost examples that match your brand’s strategy and capacity.
Q1: Are sports and muscle relief products always considered drugs?
Not always. Many can remain cosmetic if you focus on comfort, feel and appearance, rather than treating medical conditions.
- Avoid explicit medical or therapeutic disease claims
- Emphasise warming, cooling, comfort and massage support
- We help you design language suitable for your markets
Q2: How strong should the cooling or heating sensation be?
It depends on your target users, application moments and channels, and should be tested carefully rather than maximised.
- Athletes may want noticeable but not painful effects
- Everyday users may prefer milder, more comfortable sensations
- We balance menthol/capsaicin systems with overall formula feel
Q3: Can one sports relief formula work for both pre-workout and post-workout?
Sometimes, but pre- and post-use often have different expectations and routines.
- Pre-workout: fast-absorbing, non-greasy, often warming
- Post-workout: soothing, sometimes cooling, recovery-focused
- We can share base systems but adjust actives and messaging
Q4: How can we avoid greasy residue on clothes and equipment?
By choosing suitable emulsion or gel systems and carefully managing oils, waxes and film-formers.
- Prioritise fast-absorbing, low-residue textures
- Test on typical fabrics and surfaces where products will be used
- Adjust viscosity and application method (roll-on, pump, tube)
Q5: Can we start with small MOQs while testing demand in gyms or sports clinics?
Yes, as long as we keep SKU count and packaging options focused.
- Start with a “flagship” pre- or post-workout product
- Add complementary SKUs (e.g. gel, spray, bath product) later
- Align packaging with gym, clinic and e-commerce realities
How Zerun supports your sports & muscle relief line from brief to launch？
- Our team will answer your inquiries within 12 hours.
- Your information will be kept strictly confidential.
We act as an OEM/ODM partner who understands how athletes, gym members and patients actually use these products. From your first concept to production, we help you design a line that fits real routines and commercial goals.
Collaboration journey with Zerun
- Starting collaboration
- Share your target audience, sports segments and channels
- Describe current pain points with existing products or suppliers
- Provide reference products and what you want to change
- Our support along the way
- Propose formats, sensations and texture directions
- Refine formulas, scents and packaging using feedback
- Coordinate any agreed testing and documentation with partners
- From plan to launch
- Finalise product specs, artistic direction and pack details
- Plan production, logistics and launch timing per channel
- Review performance and design the next phases of your recovery range
