Gap-owned sustainable athleisure brand Athleta has announced that it will be expanding into Canada this year by launching a new website and opening two physical stores, one of which will be in Toronto.

In a statement released this week, the company said it plans to launch e-commerce in Canada later this summer before opening two retail stores in the fall of 2021: one at Yorkdale Shopping Centre in Toronto and another at Park Royal Shopping Centre in Vancouver.

The new Canadian stores are part of the brand's overall expansion plan, which includes a goal of opening between 20 and 30 new stores a year to add to its existing fleet of over 200 locations across the U.S. 

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Orders placed through the Athleta's forthcoming online store will be fulfilled by the Gap Inc. distribution centre in Brampton, according to the company, which will eliminate international taxes and long shipping times for consumers in Canada.

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Athleta sells athletic clothing for women and girls in a wide range of sizes, and it's also a certified B Corp business — with over 70 per cent of its products made from sustainable materials.

"International expansion is a key component of our growth strategy to reach two billion dollars in net sales by 2023, and we are very proud to introduce Athleta to customers in Canada," said Athleta president and CEO Mary Beth Laughton in a statement.