This year will still be "challenging" for Chinese sportswear makers, after a bleak 2012 meant losses for many brands, according to a senior industry source.

Ding Shizhong, chairman and CEO of Anta Sports Products Ltd, said that his company's growth stalled last year, for the first time since it was established in 1994.

Anta was one of many Chinese sportswear makers that reported lackluster results in 2012, as fiercer competition and weaker demand took a toll on some players.