5. 2026 Fabric and materials outlook

Next-generation biomaterials move to commercial scale

The fashion industry is poised for a significant shift in its material landscape for 2026, driven primarily by twin imperatives: deepened sustainability and advanced performance integration. Industry forecasts and recent fabric trade show collections, such as the Spring/Summer 2026 (SS26) offerings at Milano Unica and Première Vision, indicated a move away from niche sustainability efforts toward a fully integrated system of bio-based, recycled, and smart textiles in future. Reflecting this transition, the global sustainable fabrics market (which includes clothing, furnishing and medical) is projected to increase its size from an estimated $37.26 billion in 2025 to $41.28 billion in 2026, registering an annual growth rate of over 12 percent during the forecast period of 2026 to 2035 according to Research Nester’s August 2025 ‘Sustainable Fabric Market Forecast’.