Munich Fabric Start & Bluezone: SS26 trends between sustainability, security and risk

In a world full of contradictions, the trend themes of the fabric collections for spring/summer 2026 also fluctuate between various extremes. While some focus on security and essentials with classic themes, others specifically seek looks and styles that emphasise individuality and uniqueness. And above all of this reigns another theme: the sustainable, EU-compliant transformation of textile production.

After two days, the international fabric fair Munich Fabric Start, with its show-in-show concepts Bluezone, Keyhouse and The Source, concluded on Wednesday. 625 international exhibitors showcased around 1,200 collections featuring the latest material innovations for spring/summer 2026, accompanied by a comprehensive programme of lectures on current topics in the textile and fashion industry. As in previous years, these revolved primarily around the topic of sustainability and how the industry can successfully implement existing and future EU legislation. After all, the deadlines for new EU laws are fast approaching. The year 2030 is an important milestone on the road to net-zero in 2050, by which certain targets must be achieved.

Trends: A play between risky nonconformism and safe basics

Alongside the new fabrics for summer 2026, the topic of cost control played a major role at the trade fair. "You can tell that the industry is feeling uncertain," says a designer who wishes to remain anonymous. "Fewer and fewer brands are investing in creativity; everyone just wants basics and security." At the same time, however, things that are not basic, but surprising and fun, are currently performing very well. But that's difficult to plan.

This contradiction is also reflected in the trend zones of Munich Fabric Start, which, on the one hand, with trend themes like "Unorthodox," "Limitless," or "Not Reproducible," focus on individually curated looks, radical style clashes, wild pattern mixes, and everything surprising, and, on the other hand, with trend themes like "Lasting," "Emotional Heritage," "From the Archive," or "Timeless Modernity," celebrate classic colours, patterns, and contrasts. In general, trend forecasting is becoming increasingly difficult, as fast-fashion providers like Shein immediately copy every trend, whether it's from the catwalk or the street.

In the denim sector, street styles continue to set the tone. "I believe that the super-oversized silhouette will stay around for longer," says Tilmann Wröbel, designer and owner of Monsieur-T Denim Lifestyle Studio, which designed the trend areas at Bluezone and gave the trend presentation. While standard fashion is also having a hard time in the denim sector, the industry is looking for ways to attract attention without taking significant risks. Exciting collaborations, such as Levi's with Lego or Diesel with Coca-Cola, are providing important impetus.

"Reconstruct" is another trend theme for denim that visually resembles upcycling but plays with iconic brand symbols. Wröbel also sees good opportunities for denim brands from the 2000s, whose time is now ripe for a revival. True Religion is a good example of this. This also fits with the theme of secondhand, the appeal of which continues to grow precisely because it is not reproducible. Wröbel talks about the Parisian brand Coperni, which sent secondhand pieces down the runway alongside its own collection. "Five to ten years ago, it would have been unthinkable for secondhand pieces to be as fashion-relevant as new pieces and to have the same status."

Denim provider Isko, for example, brought new looks to Munich with its new Multitouch collection. Using only heat, fabrics can be given a variety of effects, such as pleats or embossed patterns. "Designers want more possibilities with one and the same fabric," explains Keith O’Brien from Isko. The Isko Luxury by PG collection also presented its usual opulence, with checks and other patterns woven from real silver threads.

Denim: New technologies to reduce resource consumption

The denim industry, in particular, has developed many new technologies in recent years that help reduce the environmental footprint of denim, from the use of recycled fibres to waterless dyeing processes. Further innovations in the field of dyeing were presented by Sonovia Tech from Israel and Synovance from France. Sonovia's dyeing technology is based on ultrasound and completely eliminates the need for toxic chemicals and uses 85 percent less water. Sonovia requires only a single dye bath, which saves energy and reduces the complexity of the dyeing process, ultimately lowering costs. "This technology will revolutionise denim production," says Annabelle Evenhaime of Sonovia. The technology is already working on an industrial scale and is to be implemented at at least five locations this year, including in cooperation with Kering.

The method of the French bio-tech company Synovance is based on biologically recreating the denim dye indigo using genetic engineering. In contrast to synthetic dyeing processes, which are based on petroleum as a raw material and are mainly used today, this dyeing method does not involve any hazardous chemical reactions with many toxic intermediate substrates. The dye is still more expensive than synthetic dye, "but in five to six years we want to be able to compete with the prices of synthetic indigo," says Efthimia Lioliou, co-founder and COO of Synovance. "We believe that in ten years, biologically produced dyes will be the standard option for most textile applications."

Nearshoring of denim: Is it an alternative?

The supply chains in the global textile and clothing industry have been put to the test several times in recent years. With the inauguration of US President Donald Trump, concerns are growing again about how global production routes will develop in the future. Under the motto "Blue made in the EU", industry insiders discussed how the denim supply chain could be used more strongly in Europe again, as it still exists: from European cotton cultivation (in Greece and Spain) to spinning mills, weaving mills, dye houses and laundries.

Europe also has a lot of know-how that will help the industry on its path to greater sustainability. For example, the renowned Italian denim weaver Candiani has developed a material made of 70 percent post-consumer yarn and 30 percent regenerative cotton, which is nevertheless robust and durable. "We have to look to the automotive industry," says Stefano Tessarolo of finishing specialist Jeanologia, which uses automation and digitalisation to reduce costs, increase efficiency and thus operate in Europe.

In addition, a European supply chain makes transparency easier. George Kitas of Nafpaktos Textile Industry from Greece works closely with local cotton farmers and can offer local companies full transparency and traceability. There is agreement that future legislation can help here, if it is implemented. "77 percent of the products sold in Europe were imported," says Simon Giuliani of Candiani. "All of this actually has to be produced according to the same EU guidelines as domestic products, but this is not being monitored."

New materials for the circular economy

The circular economy has become an integral part of the design and manufacturing process - no longer just in theory, but also in practice. Numerous start-ups, institutes and established companies presented their solutions for closing material cycles in the future. In addition to new recycled fibres and fibre blends, more and more companies are also devoting themselves to the question of how to improve the conditions within companies to drive the transformation forward. The newly launched, three-year, funded project "Retrakt" by DTB and RWTH Aachen University is investigating how sustainability can be integrated into company processes. The German outdoor brand Ortovox and the Japanese fabric supplier Toray are participating as partner companies.

"We want to investigate which setting is required and which management tools are helpful to ensure textile compliance," explains Nicole Espey from RWTH Aachen University. The Texroad Foundation from the Netherlands, in turn, is working on generating data for the post-consumer recycling market. "We ask very simple questions," says Traci Kinden, founder of Texroad, such as: How much merchandise is collected where? How much of it can be reused as secondhand, how much is shipped, what is recycled, how much waste is generated? "This information is very important for transparency, but also for determining locations for recycling plants, for example, or for finding out which data is needed for the Digital Product Passport to simplify recycling," says Kinden. Due to some recycling scandals, many people have become distrustful of textile recycling in recent years. "More transparency in the recycling supply chain would restore trust."