Denim mills have to offer a little of everything for Fall/Winter 2025-2026 to succeed. While some clients search for the next big idea, others are comfortable with proven fabrics and constructions.
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Volatile market conditions have made customers cautious, challenging sales, said Mansoor Bilal, Naveena Denim Mills senior VP and Andy Shaw, Naveena Denim Mills VP. The mill’s sustainable practices have helped it maintain a strong business, however, by “consistently delivering value for money to our customers,” they said.
On a positive note, the exec added that “clients are generally open to trying new fabrics” indicating a willingness to introduce new materials or designs that align with market trends and brands’ sustainability commitments.
Overall, Global Denim’s sales are flat. “Clients are exercising caution and sticking with products that have proven to drive their sales the most. While they are interested in newness and innovation, their purchasing decisions often prioritize familiar products with a track record of success,” said Anatt Finkler, Global Denim creative director.
“This market is influenced by fashion trends, consumer preferences, market dynamics, and pricing,” said Alper Cataloglu, Soorty’s senior manager, product development.
Currently, the vertical denim manufacturer sees interest in comfort stretch fabrics with 15-25 percent stretch and medium stretch fabrics with up to 45 percent. Cataloglu noted that demand for sustainable denim continues to grow as well, with consumers favoring blends that include recycled materials and eco-friendly dyeing processes.
“Many clients are cautious and tend to use familiar options rather than experimenting with new fabrics,” he said. “Denim sales are influenced by several factors including sustainability trends, technological innovations, fashion preferences, and economic conditions . While price sensitivity remains a concern for some consumers, there is an increasing market for premium, sustainable denim products as well. Brands that offer high-quality, comfortable, and stylish options are well-positioned to succeed.”
Artistic Milliners continues to be successful with a mix of early 2000s constructions and novelty fabrics. “While market dynamics fluctuate, we’ve actually found that our clients are cautiously optimistic, and are therefore more willing to diversify their offerings,” said Baber Sultan, Artistic Milliners director of product development and research. “Our new offerings have been well received and we’re seeing steady growth.”
Sultan added that it helps to have a discerning, loyal customer base that values innovation quality, and sustainable practices , adding that Artistic Milliners’ commitment to eco-friendly processes “resonates with conscientious consumers seeking garments that align with their values.”
Though clients are being cautious with their selections, Oktay Okuroğlu, director of sales and marketing at Orta, said they’re responding positively to the mill’s innovation strategy. “The innovations that make sense to the end consumer are much more attractive to brands, such as recycled cotton or regenerative cotton. They are easy to [explain to the] market and when they succeed, they achieve bigger impacts,” he said.
Regenerative cotton is especially resonating with brands and consumers. “The benefits of regenerative cotton such as better soil health, increased biodiversity, enhanced water quality on top of improved carbon capturing as a solution to climate change will strengthen the demand,” Okuroğlu said.
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After a slow start, Advance Denim is seeing the market pick up momentum. “The first half of 2024 started with customers being cautious and some even having liability issues but that has seemed to work itself out and business has rebounded,” said Mark Ix, Advance Denim’s director of North American marketing. “I believe it was also a function of the shift of sourcing strategies that created the caution.”
The denim market is tough, according to Tim Huesemann, Tat-Fung sales director. “Customers are looking for extra value and sustainable fabrics, meaning we can’t rely on producing just basic denim and expect to thrive. This shift in demand requires significant investment in research and development,” he said.
However, Tat-Fung’s business continues to grow healthily thanks in part to the company staying ahead of sustainability and innovation trends. “Customers are increasingly cautious about the sustainability of the manufacturing process itself. They want to know that the fabrics they purchase are produced responsibly,” Huesemann said.
The mill’s customers are also eager for newness. “The market has been saturated with basic marble cracks denim for too long, and there’s a strong demand for fresh and innovative designs. Everyone is looking for something new,” he said.
Abbas Jaan, director of sales and marketing for Siddiqsons, said sales have been steady with a noticeable interest from clients in exploring new fabrics. “While some clients are cautious, many are willing to experiment with innovative and sustainable options for the Fall/Winter 25-26 season,” he said.
For Sapphire Mills, sales have shown moderate growth. “While some segments experience steady demand, Deirdre Jennings, Sapphire Mills , business development manager, said others see a “slight dip” due to various market factors. Many clients are cautious considering recent economic uncertainties, which is reflected in their purchasing patterns, with a preference for well-established and proven fabric options, she added.
“Despite the cautious trend, there is notable interest among some clients in exploring new fabrics,” Jennings said. “Innovations and unique fabric characteristics that offer distinct advantages like sustainability, enhanced durability, or unique aesthetic properties attract attention and trials from forward-thinking clients.”
Over the last two seasons, Cone Denim has been seeing a pattern of requests for novelty stripes and weaves, newness in colors and exaggerated texture.
“We are finding that brands are looking for newness outside of core [products],” said Kevin Reardon, Cone Denim SVP of commercial strategy. “Brands are gravitating toward fabrics that will give the consumer a unique buying proposition with an incentive to purchase a garment that has a reason for being.”
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