California Apparel News

Trends within the performance-and-activewear space often follow innovative breakthroughs in composition, manufacturing and comfort. This category is influenced by advancements and discoveries that can help improve athletic performance and support consumers’ pursuit of healthier lifestyles.

With growth in the wellness and health categories, the demand for apparel to support these trends continues to rise. Consumers continue to make performance and activewear central to their lives, with trends ticking toward fabrics that are smart, stylish and sustainable. While the foundations of performance apparel were established for consumers interested in wellness, this type of clothing has also continued to tick upward among fashion-centric shoppers.

The category often changes quickly as new breakthroughs are made to improve the performance-and-activewear category. California Apparel News asked performance-category experts: As the end of the year draws near, what groundbreaking performance-and-activewear innovation excites you most going into 2027?

Matthew Betcher

Marketing and Creative Director

ALLIED Feather + Down

 With consumers becoming smarter and EmpCo cracking down on unsubstantiated or overly ambiguous claims, I have heard the argument that consumers aren’t willing to pay for sustainability, but I truly feel that is an argument made only if you have blinders on. It’s not that they won’t pay for sustainability—or innovation—but will no longer pay for greenwashing and performance washing.

I feel like 2027, with this in mind, will bring about a new wave of purpose-driven innovations that consider the performance of a product, not just through the lens of technical achievement but equally considering environmental impact—innovations that simultaneously increase the life or function of the product while reducing its environmental impact.

Down insulation can play a huge role here. It’s warmer, lighter, more luxurious and with a fraction of the environmental impact.

    Meredith Boyd

    Chief Product Officer

    UNIFI, makers of REPREVE

 What excites us most at UNIFI going into 2027 is the continued evolution of performance and activewear and the opportunity to deliver sustainable innovations that bring meaningful benefits to brands and consumers including recent brand-partner launches including HOKA incorporating our REPREVE A.M.Y. anti-odor technology made from sustainably sourced peppermint oil to the growing adoption of our ThermaLoop circular insulation made from recycled textiles with its recent launch at Mango across Europe.

Looking ahead, we’re especially excited about our newer innovations that expand what’s possible through fiber science. Luxel yarn combines the elevated, linen-inspired look and feel consumers love with easy-care performance, including moisture management, wrinkle resistance and odor control. Fortisyn nylon is engineered for exceptional durability and abrasion resistance, helping fabrics stand up to demanding conditions while maintaining performance and appearance. And Integr8 fiber brings multiple performance benefits into one versatile yarn, including ultra-soft, spandex-free stretch, moisture management and evaporative cooling.

At the heart of these innovations is our continued focus on circularity. Across the REPREVE platform, we’re finding new ways to transform recycled materials, including post-consumer plastic bottles, textile waste and yarn waste, into high-performance solutions. Together, these technologies reflect where we see the industry heading in 2027: toward smarter, more versatile materials that bring together performance, comfort, durability and sustainability.

Andrea Cappa

Fashion Designer

ACM

 In performance apparel, accessories and components are playing an increasingly important role, designed not simply to complement a garment but to contribute directly to both its functionality and its identity. Lightness, resistance, durability and compatibility with technical materials are fundamental requirements, but today these are increasingly joined by demands for customization and aesthetic expression.

For companies like ACM, the challenge is to develop components that can be integrated from the earliest stages of the design process working in harmony with technical fabrics and new garment constructions without compromising performance. At the same time, buttons, labels, metal details and inserts become tools for giving products character and differentiation, even in categories historically driven more by function than by style.

Responsibility is another increasingly important consideration: Certified recycled materials, traceability and more-efficient processes are becoming relevant criteria in the world of accessories as well. In performance apparel, however, sustainability also depends on durability. Garments and components are often exposed to greater stress, abrasion, frequent washing and more-demanding conditions of use than traditional apparel. For this reason, long-term resistance and reliability become an integral part of responsible product design.

    Onur Çınar

    Senior Marketing Executive

    ISKO

 As we look toward 2027, what excites us most is the opportunity to redefine performance through circular innovation. The next breakthrough will not be about adding a single new function to a fabric but about engineering materials that deliver advanced capabilities while also supporting a more circular textile system.

At ISKO, we see growing potential in combining advanced fabric engineering with next-generation recycled materials. Through our connection with RE&UP, textile waste can be transformed into Next-Gen Cotton and Next-Gen Polyester, creating new possibilities for integrating recycled materials into fabrics designed for movement, comfort and durability.

Innovation today is also about responding to the pace of change around us. It means continuously evolving with new expectations, technologies and ways of living while having the vision to anticipate what comes next. At ISKO, our ambition is not simply to respond to trends but to play an active role in creating them, pushing boundaries, challenging conventions and continuing to act as a trendsetter for the industry.

What excites us about 2027 is this combination of innovation and circular thinking: doing more with materials, extending their value and transforming new challenges into opportunities.

We believe the future lies in fabrics where technology, creativity and circularity come together to shape what comes next.

Chad Doub

Global Segment Market Manager of Casual Wear and Home

Eastman

 What excites me the most going into 2027 is seeing materials traditionally associated with fashion enter the performance space. As activewear increasingly becomes part of the everyday wardrobe, consumers no longer want to choose between comfort, functionality, style and more-responsible materials—they increasingly expect all of these qualities to work together. We have already seen this evolution with materials such as wool, which has gained popularity in activewear in recent years.

That convergence is exactly what we have been exploring through Naia On The Move. The concept was developed around the realities of modern, active lifestyles, where the same garment may need to perform across a commute, a working day, light exercise and everything in between. As a man-made cellulosic fiber, Naia cellulosic acetate staple fiber brings softness, breathability and reduced pilling performance while blending effectively with a wide range of fibers, including recycled polyester, wool and other man-made cellulosic fibers.

Looking ahead, one development we are particularly excited about is extending this story into fleece applications. Naia brings lasting softness to fleece layering while supporting thermal regulation and breathability for maximum comfort, making it particularly relevant for cross-seasonal garments.

Naia acetate filament yarn further complements this story, combining moisture and odor management with beautiful drape, luxurious luster and a premium feel. By combining performance with a premium feel and appearance, Naia filament yarn gives brands another way to respond to the evolving expectations of fashion-forward activewear consumers. For me, that is where performance apparel is heading: toward greater versatility.

    Jennifer Evans

    Founder

    TEG

 What excites me most is that high-performance sustainable materials are finally accessible at smaller minimums. Recycled and bio-based nylons, PFAS-free water repellents and lower-impact stretch fibers were previously available mainly to the largest brands. Now emerging activewear labels can build with these materials from their first production run. At TEG, we’re seeing more and more designers treat sustainability as a starting point rather than something they add later.

Molly Fullin

Product Category Director, Knits

The LYCRA Company

 Looking toward 2027, what excites me most is seeing innovations address real consumer needs around confidence and self-expression. Two innovations from The LYCRA Company stand out for doing exactly that.

While moisture management has long been a focus in performance apparel, COOLMAX CloakFX fiber helps address visible sweat, one of today’s consumers’ biggest pain points. As the lines between performance and lifestyle apparel continue to blur, consumers want confidence that extends beyond the gym and into daily life. I love the growing interest in this sweat-masking technology for leggings and activewear tops. Consumers often choose black and navy to hide sweat, but COOLMAX CloakFX fiber can help unlock greater adoption of brighter, more expressive colors.

LYCRA ADAPTIV fiber remains one of the most talked-about technologies in the market. Acting like a second skin, it responds to natural body size and shape fluctuations throughout the day and is gaining traction in activewear as consumers demand comfort and performance without compromise. Looking ahead to 2027, I’m particularly excited about its application in elastics. Fit and ease of wear often come down to waistbands, bra bands and straps, yet these components haven’t always received the same innovation focus as the fabric itself. Applying LYCRA ADAPTIV fiber to these critical areas helps elevate the overall wearing experience.

Together, these innovations reflect where performance apparel is headed: solutions that help consumers feel more confident and supported in their daily lives.

    Chad Kelly

    Vice President

    eVent Fabrics

 What excites me most is the push toward versatile technical outerwear. Brands like eVent have long focused on extreme waterproofness and breathability for hardcore users. We introduced StormBurstLT, an ultralight membrane, for those unpredictable, brief moments when the sky opens up but the rest of the day is dry.

This sort of versatility is more realistic for many people and something they experience more frequently. We’ve built it into lightweight constructions for cycling, running and even insulated jackets, and I expect 2027 to bring more solutions like this.

Steve McCullough

Event Vice President

Functional Fabric Fair

 What excites me most heading into 2027 is how fast bio-based materials are moving from the lab into real products. For decades, performance meant petroleum. Now we’re seeing fibers, coatings and finishes made partly or fully from biomass that hold up on the trail, in the gym and on the street. That’s why we made it our focus topic at our upcoming fall event and into 2027. The exciting part comes with hard questions, though. Where does the feedstock come from? Can it scale? How do brands verify what they’re buying? Our Expert Talks educational sessions take those on directly because this industry needs honest answers, not just good headlines.

    Philippe Mignot

    Project Manager

    NextPrinting

 One of the innovations we find most interesting as we look toward 2027 is the gradual disappearance of the boundary between technical fabrics and fashion fabrics. For a long time, performance apparel was also recognizable through a specific aesthetic. Today, however, we believe the real evolution lies in enabling a material to maintain its functional properties while taking on completely new visual and tactile identities.

Digital printing can play an important role in this transformation. It allows technical fabrics to be reinterpreted at the surface level without necessarily altering their structure, transferring onto them visual languages more commonly associated with other worlds: from denim and leather to textured, vintage and trompe-l’œil effects.

This is a direction NextPrinting is already exploring through applications such as TechDenim, where the look of denim is transferred onto high-performance substrates for outerwear, sportswear and even ski apparel while maintaining properties such as breathability, thermal comfort, pilling resistance and ease of care.

Looking ahead, we believe innovation in performance apparel will increasingly be driven by this kind of design freedom: not having to choose between function and aesthetic expression but being able to start from the required performance and build around it a precise, customizable and recognizable identity. At the same time, this exchange works both ways as performance materials and functionalities are increasingly influencing the language of everyday fashion.

Maria Miller

Sales Director

MPG

 As we look toward 2027, we at MPG are most excited about the continued evolution of performance apparel that delivers more with less impact while creating a stronger, more modern brand experience for the consumer.

The next generation of activewear is moving beyond simply asking, “Does it perform?” and toward “How was it made, and can it perform better while reducing its footprint?” We’re seeing exciting opportunities across recycled and lower-impact synthetics, natural fibers and innovative fiber blends, creating fabrics that deliver the stretch, recovery, softness, durability and technical performance consumers expect. Function comes first, but style matters too—fashion that lasts, both in performance and relevance.

At MPG, this evolution is at the heart of our philosophy: Performance With Purpose. We’re bringing that philosophy to life not only through product innovation but through a brand refresh launching for 2027, including a completely new, modernized logo and more-elevated, intentional branding across our product. It’s about building a stronger visual identity that reflects where the brand is going and makes MPG more recognizable and relevant to today’s consumer.

For us, innovation is also about progress over perfection—continually finding better ways to design, make and deliver product without compromising quality. Our goal is to keep pushing what’s possible, bringing together performance, sustainability and style in a way that feels relevant to an active lifestyle.

    Helen Newman

    Founder

    Helen Newman Ltd.

 After more than 40 years in the apparel industry, I have watched activewear evolve from something you wore primarily to the gym to an essential part of a woman’s everyday wardrobe. Today, the most exciting innovation isn’t simply another technical fabric or performance feature—it’s the combination of performance, comfort, fit and sophisticated design.

Women want clothing that can move effortlessly throughout their day. They want pieces that perform, but they also want to feel well put together. The brands that understand that intersection of fashion, function and lifestyle are the ones that I find most exciting going into 2027.

I am also seeing customers become much more discerning. Fabric has to feel wonderful. Fit has to be exceptional. And versatility matters more than ever.

This continued blurring of lines between activewear, lifestyle and fashion is where the real innovation is happening.

Rachel Nobles

Sales Director

Collective Shows

 Country-club chic is officially taking over, and the momentum will only grow heading into 2027. Tennis skirts, matching lounge sets and tailored, collared dresses are dominating the front line of activewear fashion. The legging-heavy activewear market has matured, prompting brands to shift focus toward versatile lifestyle and ready-to-wear pieces.

While workout staples like sports bras, shorts and leggings will never completely vanish, brands are stripping them back to the basics. The era of loud, late-2010s prints and embellishments is over. Today, consumers want stylish, high-quality activewear that blends seamlessly into their daily lives.

    Megan Peterson

    Senior Director of Trade Marketing

    Cotton Incorporated

 From a trend perspective, we’re seeing performance in activewear evolve beyond moisture management and compression to performance through construction. Consumers increasingly want apparel that delivers comfort, mobility and versatility through thoughtful design, whether that’s engineered knits, breathable fabric structures, stretch-enhanced constructions or a softer hand feel that supports all-day wear.

At the same time, many brands are exploring ways to reduce their reliance on synthetic fibers as consumers seek products that align with broader priorities around comfort, natural materials and everyday wellness. That shift is creating new opportunities for cotton in the activewear category. As a naturally soft, breathable and hypoallergenic fiber, cotton offers attributes that many consumers already value, while ongoing innovations in fabric engineering, such as Cotton Flex fabrics, are helping expand its performance capabilities.

Rather than viewing performance and natural fibers as competing priorities, we’re seeing growing interest in solutions that deliver both. Cotton Incorporated’s 2025 Global Activewear Survey found that approximately 80 percent of shoppers are willing to pay more for cotton activewear that offers the performance features they want. The findings suggest consumers are increasingly looking for activewear that combines technical functionality with the comfort and familiarity of natural fibers, making cotton an increasingly relevant part of the category’s future.

Patrizio Siniscalchi

Managing Director

Thermore

 At Thermore, we are enthusiastic about the prospect of long-lasting performance. Our primary focus is to offer our clients and end consumers tangible advantages through high performance, exceptional durability and innovative “textile-to-textile” materials. Our goal is to keep developing technical thermal insulation that maintains peak performance over time. The true innovation lies in redefining activewear performance without compromising on design, functionality or responsibility.

    Judy Stein

    Executive Director

    SwimShow

 What excites me most going into 2027 is how much performance and activewear are evolving to reflect the way people live. Consumers are no longer shopping within one category. They’re looking for pieces that can take them through different parts of their day, and brands are responding in interesting ways.

We’re seeing more crossover among swim, activewear and resortwear, with brands focusing on versatility while still maintaining a strong identity. A swimsuit can have the support and technical elements of activewear, while activewear can bring in the prints, colors and fashion elements we traditionally associate with swim and resort.

That shift is also creating more room for fabric innovation. Brands are paying closer attention to stretch, comfort, UV protection, durability and materials that can perform both in and out of the water. Sustainability also continues to be part of that conversation as brands explore new approaches to materials and production.

At SwimShow, we have the opportunity to see these shifts happening across the industry firsthand. The show brings together longtime exhibitors, emerging designers and industry partners, giving brands a platform to introduce new collections while allowing buyers to see where the market is heading. Through initiatives like WGSN SwimLab, we’re also able to support rising brands that are bringing new ideas and innovation into the space.

That’s what keeps SwimShow and the industry exciting. Going into 2027 I’m looking forward to seeing how brands continue to bring performance, fashion and lifestyle together in ways that make sense for today’s consumer.

Roy Turner

Show Director

Surf Expo

Senior Vice President

Emerald Expositions

 For Surf Expo, performance goes well beyond traditional activewear—it’s about apparel engineered for life on, in and near the water. The biggest shift we’re seeing isn’t a single silver bullet; it’s how seamlessly brands are baking technical functionality into everyday lifestyle pieces. Buyers are looking for gear with UPF sun protection, rapid-drying fabrics, four-way stretch and active cooling built directly into the weave. Retail customers expect clothing that transitions effortlessly from a morning on the water to lunch on the boardwalk, and our exhibitors are delivering on that promise.

What excites me most right now, though, is the sustainable evolution happening in wetsuits. Most brands are shifting away from traditional petroleum-based neoprene toward limestone-based alternatives and plant-derived materials. When the most technically demanding product in surf goes green, it raises the bar for the rest of the industry.

    Andrea Venier

    Managing Director

    Officina39

 What excites me most about performance and activewear heading into 2027 is the opportunity to bring a new level of aesthetic experimentation to the category.

For years activewear innovation has rightly focused on performance: lighter, stronger, more elastic, more comfortable. Yet visually, much of the category still tends to speak the same polished, engineered language.

The next breakthrough, I believe, will be the ability to introduce the emotional vocabulary of fashion—character, imperfection, vintage effects and individuality—without sacrificing technical performance or responsible processing.

This is precisely the thinking behind NylonWorn, developed by Officina39 for polyamide fabrics. Through a selected range of dyestuffs and an innovative waterless treatment, NylonWorn transforms the clean, uniform surface traditionally associated with technical nylon into something more lived-in, casual and fashion-driven, while preserving the softness, elasticity and durability expected of performance apparel.

That changes the creative equation. A yoga pant no longer has to look unmistakably like a yoga pant. An outdoor garment can carry the visual richness of vintage sportswear. Technical fabrics can acquire depth, personality and even a sense of history.

For us, that is where real innovation lies: not choosing between fashion and function, or between creativity and responsible processing, but making them coexist.

In 2027, performance apparel should not only perform differently; it should finally be allowed to look different.

Luciana Vivolo

Chief Product Officer

Vivolo

 One of the most interesting developments we see as we move toward 2027 is the growing integration of performance wear into everyday fashion. Garments originally designed to deliver comfort, durability and functionality are becoming an increasingly established part of the daily wardrobe, moving beyond the purely technical identity that once defined them.

This shift also creates an interesting challenge for the world of accessories. As performance becomes a baseline requirement, details often play a key role in shaping a product’s identity and making it distinctive. Labels, applications, components and finishes can help bring to technical garments the same level of aesthetic characterization and customization we expect from fashion.

Of course, in performance wear, aesthetics cannot be separated from function. Accessories must meet specific requirements in terms of resistance, durability, lightness and behavior during use and care, sometimes even more demanding than those required in casual or formal fashion.

For Vivolo, this is precisely where the opportunity lies: developing details that can adapt to new materials and new end uses and meeting high technical standards without compromising on design, perceived quality or customization.

    Sherry Wood

    Director of Merchandising and Design

    Laguna Fabrics

 We are seeing a significant shift in the activewear and athleisure markets away from conventional synthetic materials and toward natural fibers and naturally derived performance fabrics. As demand for natural-fiber performance continues to grow, this is an especially exciting development for Laguna Fabrics, given our expertise and extensive selection of sustainable fabrics manufactured in Los Angeles.

We are seeing both established brands and emerging startups increasingly request Organic Cotton and TENCEL Lyocell blends for their core activewear collections. This movement reflects a broader consumer interest in materials that offer performance, comfort and a more considered approach to sustainability.

At the same time, growing awareness around microplastic pollution associated with petroleum-based synthetic fibers is encouraging brands to take a closer look at the materials used in performance apparel. Natural fibers offer inherent properties that can be highly beneficial for activewear and athleisure, including breathability, moisture management, natural odor resistance and a comfortable next-to-skin feel.

Looking ahead to 2027, we believe one of the most exciting areas of innovation will be the continued development of high-performance fabrics made from natural fibers and natural-fiber blends. By combining the performance requirements of modern activewear with fibers such as TENCEL Lyocell and organic cotton, we can create fabrics that deliver comfort, functionality and a more sustainable material solution.

This is where Laguna Fabrics is focused on helping move the industry forward, bringing natural-fiber innovation into the next generation of performance and activewear.

Responses have been edited for clarity and space.