Financially optimistic Britons aim to spend on investment fashion in 2026 – Cotton Inc survey

Looking for news of a “significant build on consumer confidence” as the festive season kicks into high gear? Look no further as it appears the majority of UK consumers (73%) are planning to invest in higher quality, long-lasting fashion items in 2026. 

And it’s buoyed by 60% of UK consumers feeling ‘very/somewhat optimistic’ about their financial situation going into 2026, up from 48% in 2023, according to UK data sourced by Cotton Incorporated.

Survey data found 49% of UK consumers said they are willing to pay more for natural fibres such as cotton, “a significant like-for-like increase”. 

Reasons cited for these planned purchasing decisions include; more comfort (74%), better quality (69%), increased durability (47%), and more sustainable/environmentally friendly (43%).

Additionally, the survey data found 25% of respondents are planning to change the way they shop for clothing to reduce the environmental impact of their purchases, a significant increase from 2023. Plus, 20% say they only purchase sustainable clothing, another increase from 14% in 2023.

The vast majority of respondents (79%) said they preferred cotton, cotton blends and denim. Encouragingly, 79% of respondents said that cotton is safe for the environment.