Outdoor 2026: Colour & Material Innovations

Published 29 May 2026

Author

Becky Lyon

8 min read

Marking a new chapter for the European outdoor community, the Outdoor trade show (May 17-19) relaunched in Lake Garda, Italy, with over 350 brands participating. Covering themes ranging from sustainability and inclusivity to preparedness for a changing planet, we present the key colour and materials trends and innovations from the show.

Designing for a (Climate)-Changed Landscape

Leading the Sustainability Conversation

Movement for Everybody

The outdoor industry is experiencing the effects of a changing planet first-hand, with concerns around extreme weather, UV exposure and hygiene all coming into play. Brands are responding with materials that protect and regulate the body whilst sustaining performance in shifting and unexpected conditions.

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The outdoor industry continues to lead on sustainability, partly prompted by various new regulations in the EU. Brands are increasing the use of recycled and regenerative materials in their collections and committing to design for durability and repair schemes.

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Material innovations are helping the outdoors become more accessible to a wider range of audiences. This involves embracing technologies that enable custom fits at scale, and introducing new fabrics optimised for transition from urban to rural environments.

Outdoor 2026: Colour & Material Innovations

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Topics

Active

Colour

Leisure

Materials

Print & Pattern

Sports & Leisure

Textiles

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