Survey data from Cotton Council International and Cotton Incorporated’s Global Lifestyle Monitor survey shows 73% of UK consumers plan to buy higher-quality, longer-lasting apparel next year, an uplift linked to improved financial optimism, with 60% feeling “very or somewhat optimistic” about the year ahead compared with 48% in 2023.
The data highlights a growing willingness among shoppers to pay more for natural fibres such as cotton, with 49% expressing readiness to spend extra for cotton garments.
More comfort, cited by 74% of respondents, remains the strongest purchasing driver, alongside better quality (69%), increased durability (47%) and sustainable/environmental benefits (43%).
Andrea Samber, director of brand partnerships at Cotton Incorporated, said: “Our comprehensive UK consumer data shows an increasingly optimistic consumer going into 2026. We are so pleased to see an increased focus on comfortable and durable clothing and an increased willingness to invest in natural fibres such as cotton.
"Cotton is a wonderful natural fibre with strong attributes and deserving of the extension of its life through recycling efforts like the Cotton Lives On programme.”
A quarter of respondents plan to change how they shop to lower the environmental impact of their clothing purchases, up notably from 2023, while 20% say they only buy sustainable clothing, compared with 14% last year.
A vast majority of respondents (79%) said they favoured cotton, cotton blends and denim, driven by comfort (67%), high quality (65%) and softness (64%).
Encouragingly, 79% also correctly identified cotton as safe for the environment.
The ripple effect of this consumer shift is already visible in UK retail participation in Cotton Incorporated’s Cotton Lives On recycling programme. Brands and retailers such as &SONS, Margaret Howell, ME+EM, PAIGE, Charles Tyrwhitt, Hush, Whistles, Hobbs, Phase Eight, L’Estrange, Anthropologie, Bianca Saunders, Nexvision and The White Company are now involved.
The initiative diverts used cotton away from landfills and converts it into mattresses for people at risk of homelessness.
To date, the programme has collected around 8,000 kg of cotton in the UK and produced more than 100 roll mats, each containing the fibre equivalent of 45 cotton T-shirts. These mats are distributed through first-essentials packages for individuals entering hostels or moving into longer-term accommodation.
