Denim mills from across the globe gathered at Kingpins New York last week to showcase their new offering with brands, retailers and denim professionals. Here, denim mills dive into what’s on the table for Spring/Summer ‘26 and where they see the denim industry heading in the new year.
Artistic Milliners
Things are cooling off in Artistic Milliners‘ factories.
The Pakistan-based denim manufacturer showcased Ice Breaker 2.0. The new technology is an update to the original Ice Breaker, a proprietary indigo dyeing process that produces vibrant shades with minimal environmental impact. With the new version, the technology now integrates into the entire dyeing process, allowing the mill to expand its shade range.
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“With the new upgrade we can do tops and bottoms, salt-feeding sulfur, tops and sulfur, sulfur bottoms, as well as overall sulfur black. Whereas before, we could only do Indigo—pure and bright blue shades,” said Katie Tague, vice president of marketing and sales at Artistic Milliners.
While the fashion industry may seem uncertain—especially with looming Trump tariffs—Tague remains optimistic about the denim industry in 2025.
“I think everyone’s holding their breath since there’s a lot of change that could happen across this industry [in the years to come],” Tague said. “Ultimately, the denim industry has been through so much that whether you’re optimistic or not, you have to have optimism in the people you work with and faith in the partners you do business with.”
Cone Denim
Cone Denim is embracing light and airy fabrics for S/S ‘26, catering to the growing demand for more relaxed, comfortable styles.
The Elevated Textiles-owned mill, with production facilities in Mexico and China, recognizes that new generations—especially Gen Z—are prioritizing comfort over traditional denim. This shift is reflected in their new collection, the Lofty Edit, designed to combine the ease of loungewear, the relaxation of leisure and the “sophistication of luxury,” according to Pierette Scavuzzo, Cone Denim’s design director.
“The newer generation is not really wanting to wear traditional denim, especially in the summertime,” Scavuzzo added. “So, the Lofty Edit was designed to address that problem by being extremely comfortable and lightweight.”
In addition to the Lofty Edit, Cone Denim showcased a small capsule collection called Ethica in collaboration with sustainable finishing firm Jeanologia. This collection was created using the mill’s fabrics, which were designed and hand-painted by Guatemalan-based designer Juan Carlos Gordillo. The fabrics used in the Ethica collection include 100 percent cotton, recycled cotton and Tencel, along with a biodegradable, eco-friendly fiber that adds “lightness and fluidity,” Scavuzzo noted.
Isko
Isko is experimenting with prints and new fabrics this season.
For S/S ‘26, the Turkish textile manufacturer unveiled its latest collection, featuring an assortment of fabrics adorned with fun floral prints.
Isko also introduced corduroy to the lineup. Available in a variety of warm tones—such as red, yellow, and orange—the corduroy is lightweight and breathable, making it suitable for year-round use.
Beyond these new offerings, one of the most notable innovations from Isko is its partnership with its sister company, Re&Up. This circular-tech company is dedicated to reshaping the traditional textile-to-textile model with its recycled cotton and recycled polyester. Through this collaboration, Isko aims to accelerate its sustainable initiatives, “driving forward the future of eco-conscious fashion,” Massimo Callegari, Isko’s senior national area manager, noted.
“We’re fully vertically integrated, producing everything internally through our sister company, really helping us reduce waste and recycle more,” Callegari said. “We also have programs with customers where they can send us their waste and we can incorporate it back into their own production. Basically, it’s a circular recycling process.”
Siddiqsons
Soft and airy fabrics are top priorities for Pakistan-based denim mill Siddiqsons.
For its new collection, Cloud Core, Siddiqsons focused on creating fabrics with a soft hand feel, using a variety of soft, drapey materials in different weights.
“These fabrics are either engineered to be soft, or the fiber choices themselves are very soft and beautiful to the touch,” said Scott Gress, president of North American sales and marketing at Siddiqsons. “They’re all meant to be incredibly comfortable—with stretches and ridges—some of it coming from fibers like Tencel, which gives it that super soft hand feel.”
With these innovations and shifts in fabric design, Gress noted that he’s “very optimistic” about Siddiqsons business and the state of the denim industry in 2025.
“I expect 2025 to be a good year for denim,” Gress said. “Particularly, I think people are continuing to move out of China. So, for sources like us in Pakistan, I think that’s going to be important to building our business and [expanding].”
