Fast fashion's out; sustainability's in.
It's the best time to be alive for performance fashion. In 2026, apparel is no longer confined to a single use or setting — today's consumers expect gear that performs from the gym to brunch, adapting to daily life, without being wasteful or harmful to the environment.
From innovative fabrics designed to protect against harsh conditions, to design details that balance function, style, and visibility, performance apparel in 2026 is evolving to meet athletes wherever their day takes them. At REP, these trends align closely with our broader mission: creating durable, high-performance apparel that supports active individuals while minimizing environmental impact.
Upcoming Performance Apparel Trends
Pete Dirksing, REP's VP of Apparel, spent time at the Functional Fabric Fair, learning about what's coming down the pipeline in 2026, from advancements in textile coloration, and sustainability efforts, to advancements in gear that protects you from harsh climates.
We'll share the REP gear that's built with these advancements and innovations in mind — bringing performance, thoughful design, and sustainability-led materials together to meet the demands of modern training.
Fabric and Technology
For shoes and outter wear, protection from outdoor enviornments is top of mind in 2026. This trend highlights fabrics and technology that can limit exposure to harsh weather and climates — like the Homage to Mountain project's combination of Organic Cotton, recycled materials, and Alpine herb powder to mimic how Alpine plants protect themselves against cold temps, high UV, and harsh wings.
"REP strives to build better-for-you (and the planet) products — from production to delivery. In our apparel line, I'm looking at new technology in fabrics that integrate more natural materials, and have a better lifecycle from when it's created to when it gets into our consumers' hands," says Dirksing.
Design and Fit
Oversized pump covers continue to take center stage, providing an outfit that works in the gym and through the rest of your day. While this style can be attained by sizing up in your typical gym shirts, REP Fitness came out with the Bulk Up Heavyweight Crew T-Shirt that provides extra room through your chest, midsection, shoulders, and sleeves.
Similarly, oversized sweatshirts continue to support in-gym efforts and style on the street. The Unisex Daily Driver 2.0 Pull Over Hoodie is the perfect relaxed fit sweatshirt for comfort and an IDGAF attitude. For women looking for the perfect oversized look, aim to go up at least one or two sizes (I typically wear a women's small, but wear a large in the Unisex Daily Driver).
Style and Lifestyle
In previous years we saw an uptick in athlesiure becoming typical everyday fashion, and we'll continue seeing growth here, with consumers looking for apparel that can take them from the gym and into the rest of their day.
"The need for versatile apparel is here to stay. From the gym, to the office, to running errands, people want premium apparel that can be used beyond a workout," says Dirksing. "That's why we made our pump covers and recovery sets from materials that look and feel high quality — and can easily become wardrobe staples that last."
Check out recovery sets like the Women's Vellus Joggers and Hoodie, or Men's Attis Jacket and Joggers.
The trend for 2026 is bold color accents with purpose — like color pops on high visibility reflective patches, compression panels, and ventilation areas to highlight the high function of an item. Think of it like color blocking, but with purpose, meant to show off the most useful features on apparel.
Sustainability
"While we're still young and there's room for growth when it comes to things like eco-friendly dyes or a circular end of life, we are striving to learn the best techniques and continuing to make progress from within when it comes to sustainability," says Dirksing. "As people are becoming more aware of not only what they're consuming — from food to fashion, it's imperative that we continue to create performance apparel that doesn't just make people feel good, but performs for the long haul too."
REP's made it their mission to lower their carbon footprint, offering sustainable packagining and hang tags so there's less waste when consumers order gear. Here are additional sustainable practices catching steam this year.
Fast Fashion is Out
Fast fashion is out, sustainable fashion is in with consumers wanting durable gear that's built to last, and transparency of where their products came from.
"There are so many companies that cater to throw-away fashion, throw-away equipment, but we don't do that," says REP Fitness co-founder, Ryan McGrotty. "So, similar to our equipment, we always build in durability as one of our core tenants... We're building things that last."
Circular Approaches are In
Circular approaches are all the rave in 2026. This sustainable effort aims to use recycled materials, minimize waste, and build products that can last for repeat seasons. Often, these efforts are supported by replacement parts, repair options, and secondhand resale to extend the life of a product and avoid the need to manufacture more.
Wasteful Dyes and Fabrics are Out
Interest in low-impact dyes and biodegradable fabrics is building as consumers look to reduce their environmental footprint without sacrificing performance or style.
REP's effort to support sustainability can be seen with the Men's Sigmatech Shirt and Sigmatech Tank Top. These pieces of apparel use 49% coffee polyester, sourced from discarded grounds, which help lower carbon emissions and reduce waste in landfills.
The Women's Clio Tank Top is also another top-sustianable contender, utilizing a super cozy, cotton-like fabric made from recycled materials.
Takeaway
The biggest trends of 2026 center on sustainability, workout apparel that does more, and fabric designed to protect you from the elements — without sacrificing comfort, style, or performance. These shifts align seamlessly with REP's commitment to durable, function-forward gear built to support athletes wherever their training takes them.
FAQs
What's a fitness fashion trend to expect in 2026?
Clothing that can take you from the gym and into the rest of your day will be leading the charge in 2026, with functionality and comfort that supports your hardest efforts and everything else.
How do I find sustainable apparel?
Look for brands that prioritize sustainable practices. REP Fitness features recyclable packaging, no hang tags (so there's less waste), and uses a variety of sustainable fabrics in construction. For example, the Sigmatech Shirt and Tank features a fabric made from recycled coffee grounds.
Rosie Borchert is a NASM-CPT, former Nike Volleyball coach, and writer whose work has appeared on BarBend, Tonal, ABC, Netflix, and Amazon Studios. If anyone would like to hire her to play beach volleyball, snowboard, binge watch TV, or go climbing, please get in touch.
This article was reviewed by Ashley Boyer, ACE-CPT, for accuracy.
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