In tough times, softness, kindness, and comfort sound like the ultimate cuddle anyone can’t do without. This is a widespread trend for f/w 2027/2028, as seen—and especially touched—at the last edition of Kingpins Amsterdam, the denim-focused trade show that took place at Sugar Factory on 15 and 16 April.
Many denim and fiber manufacturers disclosed their newest developments and most cocooning materials.
Softness to its max
Sharabati is betting on extra softness with its Maxsoft collection. Versatile and sophisticated, it is designed to shape casual-chic looks—the newest must-have for the future—and create a natural bridge between denim and formalwear.
When kindness is a most looked for quality, this group of fabrics offers a mild, soft touch that enhances comfort in various versions including denim, and BFP variants for most different styles–from relaxed jackets, to boxy tops, up to wide-leg, slouchy trousers, and oversized silhouettes.
This selection is available in a range of finishes, from sophisticated and clean looks to pronounced vintage effects and colored variants. Its exceptional softness is achieved thanks to Sharabati’s advanced R&D activity through an exclusive blend of sustainable fibers, including Tencel and regenerative agriculture cotton, along with advanced spinning techniques and innovative fabric constructions.
They embody comfort, softness, and naturally relaxed elegance for the most demanding clientele. They meet minimalism’s fans along with smart-meets-sporty aesthetic’s lovers.
Nonetheless, they are naturally gender-fluid, therefore both the male clientele, and the urban-chic women can’t do without them. They are the essential denim every modern wardrobe has been waiting for.
Naia’s soft-tech touch meets denim
Eastman, the global specialty material founded over a century ago, participated the show with its Naia fibers for the first time.
It presented many new fiber blends and collaborations featuring Naia Renew, a low-impact fiber produced from 60% sustainably sourced wood pulp and 40% GRS-certified recycled waste material.
While denim retains its authentic look and structure, Naia Renew works within the fabric to elevate the wearing experience through a combination of softness, performance, and responsible innovation.
It delivers denim a cottony softness that lasts after washes, together with a dry feel in high heat and humidity conditions. It also guarantees odor management performance throughout the day.
Naia features blends with various materials, including cotton, lyocell, functional polyesters, and silk, according to different markets’ interests.
Among other collaborations, they presented a capsule collection with Advance Denim and US designer Loren Cronk.
Also new is Cone Denim’s Flex Appeal collection, offering cotton-rich stretch fabrics featuring up to 60% elasticity, added with Naia and Coolmax to enhance softness, comfort, and moisture management.
Not less important is a collaboration with Kaihara Denim, the iconic Japanese denim manufacturer. They developed a denim made of a mix of cotton (68%), lyocell (22%), and Naia (10%) fibers along with a cotton-touch fabric made up of 90% cotton and 10% Naia, both keeping their denim identity but added with an ultra-soft touch.
Softness is an attitude for Isko and Isko Denim by PG
Among the softest and newest collections seen at Kingpins, Isko and Isko Luxury by PG developed some new examples of tactile softness that redesign some of the most traditional jeanswear and workwear fabrics.
The f/w 2028/2029 Isko fabric selection has developed a vast offering of fabrics where authentic softness stands out as a key priority, ensuring that even the most visually striking fabrics maintain a soft, comfortable hand feel.
“With this collection, we are focusing on the core elements that define denim today—color, comfort, and authenticity—while rethinking how they can evolve through innovation. We are presenting solutions that respond to both creative and technical needs of the industry,” commented Fatma Korkmaz, Product Development Manager, Isko.
While keeping intact its own upmarket identity, Isko Luxury by PG has transposed the tactile and softness aspect in a vast part of its collection.
While keeping intact its own upmarket identity, Isko Luxury by PG has transposed the tactile and softness aspect in a vast part of its collection.
While it pushed further ahead the concept of flock velvet, it enhanced softness to its Indigo Atelier line. This product selection offers new character to indigo flock surfaces, including pinstriped overall fabrics that acquire a new identity through aged and brushed surfaces while keeping intact their denimy character.
The Chenille Denim offer conveys a tactile softness that defies convention. Its ecru and indigo fabrics evolve through new constructions that enhance both luminosity and versatility.
A new Noble Denim line makes the strength of denim meet with the nobility of wool, the latest noble fiber added to this capsule—adding a perfect balance of sartorial structure, comfort, and technical performance.
AGI Denim: It’s time for wellness
For many players in the market, wellness has moved from a niche lifestyle trend to a global priority. In particular, AGI Denim, a vertical premium denim manufacturer based in Pakistan with a rich heritage since 1949, believes that denim has developed through innovation in materials, cleaner processes, and thoughtful design.
Its newest f/w 2027/2028 collection—The Wellness Edit—responds to this shift, offering fabrics engineered for softness, flexibility, and ease made with materials that help enhance a desire for well-being.
“The Wellness Edit reflects a holistic approach to denim that is better for the earth, better to wear, and designed to resonate with how people want to feel in everyday life,” said Aylin Sibel Beyce, creative director, AGI Denim.
The company’s entire collection is focused on these themes, like, for instance, its hemp-based constructions, an offer made with a mix of natural fibers, including regenerative and cotton-rich compositions, offering breathable comfort.
They have also developed a collagen-infused denim with advanced performance stretch technologies, designed to enhance comfort and support, along with soft, brushed textures that create a sense of warmth and ease.
“With The Wellness Edit, we are combining advanced material development with a deeper understanding of comfort, flexibility, and everyday wearability to create denim that aligns with how people want to live and feel,” added Henry Wong, VP of Product Development and Marketing at AGI Denim.