COLOR & FABRIC TRENDS FOR 2020

POPULAR COLORS

Fruit of the Loom has always been ahead of the game when it comes to color choices and, this year, it seems the industry is in agreement. Every year, Pantone announces its color of the year, which spawns a variety of products and styles in its signature color. In late December 2019, Pantone announced that its color of 2020 would be Classic Blue, a rich, cool azure reminiscent of starry skies and deep blue seas. This is a very close match to Fruit of the Loom’s popular Admiral Blue. Who What Wear’s predictions for popular colors in spring and summer 2020 include many tones that can already be found in the Fruit of the Loom collection.

• Fruit of the Loom’s Fiery Red is a bright magic marker red much like this year’s scarlet red.
• Its Carolina Heather is a little dustier than a sky blue hue and reminiscent of this year’s faded denim.
• With aqua greens trending, the Cool Mint evokes feelings of warm spring days and summer pool parties.
• Like the orange-yellow saffron shade, Gold really pops and looks good on just about every skin tone.
• Clover, like chive, is a rich forest-like green that is a neighbor to emerald.
• A look that never really goes out of fashion, White is a blank canvas for any outfit, no matter how casual or formal.

Fall may feel far away, but it’s never too early to plan ahead. Fashionista has some great insights on popular colors for fall and winter 2020, and once again, it ties in with many Fruit of the Loom colors. Some of our favorites from spring, such as the scarlet red and classic blue, will be popular all year, but also on-trend will be:

• Safari: This neutral serves as a perfect base for clothing of any kind.
• Citrus Green: This acidic hue looks best paired with neutrals like black and navy.
• Brick Heather: This brownish-red shade is the perfect color for fall.
• Indigo Heather: This rich blue is just slightly lighter than the navy.
• Silver: This perfectly neutral hue matches literally every other color in the palette.
• Military Green: A natural, earthy green.

FABRIC TRENDS

Colorful patterns will be everywhere in 2020, with Wunderlabel reporting, “The fabric trends are focused on light and bright fabrics which put you in a good mood.” Think cottons, linens, and polys in playful animal prints, festive florals, and patterned lace.

Casual and comfortable pieces continue to dominate, according to Bella Canvas. T-shirts, sweaters, and fleeces are making their way into more business casual outfits. This more relaxed silhouette is influenced by a street vibe.

Natural and synthetic fiber blends will also become more prevalent and, as the world moves to a more eco-friendly mindset, many manufacturers will opt for sustainable materials that reduce energy, dyes, and additives.

DECORATED APPAREL

The continued popularity of bold prints and patterns means that heat transfers, screen printing and direct to garment (DTG) techniques will be a big part of fashion in 2020.

According to the Advertising Specialty Institute, competition for decorators has never been more fierce, with industry giants like Custom Ink and Amazon up against home-based crafters selling their wares on Etsy. ASI polled its readers and asked what they thought 2020 trends would bring, with some replying:

“On-demand production through process management, equipment configurations, technology, and training.”

“With the increasing popularity of performance fabrics for fashion wearables, heat transfer decoration has expanded tremendously. The transfers have gotten more vivid, the transfer papers are better, and they’ve become more user-friendly.”

“Customers are looking for advice from legitimate sources to help them decide which vendor to use. It’s becoming increasingly important to maintain a good online reputation.”