Personal care spending outpaces apparel as skincare-infused garments gain ground

Fitch sees growth gap driving wearable wellness push in 2026.

Skincare-infused garments are expected to gain wider adoption in 2026 as personal care spending outpaces clothing in key markets, according to a Fitch Solutions report. The firm said consumer demand is shifting towards products that combine apparel with measurable skin health benefits.

Fitch forecasts personal care and effects spending in North America to grow by 4.5% in 2026 to US$660.0b, exceeding projected clothing spending growth of 3.3% to US$504.3b. In Asia-Pacific, personal care and effects spending is forecast to rise by 9.3% to US$446.7b, compared with clothing spending growth of 6.6% to US$718.1b in the same year.

Spending divergence reflects growing consumer prioritisation of wellness, with demand moving away from surface-level aesthetics towards products positioned around skin health. Within personal care, Fitch cited rising interest in dermocosmetics, which focus on dermatological benefits and skin condition-specific outcomes.

Fitch said clothing retailers are responding by incorporating skincare ingredients into fabrics, enabling garments to deliver functions such as moisturising skin, reducing inflammation, and providing UV protection. The firm said the overlap between clothing and personal care moved into tangible retail offerings during 2025 and is expected to become more common in 2026.

The report cited product launches in 2025 as evidence of this shift. US apparel brand Skims introduced a Face Sculpt product in July 2025 using collagen yarns, whilst France-based brand Coperni launched its C+ athleisure line in October 2025 featuring ingredient-infused fabrics designed to deliver skincare effects.

The trend is most pronounced in North America and Asia-Pacific, contrasting with regions such as Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East and North Africa, where personal care spending growth is expected to lag clothing. It said retailers in faster-growing personal care markets may expand into premium skincare-infused garments as clothing spending growth remains comparatively weaker.