Why 2026 is looking up for New Zealand’s fashion future.
Fashion history was made earlier today in Wellington at Parliament where Mindful Fashion NZ addressed MPs from across the house about the vital role the fashion and textile industry plays in the New Zealand economy.
Mindful Fashion NZ chief executive Jacinta FitzGerald, board chair and designer Juliette Hogan, and board member and chief executive of Kathmandu Megan Welch called for ongoing partnership with Government.
Here are the key takeaways and what we’re most excited about!
Threads of Tomorrow Summit: A one-day event will be held in Auckland in June 2026 convening Aotearoa’s fibre, textile and fashion ecosystem to showcase innovation, build collaboration, and accelerate a regenerative, circular future while strengthening global market opportunities.
The Summit (supported by ASB) will bring together leading voices and change makers from across New Zealand’s value chain to demonstrate and build leadership, increase cross-sector networking, and provide a platform to share innovations and best practice. So mark this in your calendar!
Industry Manufacturing Strategy: Taking a key recommendation from Threads of Tomorrow, Mindful Fashion NZ will work with EY NZ to develop an actionable and future-focused Industry Manufacturing Strategy that reinvigorates and positions New Zealand’s fashion and textile manufacturing sector for long-term enduring competitiveness, and economic contribution, building resilience and sovereign capability across the value chain. This will be delivered in 2026 and focus areas of the strategy will look at regional manufacturing hubs, job and skill growth, technological innovations, value-add opportunities, export potential and global competitiveness.
Future of Fibre Aotearoa: Supported by Agmardt, a transformative multi-year pilot initiative has been designed to catalyse innovation, and systems change across the fibre value chain – positioning fibre (in particular the primary production of wool) as a flagship of Aotearoa’s regenerative, high-value economy rather than a raw commodity. It aims to identify opportunities to maximise value collaboratively through innovation, design, and locally embedded systems. Working with industry, the initiative will map, identify, build the business case for, and pilot opportunities across the fibre and textile value chain in Aotearoa.
Mindful Fashion NZ board chair and designer Juliette Hogan. Main image: Mindful Fashion NZ CEO Jacinta FitzGerald earlier this year at NZ Fashion Week Beyond the Runway panel discussion From Fast to Regenerative.
“Fashion and textiles are one of Aotearoa’s quiet economic powerhouses. Our landmark Threads of Tomorrow report showed that the fashion, clothing and textile industry contributed $7.8b to the economy in 2023 and 1.9% of GDP, that’s more than supermarkets and specialty food retailing, and more than building construction,” says Mindful Fashion NZ chief executive Jacinta FitzGerald.
“We employ 76,000 people, pay $4.4 billion in wages, and are home to globally renowned quality, creative and fibre innovation, yet remarkably the fashion and textile industry has been historically overlooked for the value it brings to the economy. Today marks a shift as we progress meaningful dialogue with government. New Zealand has a competitive advantage in premium fibre, regenerative systems, design excellence and innovation. Now is the time to back it.”
In the global context of fast fashion and the environmental damage it causes, we are seeing that consumers are looking for a better way says Juliette Hogan.
“The three initiatives we’ve announced are designed to accelerate progress across the industry and address the challenges and clear opportunities that we know exist, including competition from predominantly lower cost global brands that impact our local business, economy, communities and environment.”
