U.S. Men’s Denim 2026 Outlook: Fit wins attention, but sizing trust decides loyalty

December 18, 2025

NEW YORK - December 18, 2025 - Based on a new Voice of the Customer (VoC) analysis of 55,287 U.S. men’s denim reviews and discussions across Amazon, Target, Walmart, Macy’s and official brand stores (Q4 2022 - Q4 2025), the category appears to be settling around a familiar trio - fit, style and comfort - while loyalty is increasingly decided by something less glamorous: predictability. As brands plan 2026 assortments amid higher return sensitivity and “not as described” frustration, the strongest signal is clear: shoppers reward brands that reduce risk at the moment of purchase.

The study, conducted by Clootrack, introduces a directional switching momentum view called Net Flux (incoming minus outgoing brand switches expressed in customer language). Net Flux indicates directional movement in preference, not audited sales or market share. In the dataset, American Eagle, Gap and Old Navy showed the strongest net gains.

Four signals that matter heading into 2026

Figure 1: U.S. Men’s Denim VoC Theme Map (Category-Level).

‍

In figure 1, the bubble chart shows the category’s key experience themes by positivity (%) and volume of opinions.

Clootrack applies a four-level unsupervised theme hierarchy to drill from broad drivers to specific, actionable fixes.

1) Fit is the top driver - but loyalty is won by predictability.
Fit leads the category conversation (~21.8% share) with strong positivity (~80.7%). Customers describe “good fit” in precise terms: leg silhouette control, thigh/seat room, reliable waist fit, more rise/inseam options, and stretch that flexes without losing shape.

2) The loyalty breaker is sizing predictability (not comfort).
Sizing sentiment is low (~43.6% positive) and waist fit is similarly low (~42.7%) with growing attention. Shoppers consistently cite the same risk factors: variation across washes/colors, measurement guides that don’t match delivered product, and inconsistent online sizing. In practice, this shows up as churn and returns when shoppers can’t trust what will arrive.

3) “Trust triggers” are emerging right before checkout.
Two smaller themes show outsized impact because they introduce doubt at purchase:

Odor & Chemical Safety: doubled in prevalence (+100%) with very low fulfillment (1.19/5).
Sustainability & Ethical Considerations: up 150% with low fulfillment (2.47/5).
These signals behave like multipliers when handled credibly — and like trust destroyers when they’re vague or inconsistent.

4) Product information accuracy is now a measurable performance lever.
Customers repeatedly flag mismatches and confusion in key product details (including closure type), alongside function/QC issues. “Truth-in-spec” is increasingly tied to conversion confidence and “not as described” returns.

Switching momentum: where preference is moving

Using Net Flux, Clootrack found American Eagle, Gap, and Old Navy gained the most net switchers in the dataset. For Gap specifically, inbound switching was driven by reasons customers cite directly: Fit (41%), Price (26%), and Quality (~20%).

“What’s different here is connecting switching momentum to the fixable drivers customers explicitly cite - not just what they complain about,” said Shameel Abdulla, CEO of Clootrack.

Figure 2: Net Flux snapshot: Influx vs. outflux switching mentions by brand.

What this means for brands

The data points to three priorities for 2026 planning:

Make sizing predictability the loyalty lever.
Move beyond “fit” as a brand promise and focus on reducing shopper risk - consistency across washes and colors, and measurement guidance that reliably matches what arrives.
Make durability visible, not implied.
Shoppers increasingly judge denim by concrete failure points (seams, pockets, crotch reinforcement, wash durability). Strengthen those stress areas and communicate durability with a small set of clear, comparable cues.
Treat “trust cues” as part of the product experience.
As odor/chemical concerns and sustainability expectations rise, credibility matters. Tighten claims, clarify product specs on PDP, and remove ambiguity that drives “not as described” frustration and returns.

Methodology at a glance

Dataset: 55,287 U.S. men’s denim reviews and discussions (Q4 2022 - Q4 2025) across major retailers and official brand stores; six leading denim brands in scope.
Positivity (%): share of positive opinions within a theme.
Fulfillment score (1 - 5): how effectively brands meet the underlying job to be done.
Net Flux: incoming minus outgoing switches expressed in reviews/discussions; a directional indicator, not audited sales or market share.

Report availability: Full theme hierarchy, verbatims, and drill-down cuts (persona, price tier, fit type) available on request.

About Clootrack

Clootrack is an AI-powered Voice of the Customer analytics platform with AI Super Agents that help enterprises convert fragmented customer feedback into actions tied to business KPIs such as NPS, churn, returns, revenue, and operational efficiency. Using patented unsupervised thematic analysis, Clootrack analyzes 100% of structured and unstructured VoC data across first- and third-party sources. Insights are delivered through explainable AI Decision Briefs that clearly show what is happening, why it is happening, and what teams should do next, with 98% overall analysis accuracy.

Corporate Communication

Clootrack Software Labs Inc
+1 302-204-1872
‍pr@clootrack.com‍

‍Visit us on social media:‍
‍LinkedIn
‍‍Facebook
‍‍YouTube
‍‍X