Woolmark, which researches and promotes Australian wool, has reported a strong preference for natural fibres in a survey it commissioned from research company Ipsos. Across five markets, an average of 82% of respondents said they would choose natural fibres over synthetics if price, style and fit were the same. Woolmark (source, opens in new tab)
WoolmarkConsumers Put Fibre Back At The Centre Of Clothing ChoiceOpen source (opens in new tab) PR Newswire (source, opens in new tab)
PR NewswireNew research reveals growing consumer preference for natural fibres as Woolmark launches Return to RealOpen source (opens in new tab)
Natural fibres come from plants or animals; synthetics include manufactured materials such as polyester. The result describes what respondents said they would choose between otherwise comparable garments, rather than what they actually bought.
Woolmark is using the findings to support Return to Real, its campaign promoting Merino wool. It also reported an average 65% preference for Merino wool over polyester—a more specific comparison than the headline choice between natural and synthetic fibres.
Ipsos conducted online interviews on 7–8 September 2026 with 300 people aged 18–65 in each of the United States, France, Germany, Italy and China: 1,500 respondents in total. The 82% figure is an average across those five markets, not a result for any single country.
The survey also explored price and trust in clothing materials. Woolmark said an average of 67% would pay more for clothing made mainly from natural fibres, while 71% considered independent verification of fibre content and quality important. These responses suggest interest both in what clothes are made from and in assurance that their composition is as described.
The underlying Ipsos report, full questionnaire, sampling and weighting details, and country-level results were unavailable for inspection. That limits assessment of how well the samples reflect the wider populations. The available material also provides no comparison with earlier surveys, so the reported preference cannot establish that consumers are increasingly turning towards natural fibres.
- Woolmark · Company releaseConsumers Put Fibre Back At The Centre Of Clothing Choicewoolmark.com · opens in new tab
- PR Newswire · Company releaseNew research reveals growing consumer preference for natural fibres as Woolmark launches Return to Realprnewswire.co.uk · opens in new tab
