Online sales of climbing wear hit 2.8 billion yuan in Q1 2026, up 37% year-on-year. But the real story isn't the number—it's the shift in demand drivers. E-commerce data shows a significant portion of buyers have no climbing experience; they purchase climbing wear for commuting, casual outings, and light outdoor activities. This signals that outdoor apparel's growth logic has pivoted from serving hardcore enthusiasts to meeting urban functional fashion needs.
Lifestyle demand reshapes fabric logic
As climbing wear moves from crags to offices, upstream fabric requirements change. Traditional extreme-performance fabrics prioritize single functions like absolute waterproofness, but urban consumers need a balance of stretch, breathability, durability, and warmth retention, plus good hand feel and aesthetic appeal. This 'multi-purpose' demand forces fabric makers to move beyond extreme-condition thinking toward composites that blend professional protection with everyday comfort.
Industry projections indicate that softshell fabrics tailored for urban life will eventually surpass traditional hardshell fabrics in market size, becoming the mainstream outdoor fabric category. This judgment rests on three converging trends: urban light outdoor activities, functional fashion, and textile technology innovation, all elevating demand for premium functional fabrics.
Modular membrane tech lands in Keqiao
Keqiao textile enterprises are accelerating technology deployment. Kunshan Huayang New Materials, for instance, has launched its full range of membrane composite fabrics in the Dongsheng Road outdoor functional fabric zone, bringing polymer membrane core technology to Keqiao for direct access to national outdoor apparel brands. Its modular membrane technology enables performance customization:
- PU microporous membrane with four-way stretch: suitable for spring-summer climbing, stable elasticity at low temperatures
- PU graphene composite membrane: integrates antibacterial and far-infrared thermal storage for mid-to-high-end functional wear
- PES biodegradable membrane: non-toxic, flame-retardant, high breathability, meeting green product development needs
The three-in-one softshell fabric combines membrane, four-way stretch, and thin micro-fleece for balanced protection and softness. Huayang's subsidiary Nantong Dongyi Advanced Fiber holds over 120 fabric patents, filling Keqiao's gap in high-end composite climbing fabric technology.
Digital tools shorten fabric-to-garment cycle
Fabric companies are using digital platforms to speed up the development-to-garment process. Keqiao's AI Cloth mini-program integrates four modules: Good Cloth Matching, Fabric Try-On, Fabric Visual Creation, and Tech Quick Search. When fabric suppliers upload samples of PU composite membrane or three-in-one softshell, the system automatically matches downstream buyers of climbing wear and urban functional apparel. The Fabric Try-On tool generates one-click visualizations of how the fabric looks on the body in commuting and outdoor scenarios, reducing physical sample waste.
For fast-moving urban functional brands, shortening the fabric selection and design validation cycle means faster market response.
Industry implications and outlook
Climbing wear's breakout is not an isolated event but a microcosm of the expanding urban functional apparel track. From down jackets to sun-protective clothing to climbing wear, each product line's crossover broadens the definition of outdoor fabrics. Long-term, lightweight, multifunctional, and green will become mandatory standards for outdoor apparel, and innovative fabrics based on polymer membrane technology have vast development space.
For fabric makers, the core challenge is maintaining professional protection while meeting urban consumers' expectations for comfort, aesthetics, and sustainability. Companies that can leverage modular technology for performance customization and use digital tools to quickly respond to brand needs will gain a head start in this 'outdoor lifestyle-ization' wave.