Decorative Items Such as Cord Embroidery and the Natural-Material-Focused “Craft Core” ~ 2026 Apparel Trend Overview and Recommended Textiles and Trims ~

Hello! I’m Kimura from the ApparelX Trend Blog editorial team.

In the 2026 trends, materials with a handcrafted feel and the textures unique to natural materials that make you want to touch them are drawing attention.

This time, we’ll introduce items with especially good textures, selected from the products we order every day and the many textile samples we review!

What is Craft Core?

In recent trends, natural materials such as linen and wool are the foundation, and highly decorative items that evoke embroidered textiles and the warmth of handcraftsmanship have been gaining popularity.

CMMN SWDN Common Swedish 26SS

Relaxed-silhouette sets, openwork blousons, and tape-yarn vest/dress styles, including accessories, create a natural look that gives off a resort feel.

KENZO 2027SS

Embroidery, fade processing, and printing on the reverse side of the fabric at the rolled-up sections add design interest, making even basic denim iconic.

VIVIANO Viviano 2026-27AW

Jackets × cross stitch, floral textile × flower-motif quilting—at first glance these look like standard items, but on closer inspection they have details that show careful attention to the finer points.

Louis Vuitton 26SS/27AW

The tops made by joining emblems together and the textile combining organza and gradient cord have a texture that also resembles a melange effect.

Chloé 27AW

Knitwear with dimensionality created by stitch embroidery and botanical motifs gives off a handcrafted feel and delicate handiwork.

Mame Kurogouchi (Mame Kurogouchi)

The embroidered textile matched to the item and the textured cord vest have character even in a single color. Making it from synthetic material rather than natural material gives it a natural, classical feel.

Mame Kurogouchi 26SS /Nylon Twill 3D Embroidery Flight Jacket

This flight jacket, decorated with a three-dimensional motif on the back, is a highly decorative design that conveys craftsmanship.

Recommended Textile / Trim Introduction

Natural Materials Edition

We selected textiles and trims with a warm, tactile feel, mainly using natural fibers such as cotton, linen, and jute.

OWE6139 Binchotan-dyed canvas of hemp and linen

After weaving linen, one of Oharayaseni’s strengths, together with environmentally friendly hemp that does not require pesticides, in the Bishu production area, this textile incorporates Binchotan charcoal dyeing techniques cultivated in Kojima, a textile town rich in nature in Okayama Prefecture. It is carefully dyed using 100% Kishu Binchotan charcoal.

Because you can fully enjoy the aging process, such as the random wrinkling and uneven character that appear with use, this is a textile suited to basic items that won’t go out of style and can be worn for a long time.

OA35268 Linen silk melon chambray 

It is woven with linen for the warp and alternating linen and silk yarns for the weft. Its distinctive features are the subtle sense of color gradation and the melon-like structure.

The appeal of this material is its texture, which combines the firmness of linen with the softness of silk!!

OG808 Size 8 linen-blend yarn-dyed chambray

This size 8 linen-blend yarn-dyed chambray uses jute color yarn in the weft in a well-balanced way, and the characteristic jute neps create a soft natural texture.

OA35246 CLASSIC SILK NEP LINEN HERRINGBONE

It is woven using silk noil yarn based on TOP linen yarns to create a classic, luxurious feel. The surface irregularities and nep texture are its defining characteristics. Silk noil is the leftover cotton obtained after taking raw silk and spun-silk yarn from the cocoon, making it an environmentally friendly eco material.

Since it is a smooth, comfortable textile to wear, it is also recommended for sets that can get you through the hottest season.

HK900 Jute Wash Finish hard finish

Jute linen is a natural fiber obtained from the stems of the plant called jute. It is highly durable, breathable, and has a rough texture with a strong natural feel. 

The hard finish gives it moderate firmness and resilience, making it ideal for items that need to maintain their shape firmly. Its natural jute texture and dry touch stand out, making it well suited to simple, craft-inspired designs.

KOTOHIRADAKI-20 Antique quilt Daimon

This is an antique-style quilt made from linen/cotton textile. The C/#KN (ecru) color uses no dye; it uses the natural color of flax (the plant used to make linen) as is, so the color of the flax changes depending on the season and lot, which is part of the appeal of the material.

Unlike ordinary quilt textiles, it is finished using a special method in which quilting is done in the greige (undyed) state and then dyed afterward. The face fabric uses a linen-blend material and the backing uses cotton, and by taking advantage of the natural differences in shrinkage that occur after dyeing, it has a washed, vintage-like appearance. Due to the manufacturing process and the characteristics of the materials, some quilting threads may lift or the surface may show unevenness, but these can be enjoyed as part of the product’s texture and character.

NO5502-24 Belt tape with line and selvedge closed weave

A cotton belt tape with a textured design.

It has a relatively substantial feel, so it is recommended for bottoms and similar items.

HR-1033 Linen-blend Nana tape M 

This is a linen-blend flat tape. Folding it in half and using it as edging for a binder could also add a nice attention to detail.

KNF3 Natural material cord Kenaf 3 round cord 5.3mm 

This is a cord made from 100% kenaf. Its appeal lies in the plain texture unique to natural fibers and its firm resilience, making it suitable for natural-style and environmentally conscious products.

It is also recommended as a cord for pants and hoodies.

HR-1063 Linen-blend color cord

This is a thin cord with a natural linen-blend material feel.

It also comes in many color variations, and is recommended for tape embroidery designs on jackets and cardigans.

Embroidery / Surface Textile Finishing Edition

OSK-1070-1 Organza embroidery

An organza textile with an embroidered pattern. Recommended for shirts and skirts.

8025-860-1 

This is a HOKKOH cotton lawn textile with shrink embroidery.

With its puckered look, it is suitable for shirts and dresses, among other items.

KCL524-D2896 Rayon linen canvas lace 

On a comfortable-to-the-touch material that combines the natural texture of linen with the drape unique to rayon, we embroidered a delicate floral pattern like line art with fine thread.

ON43697NA Cotton-linen denim-like embroidery 4 inch (ecru)

This luxurious Japanese-made item combines denim-like textile woven in Okayama, a famous denim production area, with embroidery done in the Hokuriku region. Because it is light-ounce, it is easy to use for a wide range of items, and it is also a piece that looks excellent when tailored. Please enjoy the collaboration between the Okayama and Hokuriku production areas.

WALA-30ID Warakat random square pattern denim

This is a striking denim textile made by expressing a random square pattern woven in a Japanese denim production area through Warakat processing. Warakat denim creates fine fuzz and uneven texture by cutting and loosening part of the fibers, resulting in a vintage-like and craft-inspired appearance. By making the pattern stand out in relief, it creates depth that printing cannot achieve, making it a distinctive textile. While retaining the solid texture of denim as its base, it adds an accent different from a plain fabric, and can be used widely, from casual items to highly designed pieces.

Because it is made to order, it requires a lot size and lead time in units of 1 roll, but it is a recommended textile for brands that want to focus on the fabric.

 *The images show the one-wash processed version.

Summary

What did you think?

The 2026 Craft Core trend is characterized not only by a simple preference for natural materials, but also by growing attention to the delicate feel of handiwork and the value of materials as they are before becoming clothing.

With embroidery as well, the combination of textile, thread, and design can be used widely across themes, from natural to mode. In addition, more designs are reinterpreting bohemian (hobo style) and vintage elements in a modern way, and items that are decorative yet easy to incorporate into everyday wear are popular.

At ApparelX, we carry many products that help create the world of Craft Core, including natural materials, tapes and lace for cord embroidery, and other trims. We hope you will make use of them as inspiration for product planning.