The fashion industry has entered into a pivotal new chapter. What started as digital experimentation has evolved into a total revolution in the way that business is done: the way products are designed, developed, approved, and brought to market. As we enter 2026, digital product development (DPC) is no longer a “nice to have,” it’s a competitive imperative.
From AI-driven design exploration, automation, sustainability via digital product creation, to personalization at scale, brands are redefining their workflows in order to move quicker, minimize risk, and gain more on the investment. Central to this change is a burgeoning awareness: success does not stem from standalone mechanisms, but from connected, scalable digital ecosystems.
We discuss below the trends shaping digital product development for 2026 — and how Browzwear is helping brands turn innovation into measurable impact.
Browzwear is helping fashion organizations digitally transform with its digital product design and development platform, bringing your ideas to life—Chat with our team to learn more.
Advances in image-generation AI are fundamentally transforming how designers examine and refine suggestions. Concept generation is becoming faster, more iterative, and more collaborative — this allows a creative team to see potential in minutes rather than weeks.
But AI delivers its greatest value when it’s grounded in reality.
“The amazing advances in image generation AI are going to drive incredible changes in how designers explore ideas,” says Greg Hanson, Chief Executive Officer at Browzwear. “For companies who have fortified their internal digital foundation of 3D assets, the benefits of AI are already here — and Browzwear is already offering those AI solutions.”
Looking ahead, AI’s role in digital product creation will extend well beyond ideation — reshaping how products move from concept through the entire lifecycle.
Michael Musandu, Director of Business Development at Browzwear, explains:
“Over the next 1 to 2 years we will see AI that actually understands pattern geometry, drape and brand identity. A designer will be able to ideate and describe a style, tweak a few controls and get a production ready digital twin in minutes instead of weeks. The opportunity for brands is much bigger than speed. That same digital twin can now live through the entire lifecycle: design, fit, sell in and even marketing imagery with AI models that respect the product pixels. Closing that loop from idea to twin to consumer response lets brands test bolder concepts with less risk, lower costs and spend more of their time on what is uniquely human: taste, judgment and storytelling.”
In 2026, the differentiator won’t be who uses AI — it will be who has built a reliable, repeatable digital foundation that allows AI outputs to translate into real, producible products. Browzwear enables brands to build that foundation through everyday DPC workflows, ensuring creativity stays aligned with fit, materials, and manufacturing realities.
Automation is rapidly lowering the barrier to digital adoption across the industry. Tasks that once slowed teams down — manual handoffs, rework, duplicated effort — are increasingly handled by intelligent, connected workflows.
“AI is enabling rapid automation in the DPC space,” says Craig Planson, Chief Revenue Officer at Browzwear. “This automation is democratizing adoption and lowering the barriers to drive business impact.”
By 2026, leading brands are moving beyond isolated efficiency gains toward end-to-end digital continuity — where data flows seamlessly from design to development, visualization, merchandising, and beyond. Browzwear’s platform connects people, processes, and data across teams, enabling digital transformation and faster decisions without sacrificing quality or control.
Curious how these capabilities come together in practice? See how Browzwear’s connected digital product development platform brings ideas to life—request a demo.
As digital maturity grows, brands are rethinking how they evaluate return on investment. The digital twin is no longer viewed solely as a tool to reduce physical samples — it’s becoming a strategic, multi-use asset.
“We are seeing customers evaluate business case and ROI with a ‘multi-use’ asset lens,” Craig explains. “When the digital matches the physical, there are numerous use cases to boost ROI. This is more than just saving on shipping and sample costs.”
In 2026, high-fidelity digital twins are being enhanced with AI to generate marketing visuals, support e-commerce, power fit validation, and inform downstream decisions. Each reuse amplifies the return — extending value across the product lifecycle and across departments.
By simulating fit, materials and construction virtually, brands can dramatically reduce physical samples, unnecessary shipping and late-stage design changes. Sustainability in 2026 isn’t simply to do with reducing waste — it’s about designing smarter from the start.
Browzwear’s platform is helping achieve sustainability goals through early validation, fewer iterations, and better-informed decisions — all without slowing down the creative process.
If the past year was about testing new tools, 2026 is about bringing everything together.
“If 2025 was the year of experimentation, 2026 is the year of true integration,” says Matt Astarita, Manager of Technology Partnerships at Browzwear. “The future isn’t about one single tool trying to do everything; it’s about a connected ecosystem.”
Browzwear’s open platform strategy focuses on removing friction between systems — connecting best-in-class AI tools, PLM, visualization, and fit technologies into fluid workflows.
“We’re bridging the gap between that initial creative spark and the technical reality of the digital twin,” Matt adds. “By making the technology invisible, we’re empowering brands to accelerate from idea to twin to shelf in record time — so creativity can be unstoppable.”
An ideal digital product development workflow puts creativity first, supported by systems that remove friction rather than add it.
As Kiele Lowe, VP of Product at Browzwear, explains:
“This looks like putting creativity first and letting technology do the heavy lifting. Ideally, it’s built on a single digital product foundation of accurate 3D assets with materials and fit and cost data that flows from idea through to production. Connected systems allow teams to move faster and make better decisions earlier. Speed comes not only from eliminating time-consuming steps, but from enabling faster exploration and iteration. Digital product development workflows, when done right, enable creative expression by allowing the user to ask and iterate on what might be possible while leaning on the confidence that comes from leveraging digital guardrails.”
The future of digital product development isn’t defined by hype or isolated innovation. It’s built on strong digital foundations, connected workflows, and platforms that scale with the business.
As fashion brands prepare for 2026, the question is no longer if digital transformation will happen — but how effectively it will be executed. Browzwear is helping brands move beyond experimentation toward lasting impact, where digital products drive creativity, speed, sustainability, and measurable ROI.
The future is digital — and it’s already here.