The men's jeans market is growing fast, creating confusion for designers. You need to know where the real opportunity lies before investing in your next big collection.

While the men's jeans market¹ is growing faster, it is unlikely to overtake the women's market in overall popularity. The existing market size for women's jeans is simply too large, and their purchasing habits are more frequent, ensuring their continued dominance for the foreseeable future.

For over 20 years, I've watched these market trends from my factory floor. I see the orders, the fabrics, and the designs for both men and women. The numbers tell one story, but the actual products tell another.

While the men's market is exciting and growing, the women's market is a powerhouse built on variety and constant renewal. To understand where things are heading, we need to look at what people are actually wearing right now.

Which type of jeans is trending now?

Fashion trends change so fast it's hard to keep up. You're worried about buying into a style that will be outdated by next season.

The biggest trends are relaxed, looser fits. For both men and women, wide-leg, straight-leg, and baggy jeans² are dominating. High-waisted styles like "mom jeans" and "dad jeans" continue to be popular, signaling a major shift away from tight, skinny fits.

In my factory, the change has been dramatic. A few years ago, almost every order included a skinny jean. Today, the cutting tables are covered with patterns for much wider silhouettes.

The overall theme is comfort and a relaxed attitude. People want jeans that they can move in and live in. For women, this means a huge variety of styles, from elegant wide-leg trousers in dark denim to casual, light-wash mom jeans.

For men, the trend is focused more on classic straight-leg fits and relaxed, workwear-inspired styles³. The rise of these looser fits shows a change in how we think about jeans.

They are becoming less of a restrictive fashion statement and more of a comfortable, everyday uniform. This shift towards comfort benefits both markets, but the sheer variety in women's trends keeps their market incredibly dynamic.

What do Gen Z wear instead of skinny jeans?

You see Gen Z's style online and feel disconnected. The skinny jeans you've worn for years are suddenly "out," leaving you unsure what's cool now.

Gen Z has almost completely abandoned skinny jeans in favor of looser, vintage-inspired silhouettes⁴. They heavily favor baggy jeans, cargo pants, straight-leg cuts, and wide-leg styles. Comfort, sustainability, and a nod to 90s and Y2K fashion are the driving forces.

The rejection of skinny jeans by Gen Z is one of the biggest shifts I've seen in the denim industry. It's not just a trend; it's a statement.

They are moving away from the body-conscious fits of the millennial era towards something more relaxed and individual. From my perspective as a manufacturer, brands that target this generation are sending us very different design requests.

We get tech packs with specific instructions for a "perfectly baggy" fit or a "vintage thrift-store" wash. There's a huge emphasis on authenticity.

They also care deeply about sustainability, so we see more requests for recycled cotton and eco-friendly washing processes. This generation's influence is a major reason why the men's market is growing. Young men are embracing these wider, more expressive styles just as much as young women are.

Are jeans still in style in 2025?

With so many new pant styles emerging, you wonder if denim's time is up. Should you be investing in other materials for your wardrobe or brand?

Absolutely. Jeans will be a cornerstone of fashion in 2025 and beyond. While the specific silhouettes will continue to evolve, denim as a category remains incredibly strong. The focus is shifting towards sustainable fabrics⁵, relaxed fits, and more innovative, technical denim materials⁶.

Jeans are not going away. They are just evolving. My factory's order book is fuller than ever, but the orders themselves are different. Brands are no longer just asking for a basic blue jean. They are demanding innovation.

We are working with technical fabrics that offer features like water resistance or extra warmth for men's outdoor lines. We're using advanced laser and ozone washing techniques to create vintage looks with less water. The demand for sustainable denim made with recycled cotton is through the roof.

For 2025, the "style" of jeans is less about one specific cut and more about the story the jeans tell. Is it sustainable? Is it comfortable? Is it unique? Denim's ability to constantly reinvent itself is why it has been a wardrobe staple for over a century and will continue to be one for many years to come.

Are jeans out of style for men?

You see men wearing more joggers and chinos. It's easy to think that denim is becoming a thing of the past for the modern man's wardrobe.

No, jeans are not out of style for men. In fact, the men's denim market is growing faster than the women's. The styles have shifted away from skinny jeans⁷ towards more relaxed straight-leg and workwear-inspired fits, reflecting a greater interest in comfort and style.

Men's jeans are having a major comeback. For a while, the market was dominated by basic, uninspired styles. But that has completely changed. Men are now treating jeans as a key part of their fashion wardrobe.

In my factory, the variety of men's jeans we produce has exploded. We make sleek, dark-wash jeans with a small amount of stretch that are designed to be worn in a business-casual office.

We produce rugged, multi-pocket carpenter jeans inspired by classic workwear. We create fashion-forward baggy styles in unique washes for younger brands. The data shows that men are willing to spend more on high-quality, well-designed denim.

They are moving beyond the single pair of "do-everything" jeans and building a collection of different styles for different occasions. This new excitement and investment from male consumers is what's driving the impressive growth in their market.

Conclusion

Men’s jeans are growing faster with a focus on quality, but they won't overtake women's. The women's market remains dominant due to its massive size, variety, and purchasing frequency.

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