Oxbow Wetsuits F/W 2026 Preview

Retail Buyers Guide: Wetsuits F/W 2026 Retail Buyer’s Guide
Brand: Oxbow
Interviewee: Thomas Chastol (Product Manager) & Loan Santé (Coordinator Marketing Product)

After a few seasons of (mostly) carryovers, fresh pieces were introduced in FW25. How did things pan out saleswise?
For 2024/2025, the wetsuits market for us was quite good, driven by different factors. Customers are very focused on technicity, sustainability and prices. There was consistent demand for high-performance equipment and eco-friendly trends which influenced purchasing decisions. As far as we are concerned, we have also seen a sharp and good increase in digital demand, still driven by technical features and sustainability.

The Fall/Winter collection is where innovations and new models come to life: which are the key additions to your range for FW26?
In our ongoing commitment to developing environmentally friendly products and technical equipment, this season we are expanding our range of wetsuits for our most technical division, the CREST division. After working with Yulex for several seasons, we are now collaborating with Ocena, the new generation of eco-friendly foam. This change allows us to enhance the quality of our products in three areas: environmental friendliness, warmth and flexibility. Oceana eco-friendly foam is in line with our desire to offer our customers increasingly reliable products without compromising on environmental standards and performance. CREST division is built with a jacquard construction thermal lining for a better performance, lighter, warmer and stretcher. Moreover, we developed a first price and surfschool range in natural rubber without increasing our retail prices.

Most wetsuit brands contained the rise of prices so far. Will FW26 remain stable regarding price points?
We won’t increase our retail prices for FW26 either. We want to make sure every customer finds his wetsuit according to his budget, without compromise on prices. Starting with a 3/2 at 139.99€ to our most expensive one, a 5/4 hooded at 359.99€, all with sustainable and recycled fabrics.

Do you notice a discrepancy between the sales ratio of premium wetsuits and entry-level ones?
We notice a discrepancy between those two. And we notice a very good surprise with our DRIFT segmentation which is our middle range wetsuit, still with natural rubber and recycled fabric. The sales have significantly grown due to a very good ratio price/quality.

The shift to non-petroleum-based foam is close to the takeover. Are you relying on established suppliers or developing your own proprietary technologies, as seen among some brands for a couple years?
We have decided to go with both options for FW26, which means working with established brands in the neoprene sector, such as OCENA natural rubber technology, which guarantees high-quality, high-performance products. But we also decided to develop our own foam, also based on natural rubber, while offering high-quality and performance products at a lower price. It is important for us to offer products that are suitable for all conditions, uses and budgets.

Any innovations in the linings for 2026?
As previously said, we changed our premium range lining for a jacquard construction we developed with the supplier. The wetsuit gets lighter and warmer.

Do you notice any difference in the consumer habits of women? (wetsuit thickness, entry/closure systems, colors…)
Our main focus on women wetsuits not only remains in the colorway and prints, but also in the comfort. We developed foam hip pads stitched to the foam to have a softer contact between the board and the pelvis. We have very good feedback on this feature from our women ambassador.

Please briefly mention the repair/recycle programs offered by your brand.
As a strong focus on environment, we first started with recycled fabrics and natural rubber. We wanted to go further and working with a partner to make our wetsuit last longer. To do so, we offer a 2 years warranty and work with Tearing Waves offering a reparation service:

Tear repair
Zip replacement
Seam reinforcement and waterproofing
Adjustments and customization

It is also essential to teach our customers how to care for the products, to understand how to maintain them so that they last as long as possible.

How are you helping retailers to sell more suits?
To help our retailers sell more wetsuits, we offer in-store visits by the marketing product division to discuss and exchange ideas about the product. The idea is to understand all the product’s features and provide them with all the necessary information. In addition, we provide them with a booklet detailing all the product features, which serves as a reminder and lists all the functionalities, technical aspects and materials. Finally, they can contact us if they have any questions on this subject. It is important for us to be there for them and help them as much as possible to sell their products.