Hot Button Progress Report 2026

Following last year's landmark tenth edition of the Hot Button Report, this year’s streamlined update sets the stage for a full revision of Hot Button criteria in 2027. The 2026 progress report tracks continued gains in the sector, while underscoring an increasingly urgent case for brands and producers to invest in Next Generation fibres, as climate change and geopolitical factors put growing pressure on the reliability and cost of conventional forest-based fibre supply.

This year, 22 of 28 producers achieved Green Shirt status, bringing the share of Green Shirt producers to 79%, up from 70% in 2025. Total Green Shirt production capacity dipped slightly, from 54% to 53% of global output, following company closures and consolidations. There are now 20 Next Gen product lines on the market, up from 16 in 2025, with Chinese producers responsible for 12 of these lines.

Dive into the data, explore emerging market signals, and get a first look at the trends shaping the next chapter of MMCF transformation.

Read the full report