Top trends fashion industry predictions for the coming year
Although 2020 was a difficult year, to say the least, 2021 has exciting and interesting design opportunities. These are our fashion industry predictions of the top two trends coming in the next 12 months!
Eco friendly & sustainable packaging
When it comes to packaging design, the latest trending idea is to develop and encourage sustainability.
Packaging can contribute a lot to the sales that you generate. In fact, think of it as an excellent megaphone for your brand.
However, typically, packaging eventually ends up in a trash bin.
The general public, including your customers, are aware of this fact. They don’t want to contaminate the planet by purchasing products that offer such packaging.
This is why it has become essential for you to seriously consider making the switch to sustainable packaging. There are no alternatives available to consider. If you are using plastic for your packaging, it is time to look for an alternative.
We all know that plastic is not good for the environment. People in today’s world have taken appropriate measures to refrain from using products that are packaged using plastic.
Plastic doesn’t biodegrade. Instead, it ends up in landfills – plastic litters the landscape and ends up creating massive garbage patches around the world.
As the demand for more sustainable packaging increases, you will not be able to increase your sales volume by using plastic.
There is a trend among businesses around the world to stick to non-plastic packaging as much as possible. Do some research so you understand what sustainable alternatives are available to consider and then you will be able to use those sustainable alternatives to create your packaging.
The sustainable packaging trend is guaranteed to continue into 2021 and beyond. Having sustainable and eco-friendly packaging not only protects the environment but also helps companies to stand out from their competitors and creates a positive brand image.
Many companies are starting to use biodegradable, compostable or recycled materials in their packaging designs as customers are becoming more conscious of their packaging waste.
With the perception about plastic being bad, it is crucial to start reducing the amount of damaging plastics your business uses.
Using a sustainable form of packaging in 2021 will likely increase respect for your brand and generate more success for your business.
Biodegradable vs Compostable – what is ‘Biodegradable’?
‘Biodegradable’ is a term that has no official definition or requirements, so it often misleads brands, retailers, and consumers.
A substance is biodegradable if it is “capable of being decomposed by bacteria or other living organisms.” Some products, such as food and plants, are naturally biodegradable, whilst others can break down into harmful gasses or substances.
Even though all compostable plastics are biodegradable, not all biodegradable plastics are compostable.
This means that even though naturally occurring organic compounds can be biodegradable, it could take hundreds or thousands of years to decompose.
It is important to recognise the term ‘biodegradable’ does not define the length of time needed for your products to decompose. For example, plastic bags may be labelled as ‘biodegradable’, but it does not mean they are a good option for protecting our environment.
Having said that, biodegradable plastics are usually much more efficient and eco-friendlier than normal plastic and help to reduce pollution.
What is ‘Compostable’?
‘Compostable’ means products which are capable of complete biodegradation in compost, meeting specific standards for breakdown to receive a compostability certification.
Compostable packaging is made from natural materials, and unlike some bioplastics, it can decompose fully without leaving behind any toxicity.
Research has found that compostable products broke down or completely disappeared much quicker than biodegradable products, which can persist in the environment after three years.
Also, whereas flexible plastic packaging waste is often too contaminated with food waste to be suitable for recycling and ends up being sent for incineration or to landfill, compostable packaging avoids this problem as the compost produced can return organic matter to the soil.
There are two variations of compostable packaging which are industrial composting and home composting. These are identified using different packaging labels.
Industrial composting: The products will show the ‘seedling’ logo and should not be thrown into home composts as they usually require different conditions to compost properly.
Home composting: The home compostable logo is used to highlight products that can be disposed of in a regular home compost.
The difference between home, commercial and industrial composting
Certified compostable products must be disposed of in a designated municipal composting facility unless stated otherwise, as many certified compostable items require higher temperatures of industrial settings to biodegrade quick enough.
To be certified home compostable, the compostable materials must disintegrate within 18 days. Home composters have a lower mass and are generally exposed to ambient temperatures so under these conditions it will disintegrate within the time frame.
However, commercial and industrial composters have a much larger mass of organic material, with more heat being generated from industrial composters (45-60 Degrees Celsius) allowing biodegradation to accelerate.
Therefore, compostable materials should disintegrate within 90 days in commercial compost; half the time it would take in a home compost.
Minimalism
Minimalism is one of the trending concepts in the fashion industry at the moment.
Minimalist design has crept into packaging recently, becoming one of the hottest packaging design trends around the world. Many businesses have started using natural and soft colours in their packaging. You can now see colours such as cream, light pink, and light blue being heavily used.
For example, businesses tend to stick to minimalism at the time of getting the business logo designed. On the other hand, we tend to stick to minimalism when decorating our bedrooms as well.
Minimalism is all about introducing simplicity into your product packaging. You should make it look natural. The design you have on top of product packaging should be something uncluttered. Then you can even share an important message to the customers, which is that you don’t have anything to hide behind the busy graphics you have on the packaging.
One of the best methods available for you to highlight minimalism in your packaging is to seek the assistance of high contrast elements on top of simple looking backdrops.
On the other hand, you could select just one aspect of your brand story and stick to it at the time of designing the package. It is another convenient and effective method available for you to promote minimalism.
Whatever fashion trends 2021 brings, we’re here for you
Fashion trends come and go, and those that stick around become the norm and not a trend.
Sustainable packaging is sure to become standard as we head into a greener, more environmentally conscious future.
We’ve talked before about how and why it’s important for your brand to undertake eco-friendly packaging, and 2021 might be the beginning of the end for harmful plastics.
If you need help bringing your brand into an eco-friendly new world, then contact us today.
Consumers are becoming less tolerant of business that doesn’t take sustainability seriously, and with many brands just about holding on after Covid, there’s a real chance that a lack of social awareness with your packaging might be the straw that breaks the camel’s back.
With decades of experience with hundreds of companies, big and small, we can help you navigate the complex world of sustainable packaging in the apparel industry.