Packaging Design Trends to Look Out for in 2022
Every year, we see innovation in packaging design.
This year is no different!
While 2020 and 2021 saw an emergence of minimalist designs, 2022 will further build on this concept through a variety of design considerations.
By utilizing these packaging design trends, you can create a premium experience whether you are producing a folding carton, corrugated or rigid box for your business.
Be creative and take risks with your designs.
It may be the impetus for success your company has been looking for!
Throwing it Back
Bringing The 60’s Back
Some design trends are simply timeless.
1960’s psychedelic designs have made a huge comeback over the last few months of 2021, so expect to see many more designs inspired by this time period in 2022!
With symbols of peace and vibrant colors, brands have the opportunity to shed new light on their products and address current hardships in a light hearted way.
Wavy typefaces, funky designs and pops of color are being used to enhance contemporary products such as clean beauty and vegan foods, making this design trend incredibly versatile across many different industries!
Carrying on the Y2K Trend
Although most of us remember the 2000s quite vividly, the Y2K aesthetic has once again weaved its way into pop culture, and the same goes for packaging design in 2022.
It’s no surprise that the Y2K aesthetic has made an emergence, where once again the focus on innovation and the future of technological advancement is prominent.
We are now slowly turning our attention to more nostalgic designs that remind us of care-free and easier times with no pandemic looming over our heads.
With the use of metallic and holographic finishes paired with kitschy artwork designs, brands are capturing the controversial (and often laughable) essence of Y2K and sparking lots of nostalgia in all of our 90’s babies.
Repopularizing the 1920s
Playing further into the trends of nostalgia, the 1920s make a huge emergence with Betty Boop and Popeye inspired characters (rubber hose characters).
With the character’s playful and mischievous smiles and elevated artwork designs, rubber hose characters once again bring a sense of lightheartedness during a time that feels quite heavy.
This trend extends beyond packaging into fashion and apparel with many designs featuring Mickey Mouse and other original disney characters!
Exciting Typography Designs
Text centric packaging designs have been an emerging trend over the last few years, but it’s safe to say it has made its way into the mainstream for 2022.
With the majority of shopping being done online during the pandemic, consumer behavior has shifted to much more fast paced decision making.
Initially popularized by brands like no name, text is used to communicate the product’s intent without decorating it with unnecessary elements.
This meets consumer fast paced demands in quite a simple and effective way.
Rather than focusing on eccentric artwork, brands are utilizing contrasting colors to bring text to the forefront of their designs.
Typography is a delicate and refreshing way to reinvent packaging on oversaturated shelves featuring abstract and complex designs.
Minimalism Stays Strong
Further playing into simplicity and finding a little joy in the midst of a pandemic, minimalism has been a key trend for quite some time.
Muted and monochromatic color schemes continue to dominate in 2022.
It adds a sense of luxury and peace to your branding while offering customers a high end unboxing experience.
Minimalist typefaces paired with matte finishes emulate a timeless feel, which consumers enjoy time and time again across any and all industries.
Bringing Artwork To Life
3D illustrations adding depth to designs is an innovative trend we can expect to see more of this year.
This innovative design trend brings your packaging to life and adds extra shelf appeal.
It’s definitely eye catching and will easily turn consumer’s heads when passing by. All in all, 3D designs may only be effective for certain industries.
Drinks and beverage packaging has been the most dominant industry to encounter this design trend in the past, with many wineries using 3D illustrations on their bottle labels.
However, the need to differentiate on shelf as well as online nowadays will likely push this trend across the food, beauty and apparel industries.
Interior Packaging Designs
With product packaging, it’s really what’s inside that counts.
Designs in 2022 will likely embrace this concept in a more literal way and feature the bulk of their artwork designs on the interior of their packaging.
While it is true that we’re seeing more exterior printing on mailer boxes and regular slotted boxes, this is not a maintainable expense for many businesses as artwork designs are often compromised in transit.
Beautifully crafted interiors provide customers with a sense of anticipation during the unboxing experience, adding to the impact of your branding.
With interior artwork designs, businesses offer an element of surprise which becomes sharable content for their brand.
Unboxing videos have gained a lot of attention over the years and continue to boom on social media platforms like Instagram and TikTok.
Brands will take more advantage of their unboxing experience to create sharable and unique packaging designs featuring interior printing.
Leaving Materials Bare
The use of raw materials has made an appearance in 2021, but we can expect this to be a much more dominant packaging design trend in 2022.
Textured materials lets consumers know more about the materials being used and how they are being sourced.
With the great shift of consumer behavior to eco-friendly products, brands are working hard to meet sustainable demands in their industry niche.
It’s becoming pretty clear that sustainable packaging is a must in almost every industry, and what better way to showcase your initiative by offering customers an eco-friendly feel right from the beginning.
Coatings and laminations were used in the past on otherwise eco-friendly packaging materials. However, this compromised the recyclability/compostability of far too many packaging solutions.
Consumers are becoming more educated on the subject of eco-friendly materials, and the issue of coatings and laminations quickly gained traction forcing many businesses to re-evaluate their sustainable solutions.
With raw materials, coatings are not required, in fact, it is encouraged not to use coatings or laminations at all in order to preserve the natural textures of sustainable kraft packaging solutions!
While 2022 brings uncertainty with the pandemic charging on, we can look forward to some fun loving and entertaining packaging designs across a wide range of industries.
With nostalgic caricatures, bursts of colors and strong influences by easier and more fun time period, designs will progress into exciting and innovative packaging solutions for maximal shelf impact and minimal environmental impact.
Looking for the perfect packaging solution to hold your products this year? We’ve got your back!
Browse our website and request a quote today to make an impact in 2022!
