2021 Package Design Trends

Design Trends That Continue in 2021: Minimalism

Mentioned in the 2020 trends as well, minimalist design is set to keep going. Simplicity and clarity always have a target audience, no matter where you are. Minimalism is about simplicity, but precisely because of that simplicity, it delivers a powerful message. Even beyond package design trends, minimalism is often used in packaging because it works well with almost any product category.

Not quite sure what minimalism is? Put simply, it’s a design approach that makes “simplicity” the main theme. Naturally simple, that is. Design elements shouldn’t be crowded together, and important messages shouldn’t be hidden inside a complex layout — they should come through naturally.

If you want to create packaging that fits the trend, feel free to request a custom box quotation!

One of the best ways to emphasize minimalism is to use contrast. For example, you can add a single design element that stands out against a simple primary-color background. At the same time, rather than trying to pack in everything about your brand story, you should focus on highlighting one brand element. Otherwise, it could end up looking maximalist instead. For example, if your brand focuses on sustainability, make sustainability the design focus; if it focuses on great materials, make the raw materials the theme; if it focuses on history, concentrate on history alone. In short, put your energy into communicating just “one thing.”

With that approach, focus on just one visual element and build a truly minimal design. If you touch on too many elements just because your brand has such a rich story, it won’t look minimal at all. So keep the typography bold and singular, and use only one accent color. To maintain that clarity, black-and-white can also be a great choice.

If you’d like to learn more about minimalism: Why minimalist product packaging design is efficient

2021 Package Design Trend: Bold Typography and Patterns

Recently, bold fonts have started gaining huge popularity across many industries. It’s also a packaging design trend! By adding strong, attention-grabbing text to packaging, you can reduce the need to rely on images and develop the design with color combinations that suit the product.

Many brands have also begun adding bold patterns to packaging design. If you feel minimalism has been in power for too long and are tired of it, making the move to a slightly more glamorous trend for the new year is a great idea. And bold patterns are not actually incompatible with minimalism! Clean, striking strokes can draw shoppers’ attention on the shelf.

Explore trending pattern design: Learn about Memphis design

However, if you want a clean design, you need to check whether the various patterns work with the package’s overall visual. Bold packaging design should not clash with the overall branding. Also, when using bold typography and patterns, make sure the design elements do not conflict with one another and that the right color palette has been established to create a sense of unity.

2021 Package Design Trend: Flat Illustration

Flat illustration is dominating the overall design world right now, including the packaging design industry. Its biggest strength is versatility, which helps you choose the illustration style that best fits your brand. Above all, it adds a sense of familiarity to packaging, making it more appealing than you might expect!

Source: pierre marcolini / Source: Peter Gregson Studio

That’s why, when using flat illustrations, finding the right illustration style is the most important thing. One of the biggest mistakes in design is simply copying whatever illustration style is trending now. You should avoid that, because such copying fails to bring out your brand’s strengths and can make it look generic.

When planning flat illustration, start by selecting the colors you want from your brand palette, then use those colors to create illustrations that perfectly match your brand identity. If you create artwork that way, consumers will be able to associate the image with your brand. That helps you get one step closer to your customers.

If you want to set a brand color theme: Packaging design color guide

2021 Mega Trend: DIY Packaging! Create Your Own Brand Design

Have you heard of platforms like MangoBoard or VideoMonster? MangoBoard provides content design templates for social media, while VideoMonster is a service platform that offers video templates. As the number of self-employed businesses grows and the e-commerce market expands, demand for branding content is increasing, and design solutions for amateurs are becoming more common. In other words, marketers are becoming designers, and the people who know the brand best are planning designs for it.

Packaging design is following a similar path. Brands that once relied on simple off-the-shelf products are now beginning to create custom packaging for their brands, and demand for DIY brand packaging is growing.

Packative is a solution made for small brands that want to add their own brand design to packaging. With an easy 3D preview and an intuitive drag-and-drop editor, it gives anyone the chance to design packaging directly.

If you want to DIY your own brand packaging: www.packative.com

2021 Packaging Industry Trend: Eco-Friendly Packaging

A major trend in the packaging business is pursuing “eco-friendliness.” Packaging promotes products and helps drive sales, but in the end, it is something that goes into the trash. And consumers who use products also know that packaging ultimately contributes to environmental pollution.

Source: L`Oreal, Ecologic Brands

So let’s start with the basics. First, reduce overpackaging. There’s no need to wrap shipments in too much bubble wrap or tape. And if your packaging is made of plastic, it’s time to look for alternatives. Because plastic does not biodegrade, it causes more serious environmental pollution than other materials. It ends up buried in landfills as waste, harms wildlife in the ocean, and gives off smoke when burned. So if you’ve been using plastic for “visual” reasons, we recommend looking for another option.

In fact, one of the major trends among companies around the world right now is to use as much non-plastic packaging as possible while seeking other eco-friendly alternatives. Plastic may be low-cost and look nice, but if you pay a little more attention, you can find other packaging options that offer good quality at a reasonable price.

If you’d like to explore eco-friendly packaging further: 7 strategies to practice for sustainable packaging production