It’s back! My annual trend and prediction article. As 2019 winds down, I’m starting to think about some of the interesting ideas and movements that will shape the new year. I hope you enjoy taking a read through my list of 2020 trends and predictions. You’re also welcome to look back to see how last year’s predictions faired.
Flexitarians
Or, vegetarian-ish. As we continue to learn more about the negative health and environmental impacts of eating meat, we can expect to see more Flexitarians and more companies catering to this audience. Flexitarians eat a mainly plant-based diet, but leave space for occasional meat products. Curious about this growing flexible vegetarian diet, read more here.
The Pink Tax
In 2020, we’re going to start to see greater backlash against unnecessarily gendered products geared toward women and what experts call the pink tax. Brands that want to reach women need to help women. This Nielsen report serves as a play-book for what companies can do to reach, support and empower women. “In short, brands and retailers that focus more on how they can lessen the load off women’s shoulders and less on the color of their packaging will earn more dollars,” Women: Primed and Ready for Progress, Nielsen.
Co-Living
Last year I wrote about the Growing Fourth Space and how co-working spaces were blurring the lines of work/life integration. Enter co-living. This is an interesting global trend starting to see legs in the U.S. From groups of widowers choosing to live together, to art-centered entrepreneurs sharing a house in San Fransisco to sustainable mini-cities, co-living is still a pretty broad term. However, I expect this trend will continue to shape during the next fews years. Read more about co-living here.
Worn Wear
We’re seeing a growing number of brands experimenting with repurposing and upcycling previously worn clothes. As retail brands look for new ways to offset their environmental impact, we’re seeing more recycling and re-wear programs. In November 2019, Patagonia opened its first “Worn Wear’ Pop Up shop. Eileen Fisher offers a selection of upcycled and gently used EF clothes under its Renew brand. Read more about the brands leading the take-back movement here.
Noise
In 2020, brands can expect to face a lot of noise. With what we can expect to be a very tumultuous election season, the potential impeachment, continued privacy and foreign involvement issues and the U.S. Census, we can expect it to be difficult to break through the noise during specific news cycles. Brands should be clear about their message, find interesting ways to build community with those they serve and curate their own direct to customer channels now.
What trends are you seeing? What movements are you expecting to take shape in the new year? Leave a comment or send me an email, I’d love to hear from you!
