Latest Product Design Trends in 2022 | MAKO Design + Invent

Leading the Industry Requires Adaptation

The latest product design trends are immersive and imaginative. Inventors frequently reimagine old and established concepts. Maintaining a leading position in the product design industry means constantly adapting to a changing landscape and remaining up-to-date on developments. This year, there is a clear pattern of human-centric elements being incorporated into novel product design trends. Innovative design is all about developing ideas and products that streamline and improve the human experience, so this makes perfect sense to us.

A few of the current product design trends include transparent design, minimalism versus brutalism, retro-inspired tones, sustainability-focused design, and streamlined package design.

Are you ready to learn more about the latest trends in product design that inventors and startups should look out for in 2022? Keep reading to find out!

Our Top 10 New Product Design Trends

1. Transparent Design

Transparent or translucent design marries modern and old-school styles. The result of these two styles coming together is an ageless design that stands the test of time. This trend first came into popularity in the 1970s and then in the 1990s. But the latest trends in product design show this trend is seeing a resurgence as designers are crafting transparent clothing, desks, chairs, benches, and side tables.

2. Minimalism Vs. Brutalism

Minimalism vs. brutalism is a study of contrasts. They do relate to each other, as both brutalism and minimalism are responses to society. Moreover, both design movements seek to simplify a design. However, those two considerations are where the visual similarities end.

Brutalism seeks to elevate the raw materials involved in the creation process. Rather than cover raw materials, brutalism aims to expose them as the cornerstone. On the other hand, minimalism is about keeping things sleek and simple. So the rawness of brutalism is not present in minimalistic design.

But together, these two design ideas can find common ground. A design that incorporates both brutalism and minimalism could be mindful of the colour scheme, such as the text on a pop art wall hanging, and would also have elements of abandonment, such as raw mineral rock stools beside a concrete dining table.

3. Retro-Inspired Tones

A few emerging product design trends are also looking back to the past. This trend sees designers moving towards a primarily “clean” look, retro design remembers what came before the present. Those who adopt the retro-inspired look are satisfying a hunger for comfort and familiarity. Translated in product design, this trend is seen in retro colour combinations, such as combining yellow and green with plaid and old-school honeycomb prints.

4. Sustainability-Focused Design

Sustainability-focused design has ramped up recently but is not a novel trend in product design. It’s a long-standing reaction to climate change. It seeks to create a design that repurposes materials and is mindful of how products are made. As people become more informed about the impact of design on the environment, they seek to prioritize sustainability when planning the production, packaging, and distribution method of items.

5. Streamlined Package Design

The streamlined package design trend is about making things more affordable. Functionality and affordability in product design are the order of the day for this fad. This trend became popular because of the pandemic, where people lost time or interest in unnecessary or excessive packaging additions.

6. Code-Based Design

Code-based design tools like UXPin are surging forward in product design. UXPin also has an integration called Merge-MUI that allows users to use MUI’s library to create fully sound prototypes in UXPin. Designing with elements that are ready for production is valuable for usability testing and if need be, design lead hand-offs and switches.

7. Motion Graphics and Micro-Interaction

There is serious ground being broken by designers in the area of motion graphics and micro-interactions. The UI innovations and hyperreal animations are astounding. They all help to create an incredible user experience and a better prototype result.

8. Sustainable Web Design Trends

Sustainability in product design is more than a trend, it’s a movement. Engineers and designers are working hard to use sustainability principles in web design. Designers are switching to green designers, using lightweight content management systems, optimizing UX workflows, and even buying and using second-hand materials.

9. Minimalism 2.0

Minimalism is largely a reaction to sustainability, and as designers favour minimalist designs and build, it creates a cleaner and more functional experience.

10. Voice User Interface (VUI)

Your friendly Alexa, Siri, Bixby, and Google Assistant are here and advancing in a big way. VUI is becoming more inclusive and aware of creating personal experiences instead of one standard voice or accent across the board.

2022 Product Design Trends: FAQs

A lot has been happening in the world of product design recently, and these trends speak to the diversity and emerging visionaries present in the field.

What is 2022’s color of the year?

2022’s colour of the year is Very Peri, described as a dynamic periwinkle blue with a vivid red-violet undertone. Pantone – the authority on colour – announces the new colour of the year each December. The renowned company chose Very Peri after conducting an intensive study of worldwide colour trends.

How can I keep up with the latest product design trends?

The latest product design trends are so varied that they may seem to contradict each other. But if you’re looking for a place to stay informed on product design trend forecasting, check out the blog section of MAKO Design + Invent’s website. It’s a great resource for learning about product design, product development, product manufacturing, and prototyping. We cover the latest and greatest in product invention, share the details of our award-winning designs, and explain the scope of our work. Want to learn more? Visit us today to learn more about our product design services.

Wrapping Up

Although design trends in 2022 seem to contradict each other, they actually borrow from each other in many ways. New designs are always taking inspiration from what’s already out there. This is the innate condition of most creative fields!

If there was no minimalist design – a reaction to the environment – then there would be no brutalism. If the 80s didn’t come in, with its big and bright style, then there would never have been the Y2K fad of the late 90s to early 2000s!

Product design often revitalizes older or ancient trends. Hundreds of exceptional designs that made waves on a global scale have reimagined what classic design can be, and it’s always a reaction to what’s happening in society, which is ever-fluctuating and infinite in possibility.

About: MAKO Design + Invent is the original firm providing world-class consumer product development services tailored to startups, small manufacturers, and inventors. Simply put, we are the leading one-stop-shop for developing your physical product from idea to store shelves, all in a high-quality, cost-effective, and timely manner. We operate as one powerhouse 30-person product design team spread across 4 offices to serve you (Austin, Miami, San Francisco, & Toronto). We have full-stack in-house industrial design, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, patent referral, prototyping, and manufacturing services. To assist our startup and inventor clients, in addition to above, we help with business strategy, product strategy, marketing, and sales/distribution for all consumer product categories. Also, our founder Kevin Mako hosts The Product Startup Podcast, the industry's leading hardware podcast. Check it out for tips, interviews, and best practices for hardware startups, inventors, and product developers. Click HERE to learn more about MAKO Design + Invent!