2025 Design Trends: Ins & Bins.

It’s that time of year again where we look into our crystal ball and try to predict what’s going to be the next big thing in design. We’ve had the year of the gradient, the year of minimalism and even the year of Brat summer. But what’s going to be in next year and what would we rather see in the bin?

01 – A return to handcrafted design.

Handcrafted design is making a quick comeback. It’s largely thanks to the huge uptick in AI generated work we’ve seen recently, which has left in its path a want from clients for work that’s unique and individual to them, and to their brand. Truly human made, tactile and detailed design can’t be automated, and in an age where anyone can create in a matter of minutes, considered, calculated work goes a long way.

02 – Pushing boundaries.

Design tools like Canva and Adobe Express are becoming more widely accessible leading everyone to think they are a designer but a reliance on templates means the market is getting saturated with the same kind of content. This is driving designers to be more experimental and really push the boundaries of how ‘design’ is used. Expect an influx of disruptive, inventive design – creative that counteracts that polished ‘template’ look we’re seeing pop up more frequently.

Is this post-structuralist revival?

03 – More motion.

Motion within design isn’t the new kid on the block but we feel it’s a trend that’s here to stay. Animation and 3D are elevating previously static designs into something energetic and even magical. The addition of animation, no matter how small, can completely change the narrative of a piece and help build a whole new world for a brand’s story to be told in.

As a professional in the industry, it can sometimes feel like there is an expectation to be ‘more than just a graphic designer’ – to incorporate skills such as motion and 3D design into your work – and to continue learning skills that might lay outside of your usual remit. It’s understandable that clients are wanting a one stop shop for their brand work, and, given the demand for animated work,  motion is at the top of the list of skills they’re after.

04 – Minimalist Maximalism.

We’re talking bold fonts and contrasting colour ways! A trend that was kick started this year with Charlie XCX’s brat album and that infamous green. We think crazy colours and impactful types are here to stay for 2025.

This trend plays on minimalists’ love of clean lines, negative space and structure while turning it on its head with vibrant colours and distinct fonts. Expect to see clean layouts contrasted with clashing colours, bold photography and eye catching typography.

Just like our route for natural beef brand Friendlier…

05 – Visualising data.

Large investment into sectors like wellness and wearable tech are having a noticeable impact on design. The visualisation of data is becoming a big deal. With companies spending hefty amounts of money to collect data, they want to utilise it and build it into their brands with a key focus on making the unseen visible.

So how will this come across in design? AI-driven tools are revolutionising the way designers work, allowing them to build personalised, innovative campaigns. In most cases, looking at long lists of data isn’t very stimulating but by translating this into eye-catching designs and sleek interfaces, designers can make the once boring, the new in thing.

Here’s to the future.

There’s a lot of contradiction inherent in next year’s design trends. Just think of the conflict between digital and physical, or the debate between automation and human design. 

Going forward, the real challenge for us designers is finding a way to bridge the gap between these contradictions – to embrace change, and to create work that feels both meaningful and functional.

Our designers personal ins & bins.