It’s a new year, and especially in this digital age when massive changes to a design can happen with just a few clicks, design trends are always on the move. When it comes to labels and packaging, you want to make design choices that are not only appropriate for the times, but that also represent your brand effectively and won’t sway with every passing Tik Tok trend. To that end, we’ve compiled a list of design features that we think will have great appeal for consumers through 2023 and beyond.

1. Custom Typography

One way to ensure you are staying on brand is to create something entirely unique to you. If bright and busy backgrounds aren’t right for your brand, you can still make a statement by using typography that stands out. We expect to see more brands opt for unique lettering and typography. We are especially fond of hand-drawn lettering to make your design truly one of a kind.

What’s more, with the technologies available today, lettering and typography can be created using a huge variety of elements including gradients, retro elements, geometric shapes, and much more. We love how typography can pull double duty, declaring a brand or product name while also communicating your brand identity and engaging customers visually with your product. If you think your typography doesn’t play an integral role in your design, think again.

2. Minimalistic Vintage

Retro and vintage design is not something that is new this year, but you can expect to see a resurgence of styles that hearken back to earlier decades that seem simpler. In the last few years, we saw lots of the pixelated graphics and technicolor patterns popular in the ‘80s and ’90s, intended to spark nostalgia in consumers (especially millennials). This year be on the lookout for vintage design that is more aligned toward simplicity, such as vintage botanical imagery. We all get a little nostalgic from time to time and using your label to remind people of a long-ago age may be just what you need to attract customers.

3. Rich Colors

As we move into 2023, you can expect to see a shift in how some brands are using colors. As mentioned above, neons and neutrals that were so common throughout the first two decades of this millennium are likely to give way to richer jewel tones. The name of the game here is a combination of elegance and creativity. While neons may have grabbed some attention and neutrals provided a calming palette in the wake of the pandemic, we expect to see more saturated jewel tones taking center stage in 2023.

Vibrant jewel tones take their name from gemstones; like their namesakes, they are evocative of feelings of distinction and regality. As consumers begin to be more circumspect about their purchases with the state of the economy, these tones could be a perfect match to give potential buyers a feeling of luxury they are looking for, perhaps without the price tag.

4. Foils

Speaking of luxury, we expect to see brands turning to foil printing more and more in 2023. Foils offer a unique way to add that extra bit of luxury and style to your print materials that other design features like color and typography can’t quite compete with.

There are practically limitless possibilities for how to use foil, and when you work with a printer with decades of experience, seven nationwide locations (and growing), and label specialists who are expert at helping you create the custom label you need, the process is easy. From a small embellishment to a larger design feature, foil can help set you apart and create a truly elegant look.

5. Gradients

The use of gradients in all kinds of graphic design has been growing in popularity for a while, but you can expect to see gradients appear in new and creative ways in label design. One of the best things about gradients is their versatility. Want to make a particular aspect of your design pop? Or perhaps your goal is to captivate customers with something more forceful? Gradients are an excellent means to demonstrate your creativity and brand identity.

Some of our friends in the supplement industry are already using gradients on informative graphics as a creative way to draw attention to important product details. In the craft beer industry, many brands are using brightly colored background gradients that are certain to attract buyers in that competitive and creative industry.  However you decide to use gradients, they are an effective element to have in your design tool belt.

The name of the game when it comes to label design in 2023 is to be true to your brand identity and set yourself apart through custom and unique label elements. As always, the team of label experts at Dion is here to help you accomplish all your label design goals with our superior print solutions. Request a free sample packet today to see all our capabilities to print high-impact labels!