Image: Pinterest
By looking at the biggest trends of 2019, Pinterest expects gender-neutral toys and baby names to rise in popularity, along with political protests and personal wellness.
Pinterest has today (10 December) published its forecast for the biggest trends of 2020, while reflecting on the stats, facts and figures the company has gathered over the past year.
“Every time that someone searches on Pinterest, they’re thinking about what they want to try next,” the company said. “Multiply that behaviour by the more than 320 million people using Pinterest all over the world and you get a unique insight into emerging trends.”
Traditionally, Pinterest has often been associated with wedding planning, recipe recommendations, decorating ideas and other creative schemes. While each of those categories remain popular on the platform, this year’s Pinterest 100 report suggests that its 320m users are growing more conscious of political and social issues.
Gen Z and gender-neutral options
The company noted that there has been a steady rise in the number of users looking for gender-neutral options, not just for milestone events, but in their everyday lives. Gen Z users in particular have been looking for inclusive products that steer clear of gendered labels and colours.
These increases were measured from August 2018 to July 2019, and were compared with the same period in the previous year. From 2018 to 2019, there was a 301pc increase in searches for gender-neutral baby names, a 527pc increase in users searching for unisex nurseries and a 625pc increase in searches for gender-neutral haircuts.
Pinterest also noted a rise in search volume for inclusive educational posters (up 91pc), androgynous wedding wear (51pc) and unisex children’s clothes (119pc).
Conscious consumption
We’re coming to the end of a pivotal year in the history of climate activism, and Pinterest’s statistics suggest that people want to do something about it. There has been an incredible 5961pc increase in searches for protest poster ideas.
While paper straws and reusable coffee cups might have fuelled previous searches from eco-friendly users, this year they’re looking to make bigger changes than just ditching plastic straws.
Low-waste living has seen a 446pc increase in searches and there has been a 2276pc rise in searches for thrift-shop crafts. Thrifted home décor has also seen a 308pc increase in interest.
And, Pinterest being Pinterest, there has even been a 235pc increase in searches for low-waste wedding ideas.
Wellness and the home
While Pinterest’s trends may suggest an increase in environmental and social awareness, the platform’s users are also increasingly interested in their personal wellness.
There was a 444pc increase in searches for art therapy activities, a 147pc rise in users seeking self-discovery journal prompts and a 49pc rise in people seeking tips on how to embrace being single.
Pinterest users remain interested in decorating and redesigning their personal spaces, with some of the biggest trends focusing on home transformation.
Lots of these revolve around the kitchen. Indoor microgreens are becoming increasingly popular, with a 223pc growth on the previous year, while there was a 751pc growth in the number of users searching for coffee stations.
As for entertainment, there has been an 803pc rise in the number of searches for audio rooms and a 368pc rise in searches for home cinema ideas. While an audio room may seem decadent, there was also a 917pc rise in interest for indoor decorative water fountains.
Image: Pinterest
From goat playhouses to caring for blind dogs
Pinterest noted that interest in pet pampering is reaching all-time highs on the platform. The company said: “We’re talking farm-to-table dog food, pet playgrounds and even feline fashion. Increasingly, millennials who might be delaying traditional milestones like marriage are turning to fur babies for companionship.”
The company saw a 260pc increase in searches for pet resorts, a 214pc increase in users looking up dog toilets and a 150pc increase in searches for goat playhouses. Over the year that Pinterest was gathering its data, the company saw a 97pc rise in searches for protective halos for blind dogs, allowing blind pups to strut around their homes with confidence. There was also a 261pc growth in searches for pet memorials, from users that might be eager to find ways to remember their four-legged companions.
Outer-space and outdoors
Pinterest has 2020 pegged to be a big year for those interested in space. “Half a century after this first moon walk, space tourism is finally feeling real. As companies prepare for 2020 launch dates, people are getting lost in their outer-space daydreams,” the company said.
“An extra boost comes from the current focus on STEM educational topics. Part-science, part-imagination, it’s the perfect topic for curious children.”
Parents have been hosting ‘two the moon’ parties to celebrate their child’s second year on this planet, and it seems to be catching on. These particular parties have seen a 589pc increase in searches. The broader theme of ‘galaxy birthdays’ has seen a 341pc rise in searches, while planet-themed make-up has seen a 217pc increase in searches.
The company has noted a 135pc increase in searches for STEM activities that can get kids excited about space, science and engineering. There has also been a 102pc rise in queries about constellation crafts, to help children gain a better understanding of space. For grown-ups, there has been a 247pc rise in searches for astrology-themed party ideas.
Closer to home, the platform saw an upward trend in activities such as lake fishing (274pc), bushcraft camping (1069pc) and nature travel (253pc), which Pinterest expects to continue into 2020.
There was a 185pc growth in searches related to rockhounding, which is the act of digging for geodes and gems, and a 194pc increase in searches for hiking fashion. For the less adventurous, perhaps, there was a 2795pc increase in searches for outdoor bars.
While there was impressive growth across several areas, many pale in comparison to the 6309pc rise in searches for hair scrunchies, which Pinterest noted in the category of 90s fashion.
