Etsy trends – These are the designs shoppers want this holiday season

The Low Hanging System is largely a number’s game. The more designs you have, the more likely you are to make sales. It can be pretty hit or miss, though, trying to figure out which types of designs have a greater likelihood of appealing to customers.

It’s all about throwing spaghetti at the wall.

But, to give you some new “spaghetti” to try, I recently came across this interview between Etsy shop specialist Isabella Diaz and Etsy trend expert Dana Isom Johnson. In their conversation, they discuss a bunch of Etsy holiday trends and styles to pay attention to this year.

These trends are what customers are interested in. So, as an Etsy seller, if you incorporate these trends into your product line, you increase your chances of selling products that customers are eager to purchase.

After going through the interview, I created a list of the trends Isabella and Dana talk about, which you can check out below. The trends include…

• Sustainability
• Cabin scenery
• Southwestern vibes
• Starry nights
• Safari treks
• Tropical themes
• Nordic charm
• Winter weddings and proposals
• The 1970s
• The 1990s
• Milestones
• Specific patterns and colors

Below each trend you’ll also find the following information:

• Design suggestions to steer you in the right direction
• Generic design phrases to get your creative juices flowing
• Ways to profit from the trend
• Relevant social media hashtags and a post example

Note: You definitely don’t need to do any social media marketing. I just included hashtags and a post example in case that’s something you’re interested in.

That said, let’s take a look at the first holiday design trend…

Sustainability

Anything having to do with going green, preserving the environment, or saving the planet from global warming.

Generic phrases

Reuse. Reduce. Recycle.
Don’t trash our future
Keep calm & recycle

*Google image search used to find these examples: save the environment.

How to profit from this trend

We ship our products using recyclable foam mailers. You can mention this in your products’ descriptions or in your promotional social media posts. You could also make suggestions to customers about how to create gift bundles with your products.  You might suggest pairing one of your coffee mugs with a bag of fair-trade or sustainable coffee from one of these sources.

Social media hashtags and post example

#sustainable
#ecofriendy
#sustainability
#zerowaste
#recycle
#green
#gogreen
#environment

Example:

Show your love for the #planet and spread environmental awareness with one of our one-of-a-kind #gogreen designs, available on coffee mugs, pillowcases, shot glasses, and more. Check our full selection of merchandise here: [insert link] #sustainable

Cabin scenery 

Things like crackling fires, tall trees, or woodland animals (e.g. owls, foxes, rabbits, deer, wolves, bears).

Generic phrases

Cabin sweet cabin
Bless this cabin
Home is where my cabin is
My cabin is my happy place

*Google image search used to find these examples: cabin mugs.

How to profit from this trend

You could offer personalization options with this trend – for example, “[Insert last name, e.g. Smith] Family Cabin.” Or, you could take pretty much any home-related design you already sell and swap the word “Cabin” for “Home.” You could also run a Google search for home-related designs if you haven’t created any yourself and then do the same thing, swapping “Cabin” for “Home” to put a different spin on the design.

Social media hashtags and post example

#cabin
#cabinlife
#nature
#cabininthewoods
#cabinlove
#cabinliving
#campfire
#camping

Example:

Who says #cabinfever is a bad thing? Snuggle up with one of our #cabin-inspired designs, available in coffee mugs, pillowcases, shot glasses, and more. Take a peek at our full selection here: [insert link] #cabinlife #camping

Southwestern vibes

Desert and prairie landscapes, plants and animals you’d find in the desert or great plains (e.g. cacti, tumbleweeds, rattlesnakes, coyotes, buffalo, geckos), or anything having to do with cowboys, cowgirls, and rodeo.

Generic phrases

Howdy, y’all!
Happy trails
Stay wild
Cowgirl life
Cowboy life

*Etsy search used to find these examples: southwest sayings.

How to profit from this trend

There’s a lot you can do with images to capture the feel of the Southwest. But if you want to stick to text-based designs, you can select a Southwestern color palette (lots of earth tones and turquoise) for your fonts to capture the vibe of the Southwest. You could also focus on states in the Southwest, such as Arizona and New Mexico, and create state-pride designs.

Social media hashtags and post example

#southwestern
#ranchlife
#rodeo
#desert
#cowboy
#cowgirl
#turquoise
#southweststyle

Example:

Picturesque landscapes, unique wildlife, the feeling of freedom – We’re talking about #Southwestlife and we did our best to capture #Southwestern charm in our newest design collection. Check out our mugs, pillowcases, and shot glasses here: [insert link] #rodeo

Starry nights

Anything celestial or having to do with Astrology – the moon, planets, constellations, the Northern lights.

Generic phrases

I love you to the moon and back
Goodnight, Moon
[Astrological sign] AF (e.g. Aquarius AF)

*Etsy search used to find these examples: celestial sayings.

How to profit from this trend

For easy designs, focus on things like planets, constellations, and astrological signs. Here’s a link to where you can find a big list of astronomical objects to give you inspiration. And these are the 12 Western zodiac signs:

• Aries – the ram
• Taurus – the bull
• Gemini – the twins
• Cancer – the crab
• Leo – the lion
• Virgo – the maiden
• Libra – the scales
• Scorpio – the scorpion
• Sagittarius – the archer (centaur)
• Capricorn – the goat-fish hybrid
• Aquarius – the water-bearer
• Pisces – the fishes

Social media hashtags and post example

#planet
#space
#universe
#moon
#cosmos
#galaxy
#stars
#astrology
#nightsky
#night

Example:

Reach for the #stars! Or better yet… bring the stars to you. Check out our new #space and #astrology inspired designs for coffee mugs, pillowcases, shot glasses, and more. You can see all of our merchandise here: [insert link] #nightsky #cosmos

Safari treks

All of the different animals you might see on a safari, including lions, elephants, zebras, cheetahs, giraffes, and more.

Generic phrases

Save the [animal type] (e.g. Save the rhinos)
Life is a safari. Let’s conquer it together.
Safari Life

*Google image search used to find these examples: safari mugs.

How to profit from this trend

With all the animals you might see on safari, there are a lot of design options for this trend. You can include images of the animals, but even just text can work too. For example, in the screenshot above, in the third row, fifth design from the right, there’s a design that says, “I just really like cheetahs, OK?” Including the image of a cheetah enhances the design, but something like that could still work as just text.

Social media hashtags and post example

#safari
#photosafari
#wildlifesafari
#safariparty
#safaris
#wildlife
#Africa
#animals

Example:

With our new collection of designs, you can bring an African #safari to your doorstep… we’ve got coffee mugs, pillowcases, shot glasses, and more – all with fun #wildlife #animal scenes and text. Check out the collection here: [insert link] #safariparty

Tropical themes

Things like hammocks, coconuts,  palm trees, the beach, seashells, and sea creatures, like starfish, crabs, and dolphins.

Generic phrases

I’d rather be somewhere tropical
Aloha
Tropical state of mind
Let’s make some waves
Paradise found
Tropical vibes

*Etsy search used to find these examples: tropical sayings.

How to profit from this trend

Just think of anything having to do with the beach or going away on a vacation. Puns using the word “beach” or “sea” are a great way to infuse a little humor into your designs as well. Check out this list of beach puns to get your creative juices flowing.

Social media hashtags and post example

#island
#paradise
#summer
#vacation
#travel
#beach
#ocean
#islandlife
#tropicalvibes
#palmtrees

Example:

You can practically hear the crashing #ocean waves and feel the warm, #summer sun beating down with our new collection of #tropical designs, available on coffee mugs, pillowcases, shot glasses, and more. Check it out here: [insert link] #tropicalvibes

Nordic charm

Vikings, horned helmets, ships (langskip and knörr), Norse symbols and mythology… for starters.

Generic phrases

Nordic pride
Viking pride
Skål / Skál / Skaal! (three different spelling for a nordic toasting word, basically the equivalent of “Cheers!”)
I’d rather be in Norway / Sweden / Finland / Denmark / Finland

*Google image search used to find these examples: Viking sayings mugs

How to profit from this trend

The Nordic countries include Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, and Iceland. You can create designs having to do with these countries, including their flags, popular sayings, and national pride (e.g. Swedish and proud). Additionally, you can draw inspiration from the Vikings or Norse mythology to come up with unique design concepts.

Social media hashtags and post example

#nordicinspiration
#nordicstyle
#nordicliving
#nordic
#viking
#vikingstye
#norse
#scandinavian

Example:

Our new collection of #Nordic designs is both charming and badass. We’ve got designs about #Scandinavian pride and designs about #Vikings and a whole lot more. Check out the collection here: [insert link] #nordicinspiration #skaal!

Winter weddings and proposals

Wedding-themed designs for people to give as gifts to the bride and groom or newly engaged couples as well as designs aimed at asking people to be part of the bridal party (e.g. asking friends to become bridesmaids).

Generic phrases

Set – Mr. and Mrs.
Set – Bride and Groom
Set – Wifey and Hubby
Set – Bride-to-be and Groom-to-be
Happily ever after 2019
Bridesmaid / Maid of honor for a day. Friend / Best friend for life.
Groomsman / Best man for a day. Friend / Best friend for life.
Team bride
Team groom

*Google image search used to find these examples: winter wedding mugs.

How to profit from this trend

Winter weddings really aren’t any different from weddings at any other time of the year. But there are ways to add a wintery or holiday spin to winter wedding designs. You might combine holiday sayings or songs with wedding-related traditions. For example, “Just merried” or “‘Tis the season to be married.”

Social media hashtags and post example

#winterwedding
#winterproposal
#bride
#groom
#christmaswedding
#justmerried
#marriage
#teambride
#teamgroom
#happilyeverafter
#weddinggift

Example:

#WinterWeddings are the best! The weather may be chilly, but it’s a great time to say #IDo. Let the happy couples in your life know how much you care with a gift from our new #winterwedding design collection. Check it out here: [insert link] #weddinggift

The 1970s

Bellbottoms, tube socks, disco, the Hustle, peace signs, hippies, roller skating, macramé, and pet rocks.

Generic phrases

Can you dig it?
Don’t be a spaz
Dream on
Far out
Catch you on the flip-side!
Boogie down
I’m a brick house

*Google image search used to find these examples: 1970s sayings.

How to profit from this trend

Creating designs with catchphrases and other popular slang terms from the 70s is a really easy way to profit from this trend. You can find a big list of 70s slang terms here.

Social media hashtags and post example

#70sstyle
#70svintage
#retro
#seventies
#hippie
#disco
#70sbaby
#70s

Example:

Introducing our brand new mugs, pillowcases, and shot glasses with #1970s flare. Can you dig it? If you were born in the #70s or know someone who’s a #hippie at heart, check out our merchandise here (lots of great gift options): [insert link] #70sbaby

The 1990s

Grunge, neon, MC Hammer pants, fanny packs, boy bands, frosted hair tips, record stores, enormous cell phones, and Y2K.

Generic phrases

Talk to the hand (’cause the face ain’t listening!)
How’d you get so fly?
What up, dawg!
As if!
You are all that and a bag of chips
Word up, home skillet
No scrubs allowed

*Google image search used to find these examples: 1990s sayings.

How to profit from this trend

Here’s a link to where you can find a big list of slang terms and catchphrases from the 1990s to use in your designs.

Social media hashtags and post example

#90sstyle
#90s
#90sbaby
#90skid
#grunge
#nostalgia
#throwback

Example:

If you were a #90skid, you’re going to love our new mugs, pillowcases, and shot glasses. We recently created a bunch of new designs, all of which are oozing #90sstyle. Take a peek here: [insert link] #throwback #90s

Milestones

For example, baby’s first Christmas, first Hannukah as a married couple – any first that you can think of for any of the holidays occurring this time of year.

*Google search used to find these examples: first Christmas.

How to profit from this trend

You can create personalized items for a bunch of different milestones. These have a very good chance of being popular around the holidays. Just think of any “first” someone might be celebrating this holiday season and create a design around that.

Social media hashtags and post example

#milestone
#milestones
#babysfirst
#ourfirst
#myfirst
#congratulations
#congrats

Example:

Special #milestones need to be celebrated! If you or someone you know is celebrating a first this holiday season – #babysfirstChristmas, #ourfirstNewYears – check out our new #milestone design collection: [insert link]

Specific patterns and colors

Bold, bright colors, especially burnt orange, are in this holiday season as are plaid and tie-dye patterns.

How to profit from this trend

For your text-based designs, you can choose bold, bright font colors. Or, you can make block letters that are plaid or tie-dye, as in the examples below:

You could also incorporate these patterns into your designs for some of the other Etsy trends. For example, plaid would go great with cabin scenery designs. And tie-dye would work well for designs catering to the 1970s trend.

Social media hashtags and post example

#plaid
#plaids
#tartan
#tiedye
#tiedyeisart
#rainbow
#hippie
#oneofakind

Example:

We’re loving bold, bright colors and fun patterns like #plaid and #tiedye this season. That’s why we decided to spice up our latest batch of designs, and we think you’ll really love them. Check out our newest mugs, pillowcases, and shot glasses here: [insert link]

I hope you got a lot of value from this post. Let me know what you think of these Etsy design trends. And if you have any unique suggestions for how to incorporate these ideas into your Low Hanging System business, please leave a comment below. Also, please consider sharing this post if you enjoyed it.