Top 5 Trending Product Categories

With countless big box stores, online merchants, Etsy shops and home-based retailers constantly dropping great new products, it’s hard to keep up with what’s trending at any given moment. However, a few 2021 product trends seem to be sticking around as we close out the year, and actually gaining momentum as we hit the holiday season and enter 2022. Following is a look at the top 5 trending product categories, including examples of the hottest products that fall into each one. 

 

1. Customized Apparel

While malls and department stores will forever be a staple for grabbing must-have items for your wardrobe, the gravitation towards customized apparel has surged over the past year. Whether creating commemorative t-shirts for a large family reunion, designing fun t-shirts for a themed birthday party, or giving your bridesmaids matching ensemble for wedding day prep, personalized apparel has quickly become the fun, meaningful way to celebrate any occasion. NamePress is leading the way in helping consumers create custom clothing, with a friendly online platform packed with thousands of designs that can be customized right down to individual names and dates. No design skills are needed to create something amazing with NamePress.  

 

2. Work from Home Products 

With the COVID-19 pandemic sending most workers to the comfort of home, work from home products have become a trending category for every gift-giving occasion. This trend is sticking around due to the fact that many companies have opted to allow employees to continue working from home either part-time or full-time, despite many offices reopening. Unique products are making this category popular, including ergonomic desk chairs, standing desks, ultra-modern desk accessories, headsets for long calls, new plant varieties to add life to a home office, and electric mugs that keep coffee and tea hot for hours. 

 

3. Eco-Friendly Products

While eco-friendly isn’t a new product category by any means, cutting-edge new products designed with Mother Earth and sustainability in mind are flowing into the marketplace. Compostable cutlery, reusable tea strainers, glass water bottles, eco-friendly denim jeans, swimwear made from recycled textiles, and non-toxic makeup and lip balms are just a few products that are putting eco-friendly companies on the map and firmly planting them on the radar of environmentally-conscious consumers. 

 

4. Self-care Products 

Today, people are taking more time out of their hectic schedules to care for themselves, understanding that a healthy mind and body leads to happiness and higher productivity. With this trend only growing, related products have followed in large volumes and they’re getting more creative with each new launch. While facial masks were once a source of 15 minutes of solitude, those product lines have expanded to include foot masks and exfoliating gloves. Weighted blankets are now offered by several manufacturers, helping to alleviate anxiety and provide better quality sleep. Creative journals, with motivational quotes interspersed throughout the pages, allow thoughts to flow freely and provide inspiration. Acupressure mats are helping people relieve tension by releasing feel-good endorphins that leave users feeling destressed and relaxed. The list is endless of new self-care products, making this trending category one that will stick around for a long time. 

 

5. Non-traditional Exercise Accessories 

People are working out from home more these days — the result of gyms being closed for a while during the pandemic, as well as busy lifestyles relegating us to quick in-home workouts instead of 90 minutes at the gym. Several innovative products have been launched in support of the in-home workout trend, including weighted hula hoops, jump ropes with timers and counters, kettlebells in fun colors, core sliders, and workout sandbags. 

 

While these trending product categories are here to stay for the foreseeable future, new categories are always emerging that promise to put a dent in our wallets. For the next gift-giving holiday on your calendar, consider a product from any of these categories and you’ll be considered on-trend with your gift recipient.