2024 was a banner year for design, bringing the re-emergence of retro-futurism, AI’s big break, the shift towards maximalism, sustainable-centric design (as well as other ethics-driven design trends), modular design in 3D, and much more.
This year, we expect design will continue its rapid evolution. Design experts predict more focus on 3D workflows, AI and sustainability, plus an increased influence from Gen Z and Gen Alpha. Four senior designers with ample experience in product and 3D design – Will Gibbons, Mads Hindhede Svanegaard, Oliver Yu and Liam Martin – spoke with us about the trends that will dominate 2025.
Color will lead conversations
Expect to see more color this year – in bold strokes, thinner ones, in 2D and 3D, and branding efforts. Mads Hindhede Svanegaard, senior industrial designer and founder of Designersvane, predicts a boom in products embellished in color this year. “Colorful rooms, colorful happy tones, mixed and matched perfectly – not bright, not pastel – but clear and happy colors,” he tells KeyShot.
Oliver Yu, CCO of Hyperkin and 3D visual designer agrees, sharing how younger generations’ love for multicolor will reflect in how design takes form this year. “Gen Z and Gen Alpha gravitate toward brighter, bolder styles and colors – as is reflected across the video game accessories industry – and this extends beyond just aesthetics.”
3D workflows will give small businesses a competitive edge
Retail shifts and evolves rapidly to keep up with consumers’ demands. Constant change is especially challenging for smaller businesses to manage. According to Yu, “Customers expect high-quality, feature-rich products at accessible price points,” which is hard to pull off with limited resources.
KeyShot has pivoted to offering a Product Design-to-Market suite, helping product companies of all sizes become more efficient across product development and marketing, freeing them up to create more innovative products and bring them to commerce sites faster.
“The traditional reliance on multiple physical prototypes is now outdated,” Yu says. “Through detailed digital twins and renders, we can conduct demographic surveys, refine designs, and even secure retail partnerships – all before production begins. This capability has democratized innovation, enabling smaller firms to compete on the same level as larger corporations.”
AI will keep pushing boundaries
Last year, AI dutifully played the role of creative assistant – the refiner and retoucher –but was largely excluded from major design processes. This year, it holds promise to do more, and the design industry is preparing for this shift as new AI tools make headway.
“Every software creator and user out there is experiencing and talking about AI tools,” says Will Gibbons, design coach and former KeyShot global training specialist. Liam Martin, a former design instructor and the founder of Visune, which offers assets that help designers integrate seamlessly with KeyShot, concurs. “I’m fascinated by the workflows these new tools are opening up. Design, particularly in the way it was taught, seemed quite rigid. And it appears to have been stuck in that rut. Now, spend five minutes on LinkedIn and you’ll see a generally mind-blowing process that you couldn’t imagine before. AI has accelerated this,” Martin says.
Svanegaard believes in the potential of AI but is skeptical about the quality of products so far. “AI will grow further. Tools will start to merge with larger, more flexible suites of product services and offerings, meaning that a few larger companies will start to define the market offerings. This is both amazing and concerning. Amazing because we will have access to incredibly powerful tools that can create almost what we imagine in a lot less time than what we used to spend on it. But there’s a risk that this could lead to a bunch of new useless and idealess products with innate UX problems that have not been designed away, as a designer might have been cut from the project to save cost, now that AI could do that job.”
Gen Z and Gen Alpha interests will shape design
It is arguable that the reemergence of design trends like retro-futurism and maximalism last year is due to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, which are intrigued by bold, statement-making styles in design.
“These demographics have a significant influence on our design choices, how we apply intellectual property (IP), choose colors, and stay ahead of trends,” says Yu, and it is more than likely that their preferences will continue to impact product design and marketing. “One of the most transformative cultural movements I’ve observed over the past two decades is the rise of anime and its associated fandom. Its impact on design aesthetics is immense, from character-driven branding to bold, expressive visuals, which resonate deeply with younger audiences,” Yu adds.
Brands will have to stay on top of innovative design tech, do away with linear design thinking, and invest in software that lets their ideas be flexible, makes visual identities modular, and enables interchangeable elements.
More products will become repairable as sustainability goals evolve
Many product designs boasted sustainable features last year, whether in a bid to catch up with trends or to adhere to a company’s environmental goals. “This year, there’ll be more focus on repairability,” Svanegaard tells KeyShot. “Product makers will have to take the full life cycle more seriously. How do the resources used fit into a new product downstream from its original product? Along with repairability, use of alternative materials made from organic materials will increase.”
Agreeing with Svanegaard, Yu says younger generations’ eco-conscious values will further reinforce this phenomenon. “Sustainable materials, especially in packaging, have become a priority. For instance, many major U.S. retailers now prefer – or even require – packaging that avoids plastics, instead favoring paper and pulp alternatives. In Europe, this is not just a preference; it’s a regulatory necessity.”
