How can sustainability and colour trends coexist?

How can we be sustainable and still use colour trends is up there as one of the biggest challenges I hear from designers all the time.

It’s a really great question because sustainability encourages people not to buy, yet colour trends often encourage people to change things or buy new products.

So what do we do?

This is bigger than buying or not buying

It’s not an easy question to answer because this problem is far bigger than what are we or aren’t we buying. This is about how do we look after our planet, our natural resources, and how we think about consumerism.

This has become a much larger issue we need to address and the reason is because there are so many designers now who want to make conscious choices in their design.

They still want to deliver what their clients want in terms of spaces, products, fashion, tech gadgets and even cars, but they also want to do it in a way that isn’t detrimental to our planet.

Why this is so challenging for designers

What makes this particularly challenging is that sustainability and colour trends often pull us in opposite directions. One encourages restraint and longevity, the other is commonly associated with change and novelty.

This is something designers experience first hand in their work, particularly when what feels right from a values perspective does not neatly match client expectations or market pressures.

Why we cannot ignore colour trends

Sustainability and colour trends is such a hot topic on the minds of designers, so I knew I had to include it in my course Everything You’ve Ever Want to Know About Colour Trends.

I interviewed 12 experts and asked every one of them their views on sustainability and colour trends.

Whilst they were all from varying industries and had different takes on sustainability and how we could be more sustainable, one of the things that everyone said was this is present for us right now, and is a widespread challenge we all need to address.

All the experts agreed, this is something we can’t ignore.

The wider impact we need to be aware of

Trends often encourage rapid turnover and consumption of new products by promoting frequent changes in colours and styles.

And this can have implications for sustainability because the fast-paced trend cycle can lead to increased production, resource consumption, and waste generation.

Additionally, the production of certain colours may involve the use of toxic chemicals or dyes, which can harm the environment and workers’ health.

These things aren’t what we want if we’re trying to create or live a more sustainable world.

As designers we’re kind of stuck in the middle. We work in a world where we need to consider trends, yet we also want to contribute to a sustainable world.

And if you’re a designer who cares about sustainability as a part of your values then it can get really sticky when trends or your clients aren’t aligned or aware of the impact buying new can have on the environment. 

The responsibility we hold as designers

This is where responsibility comes in. Not just in what we choose to specify or create, but in how we communicate, guide, and influence decisions around colour.

Designers often act as the bridge between industry practices and client choices, which means the way we frame colour trends can either reinforce unsustainable patterns or help shift thinking more consciously.

Finding a way forward

So what can we do?

Part of the answer lies in recognising that sustainability and colour trends do not have to sit in opposition to one another. There are already shifts happening in how colour is developed, specified, and produced, from a growing focus on longer term palettes to more responsible approaches within the dye and pigment industry.

But beyond materials and processes, this also asks us to look at what drives our choices in the first place.

When we understand the psychological drivers behind colour trends, and the equally human drivers behind our desire to act more sustainably, it becomes easier to move away from extremes. Away from either blindly following trends or rejecting them outright.

Instead, we can begin to engage with colour trends more consciously, making decisions that align with our values, support better outcomes, and respect both people and the planet.

That shift does not come from having all the answers. It comes from asking better questions, and being willing to look beneath the surface of what colour trends really represent.

Making colour trends work for your client

If navigating colour trends ever feels more confusing than helpful, this is exactly the space I explore in my course Everything You’ve Ever Wanted to Know About Colour Trends.

Most designers say they do not follow trends, and that makes sense. But clients do. Colour trends influence what people notice, respond to, and ask for, which means they cannot simply be dismissed. This course helps you understand how trends work, why they gain traction, and how to use them with confidence and discernment, without feeling led by them.

If you’re recognising that this is an area where greater clarity and confidence would genuinely support your work and your client conversations, there is a next step.

Special offer for January

If you’d like to access the course on special offer, sign up to my mailing list and you’ll be the first to hear later this month.

When you join, you’ll also receive my free e book The 10 Myths that Limit You Using Colour Effectively, which explores the most common misunderstandings that hold people back when working with colour.

 Colourfully yours,
Karen

Photo by Joel Filipe on Unsplash.

Originally published January 2024. Updated January 2026.