There is something about the time of year when the warm weather turns a corner to crisper, cooler days. MakerPlace starts to generate anticipation for the First day of Fall in July for the shoppers who love to plan ahead, and as summer activity winds down in late August (we hear Pumpkin Spice Latte season starts as soon as August 27!), the site will be flooded with Fall-themed handmade goods to encourage all customers to make purchases ahead of the official start of the season.
Drawing inspiration from nature, comfort and coziness of the season, and even our favorite TV binges, the trends for handmade goods for fall speak to the core reasons so many people fall in love with the season. From categories we anticipate being top sellers to keywords you can use in your product listings and social media posts, use this guide to boost your business and help guide your product assortment.
What’s trending: Au Naturale
As we transition into fall, elements of the season become sprinkled into home so we can connect to the beauty of the season.
Why It’s Hot Now:
“As the weather cools and the leaves change color, and the days shorten, the chance to enjoy nature diminishes and people seek ways to stay connected to the season's beauty,” says Michelle Cabignon, an associate content editor at MakerPlace. “By incorporating nature-themed designs into homes and outfits, we can savor the Fall season longer by using elements like wood, foliage, gourds, and other autumnal touches like gnomes and mushrooms.”
Shopping Themes:
Wonders of Wood
Since its rise in 2021, "biophilic design"—design or decor that connects people to the natural environment—has become a major force in 2024. Sustainability and nature-inspired designs are now at the forefront, and leading the charge is natural wood. Wood elements are prominently in home interiors but also seen in personalized gifts (charcuterie boards!), even fashion accessories (think earrings and bangles). The enduring appeal of natural wood creates a foundation of warmth, tranquility, and familiarity, while its inherent neutrality allows for easy, versatile layering with other colors and textures.
Un-Be-Leaf-Able
Home accents like dried floral arrangements, rustic floral arrangements, garland and wreaths, make the perfect centerpiece and work in and outside of the home and deliver on that outdoor/natural feel. Seasonal motifs are simple ways to bring fall/ seasonal decor into the home
Kitschy Icons (whimsy and reimagined icons)
They’re icons for a reason, but classics (and cult classics) such as pumpkins, gnomes, mushrooms get a whimsical upgrade for fall with unique, textured materials, repurposed as not only décor but also accessories for you and your home.
Key Categories :
- Home & Living
- Clothing
- Jewelry
- Personalization
Popular Items:
- Earth-toned Halloween décor
- Fall soaps (scents and iconic shapes)
- Customizable Rustic wood shelves
- Dried floral arrangements, garlands and wreaths
Key Attributes and Search terms:
- Materials: wood, wood products, pumpkins, leaves, florals, branches, acorns
- Colors: oranges, browns, muted greens
- Whimsical Icons: gnomes, mushrooms, pumpkin earrings
- Seasonal keywords: Fall, autumn
Social moments to capitalize on:
- Pumpkin Spice Latte Season (launching August 27) #PSL
What’s trending: Cozy Corner
As the crisp air and vibrant colors of autumn settle in later in the season, shoppers want to indulge in all things cozy.
Why It’s Hot Now:
Shoppers are embracing the spirit of coziness with a diverse range of handmade products such as mugs for hot cocoa, scented candles resembling grandma's apple pie, handknit chunky sweaters and plush throws.
Handmade advantage:
“Patchwork sweaters and quilts is another way something can be personalized with unique hand-stitching you can’t replicate,” says Miki Kim, MakerPlace content manager. “People are sending in their baby blankets and tee shirts to be made into quilts. A lot of people want to personalize handknit sweaters with monogramming, which is especially fun for a matching Mommy and me look. You can customize for whoever you are gifting.”
MakerPlace Themes:
Soothing Scents
Fall scents play a significant role in enhancing our sensory experience of the season, connecting us to traditions and contributing to our emotional well-being this time of year. Daylight savings kicks in and market demands for cozy/comforting experiences during the cooler months increase.
Soft to the Touch
This fall is all about embracing soft textiles like knit pillows and sweaters, quilted blankets, soft and warm jackets and hoodies, teddy bears, and crochet home accessories--all of the cozy and warm textiles to snuggle with all of Fall.
On Cloud Nine
For a fall refresh on home furnishings, reimagine vases with circular cloud-like shapes that highlight movement and evoke comfort and ease.
Upcycled Patchwork
“Both new and old generations are finding themselves upcycling old, handmade materials and turning them into something new, extending the life of a garment and keeping things sustainably fresh,” says Michelle Cabigon, MakerPlace associate content editor. “Patterns like quilted patchwork ‘granny squares’ and plaids have begun to make a mark in 2024. This has already been seen in quilts but it’s now trending in apparel & accessories, and small home & living items, too.”
Key Categories:
Products
- Beauty
- Personalization
- Gifting
- Crochet
- Home decor
- Candles
- Soaps
How To's and Classes:
- Bath bombs and candle making
Popular items:
- Bath Bombs
- Knit Beanies
- Fuzzy Socks
- Irregular shaped coffee mugs
- Crochet scarfs
- Plush throw blankets
- Granny Square blankets, scarves
- Knit sweaters
Key Attributes and Search terms:
- Upcycling and patchwork: Patchwork, Granny Squares, Give a Scrap, Plaids and Checks, sewing, quilt jacket, upcycled antique quilts, upcycled crochet blankets
- Soft Fabrics: Velvet, boucle, fleece, Boucle, cashmere, fleece, yarn size, chunky yarn
- Texture/materials: Marshmallow, cloud like, fluffy finishes in crochet and knits
- Shapes: Circular/ irregular/ geometric Cloud like shapes that highlight Movement and shape
- Candles and scents: apple, cinnamon, pumpkin, vanilla, cherry, apricot, bourbon, praline, cinnamon
- Cold weather accessories: chunky scarves, beanies, touchscreen gloves
Social moments to capitalize on:
- Pumpkin spice latte and bonfire season
- Harvest celebration photo opps: apple picking, decorative gourd farms and pumpkin patches, game nights in, #CozyCorner
What’s Trending: Porch Party
Encourage shoppers to bring the pumpkin patch to their homes with creative trends like oversized stacking pumpkins, crochet designs, garlands, lanterns, and unconventional colors like pastel pinks and blues, all celebrating the fall season.
Why It’s Hot Now:
As the holidays approach, wreaths and arrangements with unique twists such as pampas grass and textured fabrics will adorn doors, windows, and mantles. Shoppers will also want to welcome guests with personalized porch décor like customized and personalized doormats, flags, and signs, creates inviting spaces to embrace the changing season and create the perfect spot for seasonal photo opps.
Handmade Advantage:
Offering personalization is key, and playful, personalized typography in specialized fonts and phrases will especially be in demand.
MakerPlace Themes:
Pumpkin Patch
Inspire shoppers to bring the pumpkin patch to their front porch and beyond. Searches for pumpkin decor start earlier and earlier each year, so products that show this iconic shape in re-imagined ways from larger-than-life stacking pumpkins, crochet pumpkins, pumpkin garlands, pumpkin lanterns, and pumpkins in unexpected colors (pastel pinks, green, blue) are destined to be a hit.
Whimsical Wreaths
Door wreaths evoke hospitality, personal expression, and welcome in good vibes as the season changes. MakerPlace data supports the interest in and popularity of traditional floral wreaths, making this an opportunity to highlight irregular attributes such as pampas, beads, and textured fabrics like felt.
Word Play
Greet your guest this fall with personalized porch decor. Welcome signs, custom door mats, wreaths, banners, and wall décor create an inviting atmosphere while providing opportunity to personalize your space. “It’s the First thing people will see when arrive to holiday parties,” says Cabigon. “This year, encourage customers to create those front porch moments, and maybe try the trendy look of layering multiple doormats–more is more!”
Key Categories:
- Home & Living
- Crafts
- Wreaths & Garlands
- Rugs & Mats
- Door Hangers
Popular Items:
- Wreaths (Note: these peak in early September, so list these products early)
- Pumpkin scented candles
- Hand-crocheted pumpkins
- Welcome mats/doormats
- Door leaners
- Door signs/flags
- Lanterns
Key Attributes and Search terms:
- Icons/shapes: pumpkins, leaves, ghosts
- Materials: Pampas grass, faux florals, knits, crochet, textured fabrics, felt
Relevant social moments:
- Halloween porch decorating photos
- Thanksgiving/Friendsgiving
- Holiday family photos
- Pet and kid costume photo opps
What’s trending: Code Orange
This Halloween, provide consumers with a scary good assortment of approachable, personalizable or customizable novelty seasonal decor that integrates with the aesthetic of your home. Key motifs and icons such as ghosts, pumpkins, bats continue to trend with overall search for Halloween expected to peak in August and September, so list early!
Why It's Hot Now:
Halloween décor expenses are second only to Christmas-time holiday décor spending, so don’t miss capturing a piece of this spending. There is especially a huge opportunity for makers to increase product assortment for pet costumes, especially.
Where you’ll see it on site:
Fall Shop, Special Occasions, and sitewide
The Handmade advantage:
Back-to-regular-schedule shoppers are too busy to DIY but want customized, handmade goods. Beyond décor, the rise of themed parties & dress-up culture provide opportunities for personalized/custom costumes for kids, pets, & adults, as well as party favors, and candy baskets. Handmade Easter baskets were a huge hit on MakerPlace in the Spring, and we expect exponential demand for trick-or-treating candy buckets and baskets.
MakerPlace Themes:
Handmade Costumes
Costumes are a must have for Halloween, but low-effort, ready-made handmade costumes can expand beyond the holiday. Think children’s dress-up opportunities, pet costumes, and dressing up for your favorite movie (or concert).
Haunted House
Spooky season is here! Provide customers with a scary good assortment of Halloween décor and kitchen items to transform their homes into their own haunted house. Key elements include bats, pumpkins, skeletons, and witchy décor. This year, expect to see traditional scary motifs take on a kid-friendly, whimsical, approach.
Novel Tees
For shoppers who want to get into the spooky spirit without the stress of costume planning, graphic tees with novelty icons are a fun way for kids, parents, teachers, and even pets to participate in the fun without going all-out. Trending this year are embroidered graphic tees and sweatshirts, pun-ny phrases, and fun patches. Expand beyond clothing, with novelty touches to jewelry, accessories and bags.
Trick or Treat
Kids and parents alike can fill up the candy bucket with alternatives such as little Halloween trinkets (candles, bracelets, handmade cards and paper goods), or simply pass them out as Halloween party favors for your next themed dinner party. Never lose track of the candy bucket with personalization options such as embroidery and monogramming.
Key Categories:
- Home Decor
- Clothing
- Pets
- Accessories
- Jewelry
- Kitchen and Dining
Popular Items:
- Costumes (pets & kids)
- Halloween décor
- Candles
- Novelty graphic tees
- Halloween buckets and bags
- Halloween party favors
- Halloween mugs & plates
Key Attributes and search terms:
- Pet costumes
- Halloween pet collars
- Pumpkin wreath
- Halloween decorations
- Kid-friendly Bats, pumpkins, skeletons, witchy décor
- Personalized trick or treat buckets
- Trick or Treat favors
Social moments to capitalize on:
- Halloween, of course!
- Costume parties
- Trick or treating
- #personalized
What’s Trending: Gilded Gatherings
As we move beyond Halloween, we lean into the rest of the holiday and entertaining season. Shoppers will want to elevate gatherings with stylish tablescapes for an elegant dining experience, featuring themed centerpieces, place mats, napkin holders, and vases, redefining the dining experience with style and creativity.
Why It’s Hot Now:
The white-hot latest season of Bridgerton has inspired the demand for ornate objects and rich metallic tones like gold, silver, copper, and rose-gold, which are dominating trends in Home & Living and jewelry categories. These accents evoke quiet luxury and complement classic, timeless pieces that emphasize vintage-inspired shapes and textures.
MakerPlace Themes:
24K Magic
Rich and muted gold accents, along with other metallic colors like classic silver, copper, and soft rose-gold, are taking center stage in 2024. These metallic accents are making a significant impact in both Home & Living and jewelry design. They are prominently featured in Art Deco, Victorian-inspired, and sculptural styles, showcasing their versatility and timeless appeal.
Quiet Luxury
There's a continued interest and emphasis on classic, investment like pieces that “scream” timelessness, with pearl finishes, metallic colors such as gold, silver and copper. Jump on this interest with product offerings you may have.
More is More
This season, expect to see ample opportunity to gather around the table with Friendsgiving, Thanksgiving, Holiday hosting, & themed parties. Dinner parties are having a moment, and the trend takes on a luxe approach with opportunities for personalized linens, elaborate centerpieces, floral arrangements, & moody lighting. When it comes to setting the scene, #moreismore.
Key Categories:
- Home & Living
- Jewelry and Accessories
- Art
- Frames
Popular Items:
- Runners
- Centerpieces
- Frames
- Vases
- Placemats
- Candle holders
- Necklaces
Key Attributes and search terms:
- Personalization and monograms
- Color themes: gold, ambers, metallics, sterling silver
- Gilded picture frames
- Linen napkins
- Center pieces
- Floral arrangements
Social moments and hashtags to use:
- Friendsgiving
- Thanksgiving
- Holiday
- #dinnerparty #dinnerparties
- #moreismore
