Packaging

The coronavirus pandemic has everyone thinking about their daily health and wellbeing in whole new ways. The products that they consume, the way that they clean their homes, and the precautions that they take when going out in public have all taken on new importance for shoppers as they strive for overall wellness. In order to compete in this intense new landscape, brands that sell health and cleaning products are investing in more premium design and branding.

Hand Sanitizer Looks More Like Cosmetics

Since the beginning of the pandemic, health officials have promoted the message that handwashing is one of the best things that consumers can do to help stop the spread of disease. Almost immediately, hand sanitizer went from something associated with Porta Potties and doctors’ offices to one of the most in-demand items of the spring. Brands from the alcohol industry to the perfume industry stepped up to the plate, bringing their high-end design strategies with them. As demand for hand sanitizers and other portable cleaning products continues, this trend could leave a permanent impression on the look and feel of the category.

Air Purifiers Get the Silicon Valley Treatment

As we understand it now, coronavirus primarily spreads via invisible moisture droplets in the air – often by people who have no idea that they’ve even been infected. As such, there has been a spike in demand for air purifiers, especially ones that are more attractive than the bulky gadgets that consumers are used to seeing. Brands like Molekule, a Silicon Valley startup that launched this year, have designed air purifiers that can fit in seamlessly with shoppers’ decor.

This comes at a time when consumers are focusing on home renovation projects, so it’s especially important for brands to produce products that are beautiful as well as functional. Molekule has raised $91 million in funding so far, and the industry seems to be banking on this kind of innovation as the future of the category.

“Errand Gloves” Aim to Prevent Dry Skin from Excess Hand Washing

While handwashing has become a major topic in our culture these past few months, consumers might find that all of this extra sanitization will dry out their hands as the weather gets colder. To help combat this, Grove Collective has debuted cotton gloves that are infused with antimicrobial silver that can be used for running everyday errands.

Just like consumers have been gravitating towards more fashionable face masks, these antimicrobial gloves are a practical way to integrate tools for health and safety with their existing fall and winter wardrobes. Now that this kind of germ-fighting material is becoming more accessible, we are predicting that cleanliness is going to become a major selling feature and an innovative new way for health-conscious brands to differentiate themselves from competitors.

In the beginning of the pandemic, consumers were making face masks out of anything that they could find and were buying up whatever cleaning products that they could get their hands on. Now that we are several months into it, consumers have more choice than ever. This means that brands have to get more competitive in order to thrive, and one of the best ways to do this is to invest in great design that can transform health and cleaning products into true lifestyle goods.