Well, here we are, heading towards another new year and, as is traditional at this time of year, the people who apparently know these things have started telling us what colours, patterns, textures and creative styles we’re all going to be falling in love with over the coming twelve months.

Isn’t that marvellous?!

Personally, I’m still trying to work my way through some of the craft supplies I bought in 2019, but apparently it’s time to start thinking about 2027.

Now, before anybody starts panicking and rushing out to replace their entire collection of patterned papers, embossing folders and cutting dies, I should probably explain that a trend isn’t an instruction. Nobody is going to come knocking on your door in February demanding to know why you’re still using last year’s floral stamps.

At least, I hope not…

However, I do find it fascinating to see how wider trends in fashion, interiors, textiles and design eventually find their way into our wonderful world of papercrafting. Sometimes it’s a particular colour that suddenly seems to appear everywhere. Other times it’s a technique that has been around for decades but has been given a fresh coat of paint and presented as the next big thing.

And let’s be fair, we’ve all seen THAT happen!

So, I’ve been doing a little investigating, looking through the emerging forecasts from Creativeworld, WGSN, Coloro and the world of print and pattern design, to see what might be heading our way in 2027.

I’ve come up with five trends that I think are worth keeping an eye on.

Some are already gathering momentum, whilst others are predictions about how broader design movements might influence the projects we make.

So, grab yourself a cuppa, pull up a chair and let’s have a little look into our crafty crystal ball.

Don’t worry, I haven’t got a crystal ball cutting die to sell you.

Although, come to think of it…

1. Texture, Layers and the Return of the Beautifully Imperfect

Let’s begin with something that I think many papercrafters are going to welcome with open arms.

Texture!

For quite some time, we’ve seen beautifully clean designs, precise cutting, perfectly aligned layers and wonderfully coordinated collections. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with any of that, of course, but it does sometimes feel as though we’re supposed to produce something that looks like it came straight off a factory production line.

Well, according to the emerging forecasts, 2027 could see a growing appreciation for things that look a little more… handmade.

And I mean that in the nicest possible way.

Think torn paper edges, textured cardstock, handmade papers, visible stitching, embossed surfaces, distressed finishes, layers of collage and all those lovely little irregularities that give a project its character.

Creativeworld’s 2027 trend forecast places considerable emphasis on tactile materials, handmade surfaces and individual expression. One of its themes even explores how paper and other materials interact with light to create beautiful effects.

For those of us who enjoy mixed media, this is rather exciting news.

Imagine combining dry embossing with torn handmade papers, adding a few layers of translucent vellum, perhaps a little stitching and finishing everything off with some beautifully blended inks.

Lovely!

And the best part?

We probably already own everything we need.

I can almost hear the collective sigh of relief from our bank managers.

I suspect we’ll also see more projects where the texture itself becomes the main attraction, rather than simply something added behind a stamped image or sentiment.

Of course, there is a certain irony in deliberately spending three hours making something look rough and imperfect.

But then, that’s crafting for you.

2. Romantic Botanicals, Vintage Charm and a Little Nostalgia

Now, if you’re somebody who loves flowers, butterflies, vintage illustrations and beautiful decorative papers, I have some rather good news.

They’re not going anywhere.

In fact, the forecasts suggest that botanical designs and nostalgic influences could become even more prominent in 2027, albeit with a slightly different personality.

Rather than just bright, contemporary floral patterns, we’re seeing interest in softer watercolour illustrations, delicate botanical drawings, traditional decorative motifs, vintage typography and designs that feel as though they might have been discovered in a particularly lovely old book.

Patternbank’s Spring/Summer 2027 research highlights directions such as Dreamy Floral and Art Garden, whilst Creativeworld’s Bedroom Stories theme explores nostalgic flowers, personal keepsakes and more traditional decorative techniques.

It’s all rather romantic.

I can almost smell the lavender.

For papercrafters, this could translate into some gorgeous cardmaking possibilities. Imagine antique-style floral stamps, botanical die cuts, translucent overlays, delicate lace effects, muted colour combinations and beautifully layered scrapbook pages.

There’s also a natural connection with memory keeping, journalling and the increasingly popular world of vintage-style collage.

And here’s something I particularly like about this trend.

It doesn’t necessarily mean creating projects that look old-fashioned.

A beautiful vintage botanical illustration can look wonderfully contemporary when combined with a simple layout, modern typography or an unexpected pop of colour.

Sometimes the most interesting designs come from mixing something traditional with something new.

Besides, I suspect a few of us have enough floral papers tucked away to recreate the Chelsea Flower Show entirely from cardstock.

I know I could probably manage a reasonably convincing herbaceous border.

3. Bold Colours, Geometric Patterns and a Rather Loud 2027

Right then.

Put down the delicate vintage roses for a moment, because things are about to get a little louder.

One of the strongest directions emerging from the wider design industry is a renewed enthusiasm for expressive colour and bold pattern.

And when I say bold, I really do mean BOLD.

WGSN and Coloro have announced Luminous Blue as their Colour of the Year for 2027, alongside a Spring/Summer palette that includes Energy Orange, Pop Pink, Meadowland Green and Clay.

That’s quite a combination!

Meanwhile, Patternbank’s forecasts highlight geometric repeats, stripes, checks, mosaic-inspired designs and more adventurous abstract patterns.

Now, I don’t know about you, but I find this particularly interesting because geometry and papercrafting have always been rather good friends.

After all, a great deal of what we do involves cutting shapes, arranging patterns, creating symmetry and playing with repetition.

Imagine brightly coloured geometric backgrounds, striking paper-pieced cards, bold stencil designs, contemporary patchwork-style layouts and abstract compositions made from relatively simple shapes.

You could create some wonderfully dramatic effects with nothing more than a few circles, triangles and rectangles.

And perhaps a cutting machine.

Or a guillotine.

Or a pair of scissors, if you’re feeling particularly adventurous.

I’m also interested to see whether we start moving away from always using perfectly coordinated colours from a single collection and become a little more confident about experimenting with unexpected combinations.

A vibrant blue against a warm orange, for example, can create a completely different feeling from the softer combinations we’ve become accustomed to.

Of course, this doesn’t mean that subtle colours are suddenly forbidden.

Far from it.

But I do think 2027 might encourage us to be a little braver with our colour choices.

And if the results are too bright, well, there’s always the option of turning the lights down.

4. Recycling, Upcycling and Giving Traditional Crafts a New Lease of Life

Here’s a trend that I find particularly encouraging, not least because it could help us make better use of the enormous collections of crafting supplies many of us have accumulated over the years.

Creativeworld’s 2027 forecasts highlight repurposed materials, traditional decorative techniques, folk-inspired patterns and a renewed appreciation for individual craftsmanship.

In other words, taking something ordinary, perhaps even something destined for the recycling bin, and turning it into something rather wonderful.

Now, this certainly isn’t a new idea.

Crafters have been recycling and repurposing materials for generations. Long before we had fancy cutting machines and shelves full of coordinated collections, people were making beautiful things from whatever happened to be available.

Old books, scraps of fabric, discarded packaging, newspapers, leftover wallpaper and all manner of odds and ends have found their way into creative projects.

And I suspect that 2027 will encourage even more of this.

Think handmade journals created from repurposed materials, collage using old book pages, decorative packaging made from recycled cardstock and traditional techniques such as printing, stencilling and paper weaving given a modern twist.

I particularly like the idea of combining old and new techniques.

Perhaps creating a traditional-looking paper decoration using a digital cutting machine, or using modern inks and stencils to transform an old piece of packaging into something completely different.

There’s something enormously satisfying about taking something that has apparently reached the end of its useful life and giving it another purpose.

And let’s not forget that papercrafters are already rather good at keeping things that other people might throw away.

Every tiny scrap of patterned paper.

Every offcut of cardstock.

Every peculiar little shape that might possibly come in useful one day.

Perhaps we’ve been ahead of this trend all along!

Although I should probably point out that keeping a box of scraps for seventeen years doesn’t automatically count as environmentally responsible crafting.

At some point, you do actually have to use them.

Sorry about that.

5. Dimensional Paper Art, Interactive Designs and Personalised Keepsakes

Now, this final prediction is one that I’m particularly interested in.

Three-dimensional paper crafting.

Not simply layering a few pieces of foam tape behind a sentiment, although there’s absolutely nothing wrong with that, but using paper to create something that has structure, movement, depth or an element of surprise.

We’re already seeing plenty of interest in handmade paper decorations, lanterns, sculptural forms and personalised keepsakes, whilst wider craft-industry research continues to highlight the appeal of meaningful, individually made gifts.

My prediction is that some of these influences will find their way into increasingly dimensional papercraft projects during 2027.

Think pop-up cards, elaborate folded constructions, layered shadow boxes, paper flowers, honeycomb decorations, interactive mechanisms and keepsakes that do a little more than simply sit there looking pretty.

Now, I should make it clear that this particular prediction is a little more speculative than some of the others. There is evidence supporting the wider movement towards dimensional decorations and personalised making, but that doesn’t necessarily mean every craft manufacturer will suddenly launch seventeen collections of pop-up card mechanisms.

Although I wouldn’t complain if they did.

What interests me is the idea of paper becoming something more than a decorated surface.

A flat sheet can be folded, curled, slotted, interlocked, twisted and engineered into an astonishing variety of forms.

And the possibilities become even more interesting when you combine traditional paper engineering with modern cutting technology.

Of course, none of this is actually new.

Pop-up books have been around for centuries, paper flowers have a long and fascinating history, and people have been creating intricate folded decorations for generations.

But that’s rather the point.

Sometimes a trend isn’t about inventing something nobody has ever seen before.

Sometimes it’s about rediscovering a wonderful technique and looking at it through fresh eyes.

I think there’s enormous potential here, particularly for those of us who enjoy creating cards and gifts with a little surprise built into them.

And let’s be honest, there’s something deeply satisfying about handing somebody an apparently ordinary greeting card and watching their face when an entire paper construction suddenly springs into action.

Preferably without taking their eye out.

So, What Does All This Mean for Us?

Well, having looked through these various forecasts, I think there’s one rather encouraging message running through them.

Crafting in 2027 looks set to celebrate individuality.

Whether that’s through tactile mixed-media designs, nostalgic botanical illustrations, bold geometric patterns, repurposed materials or ambitious dimensional constructions, there seems to be a growing appreciation for projects that reflect the personality and creativity of the person making them.

And I rather like that.

What’s particularly interesting is that some of these trends appear to be pulling in completely different directions.

On one hand, we’ve got delicate vintage florals, traditional techniques and beautifully imperfect handmade surfaces.

On the other, there are vivid colours, contemporary geometry and increasingly elaborate paper engineering.

But why should we have to choose?

A bold geometric design could look wonderful when combined with a textured handmade background. A vintage botanical illustration could become part of a beautifully engineered pop-up card. An old piece of packaging could be transformed into a striking contemporary decoration using nothing more than a stencil and a few inks.

The possibilities are rather exciting.

And perhaps that’s the most important thing to remember about creative trends.

They’re not rules.

They’re ideas.

Little nudges that might encourage us to try something different, revisit an old technique or look at the supplies we already own in a new way.

You don’t have to follow every trend, buy every new collection or completely change your personal crafting style simply because somebody has declared that a particular colour is fashionable.

If you love making traditional floral cards, keep making them.

If you’re happiest creating minimalist designs with lots of white space, carry on.

And if your idea of a perfect afternoon involves covering absolutely everything in ink, texture paste and tiny pieces of paper, well, who am I to argue?

Although you might want to put some newspaper down first.

Will These Really Be the Biggest Papercraft Trends of 2027?

That’s the interesting question, isn’t it?

These predictions are based on design research and industry forecasts available in October 2026. Some trends, such as textured surfaces and nostalgic botanical patterns, already have considerable momentum behind them. Others, particularly my prediction about dimensional and interactive papercrafting, are possibilities that I think deserve watching.

We’ll get a much clearer picture when the international Creativeworld trade fair takes place in Frankfurt from 29 January to 1 February 2027. That’s when many of the new products, techniques and creative ideas being developed for the coming year will be on display.

Of course, there’s always the possibility that the biggest trend of 2027 will turn out to be something none of us saw coming.

Perhaps fluorescent decoupage will make a triumphant return.

Perhaps somebody will invent a self-cleaning craft mat.

Or perhaps, and I realise this is an outrageously optimistic suggestion, we’ll all finally start using the supplies we’ve already bought.

Steady on, John.

Let’s not get completely carried away.

Over to You!

So, there we have it. Five creative directions that I think could have an interesting influence on papercrafting during 2027.

I’d love to know what you think.

Are you looking forward to seeing more texture and mixed media? Do vintage botanical designs make your crafty heart flutter? Are you ready to embrace bolder colours and geometric patterns, or would you rather spend your time creating something wonderfully dimensional?

Perhaps none of these particularly appeal to you, and you’ve got your own predictions about what might become popular next year.

I’d also be interested to know whether you actively follow crafting trends or simply make whatever takes your fancy.

Personally, I think there’s room for both approaches. Sometimes it’s lovely to try something completely new, and sometimes there’s nothing better than returning to an old favourite.

Do pop a comment below and let me know your thoughts. I’d love to hear which of these trends you think will take off and which ones might disappear as quickly as they arrived.

And remember, whatever happens in the world of papercrafting during 2027, the most important thing is that we keep enjoying what we do.

Although if anybody does invent that self-cleaning craft mat, I’d very much appreciate being first in the queue.

Thanks so much for stopping by, and I hope this little look into the future has given you some inspiration for your own creative adventures.

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Sources and Further Reading

For those who would like to explore the research behind these predictions, here are some of the industry reports and forecasts I consulted:

• Creativeworld Trends 2027 – Home Sweet Home – Exploring tactile materials, traditional techniques, repurposed materials and individual expression.
• WGSN and Coloro – Colour Forecast for 2027 – Including Luminous Blue and the emerging Spring/Summer 2027 colour palette.
• Patternbank – Première Vision Spring/Summer 2027 Print Trends – Highlighting botanical illustrations, expressive florals, geometric repeats and contemporary patterns.
• Michaels 2026 Creativity Trend Report – Exploring consumer interest in personal creativity, memory keeping and handmade projects.
• Pinterest 2026 Hobbies Trend Report – Looking at emerging interests in hands-on creative activities and hobbies.

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Much love,

John.