Eco-responsibility. Amid rising concern in Asia about sustainability, eco-responsible consumption is on the rise. In an Ipsos poll conducted in late 2019, more than 80 percent of respondents in China, India, and emerging Asian economies said that they had made changes to the products and services they buy because they were concerned about climate change. Willingness to pay for more sustainable appears to be rising. In one McKinsey survey, about 80 percent of Chinese and Indian respondents said there were willing to pay for sustainable packaging, compared with 45 to 65 percent of respondents in the United States and Western Europe.

Intentions expressed in surveys may not always translate into actual purchases because effective premiums for sustainable products often exceed 30 percent, but rising incomes could close the gap. 

According to McKinsey research, Asian consumers are still largely on the upward part of the ownership S-curve, meaning they remain likely to own more, rather than less, in the future. In the short term, they are looking to spend on products and brands that help them treat themselves. This cohort is buying feelgood items that spark joy to combat the current economic and social uncertainty.

An increasing number of people are projected to join the consuming class, defined as spending more than $11 a day in 2011 purchasing power parity (PPP) terms. In 2000, only 15 percent of Asia’s population was part of the consuming class; the incomes of the remaining three billion people were still insufficient to support discretionary spending. However, over the next decade, a significant reversal is likely. By 2030, three billion people, or 70 percent of Asia’s total population, may be part of the consuming class.

McKinsey & Company. 2022. Beyond income: Redrawing Asia’s consumer map | McKinsey. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/featured-insights/asia-pacific/beyond-income-redrawing-asias-consumer-map. [Accessed 03 November 2022].

New data from a global study by Trivium Packaging shows 86% of consumers under 45 years old are willing to pay more for more sustainable packaging. In the UK, 47% of consumers preferred the brand with labelling showing the product’s carbon footprint, given a choice of two similar products. A report from Research and Markets shows the global sustainable packaging market will be worth $441.4bn by 2028, with a predicted CAGR of 6.1%.

In particular, there will be a huge focus on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, driven by the 2016 Paris Agreement on climate change. This treaty, signed by 196 countries, commits us to stop our greenhouse gas emissions from rising any further by 2025.

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is the single biggest challenge facing humanity at this moment in our history. Data from NASA and NOAA (the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) shows steady increases in CO2 in our atmosphere dating back to 1850. Time has nearly run out to meet the 1.5°C warming target of the Paris Agreement and avert climate disaster. To do so, global emissions of greenhouse gases (about 76% of which are CO2) need to peak by 2025 and then drop by 43% before 2030.

‘The use of bio-based materials in packaging is increasing year on year as companies move away from non-renewable resources and reduce their overall carbon footprint.’ (WGSN)

The scope and potential of bio-based materials are expanding, with a wide range of new applications coming to light. Innovations in the way bio-based colour is achieved alongside new methods in creating decorative effects are driving this trend. Finally, bioplastic production is predicted to triple over the next five years, representing more than a 200% growth rate between 2021 and 2026. That said, companies must focus on end-of-life and recyclability to achieve a truly sustainable product. (Packaging Insights, 2021)

University of the Arts London WebLogin. 2022. University of the Arts London WebLogin. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www-wgsn-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/fashion/article/633606fc0d4ff7fd9f1d27c9#page6. [Accessed 28 October 2022]. 

Packaginginsights. 2022. Bioplastics boom: Global production will triple in five years as Asia dominates, finds EUBP. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.packaginginsights.com/news/bioplastics-boom-global-production-will-triple-in-five-years-as-asia-dominates-finds-eubp.html. [Accessed 28 October 2022].

Extending beyond environmental consciousness, 60 to 80 percent of Gen Zers surveyed think that brands should be held to account for their actions. (McKinsey & Company, 2022)

Across APAC, Gen Zers say they care about sustainable consumption. Just as much as millennials, Gen Zers say they prefer environmentally friendly products, organic foods, and ethical fashion. For example, in China, 60 percent of Gen Zers and millennials surveyed state that they are trying to minimize the negative effects their eating habits have on the environment; half of both cohorts say they always look for locally sourced produce. In Japan, those attitudes are particularly pronounced; 54 percent of Gen Zers say they always look for clothes produced sustainably, and 46 percent prefer to wear used clothing—much higher figures than for millennials and Gen Xers.

When digging into the underlying motivations for such attitudes, we found a strong correlation between the aspiration for sustainable consumption and the desire to be “on trend.” In addition, those willing to pay more for green products also tended to be more conscious of brands in general. This suggests that buying and using environmentally friendly products and having a green mindset are associated with social status in the minds of Gen Zers.

Gen Zers in APAC: Five consumer trends

Obviously, there are massive differences among the six surveyed countries in their population profile (aging Japan versus more youthful Indonesia), economics (Australia’s GDP per head is several times that of Thailand), and history and culture. In specific areas, China shows tendencies that set it apart. Nevertheless, we were able to come to five broad conclusions about APAC’s Gen Zers:

• They rely on social media but are thoughtful about how they engage with it.
• They want it all—and are used to getting it.
• They prefer brands that show their personality and uniqueness but that are also well known enough to be recognized.
• They are greatly influenced in their brand selection by video content.
• They want to be seen as environmentally conscious, but they often don’t want to pay for this.

However, Gen Zers are aware of the downsides of constant connection. In four of the six countries surveyed, they were more likely than millennials or Gen Xers to say people spend too much time on their phones and to believe that technology gets in the way of social relationships (Exhibit 2). In this regard, it’s interesting that Gen Zers trust family and friends more than any other source—and more than millennials or Gen Xers do. More than half of Gen Zers surveyed—including 75 percent of Japanese respondents—say they think people overshare, and 49 percent are concerned about the use of their personal data.

Because Gen Zers are young and less likely to be working full time, they generally have less money to spend than older cohorts do; that may be behind some of their deal-hunting behavior. But they aren’t willing to sacrifice quality for price. The percentage saying they would “prefer to buy higher-quality products which will last a lifetime” differs little between Generation Z and the other cohorts in most countries; 73 percent of both Gen Zers and millennials in China agree with this statement.

McKinsey & Company. 2022. What makes Gen Z in Asia different? | McKinsey. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/growth-marketing-and-sales/our-insights/what-makes-asia-pacifics-generation-z-different. [Accessed 24 October 2022]. 

Back to Childhood – Caly workshop

I have gathered 15 people who’s in the East Asian younger generation group and always attend luxury events to quantitive my intervention.

Versatility will justify trend-led spend, with items that facilitate several looks becoming important. Products with multiple end uses that service different lifestyle needs will enhance value. (WGSN, 2022)

Emerging Asia has been one of the most exciting regions in emerging markets during the last two decades and this trend is expected to continue, though the pace of growth has slowed down as the economies transform and mature. By 2040, emerging Asia will account for almost a third of global GDP and more than a quarter of consumer spending, highlighting huge opportunities for business and investors. (Euromonitor International, 2021)

Euromonitor. 2022. The Future of Emerging Asia | Market Research Report | Euromonitor. [ONLINE] Available at: https://www-euromonitor-com.arts.idm.oclc.org/the-future-of-emerging-asia/report. [Accessed 23 October 2022].

This is a project to cultivate young disabled artists, the theme is: You and me, tiki-taka, the main slogan of the exhibition is through the graphic production of 21 young disabled artists tiki-taka.

Designers use abstract art symbols combined with red and white bright color blocks as the highlight of the exhibition, and the interactive areas will be arranged in the background wall of different symbols.

Corrugated paper is the main exhibition material of this activity, and it is also one of the materials that attract me most and I am looking for in this project.

Corrugated paper recycling can be divided into two kinds, reuse or recycling plants. It can also be cut into a variety of shapes and is a good alternative to stencils. But the only drawback is its load-bearing capacity.