Reading the clariant color roadmap

For years, Clariant’s annual ColorForward forecast has served as a roadmap for manufacturers of plastic products and packaging, outlining the twists and turns of color trends for the year ahead. The company’s research team assesses worldwide cultural influences and lifestyle trends, and distills their findings into four global color themes.

The results for 2011 are in. Clariant’s first theme is called “What a Wonderful World”, described as reflecting a growing sense of optimism across the planet. “The colors selected for ‘What a Wonderful World’ — including yellow, violet and blue — are designed to be bright and exuberant, reflecting the spirit of other cultures,” Cristina Carrara said. “A fuchsia called ‘Bollywood’, for instance, is inspired by the musical cinema of India.”

Second is the “In-Fusion2” theme, a blending of technology with the human experience. “The colors we chose — like a neon-bright green and a vivid coral — suggest how hard technology is becoming an integral part of the human experience,” Carrara explained. “Some of the colors in this grouping are created by pairing a bright transluscent color and white in two-layer molded plaques.”

The third color theme, called “Speak Out”, derives from a move toward self-expression through customization in everything from tattoos to cell phone ringtones. “This is an assertive color palette that includes a pink and a bright greenish-yellow,” Carrara said.

Clariant’s final global theme is “Forgotten Treasures”, intended to link to the past without losing a contemporary feel. “To show this juxtaposition, we use the ‘Enigma Fade’ gradation special effect, where one color blends into another through the use of a multilayer molding technique,” Carrara said. “One color in this theme features a rusty red softening into an antique rose, for example.”