Trending in 2016 - Coloring books for adults are still hot
By Pam Reinig
Register Editor
2016 just might be the year when high-tech meets high-touch, judging from forecasted trends.
On the high-tech side, data-collecting items like the Apple watch could lead to an interest in products like “tech tats” or biosensors that attach to the skin like a temporary tattoo. Among other functions, tech tats can be used to record vital signs like heart rate, breathing rate and blood pressure. The information can be forwarded to professional settings like hospitals and doctors’ office where a physician could use it to make a preliminary diagnosis even before he or she sees the patient.
Also on the tech scene for 2016: robots that can be programmed to interact with each family member, virtual reality headsets, increase use of mobile payments and charging stations that will automatically recharge cell phones and other devices from a central hub, sort of like a WiFi router.
On the high-touch side, forecasters are predicting continued growth in simple pursuits. One of the hottest trends in this area is coloring books for adults. The industry, which was launched two years ago, was slow to catch on. Today, however, eight of the top 20 selling books on Amazon.com are coloring books with finely detailed pages designed for adults.
The craze has sparked BYOB (Bring Your Own Book) parties in neighborhoods, art centers and libraries. Look for one soon at the Elkader Public Library, where coloring sheets have already been purchased.
“I’m waiting to have a program before putting them out,” explained Library Director Lisa Wilke Pope. “I got them because I’ve seen a lot of libraries having programs or just setting them out (like we do with puzzles). The research is showing that it’s like meditation and is ‘healthy’ and relaxing.”
Jean Marie Hall, Elkader, credits technology with getting her involved in coloring. After finishing the Halloween coloring page published by the Clayton County Register, she posted her work on Facebook with the comment that the contest should’ve had an adult division. Her daughter, Lee Anne DiCecco, told her about adult coloring books and later sent her a couple as birthday gifts. Jean Marie’s been coloring ever since. Some of the Christmas holiday was spent indulging in the pastime with her teen and pre-teen granddaughters.
Also on the horizon for 2016: Publishing giant Little, Brown & Company is set to release a series of connect-the-dot books for adults.
Two other areas where “trendy” is a big buzzword are fashion and food. Judging from recent runway shows, the look for spring will be bold stripes, floral prints, ruffles and pleats. Whole Foods, which occupies a solid place among the country’s “grocery trendsetters,” predicts increased popularity for strange new products like blue catfish, canned wine, and veggies in everything from meats (mixing mushrooms into burger patties) to plant-derived body and hair-care products. The food chain giant also predicts increased interest in fermented products like fermented tea, kimchi and sauerkraut.
