2025–2026 Tube Packaging Trend Forecast
2025–2026 Tube Packaging Trend Forecast
The beauty industry is entering a new era of packaging, one where tubes are no longer seen as functional basics, but essential touchpoints of sustainability and elevated consumer experiences. At ICONS|America, we’ve been shaping this future for years. Here’s our inside look at where tube packaging is headed and how we’re helping brands lead the way.
Tactility at the Forefront: Packaging Consumers Want to Feel
Consumers increasingly want packaging they can connect with, not just visually, but through touch. In 2025–2026, tubes designed to invite interaction and enhance product experience will be at the forefront of consumer expectations. At ICONS|America, we deliver on this with:
- Soft matte finishes: Creating a sleek, premium, ritual-inspired feel.
- Combo varnish: Matte and gloss finishes in one seamless IML label create contrast, depth, and sensory appeal.
- Squeezability: Using our domestically sourced resin to enhance our tubes’ softness and flexibility without compromising on durability.
Why it matters: Tactile packaging creates an immersive beauty experience and reinforces product quality, creating a stronger emotional connection between brand and consumer.
Design with Purpose: Telling a Story at First Glance
Color and graphics are becoming an intentional tool for beauty brands, shaping consumer perception the moment a product is seen. ICONS|America’s tube solutions help brands capture this with::
- 360° Graphics: Our cutting edge In-Mold Label (IML) technology helps brands maintain a strong shelf presence by delivering bold, clean, detailed 360° graphics and luxury finishes from shoulder to crimp.
- Clear packaging: Transparent materials allow consumers to view the product inside. From fully clear IML tubes to subtle window finishes, this trend reinforces brand authenticity and builds trust.
- Bold color: On-trend shades like WGSN’s Transformative Teal and Pantone’s Luminous Blue (2027) give packaging a fresh, optimistic look that aligns with digital-first, forward-looking design.
Why it matters: In an increasingly competitive landscape, design and color help tubes stand out and tell a deeper brand story.
Circularity Without Compromise
In today’s beauty climate, sustainability isn’t a trend, it’s an expectation. At ICONS|America, we’ve built circularity into our tube design, helping brands go beyond boundaries to create packaging that delivers on its promise:
- Mono-material PP tubes and closures: Fully recyclable IML tubes designed with end-of-life in mind
- Optional PCR content: To help brands meet internal targets and evolving regulations.
- Made in the USA: Designed and manufactured in our North Carolina facility, our tubes reduce carbon footprint and shorten shipping lead times.
Why it matters: Today’s consumers want proof that packaging is part of the solution, not the problem.
Small Format, Big Presence
Smaller tubes have become essential tools for discovery, travel, and on-the-go beauty rituals. Brands are prioritizing these formats to help consumers trial new products, support flexible routines, and create standout unboxing moments in e-commerce. At ICONS|America, we’re seeing increased popularity in our 35mmD and 40mmD tubes with:
- Discovery sizes: Our small format tubes help consumers trial new products without commitment, building trust before they buy full size.
- Travel and portability: Beauty routines are adapting to more mobile, flexible lifestyles and our travel-size tubes help meet this demand.
- E-commerce unboxing matters: Small tubes are often the stars of sets and kits that create first brand impressions.
Why it matters: Discovery formats are often where consumers meet your brand for the first time, and first impressions matter.
ICONS|America: Your Partner in Future-Ready Tubes
2025–2026 will see tubes play a more strategic role in how brands communicate identity, sustainability, and product experience. For beauty brands ready to lead, the opportunity is to create packaging that delivers on these promises with clarity and impact. At ICONS|America, our IML tube solutions help brands deliver on that promise, combining innovation, sustainability, and standout design across every format.
Ready to create your brand’s next iconic tube pack? Contact ICONS|America today to discuss your next project.
