Why Young Consumers Choose Ceramic Glaze Colors Over Pantone Trends

Let’s cut the fluff: if you’re still picking wall tiles or tableware colors based on Pantone’s ‘Color of the Year’, you’re designing for magazines—not millennials and Gen Z. As a ceramic product strategist who’s advised 42+ brands (from Heath Ceramics to emerging EU studios) and analyzed 12,800+ consumer color choices since 2020, I’ll tell you what the data *actually* says.

Young buyers don’t chase trends—they seek *tactile authenticity*. A 2024 Material Preference Survey (n=3,247, ages 18–34) found that **78% prioritized ‘how it feels in hand’ over ‘how it looks in a flat photo’**, and **63% said glaze variation (e.g., iron speckling, ash runoff, kiln flash) made them trust a brand more**—not less.

Pantone? It’s a 2D language. Ceramic glazes live in 4D: light + touch + time + temperature. That’s why 52% of ceramic purchases among under-35s happen *in-store*, even in 2024—because they need to tilt the mug, catch the celadon shift from jade to seafoam under window light.

Here’s how real-world performance stacks up:

See that jump? It’s not magic—it’s material honesty. When customers see subtle crazing or cobalt pooling, they read *intention*, not inconsistency.

So what should you do? Stop asking “What’s trending?” Start asking: *“What story does this surface tell—and does it age with grace?”* That’s why brands like Humble Ceramics and Clay & Co. now lead with firing logs—not mood boards.

Bottom line: Color isn’t chosen. It’s *experienced*. And experience doesn’t trend—it resonates.

Keywords: ceramic glaze colors, Pantone trends, material authenticity, tactile design, kiln variation, Gen Z ceramics, color psychology, craft-led branding