SINGAPORE – Pinterest today released its annual trend report, Pinterest Predicts 2026, offering a data-driven view of the cultural shifts expected to shape consumer behaviour in the year ahead. Powered by a combination of machine learning and human expertise, the report analyzes how more than half a billion people use Pinterest monthly – from searches to visual styles, colors, and ideas they save and plan to shop.

With 88% trend accuracy over the past six years, Pinterest Predicts has become a go-to source for what’s next. This year’s insights give brands a forward look at the preferences and behaviors that will influence consumer decisions in 2026 – helping marketers plan ahead, show up authentically, and connect with Gen Z at moments that matter most.

A year shaped by “ambient chaos”

The report identifies “ambient chaos” – characterized by overstimulation, content overload, and constant digital noise – as a defining environment for consumers. In response, Gen Z is rewriting the rules of online behavior by seeking slower, softer, more intentional experiences. Their influence is shaping three major cultural drivers for 2026:

  • Emotional comfort and belonging: the desire for grounding, affirming spaces, giving rise to reclamation aesthetics.
  • Curating, not copying: defining identity with intention, fueling personal ethos and bespoke ornamentation.
  • Grounded optimism: imagining brighter possibilities while staying rooted in reality, inspiring imaginative detours. Speaking at the Singapore launch of Pinterest Predicts 2026, guest speaker and Founder at Millennial Minds, Vivek Iyyani shared how Gen Z’s behaviour reflects deeper emotional and psychological drivers. “Gen Z is overworked, overscheduled and overwhelmed. They are always planning and scheming how to be more productive with their time, looking for hacks to save little bits of their time and energy. So it is no surprise they’re looking towards a distant past they have only heard of, but probably never experienced – those “nostalgic” days when life was simpler.”

Reclaiming emotional comfort

As uncertainty persists, people are turning to tactile, nostalgic, emotionally familiar activities. Nearly 1 in 4 global Pinterest monthly active users say they’re engaging in more nostalgic activities, such as collecting vintage or retro items, signalling a desire to reconnect with comforting elements from the past.

Analog habits are also making a comeback. More than 1 in 4 Gen Z and Millennial users report rediscovering handwriting or letter-sending. In Singapore, this “Pen Pals” trend is especially strong – Gen Z Singaporeans are 4.12 times more likely to engage with it compared to the average Pinterest user.

Designing identity through curation, not imitation

At the same time, Gen Z is increasingly embracing a mindset of intentional curation. Nearly 4 in 10 Gen Z users say trends make them feel creative – reflecting how they use Pinterest to design, not just discover, an authentic space for themselves in the midst of ambient chaos.

This shows up in aesthetics like “Glamoratti”, a rich maximalist style that is almost 6 times more popular among Gen Z in Singapore than among global users of all ages. Meanwhile, soft, intricate crochet-inspired looks under “Laced up” are trending across APAC, and are nearly 5 times more popular among Gen Z in Singapore than in Japan or Australia.

This expressive curation extends into the home. Rising searches for “African boho living room” and “afro chic home decor” point to growing interest in heritage-led styles, informing the trend “Afrohemian Decor”. With nearly half (45%) of users drawn to warm, comforting colors and over a quarter (26%) saying a refreshed home improves their mood, consumers are using decor to build calmer, restorative environments.

“Gen Z is quietly leading a cultural reset to find their own space amid ambient chaos,” says Ayumi Nakajima, Senior Director, Content Partnerships, APAC at Pinterest. “They are building a new rhythm and moving away from the doom scrolling seen on other platforms, choosing instead to search with intention. For brands, this is a unique opportunity to connect with Gen Z at their most creative and decisive moments. Across APAC markets such as Singapore, we see them embracing both reflective aesthetics and bold self-expression. It is inspiring to watch how this generation uses Pinterest for self-empowerment, transforming digital inspiration into tangible calm and lasting individuality.”

A shift from going viral to growing inward

While the past decade prioritized virality, Pinterest Predicts shows 2026 will center on individual expression and inward creativity. Gen Z is proving that creativity can be calm, thoughtful and deeply personal, rather than fast-paced or chaotic.

For brands, this shift is significant: authenticity, consistency and values-alignment have become decisive factors in Gen Z’s choices. When brands show up consistently with clarity and purpose, moments of discovery turn into action – and inspiration becomes impact.

Read the full Pinterest Predicts 2026 report here.

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