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Trend-Monitor
Backpack Trends 2026: Pastel Colours, Labubus & Cord Comeback
By bike to the office, to the gym after work, and a shopping trip with friends at the weekend. Backpacks are more than just everyday items; backpacks are a fashion statement. They accompany you throughout your day, complement your look, and emphasise your individual style. In 2026, this creative freedom takes centre stage:
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1. Backpack Trends 2026 Bring Us Pastel Colours
Pantone has named “Cloud Dancer” the colour of the year 2026. A cloudy white that gives us a feeling of lightness. Cloud Dancer offers you creative freedom and invites combinations with other colours. Pantone also provides suitable suggestions: calm pastel tones that set harmonious accents. For example, a cosy turtleneck jumper and corduroy trousers paired with a pastel-coloured backpack create a comfortable and modern outfit.
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2. Backpack Charms – Personalise Your Backpack
Cute-ugly plush monsters as backpack jewellery: Labubus were THE trend in 2025. People queued for hours outside the first Pop Mart store to get one of the coveted bag charms. Ordering online? Good luck! Two minutes after new items were available, they were sold out and found on eBay for four times the price.
The worldwide hype around the collectible monsters led to more people becoming interested in cute backpack accessories:
As an SEO manager, I analyse what people search for online. According to Google, the search term “backpack charm” in the USA reached a peak in November 2025. In Germany, the query “rucksack anhänger” grew by almost 50% compared to the previous year! – Patryk, SEO Manager at Kapten & Son
So, in 2026, we will see even more colourful mini companions on backpacks. Those who missed out on the coveted little monsters and refuse to pay exorbitant reseller prices can also attach other cute charms to their backpacks. Whether sweet Hello Kitty charms from Sanrio or small plushies from popular animes – backpack charms are a great way to express your personality and interests and personalise your backpack.
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3. Cord as a Backpack Trend 2026
Praised by fashion magazines as the winter trend icon, corduroy also makes a great impression as a backpack material. Corduroy was indispensable in the seventies and eighties and celebrates its second comeback in 2026. Blazers, trousers, and backpacks made of corduroy look both classic and modern – and combine wonderfully with other backpack trends of this year.
4. For Globetrotters: Functional Design
If you don’t want to forgo aesthetic looks while travelling in 2026 and want to get through security checks efficiently, you should invest in a good carry-on backpack. Airlines like Ryanair announced last year that they would check passengers’ hand luggage more thoroughly. Oversized and bulky backpacks can therefore become costly for you and extend waiting times at the airport.
Kapten & Son helps you choose a backpack that meets your airline’s guidelines. The functional design of our carry-on backpacks makes them ideal travel companions. Robust, water-repellent materials, practical features such as a pouch for liquids, and a structured interior provide you with maximum flexibility at the airport and during your journey. Discover our stylish travel buddies now.
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5. Back to Nature: Walnut
Alongside pastel colours, earthy tones like walnut are trending. Natural colours have a calming effect on us. They are simple, soft, subtle – and therefore match many outfits. They combine especially well with corduroy pieces. Discover our backpacks and bags in nutty, harmonious colour shades:
Conclusion
The year 2026 is all about individual styles and personalities. Whether daring colour combinations or fluffy charms on your backpack: design your year the way you want it!