Crickets to Cha-Chings Podcast: Episode 206

Title: Ghosts, Chickens & Stamps?! Surprising Etsy Trends 2025
Host: Julie Berninger (A)
Guest: Bailey Van (B)
Release Date: September 30, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, host Julie Berninger welcomes seasoned Etsy seller and AI design expert Bailey Van to discuss five "hidden gem" trends sweeping through the Etsy digital design and print-on-demand spaces as 2025 approaches. Bailey shares specific design aesthetics that are trending, why they're resonating with customers, and how sellers can apply them—whether they lean on AI tools or stick to manual design creation. The conversation is packed with practical insights for digital product creators, strategy suggestions for shop owners, and a realistic look at what’s working now on Etsy and beyond.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Bailey’s Etsy Journey & Focus (00:08–01:40)

• Background: Bailey started on Etsy six years ago, moving from handmade to print-on-demand, then to digital, now focusing mainly on AI graphic design.
• Current Niche: Designs for sublimation crafters, particularly AI-generated graphics used on a range of products—over 100 types (e.g., tumblers, T-shirts, mouse pads, mugs, glass jars).
• Quote (B, 01:11):
  “A lot of people think [sublimation] is just tumblers, but... there are literally hundreds [of products].”

2. Hidden Gem Trends for Digital Sellers (02:05–16:20)

Bailey presents five Etsy trends for 2025, with examples and actionable takeaways.

Trend 1: Minimalist, Typographical Bundles (02:05–04:30)

• Description: Simple, bold, typographical designs in bundles (e.g., seasonal quotes for planners, sublimation).
• Creation: Easily made in Canva; AI not required.
• What Works: Bundling increases perceived value and sales.
• Quote (B, 02:40):
  “A lot of the newer digital product sellers in my space are having the best success when they do bundle them, just because people see it as higher perceived value.”

Trend 2: Iridescent Ghost Designs—Not Just for Halloween (04:30–06:08)

• Description: “Iridescent ghost” art style is crossing all holidays (Christmas, Easter, July 4th, etc.), not limited to Halloween.
• AI Insights: Midjourney is best for the iridescent effect; Photoshop is an option for manual edits.
• Product Ideas: Popular on tote bags, T-shirts, sweatshirts.
• Quote (B, 05:35):
  “Ghosts are popping up across any season… We saw Easter ghosts, we see ghosts for the 4th of July.”
• Comment (A, 06:08):
  “Ghosts are the new gnomes...”

Trend 3: Chickens (and Raccoons) Cross-Niche Appeal (08:52–10:00)

• Description: Chickens (and increasingly, raccoons) are appearing in design bundles for all holidays and aesthetics; ties to homesteading/farm niche popularity.
• AI Tools: Ideogram recommended.
• Quote (B, 10:00):
  “These chickens are kind of crossing. And on that one, raccoons kind of are following the chickens as well… Lots of funny sayings with them…”

Trend 4: Postage Stamp-Themed Designs (10:00–11:39)

• Description: Vintage-style postage stamp graphics started with state/location themes but are now branching into any niche (e.g., hunting, coquette).
• Appeal: Cross-niching with other trends (e.g., bows/coquette, hunting/fishing, pink aesthetics).
• Design Note: More realistic vintage stamps still perform best, but stylized, cartoony versions sell as well.
• Quote (B, 10:46):
  “It started off...as vintage, like a state stamp... Then it started popping up with people making stamps into all different types of themes.”

Trend 5: Mixed Media Collage Graphics (“Preppy Girl” Style) (11:50–14:29)

• Description: Collage-style typography mimicking scrapbooking, junk journaling—the “preppy girl” design look. Highly layered, bold, often with positive or niche-specific quotes.
• Creation Tip: Not suited to pure AI; better to build in Canva/Kittl, layering graphics and type manually.
• Broader Use: Not just for Christian themes; references to positivity, trending quotes, cross-niche applications.
• Quote (B, 13:08):
  “While it may look messy to some, this one... was popping up across a wide variety of different niches.”
• Design Tool Advice: “I personally would not waste a lot of time with AI on this just because you will spend way more time editing it versus just laying this out in something like Canva or Kittl...” (B, 14:10)

3. Audience Insights: Who's Buying These Designs? (06:44–08:50)

• Primary Buyers: Small business owners, crafters selling at local markets, on their own e-commerce sites, and especially on TikTok Shop.
• Buying Patterns: Frequent repurchasing to stay on trend for holidays and seasons.
• Quote (B, 08:12):
  “...they have a constant need to buy new designs for the next holiday, the next season, the next… because the trends are always changing.”

4. Staying Ahead of Trends: Research Tactics (11:39–14:29)

• Top Platforms:
  • Instagram (best for early trend spotting and saving ideas)
  • TikTok & Pinterest (excellent for tracking viral trends)
  • Other marketplaces (AliExpress, Amazon) signal what may work on Etsy
• Quote (B, 11:53):
  “If you do want to be early to the game... Instagram... TikTok, Pinterest... marketplaces are often a good place to check out.”

5. AI & Design Tools Usage Breakdown (14:29–16:20)

• AI Usage:
  • ChatGPT only for prompt/quote generation, not image creation.
  • Midjourney for realistic, natural styles (about 20% of Bailey’s workflow).
  • Kittl used most heavily (50% of workflow) due to its integrated tools (Dall-E3, Ideogram, Flux, ChatGPT, etc.) and streamlined editing/export.
• Quote (B, 15:25):
  “I’m probably in Kittl actually 50% of the time... just because I can do a hundred percent of the editing and saving and downloading...”

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Ghosts are the new gnomes…” (A, 06:08) — Julie contextualizes the ghost trend as the next big recurring character in seasonal design.
• “Chickens are taking over.” (A, 09:59)
• “My people know that I’m so sick of coquette and pink because I was creating it for months, but it’s still popping up...” (B, 11:27) — Bailey expresses the sometimes overwhelming persistence of certain trends.
• On buyers’ motivations:
  “It makes this space really, really good to get into because they have a constant need to buy new designs...it’s a continual repeat buying process.” (B, 08:15)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 00:00–01:40: Introductions, Bailey’s Etsy background & niche
• 02:05–04:30: Trend 1 – Typographical design bundles
• 04:30–06:08: Trend 2 – Iridescent ghosts, holiday expansion
• 08:52–10:00: Trend 3 – Chickens (and raccoons)
• 10:00–11:39: Trend 4 – Postage stamp graphics
• 11:50–14:29: Trend 5 – Mixed media collage / “Preppy girl” style
• 06:44–08:50: Who’s buying these designs?
• 11:39–14:29: How to spot emerging trends
• 14:29–16:20: AI/design tool breakdown
• 16:38–17:04: Where to find Bailey online (YouTube: Bailey Van)

Closing and Resources

Bailey’s YouTube channel and online community (“School”) were cited as go-to resources for learning more about design trends and AI tools. Julie reminded listeners to check out the YouTube version for visual examples.

Summary Takeaway:
This episode offers a goldmine of real-time Etsy design trends for 2025, actionable advice on researching and creating in-demand graphics (with or without AI), and practical wisdom for both digital product creators and print-on-demand sellers. Whether you’re making “iridescent Christmas ghosts” or an on-trend collage quote bundle, Bailey’s insights can help you spot and capitalize on what’s next in the Etsy marketplace.