What's the recent trend of making things smaller or miniature?
This week, Trader Joe's has restocked their $2.99 mini tote bags that were resold for up to $500 on eBay earlier this year. Stores are prominently displaying travel-sized haircare, skincare, and makeup products. TikToks of micro beauty bags being filled with micro products are gaining millions of views. Even iced tea brand Snapple has launched an 8-ounce bottle, marketed as fitting in a mini bag.
Despite the higher cost per ounce and potential for overconsumption, brands are betting on shrunk-down goods satisfying consumers' nostalgia and providing an affordable entry point into luxury.
According to Fashion Institute of Technology business management professor Shawn Carter, stores have been giving more shelf space to mini products since COVID-19. This is an attempt to combat high prices and attract young customers, namely Gen Z and Gen Alpha.
Mini fashion items first appeared in the 1960s, with the introduction of the mini skirt, followed by mini clutch bags and mini top handle bags. Mini fashion has made a comeback, with Carter saying, "It accelerated in 2022; it went on steroids. But it's no longer a trend. This is here to stay."
Trader Joe's vice president of marketing, Matt Sloan, mentioned in a podcast episode that they had no idea the mini tote bags would become such a viral sensation.
Finding a niche
Even if you're not buying mini products, you can't escape the trend on social media.
Jo Barker's TikTok account, "The Little Bean," has amassed 3.2 million likes for her niche of filling luxury microbags with as many mini products as possible. In one of her most popular videos, she stuffed a mini Coach Tabby bag ($195 online) with a mini Charlotte Tilbury lipstick, mini Chanel mascara, mini Tarte Shape Tape concealer, mini Chanel compact powder, and a mini Versace perfume, among other essentials.
Barker started the account as a creative outlet and to connect with others in the luxury community. COVID-19 made her realize she didn't need to carry as much as she thought she did, leading her to jump on the mini bag trend.
"Anytime I'm going out, I usually have a smaller bag with me. I'm not carrying large totes or large bags, because it just doesn't match my lifestyle," Barker said.
There are various ways to go mini, with Barker also making her own mini makeup by putting portions of her full-sized items into tiny bottles. Sephora and Ulta offer mini samples with certain purchases, offering an incentive for customers to spend at these stores.
Why are people so into minis?
People who don't even use mini products are still hooked on Barker's content, as watching someone squeeze mini bottles into a bag can be a relaxing, almost mindless distraction. On TikTok, Barker has over 100,000 followers, and on Instagram, she has over 400,000 followers for each post.
"I mean, I think there's just a cuteness factor to it, right?" Barker said.
Brands are tapping into nostalgia by evoking memories of Polly Pockets and kid-sized lunches.
"Humans have always loved tiny, tiny objects, and this is just a functional iteration of that," Anna Keller, a principal analyst at Minter, said.
Some customers prefer minis because it's easier to finish the entire product, and mini-sized items can be less expensive than full-sized versions.
Mini-sized beauty and fashion items can serve as an affordable entry point into luxury without having to resort to dupes or cheaper knock-offs of more expensive brands.
Producing minis can be expensive for smaller brands due to additional operational costs and working with manufacturers, but the payoff can be worth it for companies as consumers can experiment with their products and mini-sized items are already trending.
"It can then be a very valuable marketing tool," Keller said.
However, hopping on any social media fashion and beauty trend carries the risk of increasing plastic waste, with more packaging and manufacturing involved in owning a mini bottle compared to full-sized versions.
Companies need to start transitioning towards reusable and refillable products, Melissa Valliant, the communications director at environmental group Beyond Plastic, said. "It means more plastic production. The proliferation of smaller bottles and smaller products instead of larger or reusable products... it just means more plastic production."
The Association of Plastic Recyclers recommends purchasing full-size products and using reusable containers when mini products are needed during travel, as packages smaller than 2 inches cannot be recycled in the US system.
Value is subjective to the biggest fans of the trend.
"If I were to get a bigger one, yeah, I'd be getting more material for the buck, but I ain't got no use for such a big bag given my lifestyle," Barker shared. "If you splurge on something that might be a tad pricier, yet you'll be using it more frequently, that's a solid investment."
The trend of mini products has led businesses to allocate more shelf space to them, as noted by Fashion Institute of Technology business management professor Shawn Carter. This strategy aims to cater to the demand of younger generations, such as Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who are drawn to the affordability and nostalgia associated with shrunk-down goods.
Brands are discovering the value of mini-sized beauty and fashion items as an affordable entry point into luxury, allowing customers to experiment with premium products without breaking the bank.
