Made x Made Blog

Stay up to date with the latest in the icon world with our blog posts. Delve into the world of graphic design, iconography, illustration and more with interesting reads and great tips. Go on, get reading!

How icons communicate in the fashion industry

Icons in the fashion industry:

Icons and symbols can be powerful tools to convey important messaging in the fashion industry. Here are some ideas for using icons to communicate various messages within the fashion industry:

Shipping and Delivery: 

Firstly, by using icons in the shipping and delivery process, fashion retailers can improve the overall customer experience by providing precise and consistent information that helps customers track their orders and receive their packages promptly and efficiently.

made x made icons shipping delivery

Shipping and Delivery – Icon Examples:

Made X Made has created a super useful pack of 200 Shipping & Delivery Icons for your next project! This pack contains some of the most important icons for shipping and delivery, such as, handle with care, fragile, free returns, food safe, fast delivery, exchanges, tracking, and more! 

200 Shipping & Delivery Icons

Care Instructions: 

Care instruction icons in the fashion industry can be used on clothes are important because they help customers understand how to properly care for and maintain their garments. Icons help protect the garment by ensuring it is cared for properly, extending its lifespan and preventing damage. Furthermore, care instruction icons are a quick and easy way for customers to understand how to care for their garments without reading through lengthy manuals.

made x made icons care instructions

Care Instruction – Icon Examples:

If you’re interested in adding care instruction icons to your garments, labels or product booklets, then the below collection of 100 Care Instruction Icons could be your perfect fit. 

100 Care Instruction Icons

Sustainability: 

Use icons that represent eco-friendliness, such as recycling symbols or cruelty-free symbols. You could also use icons that represent the materials used in sustainable fashion, such as cotton plants or organic materials.

made x made icons packaging bundle

Sustainability Icon Examples: 

Indeed sustainable icons are so important to align your brand with your environmental vision and goals. The below pack of 130 Sustainable Packaging Icons will provide you with the tools to promote your sustainable capabilities. 

This collection contains important symbols, such as recycling, biodegradable, plant-based, ethically made, Sulfate-free, no additives, GMO-free, and chemical-free. Without a doubt, this collection will set you apart from your competitors. 

130 Sustainable Packaging Icons

Categorising icons in the fashion industry:

Icons can be used in the fashion industry to help customers quickly and easily identify different clothing types. This is especially useful when shopping online or in a large store where it may be difficult to find specific items.

made x made icons clothing

Clothing Icon Examples:

Made X Made has created a convenient pack of 100 Clothing Icons. Prior to starting your next project, check out these icons for clothing categorising, including icons for shirts, pants, dresses, accessories, and more. 

100 Clothing Icons 

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Icons for the hotel and tourism industries

Icons for the hotel and tourism industries: Icons can bring numerous positive benefits for hotels, holiday rentals, and other accommodation types throughout the hospitality industry. Let’s take a look at some of the benefits:

Enhancing communication: 

Firstly, icons can convey information quickly and effectively to guests, regardless of language barriers or cultural differences. They can be used to represent amenities such as Wi-Fi, parking, swimming pools, restaurants, etc that guests may need during their stay.

Examples of icons for the hotel and tourism industry:

Check out Made X Mades collection of 200 Accommodation Icons – for a fantastic collection of icons, such as amenities, wifi, parking, spa, pool, sauna, dining, service, room types, facilities, prohibited, accessibility, and more. 

200 Accommodation Icons

made x made icons accomodationmade x made icons accomodation

Improving navigation:

Secondly, Icons can be used to improve navigation, such as by showing the location of elevators, bathrooms, and other facilities. This can make it easier for guests to find their way around the property, which therefore improves their overall experience.

Creating visual interest: 

Icons can be used to create visual interest and enhance the property’s visual appeal. For Example, they can be incorporated into elements such as wayfinding signs, books, and other communication, helping to make the property more memorable and appealing to guests.

Examples of visual hotel representations:

Let’s look at how icons are used in the design of signage and hotel platforms, with the below examples demonstrating a hotel’s amenities and room features.

made x made icons accomodation

made x made icons accomodation

Supporting brand identity: 

Lastly, icons can help strengthen a hotel’s brand identity, making it more recognisable and unique. Consistent use of icons across all communications can help to create a cohesive and memorable brand identity.

Review – Icons for the hotel and tourism industry:

In conclusion, we hope we have shown how icons can play a major role in the hotel and tourism industries. To summarise, they can be highly helpful in aiding communication, improving navigation, creating visual interest, and supporting a brand. This is especially crucial in regards to problems brought on during travel, such as language.

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Instagram Highlight Covers to enhance social media

Instagram highlight covers are a great way to enhance your social media account and give it a polished, professional look that will stand out in an overcrowded market. Let’s take a look at some ways in which Instagram Highlight Covers can benefit you and your business:

Content Organisation:

Firstly, Instagram Highlight covers allow you to categorise your Instagram stories into specific topics or themes, making it easier for your followers to find the content they are interested in. This can help increase engagement and retention on your profile.

Aesthetic Improvement:

By using cohesive highlight covers that match your brand’s colour scheme and style, you can improve the overall aesthetics of your Instagram profile, making it more visually appealing to your followers.

Are you in need of a collection of cohesively drawn covers? Look no further than the following options. Popular Instagram Highlight Covers, Beauty Instagram Highlight Covers, Organic Instagram Highlight Covers, and Lifestyle Instagram Highlight Covers.

Popular Instagram Highlight Covers:

Firstly, our Popular Instagram Highlight Covers are the perfect set for an array of topics and useful symbols, that will aid your accounts in a range of industries, i.e. education, travel, as well as retail.


made x made instagram highlight covers popular

Beauty Instagram Highlight Covers:

Secondly, our Beauty Instagram Highlight Covers are a fashionable set for the fashion, beauty, and retail industries. This collection contains icons for elements such as shoes, clothing, cosmetics jewelry, and more!

made x made instagram highlight covers beauty

Organic Instagram Highlight Covers:

Next, our Organic Instagram Highlight Covers are perfect for natural, organic, and plant-based businesses. This set contains icons for sustainability, recycling, free from, plants, and more.

made x made instagram highlight covers organic

Lifestyle Instagram Highlight Covers:

Lastly, our Lifestyle Instagram Highlight Covers are perfect for hobbies, interests, and clubs. This collection contains icons for elements such as sport, food and drink, fishing, travel, and more!

made x made instagram highlight covers lifestyle

Increase Brand Recognition:

Using highlight covers that feature your brand’s logo, topics or unique designs can help increase brand recognition and make your account more memorable.

Showcase Your Personality:

Highlight covers can be an opportunity to showcase your personality and style. Whether you choose bold, fun designs or more understated and elegant ones, your highlight covers can reflect your personal brand.

Stand Out:

Finally, by using highlight covers, you can differentiate yourself from other Instagram accounts and make your profile more unique and memorable.

Final Thoughts:

We hope we have demonstrated how Instagram highlight covers can be used to enhance your social media, improve its aesthetics, and increase engagement with your followers.

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Iconography to aid packaging design

Iconography to aid packaging design

Iconography to aid packaging design – Iconography can provide numerous benefits when used to enhance packaging – Let’s take a look at these below:

Improved visual appeal:

Icons can add visual interest and appeal to packaging designs, making them more attractive and memorable to consumers.

For examples of icon use on packaging design, check out this fantastic collection Cosmetic Packaging Icons 

Cosmetic Packaging Icons - made x made icons cosmetic packaging

Catch the attention of the consumer:

Icons on packaging can make a product stand out on the shelf or in an online store, catching the attention of consumers browsing for products. This initial attention-grabbing effect can increase the likelihood of the consumer choosing that product over others. For examples of icon use on packaging design see Sustainable Packaging Icons

made x made icons sustainable packaging – Iconography to aid packaging

Increased recognition:

Likewise, icons can quickly and effectively communicate key information to consumers, such as product features or benefits. This can help to increase brand recognition and recall, particularly in overcrowded markets.

Enhanced usability:

Icons can make packaging easier to use, especially for international or multilingual markets, as they can convey information without relying on text.

Reduced clutter:

Above all, Icons can help to reduce the amount of text needed on packaging, which can make the design less cluttered and more visually appealing. For a great example, check out our collection of Food Packaging Icons

Food Packaging Icons – made by made food packaging

Appeal to emotions:

Furthermore, icons can also appeal to consumers’ emotions, creating positive associations with a product. For example, a smiley face icon on a children’s toy can signal that it is fun and enjoyable, while a green leaf icon on a beauty product can suggest that it is natural and good for the environment. This emotional appeal can help to increase the likelihood of a purchase.

Improved accessibility:

Finally, icons can be handy for consumers with visual impairments or those who struggle with reading, as they provide a clear and concise means of conveying information.

In all, incorporating iconography into packaging design can help improve the overall user experience, catch the attention of the consumer, increase brand recognition, enhance usability, appeal to emotions, and ultimately drive sales.

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Delve into the importance of food packaging icons

Food packaging icons can play a beneficial role in helping consumers make informed decisions about the products they purchase, communicate important information, simplify the decision-making process, attract attention, and also help brands to stand out in a crowded market. Food packaging symbols serve several important purposes from displaying mandatories, and dietary advice, to allergens. Let’s take a look in more detail at these:

made by made food packaging B

Communicating important information:

Firstly, icons can be used to communicate important information about the product, such as its nutritional content, dietary, ingredients, allergens, and certifications. This can help consumers make more informed decisions about the products they purchase and consume.

Attracting attention on food packaging:

Secondly, food packaging icons can be eye-catching and help to make a product stand out on store shelves. This is particularly important in a crowded market where many products seek consumers’ attention.

Building brand recognition:

Thirdly, icons can be used to create a visual identity for a brand and help to build recognition and loyalty among consumers.

Food packaging symbols to increase visibility:

Icons highlighting the product’s health benefits, such as “gluten “or “trans-fat-free”, “allergens” can make it more attractive to health-conscious consumers. This can increase visibility and sales for products that meet specific dietary needs.

Simplifying the decision-making process:

Lastly, food packaging symbols can make it easier for consumers to compare different products and make a purchasing decision quickly. This is especially important for consumers who are short on time or are overwhelmed by the number of choices available.

See great examples of icons for the food industry – Food Packaging Icons, Diet Icons – Download these handy collections today and see how they can aid your next food packaging project. These food packaging symbols provide a fantastic range of mandataries, allergens, free froms, dietary icons, and more!

made x made icons diet

made by made food packaging

Overall, food packaging icons and symbols can help to quickly communicate important information to consumers, build credibility and trust in the product, differentiate from competitors, attract attention, increase visibility, and simplify the decision process. These factors can all contribute to increased sales, build consumer loyalty and provide greater consumer satisfaction.

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A few tips for working from home during COVID-19

Covid-19 and working from home have become the new way of life for many people around the globe. There have been vast changes to the traditional business structure over the past years thanks to the pandemic, growing technology, and online communications. We’re here to share some tips and tricks for working from home and keeping yourself motivated in your home office!

made x made icons pandemic

Covid-19 dedicated workspace

A hugely important aspect to your home office – a dedicated area which is solely for ‘work’. If you’re lucky enough to have a spare room/office then this is perfect, however, even a corner space, study nook or desk will work. The main rule about this area is that it’s a ‘work’ space, when you’re in this space you can get yourself into the mindset you need to stay focused for getting things done.        

Flexible hours

Just because you worked 9-5 at your office doesn’t mean you need to continue this at home. Things are different when you work from home and you’ll most likely find you have a lot more time on your hands. This could be because your commute time has been removed. We recommend the ‘start early and finish early’ approach in order to not fall into the procrastination trap. By starting early you’ll probably find you complete tasks ahead of time and can then switch off and focus on family/personal time later in the day which will clear your mind ready for the next day.       

Time management and scheduling   

The way you work and how you stay motivated will become almost entirely up to you when you work from home. We recommend finding a schedule that works for you and building up the resources that help you achieve your tasks. Our studio uses management tools such as ‘Trello’ to arrange our tasks for the day which can be ticked off once completed. This helps us stay informed about what others are working on and is also a great way to stay organised and focused on our own tasks. Other great tools for communication when working with a broader team in alternate locations is ‘Slack’.    

Personal health and it’s importance during Covid-19    

Physical and mental health is so important when working from home, especially if you’re on your own. A space with a desk and chair to maintain good posture and focus (no working on the couch or in front of the TV). A space with good lighting, less clutter, less distractions – whatever works for you. Keep up on physical activity with perhaps a workout before or after work or a 15min yoga or meditation scheduled into the middle of your day. If everything gets a little too overwhelming, remember to step away, have a break, call a friend or have a cup of tea.  

Get a dog (or cat, or any other animal)    

Time for your trusty companion to be your new favourite co-worker! Need to talk to someone, share an idea or get something off your chest? – your doggo is there, ready to listen! 

Icons you may find useful – 100x Pandemic Icons

made x made icons pandemic cover

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Utilising social media icons

Made X Made Popular Instagram Highlights Covers PreviewScreen D lowres

Instagram highlights

Instagram Highlights for social media (meaning – those circles at the top of your Instagram account). These are one of the quickest and easiest ways to communicate with your audience and capture their interest! These circles can contain anything, but what can capture an audience when space is a little on the small side? Icons! Made X Made icons are perfect for Instagram stories and can help build your brand aesthetic and messaging. Whether you’re a cafe, digital marketing firm, fashion label, educational institution or anything in between, we’ve got the icons for you!

Popular Instagram Highlight Covers

Lifestyle Instagram Highlight Covers

Beauty Instagram Highlight Covers

Organic Instagram Highlight Covers

Made X Made Popular Instagram Highlights Covers PreviewScreen D lowres

Social media icons

As social media becomes such a powerful leader in sharing and communication, we often need to represent these icons on our websites, brochures, business cards, email signatures and banner ads. The problem is that it becomes near impossible to find consistently drawn icons for each individual platform. Our e-commerce icons can help with that! With icons for many popular social media platforms on offer, you can ensure you have a consistent collection to use on all your printed and digital collateral!

made x made icons ecommerce

The benefits of using icons

Let’s explore some major benefits of using icons to capture attention on your socials: To start, icons are visually appealing and can be used to grab attention, making it easier to communicate your message. Secondly, icons can reinforce your brand identity and consistency, helping to establish a strong brand presence on social media. They can be used to represent links, pages, or sections on a social media platform, making it easier for users to navigate and find what they are looking for, and finally, icons can be optimised for mobile devices, where space is at a premium.

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4 must have icon packs for powerpoint

made x made icons ecommerce

E-Commerce
The perfect Powerpoint Icons! These icons are fantastic for all the useful symbols, signs and call to actions that quickly convey messages. From navigational and interactive buttons (next arrows, download, play, close, enlarge). To popular social media icons (Pinterest, Facebook, Snapchat etc). To icons for commerce, business, digital, organisation, security, technology, communication, marketing, creativity, education, nature and more! This popular collection has it all, and will make designing your next presentation a piece of cake!

made x made icons business

Business
The perfect accompaniment for every business presentation! This set is your go-to buddy for useful graphic resources! From reporting, economics, commerce, technology, logistics, management, operations, stocks, analysis and more – these icons will be a lifesaver for livening up your business deck, making it fun and engaging for your audience.

made x made icons marketing

Marketing
The perfect icons for advertising, marketing, commerce, and design! A consistently drawn and highly versatile set of icons for all things marketing! Including shopping, retail, goods and services, ads, creative tools, digital marketing, SEO, optimisation and more! Use these icons to give a spark to your next project, create engaging powerpoint icons, and display your desired results efficiently.

made x made icons goals strategy

Goals & Strategy
A useful collection of goal and strategic themed vector line icons suitable for web, print, symbols, infographics and apps. This set includes icons for success, logic, business, graphs, reports, ideas, innovation, growth, targets, people, communication and many more goals and strategy icons.

Making a big difference to your presentations with Powerpoint icons

Using icons in PowerPoint can be an effective way to engage audiences and enhance the visual appeal of the presentation. By choosing the right icons, using them consistently, and keeping it simple, you can create a visually appealing and engaging presentation that effectively conveys your message. Overall, engaging presentations capture audiences by using a combination of storytelling, multimedia, humor, interactivity, and clear language. By making the presentation more interesting and enjoyable, you can keep the audience’s attention and make them more fun and enjoyable to sit through.

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Made X Made icons are your perfect fit

Consistent icons at your fingertips

Here at Made X Made icons, we’ve drawn 1,000s of consistent icons for 100s of topics all in the same weight, and size! We have topics for everything from education, nautical, park, Christmas, space, construction, adventure and so many more! Never struggle to find a matching icon again!

made x made icons mega pack vol

Made X Made icons are packed with features

Our Made X Made icons are packed with great features! They’re vector (which means no pixelation and blurry lines), and they are adjustable! Yes, that’s right! Our icons come in both live and outlined strokes, meaning you can change the stroke width or weight, plus change colour, size and more!

made x made icons mega pack vol

Easy to use

Made X Made icons are easy to download, well organised in individual and master files, and supplied in multiple file formats from JPEG, PNG, SVG and Ai, making our icons super versatile! With so many options available you can use our icons perfectly for both printed and digital material from business cards to websites, to packaging to large-scale billboards – the possibilities are endless!

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The bundle for you

We have the perfect icon bundles for your next project! In fact, you can get started right now with our Mega Bundles Volumes 1 – 7! 

The Mega Mega Bundle

made x made icons mega pack vol

Why do you need consistently drawn icons?

Great question! 

  1. Brand: Consistently drawn icons help to reinforce a brand’s identity and visual language. This helps to build brand recognition and consistency across all platforms, leading to increased brand trust and loyalty.

  2. Clarity: Consistently drawn icons are instantly recognizable, which makes them easier to understand and use. This leads to a better user experience and can help to reduce confusion and frustration.

  3. Professional: Consistently drawn icons demonstrate attention to detail and professionalism. This can help to establish trust and credibility with users, making them more likely to engage with a brand and make a purchase.

  4. Accessibility: Consistently drawn icons are easier to read and understand for users with visual impairments, which makes them more accessible. This can help to create a more inclusive user experience, which is important for building a positive brand reputation.

  5. Adaptability: Consistently drawn icons are easier to adapt for use across different platforms and devices. This makes it easier to maintain consistency and ensures that users have a seamless experience, regardless of the device or platform they are using.

Want to know more? Watch our Made X Made video on our homepage to explore some of our favourite features!

 

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Why a consistent icon suite is so important

A consistent icon suite

A consistent icon suite – cohesion is key! Whether you’re needing icons for travel, education, politics or cosmetics, all icons should be consistent with the same structure, aesthetic, and form. This is why a diverse and cohesive suite for multiple topics is so important.

Made X Made offers 1,000s of icons from 100s of popular topics, all consistently drawn in the same size, line width and style.

You can rest assured that your work is at the top of its game, always looking fresh and in-line with no eye-sores in the middle! For a great range of icons, we recommend our Mega Bundles for their amount of icons and variety of topics!

Let’s take a look at the various consistent icon suites that cover hundreds of topics:

1. Mega Bundle Volume 1

A fantastic collection of 500 vector icons for topics from achievement, birthday, gardening, fishing, green energy, and 20 other topics.

made x made icons mega pack vol 1 – 500 consistent vector icons from 25 popular collections

2. Mega Bundle Volume 2

Go no further than this brilliant collection for topics of baby, celebration, party, politics, travel, and 20 other useful topics.

made x made icons mega pack vol 2 – 500 consistent vector icons from 25 popular collections

3. Mega Bundle Volume 3

This collection contains icons covering topics of camping, fast food, music, wedding, work, and 20 other topics.

made x made icons mega pack vol 3 – 500 consistent icons from 25 popular collections

4. Mega Bundle Volume 4

From farm, agriculture, law, media, and also veterinary, this may just be the collection for you!

made x made icons mega pack vol 4 – 500 consistent icons from 25 popular collections

5. Mega Bundle Volume 5

A pack full of amazing topics from ecology, games, renovating, safari, thanksgiving, and also 20 other topics.

made x made icons mega pack vol 5 – 500 consistent icons from 25 popular collections

6. Mega Bundle Volume 6

From equestrian, antique, family, leadership, and innovation, undeniably this is a fantastic collection!

made x made icons mega pack vol 6 – 500 consistent icons from 25 popular collections

7. Mega Bundle Volume 7

500 icons for topics of digital, dinosaur, easter, textiles, time, and also so much more!

made x made icons mega pack vol 7 – 500 consistent icons from 25 popular collections

We hope you’ve enjoyed exploring some of the amazing collections Made X Made has to offer. We would love to hear from you if you have any ideas on how we can make our collections better or if you have any topics you would like us to explore – drop us an email at hello@madexmade.com

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