Younger adults have been moving toward a more analogue lifestyle, favouring physical media and tactile hobbies such as vinyl collecting, film photography, scrapbooking and hand journaling. The shift is not a wholesale dismissal of screens; rather, it appears to be a conscious recalibration of how people spend time, money and emotional energy.
What the trend looks like
The recent resurgence of physical media and craft-focused pursuits has pushed traditional formats back into the spotlight. Across conversations in online outlets and lifestyle commentary, young adults are buying vinyl records, returning to print magazines, using film cameras and keeping physical notebooks and scrapbooks. Textile-centred hobbies and craftwork have also featured prominently as people deliberately step away from continuous screen time.
Sustainability: three ways to think about it
Observers divide sustainability into three practical categories — economic, social and emotional — and the analogue–digital comparison plays out differently in each.
| Dimension | What the trend shows |
|---|---|
| Economic | Digital lifestyle often compresses expenses into a single device and can reduce costs for travel, communication and entertainment, making it more economical overall. |
| Social | Both approaches can support social connections: digital tools widen reach, while analogue meet‑ups tend to foster deeper, intentional bonds. |
| Emotional | Analogue activities are frequently described as restorative and more emotionally sustainable for some people, helping to counter digital fatigue. |
On the economic side, digital living can be more efficient. Many activities traditionally requiring time or travel — shopping, entertainment and some hobbies — are now available through a device, which can translate into savings on transport and related costs. Social sustainability is less binary: a digital toolbox offers broad access to people and markets, while analogue settings encourage deliberate social encounters where participants make greater effort to connect in person.
Emotional sustainability is where analogue options appear to hold particular appeal. The sensory experience of vinyl, the slowness of film photography and the tactile process of crafting or handwriting are commonly cited as restorative counterpoints to the constant demands of screens.
Practical takeaways for readers
Whether you already lean analogue, live largely online, or fall somewhere between, a few simple approaches can help you get the benefits of both without overcommitting to one extreme.
- Mix and match: keep a digital device for practical needs but schedule analogue rituals — a weekly record‑listening session, a monthly photo walk with a film camera, or daily hand journaling to process the day.
- Prioritise intentional connections: use online tools to organise gatherings, then meet in person to deepen relationships and reduce transactional interactions.
- Budget mindfully: recognise where digital consolidation saves money (streaming, online shopping) and where analogue is an investment in wellbeing (quality materials, local makers).
- Limit disposable consumption: if collecting physical items, opt for second‑hand or sustainable vendors to reduce waste while enjoying tactile media.
These small changes can help households reduce environmental and financial strain while maintaining opportunities for meaningful, restorative activities.
Why it matters
The growing interest in analogue pursuits highlights a wider cultural shift: people are reassessing how technology serves their lives, not simply accepting a tech‑first model because it is convenient. For lifestyle editors, retailers and readers, the trend underscores an opportunity to promote balance — tools and formats that combine the convenience of digital access with the fulfilment many find in hands‑on, slower‑paced analogue practices.
For Canadians weighing their own options, the takeaway is straightforward: you do not have to choose one side exclusively. Blending a strategic use of digital tools with intentional analogue activities may offer the best path to economic sensibility, meaningful social ties and emotional restoration.
