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The Growing Demand For Sustainability
The rise in eco-promotional products is being driven by consumer trends and the growing demand for sustainability amongst consumers. Much of this comes as a result of the increased awareness of and education around environmental issues as well as the impact that climate change is already having on our everyday lives.
Sustainable products have an overall 17% market share and a 32% share of growth and this is set to only continue expanding over the next few years. Businesses are witnessing this shift in consumer purchasing decisions and realising that they need to get on board or risk falling behind. This means reshaping corporate social responsibility.
Businesses are being held accountable for their environmental footprint, and every aspect, from suppliers and work conditions to unnecessary plastic packaging, is being scrutinised. There is mounting pressure for companies to adopt more comprehensive, long-term, and proactive approaches to social, environmental, and economic issues. At the centre of all this is sustainability.
How Eco-Friendly Materials Make a Difference To Mitigate Environmental Impacts.
The sustainability of a promotional item is based on several factors, the main one being the material from which it was made.
Eco-friendly materials have a minimal negative impact on the environment throughout their entire life cycle, from sourcing to disposal. They tend to be categorised as either biodegradable materials or recycled/recyclable materials. Or even organically grown.
Promo Items Made From Bamboo
This fast-growing plant can be harvested at any stage and replanted easily, making it one of the most sustainable and renewable resources available.
Bamboo is also versatile and easy to work with. It comes in various shapes and sizes, allowing it to be moulded into different forms as needed. This makes it great for creating an array of eco-promotional items, including promotional bamboo pens, printed bamboo tote bags and promotional technology giveaways made from bamboo casing.
Recycled Plastic Promotional Items
Using this as a material for making promotional products supports reusing existing materials rather than extracting new ones. This goes a long way towards reducing emissions and shows consumers that recycling their plastics can lead to great things.
Recycled plastic works well for making eco-merchandise gifts such as printed recycled pens, custom recycled water bottles and eco-printed keychains.
Recycled Paper Merchandise Gifts
Much like recycled plastic, recycled paper extends the life of an existing material keeping it out of landfill. It has all the same qualities as conventional paper without the negative environmental impact.
It’s a great eco option for printed recycled notebooks, promotional eco sticky notes and other paper-based branded merchandise, including company business cards.
Organic Cotton Clothing, Bags and Accessories
Due to how it is grown, harvested, and produced, organic cotton produces fewer emissions than conventional cotton. The farming practices avoid using harmful chemicals, such as pesticides, requiring far less water, making it an eco-friendly alternative to standard cotton or plastics.
When it comes to eco-promotional products, organic cotton is a great material for printed organic bags and custom organic clothing. It feels soft on the skin, is hypoallergenic and is a long-lasting fabric.
How To Get creative with Innovative Eco Promotional Merchandise Gifts
Further to the material used to create promotional products, there are innovations in eco-products that meet the sustainability criteria too. With a little creativity, there are several merchandise giveaway items that support sustainability in a unique way that can help businesses stand out.
Plantable custom seed paper is a popular option when creating personalised cards or notes alongside a merchandise giveaway. Often, these items are single-use and will be discarded once they have served their purpose of sharing a message. By investing in plantable seed paper you are creating a secondary use for the item and once that instantly gives back to the planet by being planted in the ground and becoming part of the ecosystem. Promotional desktop gardens remain a best seller for sustainable merchandise gifts in 2024.
Another example of getting creative with your eco-promotional gifts is printed solar-powered gadgets. From portable power banks to earbuds, integrating devices with solar panels means they no longer require electricity to charge or power themselves. This is great for reducing energy usage and encouraging people to be more mindful of their energy consumption.
How Moving To Sustainable Merchandise Options Will Help Your Brand Perception
Though the sole purpose of making a shift to sustainable business practices should be rooted in wanting to do good for the planet and its people, there are other benefits of embracing eco-friendly merchandise options.
The positive impact on a brand’s image when associating with eco-conscious initiatives cannot be overlooked. With many businesses being called into question when they are proven not to uphold certain sustainability standards, there is a clear appreciation and acknowledgement for those who do the right thing.
It does not go unnoticed when a brand places effort and consideration into eco-conscious initiatives, no matter how small they may seem. If your business brings sustainable merchandise to an event in a room filled with single-use plastic and paper products, you will be applauded and leave a positive impression on attendees.
There is also something to be said for building a connection with customers who share the values that your business promotes.
Consumers connect with brands that align with their values. This is known as value marketing.
Key Eco-Friendly Promotional Product Trends in 2024
As we reflect on the promotional product industry in 2024, there are some clear trends in the eco-friendly promo category.
Sustainable tech accessories have been a stand out which is unsurprising in this digital age. Promotional items, like eco-friendly phone stands, custom wireless chargers and other gadgets made from sustainable materials or with solar-powered features, have led the charge when we talk about eco trends in merchandise.
There has also been a huge interest in promotional giveaways made from recycled paper. This is likely due to the fact that paper-based promotional products, such as notebooks, continue to be a favourite for businesses that want to invest in cost-effective and practical branded merchandise.
This is followed closely by recycled promotional pens, which will never be a bad investment for merchandise giveaways.
But where we see some of the biggest hype, likely to continue into 2025, is among reusable and zero-waste products. There is an increased demand among consumers for useful everyday items, such as promotional reusable water bottles, printed jute bags, and containers (e.g., lunch boxes).
Learn How Eco Promotional Gifts Are Supporting a Circular Economy
A circular economy is an economic model that promotes restorative and regenerative products and services with the aim of reducing waste. Unlike the linear approach where we take materials, make a product and then dispose of it, for example, a circular approach will take, make and then reuse (usually by recycling and remaking) to keep products and materials in use for as long as possible.
Eco-promotional gifts support this circular economy because they are made with the purpose of having an extended life cycle and not being disposed of after one use. Or made from post-consumer products such as waste plastics.
Whether it’s the materials they are made from, their durability, or their ability to be recycled or biodegraded at the end of their life cycle, eco-friendly merchandise contributes towards sustainable living and, therefore, a circular economy.
How Brands Can Directly Contribute To a Circular Economy
Here are some of our top tips for businesses looking to contribute to a circular economy:
Use sustainable materials, such as those that are recycled, organic, recyclable or biodegradable. This will ensure that it has a smaller carbon footprint when it is being manufactured and will create a product that has a longer lifespan.
Promote reusability to ensure that those who receive your promotional eco-products are aware that they can be used multiple times or that they should and can be recycled after use.
Invest in products of value so that recipients are less likely to throw away or waste their eco-merchandise. If you offer them promotional items that are practical and that they will want to use, then they will keep hold of them for a lot longer.
Align with your audience’s wants and needs. In addition to the above, if you offer promotional eco-promo products that your customers want, you are creating products that will serve a purpose rather than end up as waste.
Certifications and Trust
It is also important to highlight the role of sustainability certifications in eradicating claims of greenwashing and building trust with your audience.
There are several certifying bodies that exist to assess and evaluate whether or not products meet the criteria needed to be labelled as sustainable so receiving one or more of these certifications instantly validates your eco practices.
When consumers see the Fairtrade, FSC or GOTS badges beside a product or material, they have all the evidence they need to support your brand and trust your claims.
Don’t Get Left Behind, Invest In Eco Merchandise Today!
Clearly, the conversation around eco-friendly promotional products isn’t a fad and it won’t be going anywhere soon. In fact, this is only the beginning of a rapid shift in consumer habits toward an eco-friendly lifestyle.
If you want to ensure that your brand is perceived in a positive light, supports the values of the majority of its audience and meets its corporate social responsibility, eco-promotional products are a great place to start.
By investing in branded merchandise made from sustainable materials and contributing to a circular economy, you are setting your brand up for success in an eco-conscious society.
