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If you haven’t noticed, sustainable swag is all the rage today. This is demonstrated through the massive uptick in interest from buyers, sellers, and researchers. In 2024, the global market for green technology and sustainability is expected to reach $28.6 billion. Market research is confirming these figures. According to 65% of distributors and 64% of suppliers, there has been a significant interest increase for sustainable products.
These numbers are so impressive that the trajectory is still climbing for sustainability in corporate branding. It is predicted that increased demand for eco-friendly promotional products will shape the industry, according to 78% of distributors and 73% of suppliers.
This environmental awareness filters down to the individual. 66% of consumers prioritize sustainability, and 63% of buyers prefer companies that prioritize sustainability.
Go With A Swag Company Who Will Truly Produce Green Branding!
So now that we are aware of the need to go sustainable, the next question is - how do we do the mission justice?! If you are an organization who invests in corporate swag, and want green branding, the swag company you partner with can make all the difference.
Social Imprints is among the best in the industry, partially because of our social mission and commitment to sustainability. There are a lot of ways to make custom promotional products, and some are more sustainable than others. You want to be sure that you are partnering with the best so your brand can shine as eco-friendly.
Let’s take a closer look at the process of creating eco-friendly promotional products. You need to be aware of what to look out for, select, and what to avoid.
Designing Corporate Swag Based On Your Needs
There are so many details that need to be weighed in when designing corporate swag. Here are just a few questions to ask yourself to arrive at stellar corporate gift ideas.
Who is your target audience? Is it employees, partners, collaborators, or families?
Is the item for a specific event? Is there a theme?
Is the item for a web store? Do we need a specific variety of items?
If these are gifts, have we done our research on the recipients to give a good gift?
Do we have specific marketing goals that need to be achieved with the swag? How will we get there?
Are we trying to expand reach? Do these need to be travel items to be seen internationally?
What is our budget?
Do we have our branding kit together to make the ordering process smooth?
Have we done some preliminary shopping to see what’s out there and what our tastes are?
This list continues…
Don’t show up at your first swag company meeting without doing some preliminary internal research and organization. Not having your objectives at least drafted will waste everyone's time and money.
There is a tremendous amount of strategy that goes into designing corporate swag. If you go with an expert swag company like Social Imprints, they will guide you through and make this process easier. Like any other business transaction, it is in your best interest to know what you want, what you need, and do whatever research you can ahead of time.
The good news is that most conceptualized promotional products can be used for green branding and be made sustainably. The eco-friendly promotional products industry is expanding rapidly. There are more and more options to choose from every day!
Selecting A Champion Vendor Producing Eco Friendly Promotional Products
Once you have your corporate gift ideas worked out, the next step is to bring them into reality! The partner you have selected hopefully has a list of trusted vendors who have been vetted to keep your swag sustainable and eco-friendly.
There is quite a lot of fraudulent behavior going on where companies portray themselves as being greener than they actually are. Don’t fall for it. Make sure that you or your swag company is following up to verify information. Your client engagement and success with custom promotional products depends on it.
Here are some things to watch out for when selecting a vendor:
Proper, legal documentation of their processing
Certifications such as:
ISO 14001
USDA Organic
Fair Trade
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
Energy Star
B Corporation
Rainforest Alliance Certified™ Seal
Forest Stewardship Council (FSC)
Green Seal
SA8000
Participation in environmental programs and initiatives such as:
1% for the Planet
Recycling programs
Energy and water conservation
NEPA Implementation
NEPA Implementation
Ocean Clean-up and Conservation
Innovative Design To Support Sustainability
Don’t go with vendors who are not transparent about their processes and programs. If they don’t have certifications or official documentation to prove their efforts - that’s a hard pass! Move onto another vendor who more genuinely supports an environmental mission.
If you are going for bolstered client engagement, they will notice if you’ve done your research. Make your brand shine with truly sustainable products and business promotions.
To learn more, see Sustainability Matters: Choosing Eco-Friendly Company Swag Vendors
Packaging With Green Branding
Once you've made your vendor selection and you are feeling great about your eco-friendly promotional products, then comes the packaging. The unboxing experience reflects on your brand and it’s important to hit a home run. Eco-friendly packaging is so important that 55% of consumers are more likely to trust companies that go sustainable. That means that the individual is paying attention to how much is thrown away after the unboxing.
At Social Imprints, you have a huge selection of sustainably sourced and recycled packaging that is beautiful and labeled according to your branding kit.
Choose from colorfully branded sustainable packaging like:
Full color wrapping paper
Branded tissue paper
Branded stickers
Ribbons and recycled yarns
Recycled Cards and notes
Full color recycled boxes
And more!
Whatever you go with for your unboxing experience, make it memorable, beautiful, and sustainable!
Boost Event Engagement With Sustainable Swag!
Whatever your needs are with corporate swag, it’s imperative to your image that you go eco-friendly. This is absolutely a requirement today for maximized branding impact. If your corporate branding doesn’t appear sustainable at a glance, you’re not going to achieve that event engagement and brand loyalty you were hoping for. Your custom promotional products reflect on your brand and you need to make an eco-friendly impression.
For help with sustainable business promotions and corporate gift ideas, reach out to bizdev@socialimprints.com and one of our product specialists will be in touch!
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