Swag with a Purpose: Embracing Sustainability in Corporate Gifts

With global temperatures and harsher climate conditions trending upwards, consumer behaviors supporting the environment are following suit. Making globally responsible purchases like sustainable promotional products and eco-friendly corporate gifts is now necessary from an ethical and business perspective. With every purchase, companies and individuals are presenting themselves to their clients, colleagues, and families. Some young professionals would appreciate a corporate sustainable holiday gift much more than a less conscientious alternative. Spending a little more to make a smaller imprint on the globe is worth it. Especially when the product, like sustainable swag, is more aesthetically pleasing, higher quality, and longer-lasting as well. When eco-friendly branded products are prioritized, both the buyer and receiver are putting their best foot forward.   

Buying Eco-Friendly Branded Products is Good for Your Image  

Studies show that consumers are more concerned than ever with the sustainability of items they purchase. A 2020 McKinsey US consumer sentiment survey found that more than 60% of respondents would pay more for a product with sustainable packaging. A Harvard Business Review study of consumer trust found that sustainability was a key factor in determining consumers’ level of trust in a brand. Gen Z and Millennial customers are far more likely to purchase from companies that are perceived to care about their impact on people and the planet. Purchasing eco-friendly branded products is an effective route to earn consumer trust by showing your brand cares about its impact on the environment. Taking a moment to brainstorm sustainable swag ideas will be well worth it to maintain client and customer allegiance.  

Picking the Right Sustainable Gifts for Corporate Gifting Matters: We are here to help!

 We can say with certainty that sustainable promotional products and sustainable corporate gifts will continue to trend in concert with consumer preferences toward sustainable swag. Not all eco-friendly corporate gifts are made equal. Many manufacturers utilize a range of greenwashing tactics to claim they are making sustainable swag while still producing it as cheaply as possible to maximize profits. Consumers are becoming increasingly more aware of these tactics and are paying more attention to third-party certifications. Here at Social Imprints, we have completed extensive audits of factories and products on our clients’ behalf to ensure they are selecting eco-friendly branded products that truly are sustainable. This level of transparency and detail is key to bolstering customer allegiance. Purchasing branded products that aren’t as green as manufacturers claim can have a negative impact on your brand. Rest assured knowing that you truly purchased sustainable swag and sustainable corporate gifts this holiday season by collaborating with Social Imprints. 

How To Choose the Right Sustainable Promotional Products for Your Brand

Many materials traditionally used in branded merchandise, like plastic, PVC, polyester, or rubber, are not biodegradable and take a large amount of energy to produce. One of the first steps to ensuring you are sourcing sustainable corporate gifts is reviewing the materials they are made of. Bamboo, organic or recycled cotton, post-consumer recycled plastics, repurposed paper, glass or wool, natural woods, and cork are all environmentally friendly materials.  Sourcing goods from these materials will indicate to consumers that your brand cares about the impact it has on the environment. Another key consideration is the type of items you are selecting. Giving out items that can replace single-use products like reusable grocery totes, lunch bags and boxes, drinkware, and reusable straws shows your consumers that you care about replacing single-use products with more sustainable alternatives. 

Many of the products our partners produce also have environmental givebacks associated with them. Many products are a part of the “1% for the planet initiative,” where all partners donate 1% oftheir yearly revenue to environmental causes. Others are made out of plastics removed from the oceans. We can make your consumers aware of these partnerships by adding collateral, printed on recycled seed paper with environmentally friendly inks, to your eco-friendly gifts.  

A Few Of Our Favorite Products, Perfect for Sustainable Corporate Gifts:

• 8” x 5 ¾” Bamboo Cutting Board 

Start your party off with a smile, knowing that your tools are supporting the environment by using a stylish two-toned Bamboo Bar Prep Cutting Board. An efficient, small-sized 8-inch cutting board is perfect for cutting lemons, limes, and other fun holiday garnishes. Or if it’s time for appetizers, you can use it to artfully present your charcuterie with crudité on a cheese board. This versatile item could find itself being used daily when making your favorite sandwich or serving lunch to family and friends. This Moso bamboo-crafted board is lightweight and durable. This sustainable corporate gift with two stylish caps of light colored natural bamboo in an aesthetic contrast with rich caramelized bamboo will show that your brand cares about the environment and also has impeccable taste. 

• Desktop Succulents 

Turn this beautifully cute succulent into sustainable swag by adding your label to this pot, customized with your company brand colors. This corporate sustainable holiday gift will show that you care about your employees’ well-being by adding a touch of calming green to any desktop setup. These sturdy fiberstone pots will last and also engrave beautifully. Want to make a great impression? These lovable succulents are perfect as sustainable gifts for corporate gifting , as an anniversary or new hire gift. 

• Tentree Organic Cotton Cable Blanket 

Test out this sustainable swag idea by keeping a special person warm this season in a tentree Organic Cotton Cable Blanket. Cozy moments with an eco-friendly corporate gift like this can create a lasting impact for our planet. Your clients want to stand by a company like Tentree, sustainable clothing. They have helped reduce the apparel industry’s massive footprint. Tentree is a role model in the industry by planting trees that remove tons of carbon from our atmosphere, restoring countless ecosystems, and providing thousands of hours of work in communities around the globe. As a member of the “partnership with 1% For the Planet”, 1% of all EcoSmart® sales are donated to environmental nonprofits. Give the gift that keeps on giving with your sustainable corporate gift. It will make you feel warm inside and out.  

Need Help Finding the Perfect Sustainable Gift for Your Brand? Let Us Know!

The positive effects of successful trade show booth ideas go far beyond the event itself. If a booth is well-designed and executed effectively, the audience members will remember it and this idea helps the brand in developing name recognition, customer loyalty, and finally, higher conversion rates. Through creating a memorable and stimulating experience for visitors and coming up with great swag ideas, businesses may embed their presence in the minds of the target audience, thus opening the doors for further interactions and business opportunities. Additionally, an expertly designed trade show booth can provide invaluable contacts and leads that can be cultivated and converted to long-term partners or sales over time.