Eco-Friendly

As part of our 2021 State of the Industry report, we reached out to experts in five major product categories. Below is an excerpt from our conversation with Pat Noonan, chief product officer for SanMar, Issaquah, Wash., who gave us an inside look at the state of promotional apparel...

Geiger, Lewiston, Maine, has joined the United Nations Global Compact and has been awarded a gold medal from EcoVadis during a recent sustainability assessment, placing it in the top 5% of all companies assessed. The UN Global Compact aims to end extreme poverty, fight inequality and injustice, and protect the planet...

Earth Day is April 22, and there are plenty of ways to celebrate. (Even just going for a walk in the park and paying special attention to the sounds of nature around you would work.) This week's edition of the Fave 5 includes some Earth Day themed apparel, as well as lanyards for cats and more...

"The environmental crisis" is one of those phrases that we hear, but don’t necessarily understand the weight that it holds. The “out of sight, out of my mind” saying holds true for this ongoing ecological dilemma: If we can’t see all the damage being done on a daily basis, or if things aren’t collapsing altogether,…

The PopGrip Plant, made from 35% plant-based materials, including corn starch, canola oil and castor beans, is set to hit the retail market in September of this year, according to Mariah Wakeling, vice president and creative director for iClick. Wakeling added that iClick will bring the PopGrip Plant to the promotional products industry in January 2022...

Patagonia announced that it is “transitioning away” from adding corporate logos to its products. The company has long been a popular choice for high-end corporate apparel. The famous mountain logo is synonymous with a certain level of quality and brand-name recognition. But it’s also been one of the most discerning brands when it comes to partnerships.…

Starbucks is testing a new reusable cup program in Seattle this spring. The Borrow a Cup program started at five stores on March 30 and will last through May 31. For an extra dollar, Starbucks customers can get their beverage in a reusable cup, and then return it next time they come in by scanning it at a kiosk or through a local Seattle pickup service...

Over the last few years, sustainability has shifted from a niche consumer interest to a mainstream value that significantly impacts buying behaviors. Expanding beyond just sustainably-grown foods and responsible apparel production, sustainability is becoming more important across all product categories. In fact, the U.S. sustainability market is projected to reach $150 billion in sales this…

MIT scientists think they found a way to turn polyethylene (PE) fibers, the same material used for single-use shopping bags, into a wearable (and most importantly comfortable) fiber. This development could be huge as society moves away from single-use plastics and toward more environmentally-friendly materials...

In August 2019, Grossman Marketing Group launched its SwagCycle program, which let companies repurpose their unwanted or unused branded items. In its first year, the program engaged with 21 different companies, kept 60,418 items out of landfills and yielded $168,922.18 in charitable donations...