Promo Product Spotlight: Sustainable Gifts

Sustainability is more than just a trend – it’s a key value that consumers are living out and looking for from their favorite brands. People want to know that the gifts and swag items that companies are giving them are contributing to a cleaner and greener planet, which is why personalizing sustainable promotional products should be top of mind for companies.

Luckily, it’s easier than ever to find sustainable gifts – it’s just a matter of customizing the one that’s right for your recipients and feels true to your brand. If you need a few ideas, here are some of our favorite eco-friendly gift items to add to your promo product gift list.

Sustainable Corporate Gifts

Recycled Tote Bags

Recycled tote bags are great for both gifting and the environment, as they’re made from eco-friendly materials such as plastic bottles or recycled polyester. These totes help reduce waste and minimize consumption of materials that often end up in landfills, while still providing a fashionable and functional gift that your audience can use often.

Recipients can use promotional tote bags in place of plastic or paper bags at the grocery store, adding further to the bag’s sustainable qualities, or for their everyday commute. Some recycled totes are even lined as cooler bags, perfect for packing snacks and drinks on-the-go. Whatever the recipient uses them for, they’ll be grateful for a useful and environmentally friendly gift.

Reusable Drinkware

Trading in single-use plastic water bottles for reusable drinkware is one of the easiest ways to practice sustainability. The world generated about 139 million metric tons of single-use plastic waste in 2021, and providing people with reusable, eco-friendly options can help bring that number down to reduce waste and pollution. While personalized reusable water bottles are the most common type of drinkware to give, you can also customize stainless steel tumblers, travel mugs, and cups based on your recipient's intended use.

A stainless steel bottle or tumbler would be best for frequent travelers or outdoor enthusiasts, while personalized mugs would be the better choice for home or office use. You could even opt to customize name-brand drinkware such as Klean Kanteen or CamelBak water bottles if you’re looking for an upscale gift option.

Recycled Notebooks

Notebooks are one of the most popular promo gifts, as they can be used for notetaking at home, in the office, or on the go. However, standard notebooks are typically not the most sustainable gift option due to the amount of paper waste created. Instead, you should consider gifting recycled notebooks, a much more sustainable choice that reduces the need for paper production and saves the trees.

Recycled notebooks come in just as many styles and sizes as regular ones – including spiral-bound, hardcover, or pocket-sized – as well as custom notebook sets that include complementary items like pens or sticky notes. This way, recipients can feel good about their gift every time they write in their notebook, and your brand can feel good about contributing to sustainable gifting.

Sustainable Christmas Gifts

Eco-Friendly Apparel

From t-shirts and tanks to hoodies and hats, you can’t go wrong with giving company apparel as a holiday gift. And this year, you can make your Christmas gifting a bit more sustainable by customizing eco-friendly apparel. This apparel is just as cozy and comfortable as your standard company apparel, but made from materials like recycled polyester, organic cotton or upcycled fabrics. To add a touch of the Christmas spirit to the apparel, consider customizing the apparel with holiday-themed designs, colors or embroidering in addition to your company logo.

Recycled Backpacks & Duffle Bags

A high-quality backpack or duffle bag made from recycled materials can make for the perfect sustainable holiday gift. These bags are often made from recycled nylon or polyester, offering eco-friendly durability for travel, commutes to the office, or even outdoor use. To make them even more special for the holidays, fill each backpack or duffle bag with additional items for an overstuffed stocking.

Personalized Blankets

Nothing says Christmas like curling up under a cozy blanket by the Christmas tree, which is what makes them the perfect holiday gift. Blankets are a sustainable item to begin with, as they can be washed, reused and kept for years. However, there are also options to personalize blankets made from sustainable materials for an extra eco-friendly touch – don’t worry, they’ll still be just as plush and cozy.

All it takes is a few clicks to customize your sustainable gifts with Staples Promotional Products! Browse our sustainability collection to see which items are the right fit to customize for your audience with your company logo, colors and messaging.