As we enter into the second quarter of 2025, at Summit we’re seeing developing trends in the branded merchandise and promotional products industry that are influencing the types of products that are highly sought after, and which we’ve featured in our latest trends report: Spring 2025’s Meaningful Merchandise Trends. Emerging promo product trends for 2025 include: intelligent simplicity, celebrating streamlined designs and purposeful functionality, with a sub-trend toward lasting luxury; glimmers, the power of small, joyful moments to invoke comfort and connection in a fast-paced and ever-changing world; wellness, mindfulness and balance, with a sub-trend in social sports. Underlying these trends for 2025, are inklings that have developed over the last few years and appear to have some staying powering, including: an increased emphasis on sustainability and eco-awareness, athleisure trends in apparel for seamless transitions between work, play and social activities and tech to make travel and navigating through busy days a lot easier.
Organizations of all sizes are tuning into these trends to align with corporate gifting campaigns that effectively convey customer appreciation and connection, and as integral components of employee engagement, appreciation and retention strategies.
Corporate gifting is a large and growing industry that is highly competitive, driven by a convergence of factors that are predicted to add fuel to an already strong rate of growth in the next few years, according to research released earlier this year:
The global corporate gifting market reached a value of nearly $765.46 billion in 2023, having grown at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 4.64% since 2018. The market is expected to grow… to $1.11 trillion in 2028 at a rate of 7.76%. The market is then expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.28% from 2028 and reach $1.65 trillion in 2033… Going forward, expansion of the e-commerce industry, increased focus on employee recognition and retention, growth in the number of startups, increasing emphasis on maintaining and strengthening corporate relationships, increasing corporate budgets and favorable government initiatives will drive the growth. – Global Newswire: Corporate Gifting Market Research 2025-2033
We’ve selected several products from trending categories to feature in Merch Madness, where we pit various products, from the aforementioned emerging trends, against each other with feedback over social to see which ones come out on top; mirroring the namesake NCAA basketball tournament, as the elite college teams across the country compete to see who will rise to the top of the big dance.
“Intelligent Simplicity,” celebrates the beauty of streamlined design and purposeful functionality. As consumers seek balance in a fast-paced world, this trend focuses on versatile, durable products that make life easier without compromising style or values, that include sustainability and growing eco-awareness:
A McKinsey & Company survey from 2022 indicates that 60% of consumers are prepared to pay more for goods packaged sustainably. Developments like compostable materials, biodegradable plastics, and reusable containers are responses to this growing demand. – resoninsights.com
Hydrojug Traveler Sport
The perfect accessory to cart your favorite beverage in style, and to stay hydrated when you’re on the go, features include: A 32 oz double wall 18/8 stainless steel thermal tumbler with copper vacuum insulation, threaded lid, matching flip-up spout, soft straw, carrying handle, and powder coated finish, with custom logo options to prominently feature your brand!
Fellow Ruby Wine Tumbler
For more refined settings and tastes, this durable, insulated wine tumbler is perfect for outdoor gatherings and lower key moments where having a ‘glass of wine’ can be accomplished with no worries about breaking the glass or your wine warming in the sun. The fellow ruby wine tumbler features: A 12 oz double wall 18/8 stainless steel tumbler with vacuum insulation, true taste ceramic inner coating, push-on lid with magnetic swivel closure, thin drinkable lip, weighted base, and powder coated finish. How cool would your company logo look on this gem at your next outdoor wine and cheese reception?
Aviana™ Rowan Recycled Wine Tumbler
As an alternative take on the reusable wine tumbler, this sleek and fashionable option from Aviana™ features: A recycled stainless steel wine tumbler with double-wall vacuum insulation, sweat-proof matte finish, and leak-resistant lid. This tumbler will keep your beverage warm or cold for hours, allowing you to focus on more important things like strengthening connections with team members, while appreciating the outdoors.
Magstand Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand
This portable, MagSafe® compatible charging stand enables you to tote a cable-free charging experience, wherever your office or stay-over happens to be on a given day. It’s foldable design makes it highly portable and adhesive metal rings make it compatible with non-MagSafe® phones. The magnetic surface aligns with your phone for easy charging, while the adjustable tilt adjusts for the optimal viewing angle. Keeping with eco-awareness, a tree is planted for every order placed.
PowerTag Card
Now you can keep track of your important belongings with the PowerTag Card. Slim as a credit card, this Bluetooth tracker easily fits into your wallet, luggage or can attach to your keys. For iPhone users, the PowerTag Card works seamlessly with Apple Find My app, and for Android users it connects via the Spot 2.0 Bluetooth Finder app. A two-hour charge lasts for 9-12 months and the PowerTag Card has a range of about 300 feet, providing peace of mind for a variety of valuables so you can enjoy the journey.
“Glimmers” highlights the power of small, joyful moments that bring comfort and connection in an ever-changing world:
Branded as the opposite of triggers, Deb Dana, LCSW, psychotherapist and author, coined the term glimmers, and says that they’re tiny micro-moments of joy that allow us to feel calm and give us a sense of inner peace. – Refinery29.com
Through nostalgia and sensory appeal, products in this category are designed to evoke delight and emotional resonance. Playful designs, vibrant colors, and innovative features all help to inspire positivity. Whether it’s a sentimental accessory or a functional piece with a touch of fun, these products help to create meaningful experiences that connect brands to their audiences.
iHome Faux Succulent with USB Charging Station
This realistic faux succulent in a sleek high-gloss pot, that could easily be branded for your organization, has a valuable add-on for all your personal tech: It’s a USB charging station that allows you to simultaneously charge multiple devices (including iPhone, Android, and Samsung phones) at the same time using two USB-C ports (20W max shared) and one 10W USB-A charging port.
Quilted Puffy Totes
Quilted Puffy Totes are a fun and vibrant way to stay on trend. These full-color, full bleed designed totes will keep your essential items neatly tucked away and puffed up. Available in both large and small sizes with magnetic snap closures to keep everything secure and tidy with style.
FriendPK2 | 2 Pack of Friendship Bracelets
These uniquely customizable Friendship Bracelets are a great way to celebrate meaningful connections, with your amazing peeps. These bracelets come in packs of two that can have different colors and messages to tell a story or convey a theme and are a great way to showcase your brand that’s sure to get noticed!
Macaron Recycled Tumbler
This colorful, yet stylish travel tumbler features: A 26 oz double wall tumbler, made from 100% recycled AS plastic; a screw-on lid and silicone straw. Interestingly, 1% of all profits are donated to water.org which helps to supply safe, clean drinking water to millions of people around the world.
Small Shoe Charms
These small shoe charms can be customized with your own design to showcase your style and personality. These full color PVC accessories snap in to the holes of your favorite Crocs® or clog shoes and are great gifts for both children and adults.
“Care-Fully” is about prioritizing wellness, mindfulness, and balance in today’s busy world. As consumers focus on self-care and well-being, this trend features products that enhance relaxation, recovery, and overall comfort. These products embrace thoughtfully crafted items made from eco-friendly materials to blend function with soothing aesthetics. Designed to help people slow down, recharge, and live more intentionally, these products help customers make wellness a priority while creating meaningful connections.
Driven by a growing desire for connection and community, “Social Sports” are becoming an essential part of enhancing our social lives. This sub-trend of “care-fully” is sparking a wave of functional apparel and travel accessories that blend sport-inspired aesthetics with purposeful design:
Promo apparel trends for 2025 continue to draw largely from end-users’ increasing demand for pieces that can go from a meeting to the market to weekend fun. Athleisure fabrications, muted tones and streetwear fits continue to exert their influence, with a growing chorus of companies intent on minimizing textile waste. – ASICentral.com
2960 Riposte Jacket
This eco-friendly, easy-to-style, easy-to-wear jacket is a highly versatile must-have for anyone looking to seamlessly transition between different settings; perfect to throw on pre or post workout, or pair with jeans for jaunts around town, all while showing off your custom logo. Made with lightweight, stretchy, and buttery smooth fabrics, each jacket is amazingly stitched from 88% recycled polyester, sourced from over 30 recycled bottles per jacket!
Ahead Stratus Performance Cap
The “Ultimate Best-Selling Performance Cap,” is PVC-free and features a natural 4-way stretch circumference, and crown depth that makes this cap unrivalled in form-fitting comfort. The smooth AeroSphere tech fabric is designed to dramatically help with cooling and moisture wicking and the Stratus Performance cap has an SPF of +30 to protect you while you’re having fun in the sun.
Stanley/Stella Unisex Creator 2.0 Tee
Crafted with sustainable, 100% organic combed, ring spun cotton, featuring double-needle top stitched sleeves and hem, this tee is a premium essential for anyone’s wardrobe. The Creator 2.0 Tee provides an exceptional decorating surface, comes in a variety of colors and is designed for a comfortable, roomy fit.
Trace & Carry Shops 12 oz Tote
The tagline “Tomorrow depends on what we do today” printed on the interior of this versatile, yet fashionable tote is sure to resonate and motivate. Made from 70% recycled cotton and 30% recycled polyester, this 12 oz tote has a handy 4 inch gusset, large front pocket and 28 inch handles. A donation of 1% of the profits from these eco-conscious totes goes to water.org.
Roam 17” Laptop Backpack: Call of the Wild
The Roam Backpack is a versatile carryall for your laptop, notebooks and a variety of accessories, all while remaining sleek and stylish with plenty of room for your corporate logo. The Roam Backpack features two water bottles pockets and is carryon-friendly.
Bellroy Lite Recycled Daypack
This super lightweight backpack balances performance with comfort, featuring an ultra-lightweight ripstop fabric that is soft, durable and dirt resistant. This daypack has just enough pockets to help you keep your gear sorted and padded, with breathable back panels, contoured shoulder straps, and an adjustable sternum strap, to help balance the load. It has a stretch bottle pocket, raised sunglasses pocked and can even be folded and packed for travel. This daypack uses fabric made from 100% recycled industrial nylon offcuts.
To shop for many of the above products and similar items, check out our Merch Madness 2025 Pop-Up Shop. We’d also be happy to discuss the details of your next branded merch or corporate gifting campaign and help you align with the products that are trending in the market right now. Simply Contact Us and one of our experts will guide you through the process.
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