In the past, promotional products were often viewed sceptically, dismissed as cheap imports. That image has changed. Operating in a socially and environmentally-responsible manner has become obligatory for suppliers and distributors. Cleverly designed products make a statement about responsible conduct and an international study confirms that promotional products deliver high marketing impact with a low carbon footprint. This article reveals what companies are doing to make their products and processes more sustainable and how they are engaging a target audience that has embraced a green lifestyle.
Summer in Europe, 2026: In France, hundreds of thousands of people have to be evacuated to escape devastating wildfires in the country’s southwest. Many other countries are fighting big wildfires, too. In Italy, the river Po nearly dries out, around 20 towns and cities issue the highest level of heatwave warning. Germany records nearly 10,000 heat-related deaths in a single week, record temperatures exceeding 40°C paralyze public transport, put crops at risk and turn fans and portable air conditioners into scarce commodities.
What would have sounded like a dystopian scenario from a disaster movie just a few years ago, has meanwhile become harsh reality. The consequences of climate change are being felt with full force. Hence, supporting climate action is no longer a matter of culture wars or party affiliation, but indeed a simple, absolute necessity – just like building dikes to protect cities from storm surges. The question is not whether action must be taken, but rather what steps are needed to prevent the situation from becoming far worse.
Change is essential
At the 2015 UN Climate Change Conference in Paris, nations agreed to take measures to limit global warming to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. It is already almost certain that this goal will not be met. The UN’s 2025 Emissions Gap Report indicates that, based on current policies, global warming will reach 2.8°C over the course of this Century. The report deems a significant breach of the 1.5°C limit “very likely within the coming decade already.”
And yet, the authors add, it is worth fighting for every fraction of a degree of warming avoided, as this implies a lower probability of sea-level rise and extreme weather events and thus “lower losses for people and ecosystems” plus, last but not least, “lower costs.” In comparison, a 2018 study in the scientific journal Nature, estimates that the economic damages associated with 2°C global warming would be more than 20 trillion US Dollars higher than those associated with 1.5°C.
Change is therefore essential: A shift over to alternative energy sources, energy efficiency, reforestation, the circular economy, resource conservation, the reduction of transport and mobility emissions and the promotion of a “more sustainable” lifestyle are measures that can effectively curb the dynamics of climate change.
A paradigm shift has thus been taking place in the business world since the 2015 Paris Agreement at least: Sustainability has become a core requirement – partly because large segments of society (and thus buyers and consumers) are demanding it and partly because legislators are mandating it. The EU, in particular, has introduced a multitude of regulations forcing companies to alter their production and distribution processes – ranging from the recently introduced packaging regulation and the EUDR for “deforestation-free” products (which has undergone multiple postponements and revisions) through to the Ecodesign Regulation, to name just a few of the most recent examples.
Many of these specific directives are met with criticism and resistance from business leaders, who argue that they result in over-regulation and excessive bureaucracy, while failing to achieve the actual objective. Yet, very few object to the overarching principle of fostering sustainable business practices in the three pillars of economy, ecology and social responsibility. Securing the foundations for the future is, after all, a priority that applies equally to all. Moreover, the transition over to a “greener” economy offers companies an opportunity to stand out positively and shield themselves from competition from low-wage countries.
From optional to mandatory
This particularly applies to manufacturers, importers and distributors on the promotional products market. Between the 2015 Paris Agreement and the outbreak of the COVID pandemic, sustainability became an omnipresent topic. No booth at the PSI trade fair was without reference to a specific “green strategy,” initiatives to preserve local flora and fauna or efforts to improve the working conditions at supplier factories in the Far East. Not every promise made was backed by verifiable facts. On closer examination, some measures turned out to be purely marketing. “Green” was considered chic.
However, the industry evolved alongside the rising demands. As the demand for responsibly produced items grew, so did the level of scrutiny. Certifications and transparency gained significance and sustainability progressed from being an optional extra to a mandatory requirement. Consequently, unique selling points in this area have become rare. Especially large companies subject to ESG reporting obligations expect adherence to specific sustainability standards during the procurement process and they state this quite assertively in their tenders and contract awards. Players in the promotional products market are successfully meeting these expectations.
Quality vs. price
Accustomed to rapidly adapting to the market demands, the merchandise sector has undergone an impressive transformation in the twenty-five years since the turn of the millennium, successfully shedding its reputation as an industry reliant on cheap imports. The product ranges are much very different today than they were ten years ago – featuring higher quality, cooler and more sophisticated designs, alternative materials and a wide array of labels. This also aligns with the changing demands placed in the role of haptic promotional products: Today, a promotional item is no longer a haphazard product intended merely to achieve a certain amount of effect through broad distribution; instead, it is a carefully selected brand ambassador that is highly appealing and, naturally, one that incorporates sustainability features. As such, it satisfies the most important sustainability criterion overall: An item should be used, not thrown away. This is followed by the second most important criterion: It should last as long as possible. The vast majority of products currently offered in the promotional products market meet these requirements admirably.
However, a counter-trend has recently emerged, probably driven by the pressure the market is under due to the ongoing economic crisis. Sustainable products are more expensive than standard goods – whereby in the case of many buyers the fun stops when it comes down to price and their interest in sustainability comes to an abrupt end. In this way, something that has been demanded for years, namely, presenting oneself as sustainably as possible, can sometimes turn into a disadvantage, as being sustainable is equated with being expensive.
This is a disastrous trend that the industry must resist with all their might. Promotional products already still suffer from the – often entirely unjustified – stigma of being disposable items and thus superfluous and unnecessary. The reality, as everyone in the industry knows (albeit not all marketing professionals), is quite the opposite: Well-executed haptic advertising media serve as excellent brand ambassadors and find long-term, practical use in the recipients’ daily lives. For this to happen, however, the products have to have a certain level of quality and, by extension, pricing that allows for sustainable manufacturing. Incidentally, this is precisely why the record-keeping requirements for promotional products, enforced in countries like Germany, are not just a bureaucratic nuisance, they genuinely hinder sustainability efforts and urgently need to be abolished.
Low emissions
Well-conceived promotional products are not only replacing retail goods, but also other forms of advertising. But what is actually more sustainable in terms of environmental and climate protection: An online banner or a print ad? Haptic advertising, radio ads or TV spots? A study published earlier this year in February, conducted by the independent British climate platform, 51toCarbonZero Ltd., comes to a clear conclusion – which looks promising for suppliers and distributors of haptic advertising. Commissioned by the European umbrella organisation, EAC (European Associations Cooperation), in collaboration with the US industry networks, the ASI (Advertising Specialty Institute) and the PPAI (Promotional Products Association International), the British climate researchers measured the environmental impact of customised products across their entire lifecycle. The resulting CO2 emissions were then compared to the impressions, i.e. advertising contacts, generated over their lifecycle.
In the advertising media comparison, promotional products rank just below outdoor advertising, but significantly higher than omnipresent digital formats like social media and online display ads. The latter generate up to eight times more emissions per advertising contact than tangible promotional products. Furthermore, considering the increasing reliance of online media on energy-intensive technologies such as AI, the future outlook for haptic advertising is even more favourable.
Image boost
The study provides the industry with a compelling argument as to why companies and organisations should opt for merch when prioritising their sustainability performance. Another advantage over almost all other forms of advertising is that brands can influence which sustainability features matter most to them, selecting those that align best with their own sustainability philosophy. This philosophy can be made tangible and brought to life using the right promotional product, rather than merely being stated. While the positive impact on a brand’s image goes without saying, it is also confirmed by the ASI’s “Ad Impressions Study”: 74% of consumers stated they would view brands more favourably, if they received an eco-friendly promotional product from them.
Ultimately, the industry offers brands virtually limitless opportunities to disseminate their specific “green” messages. This is due both to the wide variety of products available and to the tremendous efforts many companies have made in recent years to make their products, services and processes increasingly sustainable.
Products, companies, lifestyle
These efforts are most visible in the products themselves. Cardholders made from apple leather, ballpoint pens crafted from polymers produced by microorganisms, biodegradable synthetic clothing, cork pencil cases and fair-trade towels complement the range of classics with sustainable alternatives, without compromising performance compared to standard products.
Recycling is also currently a major trend. As material cycles become increasingly accessible, it is becoming easier to incorporate recycled content into products. Recycled PET is now used in a vast number of products, but recycled aluminium and post-consumer plastics are also gaining in popularity – partly because both materials can be recycled almost indefinitely without any loss of quality. The use of recycled paper for notebooks or cotton scraps in the textile production sector has also become standard practice. Product designers are taking things a step further by creating products made from single-source materials, allowing them to be fed directly back into the recycling stream after use without the need for separation.
Eliminating unnecessary packaging, offering repair services and obtaining certifications such as FSC, the Blue Angel or organic labels signal to the buyers and recipients alike that sustainability is a key consideration taken seriously.
Most companies in the industry have also scrutinised and optimised their processes. They hold certifications such as EcoVadis, ISO 14001, or even EMAS, are members of amfori or voluntarily publish their own sustainability reports. For economic reasons alone, many manufacturers are switching over to electricity from renewable sources, installing solar panels and utilising waste heat from the production processes for heating and LED technology for lighting. Moreover, initiatives such as creating compensation areas for insects, collaborating with workshops for people with disabilities, and engaging in social projects, whether locally or with upstream suppliers in the Far East, demonstrate that sustainability is not merely a claim, but in fact a lived reality.
Those committed to promoting a sustainable lifestyle can find a diverse array of ideas within the extensive range of haptic promotional products: Bicycle accessories from saddle covers to handlebar bags encourage a shift in mobility, gelatine-free jelly babies appeal to vegans and bee-related products advocate biodiversity conservation. The industry also caters to the ubiquitous trend of reusable items with a wide variety of attractive food and beverage containers.
Thus, the market for haptic advertising provides the necessary tools for companies that wish to position their brand sustainably. The following pages offer an overview – albeit not an exhaustive one – of how to promote a green lifestyle, the steps companies from the sector are taking to operate in an environmentally and socially responsible manner and the products that embody sustainability. Del