ASI Fort Worth may be a wrap, but several trends that surfaced during the show are sure to play an important role in the promotional products industry throughout 2022. Suppliers showed off an array of new and promising items, many of which fell into one or more of the following categories.

1. Sustainability

The mask hoodie from NxTSTOP is made of 56% organic cotton and 44% recycled polyester.

Sustainability is becoming less of a trend and more of a necessity, especially as big brands put a focus on corporate social responsibility. So, it’s no wonder that suppliers continue to showcase a wide selection of reusable products or items made from sustainable materials – whether it’s a reusable lunch bag, an upcycled journal or a recycled cotton tee.

Arlington, TX-based supplier NxTSTOP Inc. (asi/72823) was on hand to show off its functional, sustainable travel wear. For example, the supplier’s mask hoodie is made of 56% organic cotton and 44% recycled polyester, and features secure zippered pockets, a soft jersey mask that fits over the nose and mouth, and an odor-resistant finish. The company’s bonded fleece jacket is made of recycled nylon. It’s perfect for travel because it’s lightweight (less than a pound), has multiple zippered pockets and is easy to dress up or down, so you only have to carry one jacket on your trip, according to Brendan Kennedy, founder of NxtSTOP.

Kennedy is a firm believer that sustainability is only going to grow in importance in promo. “We feel really strongly that corporate customers and other companies that care about the planet are going to care about clothing that makes a difference,” he adds.

Suppliers have also keyed into another big factor that has kept sustainability from going mainstream in the past: price. “We are trying to make sustainable affordable,” says Rachel Hoskins of Threadfast Apparel (asi/91163). “If sustainable isn’t affordable, no one is ever going to choose it.”

2. Leisure & Relaxation

Elemental Bottles offered a water bottle with a fidget toy strap.

It wasn’t all fun and games at ASI Fort Worth, but leisure activities – and the accessories that make them possible – were front and center at the show. There were custom cornhole games, gadgets to help improve your golf game, ice chests to keep beverages cool at parties and a variety of other products to enhance downtime.

Outdoor activities like golf – ready-made for physical distancing requirements during the pandemic – have been growing in popularity, even as indoor spaces make a comeback. That’s been a boon for promo firms like TPK Golf (asi/90511) in Waconia, MN, which offers a number of golf-related accessories, including its Putting Stick, which Kellie Matheson explains is meant to be used indoors or outdoors as a training aid, and can be imprinted with both a brand logo and a player’s name. “This is basically a traveling marketing tool,” she said.

Casual and easy to wear, custom camp shirts, like this one from In Your Face Apparel, have been trending.

Products with an element of fun or whimsy also tap into the pandemic-era urge for comfort and relaxation. Elemental Bottles (asi/51846) showed off a brightly colored water bottle with a silicone strap that doubles as a push-pop fidget toy. Nick Davis, director of sales at In Your Face Apparel (asi/62493), noted that casualwear items like bucket hats, camp shirts and custom onesies have been a big hit with brands. They’re easy to wear for remote work and transcend seasons, Davis notes, adding that at any given time, “I probably have five camp shirt orders waiting in my inbox.”

3. Merging the Digital & Physical

With the metaverse and other digital buzzwords dominating headlines these days, it’s not surprising that suppliers would be considering how to add a digital element to their product lineup.

@theresahegel_asi Wendy Simons of Visions explains their new Project Lynk, which let's you add digital content to a tangible award via a QR code. #ASIFortWorth #BrandedMerch #CustomAwards ♬ original sound - Theresa Hegel

Celina, OH-based awards supplier Visions (asi/93986) touted its new Project Lynk, a concept that can be applied to any of its awards and allows users to link up a tangible award to a virtual message, according to Wendy Simons. Award recipients simply scan a QR code on the packaging which would take them to, for example, a personal video message from their manager. With many employees still working remotely, “it’s a great way to have something personal even though they can’t get the award in person,” Simons says. Another possibility is to record a person receiving their award, then link that video to the QR code so the recipient can relive the moment or share it on social, she adds.

Trey Weir, owner of Brain & Bones (asi/41466), was in Fort Worth to talk up Speed Trivia, which he described as “a digital engagement tool disguised as a trivia game.” It’s a customizable, hyper-casual game that lets companies connect with their customers, followers and employees. For example, Weir says, he has a client that runs a food truck, and each week he attends a local farmers market where he always attracts a long line of customers. Rather than risk them growing tired of the long wait, he’ll create a quiz ahead of time, slap a QR code on the side of his truck and then offer a free drink to anyone who completes the quiz in the amount of time he specifies, according to Weir.

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