When it comes to Gen Z fashion, the new trend is, paradoxically, not following trends. In the digital age, it has become increasingly more on trend to personalize and customize your style. Fashion has become experimental and unique, “a constantly shifting bricolage of clashing influences and interests that reflect their quest for originality, self-discovery and meaning,” as Female Mag puts it.

Where did this so-called customizable chaos derive from? One suggestion: a push toward sustainability. Thrifted and vintage fashion have become increasingly popular for the modern Gen Zer due to a desire for sustainable, reusable fashion that will last longer than the lifetime of a fast-fashion piece. Yet, while the trend has environmentalist origins, the nostalgia factor of vintage clothing as well as its uniqueness have been factors in the popularity of thrifted fashion.

Thrifting has become a staple of Gen Z style as a way to seek out one-of-a-kind pieces to add to their wardrobe. Similarly, a desire for uniqueness has leaked into the promotional products industry. Clients are looking for a way to personalize merchandise to appeal to all ages, to increase the chances that apparel will be worn more than once. One way to help enable such personalization? Create a pop-up shop, says Taylor Borst, senior director of marketing and vendor relations at Counselor Top 40 distributor American Solutions for Business (asi/120075).

With pop-up shops, employees and consumers have the chance to choose and create their own merchandise – whether that’s a T-shirt, tote bag or even water bottle. Customization pop-ups have become a primary source of merchandising for vendors in the ever-changing minds of the younger generations.

“It allows everyone to rep the brand, or rep whatever event it is, in their own way,” says Jeremy Picker, creative director at Lakewood, CO-based distributor AMB3R (asi/590243). “You know, everything might not be how the company would create it, but it’s still getting their brand out there, and it’s assuring that person is going to use it and wear it more often.”

The user experience in many of these pop-up shops is where the appeal lies. Giving clients control over merchandise leads to a longer wear factor and can even contribute to less waste, as blanks from the event can be returned to retailers if they aren’t used.

A desire for customization in promotional merchandise extends beyond the apparel sector. In recent years, Gen Zers have taken to their reusable water bottles to highlight their eclectic and colorful personalities, often adorning them with stickers and other accessories. This reflects, again, a desire for sustainable purchasing and reducing reliance on single-use plastics – while also emphasizing the uniqueness and customization that’s so important to Gen Z.

Distributors can tap into this desire for customization by incorporating custom add-ons to apparel and other products. “Some of the more approachable options for this kind of decoration include products like custom pins and decals, which allow the user to affix them in the style they choose,” Borst says.

Pins and patches can add personal flair to jackets and bags. Similarly, branded stickers are a fun way for employees to personalize computers, thermoses and smartphones.

Overall, the promo industry can benefit from leaning into the eclecticism of Gen Z’s fashion-forward style and applying that hyper-customization to clients of all ages. Enabling a user-motivated experience helps to create products that will last longer and be loved by the end-users who receive them.

Product Hub
Find the latest in quality products, must-know trends and fresh ideas for upcoming end-buyer campaigns.