The Villanova Wildcats won their second NCAA men’s basketball championship in three years on Monday. Almost immediately, a deluge of Villanova-branded championship merchandise flooded the market. The collection holds interest for promotional products professionals because the apparel and accessory pieces are representative of current and emerging trends that many end-buyers want, or will soon be asking for. Below, we highlight a few stand-outs.

Demand for this style of hat is growing at retail and in the promo space. Expect that to continue. The increasing popularity could be due to the fact that the hat is a fetching blend of cap styles that are opposites – the high-crown structured flat-bill and the low-crown unstructured curved bill. This style is mid-crown. It has some of the brim breadth of a flat-bill, but is given a touch of curve, though the turn is less severe than with traditional curved bills. Combine that with other trendy features like a snapback, as well as mesh rear and mid panels, and you see why this cap from Top of the World – and the style it represents – is a winner. View product.

This women’s top from Nike presses a lot of the on-trend buttons for ladies T-shirts. Featuring a flattering feminine fit and stylish V-neck, the tee’s material is a comfortable blend of polyester (50%), cotton (25%) and rayon (25%). While polyester dominates, the shirt’s heathered look gives it a natural fiber appearance – something end-users are increasingly asking for. View product.

When it comes to taking trend points, this men’s quarter-zip from Columbia tallies a high score. Form-fitting and stylishly heathered, the top’s blend of polyester and spandex offers moisture-wicking performance while delivering a soft-hand feel. View product.

The striped pattern, the moderate V-neck, the lived-in look – they’re all fashion-forward elements brought together in a comfortable material that blends cotton (60%) and polyester (40%). Plus, this Blue 84 (asi/66103) hoodie is lightweight, which allows for layering, something female end-users often favor. Such hoodies are popular with the collegiate crowd. View product.

This Columbia polo for men has the look and performance features end-users desire. It wicks moisture, provides UVA and UVB sun protection, and has a tagless collar. Meanwhile, the heathered look across the shoulders breaks up the solid polyester, adding an attractive style dimension that’s been popping up everywhere from collegiate courts and gridiron sidelines to corporate offices on casual Fridays. View product.

The athletic stripes, oversized fit and unique print placement – lower down the back on the extended length – imbue this comfy cotton pom pom jersey from Boxercraft (asi/41325) with everything it needs to sell briskly on campus and off. View product.

For a time, it seemed the world was awash in high-sheen mono-colored polos. Not so anymore. Stripes have been trending up for a while. This moisture-wicking performance polo from Columbia, which features sublimated stripes, suggests consumer tastes will continue in that direction. View product.

At retail and in the promotional products industry, tote bag providers are getting more creative with the prints they embellish on their products. While not technically part of the ’Nova championship collection, we wanted to highlight this 100% polyester, surface-washable tote from Forever Collectibles because it’s a great example of that trend, bearing a fun, energetic collage print. View product.