Sustainable Giveaways That Win In 2023

Looking for something stylish and eco-friendly to give out at your exhibition? We've got you covered! Sustainability is key these days so consider this when planning any giveaways, ultimately whatever you offer mustn't end up thrown away before leaving the hall, or worse left on the delegate seat! Ensure any gifts are relevant to your brand message and have a useful purpose. Check out this blog looking at some of the best sustainable merchandise options, that allow your exhibition stand visitors to take home products that reflect your brand values whilst also looking good. From clothing and accessories to office supplies - there's plenty of picks out there to please everyone. But watch out: not all items labeled 'eco-friendly' are what they seem — like the bamboo power bank which is simply greenwashing in disguise... see some of our recommended swaps later on in the blog for merchandise with a real recycle factor!

As a marketer, you're always looking for ways to make your sustainability objectives more measurable and one way to do that is by ensuring all of your promotional merchandise is sustainable.

As the world continues to embrace sustainability, it’s essential to consider how sustainable merch can play a role in your marketing strategy at exhibitions in 2023. In this blog post, we’ll take a look at what makes sustainable merch stand out, as well as some creative ideas of alternatives for upcoming events which are “easy to swaps” that make a big difference. This blog also includes guest content comes from Amy Briggs, Head of Marketing from one of Europe’s leading sustainable merchandise providers, Tiger Global, one of our trusted partners to help get you to think differently and avoid the common traps when it comes to sustainable merchandise choices.

What is Sustainable Merchandise to start with?

Sustainable merchandise, or merch for short, are branded products that have been created using materials and production processes designed to have a minimal environmental impact. It's not only better for the planet, but the options available now not only help brands to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability and social responsibility but look good doing it.

Sustainable materials like organic cotton, hemp, and recycled PET plastic are becoming more widely available—as well as more affordable—making them ideal options for giveaways at exhibitions.

Using giveaways, competitions, and live displays effectively?

The best way to win with giveaways is having something that stands out, represents your brand or business and should be strategically placed, so that show visitors slow down to pick one up (don’t forget to give away collateral alongside the freebies).

You can suggest dropping a business card at the same time, but don't make it obligatory because this can turn visitors off and the most important purpose is creating a positive experience, and conversation around your brand when the customer has any interaction with you.

What should you be asking your merchandise agency to make sure you don’t get greenwashed?

Material Selection

What is it made from? Any credible agency should be able to tell you exactly what is in it and explain any of the eco-friendly credentials that go with that. They should also be honest about where it perhaps isn’t quite so environmentally friendly, so any products you go with you are fully aware and don’t over promise on something that could come back and bite you.

Processes

How is it made? You might have the best recycled materials, but it could made by workers under duress or the process could be hugely impactful on the planet. An agency committed to sustainability would know how it was made and would happily tell you. If an agency is being cagey about this, how can you be sure of what you are buying?

Reusability

Ask yourself, does your customer want or need it? Marketers should consider giveaways that are wanted or would be useful for their customer. There are many great reusable giveaway options available these days including stainless steel water bottles, bamboo straws, lunch bags, and totes made from recycled material—the possibilities are endless! Reusable items not only provide a higher level of sustainability but also offer additional marketing opportunities by increasing brand visibility every time they’re used by customers.

Our blog guest Amy Briggs goes into more detail for us, giving us some great swaps to consider to help you be more sustainable with your giveaways:

Bamboo Power Bank: Why not this one?

Tech is not the best choice when it comes to branded merchandise, unless you are willing to invest in quality so it can be reused. Just by its very nature, it is made up of several components that cannot be recycled.

The bamboo power bank option is particularly bad because it no different to a standard powerbank, it just has bamboo stuck to it to make it appear ‘eco-friendly’. There is nothing sustainable about it and it is the epitome of greenwashing.

SWAP FOR a Recycled Power Bank: Swap that for this. Not all tech is all bad, as long as you approach it for the long term.

Invest in a better choice, so it will last. It gives a better impression of your brand and will also last longer, reducing your waste impact.

This is made from recycled materials, so doesn’t require the harmful effects of producing virgin plastics.

We would also recommend a programme like Reboxed. They specialise in recycling electronic goods to avoid them ending up in landfill.

Sustainable materials at events and trade shows

Plastic Pens: You may get quantity with this one, but you definitely won’t get quality. Merchandise is the first impression for a customer meeting your brand. What impression do you want to make?

These types of plastic pens are the worst impression. They are cheap, break easily, are harmful to make, and end up in landfill. Plastics can take anywhere between 500-1000 years to degrade…yes, that’s degrade not decompose. Plastic only breaks down into microplastics, it never disappears. You want your brand around for a long time, but not for this reason.

SWAP FOR Slim Aluminium Pens: Swap for these. These are made from aluminium that not only offers a quality feel but can be taken apart, so are fully recyclable. These are the perfect alternative to reduce your impact on the planet and impress your customers.

If budget allowed, we would recommend looking at refillable options. These can be made sustainably and have the opportunity for long term use because they would go forever with a simple cartridge refill when needed.

Plastic Sports Bottle: This type of bottle is made from virgin plastic. Achieving the white finish can be next to impossible using recyclable plastic because of the nature of it coming from a variety of sources. Not to mention it is cheap and not well made, so will probably warp or leak after a few uses.

SWAP FOR a Recycled Plastic Sports Bottle: This type of bottle is made from recycled ocean plastics, which can never be a bad product to have your name on. It is also recyclable, so whilst it is entirely reusable if your customer decides that it might reach the end of life, it can be repurposed into something else. An added benefit is that it has a reduced carbon footprint because it is manufactured in the UK.

Opting for a higher quality and truly sustainable option will not only provide you with added value in terms of PR communications to customers, but it also comes with a spill-proof lid to avoid leaks.

Our recommendation would be to choose an aluminium option. The material lends itself completely to recycling into other products. But, we appreciate sometimes budget can be a challenge. This is a great alternative option.

Cotton Tote Bag: Why not?

These types of branded bags are a favourite of the events world. Whilst they are practical, they aren’t as sustainable as they are made out to be. According to a UK Environment Agency report you need to use a cotton tote bag 393 times for it to have the same environmental impact from production versus a plastic bag that only needs to be used 3 times. There is also the consideration for how those harvesting it have been treated.

This isn’t us suggesting using plastic bags. They are a really bad option, as they use depleting natural resources and can take 500 – 1000 years to degrade (see above), so should be avoided at all cost.

SWAP FOR Recycled Tote Bags: these are made from 85% recycled cotton and 15% recycled polyester. The recycled material is sourced from post-manufacturing waste generated from textiles factories. Not only that, when it comes to the end of its life it can be recycled into something new. It is a high quality option that will impress your customers and is the epitome of circularity.

When it comes to choosing the best sustainable merch for your next exhibition giveaway, the sky is the limit! Here are some other ideas of ours, which will deliver on your sustainable aims whilst standing out from the crowd if executed well:

Bamboo cutlery sets: with multiple colours and styles to choose from, bamboo cutlery or other types of wooden cutlery sets are a beautiful alternative to plastic polluting utensils and are often thinner and more compact. One watch out though is in how they are made. Some bamboo mixed product use melamine to fuse together the fibres and when they come into contact with heat, they can release carcinogens into food or drinks.
Recycled seed packets: Zero-waste plantable packaging is made recycled materials embedded with seeds. Since the packaging can be planted instead of getting thrown away, the recipient will grow something they can actually enjoy like flowers, herbs, or veggies. Not to mention, the bees love it. 
Compostable food containers: Corn starch is an ideal material for food packaging. Packages made out of this material can have a lower impact on the environment. Derived from the maize plant, it has a plastic-like property but is more environmentally friendly. We advise that you consider this option carefully, as infrastructure to process compostable waste is not yet widely available, so this option can be more harmful if you haven’t double checked your customers can easily recycle it, based on their location.
Reusable coffee cups: Your cardboard takeaway cup, while initially thought to be eco-friendly, generates more waste than advertised. The use of reusable cups is becoming the societal norm and what better way to get your brand in front of customers than with something they will use again and again.
Recycled T-shirts: This is a great way to promote your brand while also helping reduce waste in our landfills. Plus, these shirts are incredibly comfortable and durable!
Organic cotton hats or caps: This is an especially great idea if you have an outdoor event coming up in 2023! Offer up stylish hats made from recycled organic cotton so attendees can protect themselves from the sun while they show off their commitment to sustainability.

Why do we care about sustainable merchandise? At Tecna UK, we are the leading provider of modular exhibition stands constructed with the innovative T3 system. Our pioneering technology is designed to be sustainable, efficient and cost-effective for our clients. Our system offers limitless creative possibilities and a range of materials to choose from; from lightweight aluminium frames to fully recyclable PVC panels or even customized fabric walls.

We understand that in today's world, sustainability is key, which is why we offer an excellent selection of eco-friendly merchandise. Our range includes electric lighting systems that use energy efficiently, as well as recyclable PVC materials and non-toxic solvents. We also have solar-powered options that can be used indoors and outdoors for maximum efficiency and convenience. All our products are rigorously tested for quality assurance and long lasting performance. With our T3 system technology, you can customize your stand to perfectly fit your needs while using sustainable materials that come with a guarantee of quality craftsmanship.

As you plan ahead for exhibitions in 2023, don't forget to plan ahead for your sustainable merch to make sure you benefit from the best supply chain opportunities and suppliers to deliver on time and on budget! We are happy to help or put you in touch with our preferred partners if you need some support in this area.

Getting it right will not only help reduce waste but it will also give attendees a tangible reminder of your brand's commitment to sustainability and social responsibility—a win-win all around! By taking a sustainable approach to merchandise this year you can help ensure a brighter future for our planet – now that’s something worth promoting!

Our partner Tiger Global, can be contacted for more information on sustainable merchandise.

Looking to take the next step towards sustainability? See how you can be more sustainable at exhibitions.

Author

Mandy Wooster

Head of Marketing, Tecna UK

Mandy Wooster has worked in the exhibition and events industry for over 20 years running exhibitions in Barcelona, China, Australia, UAE and the US for organisers such as RX Global. She has extensive experience in marketing, content, commercial and VIP buyer roles and is a double winner of the EXHIBITION NEWS ‘Best International Trade Show’ award.

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Mandy Wooster • April 6, 2023