British indie rockers The 1975 have proved themselves to be one of the most eco-friendly bands in the game. A few months back they decided to limit apparel waste by letting fans print over old band merch with updated graphics, rather than shell out the money for new ones and use more resources to meet demand…
Read MoreAuthor: Brendan Menapace
Promo Suppliers Are Out of Hand Sanitizer, and Re-Stocking Could Take Weeks
Hand sanitizer has been in high demand as coronavirus worry mounts. In the promotional products industry, that demand has come at the expense of a few suppliers’ inventory. Suppliers like Raining Rose Inc., Hit Promotional Products, SnugZ USA and more have said that they’re out of hand sanitizer, with no clear timetable on when it will be restocked…
Read MoreNorthern Irish Political Figure Calls Promotional Shirt for Netflix Show ‘Blasphemous’
Baroness Eileen Paisley, a political figure in Northern Ireland, criticized a Belfast sports store because of a shirt advertising the Netflix/Channel 4 show “Derry Girls.” The shirt in question is a yellow and green Gaelic Athletic jersey with the show’s fictional school’s crest, and features a picture of the character Sister Michael rolling her eyes with the quote…
Read MoreWingstop Is Paying People to Be ‘Walking Billboards’ in Its New Promotional Sweatshirts
Wingstop is giving away a limited amount of hooded sweatshirts that say things like “This is an ad for Wingstop” or “This is an ad for Wingstop delivery.” If you post a selfie or video of you walking around in the shirt in public and tag Wingstop on social media, the company will Venmo you $10…
Read MoreWould You Watch 15 Hours of ‘The Office’ to Win a Dundie Award and Coffee Mug?
Do you love “The Office?” Have you always wanted your own “World’s Best Boss” mug and Dundie award? Do you think you could watch 15 hours of “The Office” in nine days? If so, you might be able to get these coveted television artifacts while you get to watch your favorite show…
Read MoreUniversity of Illinois Offers ‘Chief Illiniwek’ Merchandise Buyback Program Before Introducing New Mascot
After years of debate, it looks like the University of Illinois is changing its mascot. While it’s not quite finalized, the Illinois Student Government posted on Facebook that it would offer a buyback program where students could exchange new or used Chief Illiniwek merchandise for new merchandise…
Read MoreThe Clippers and Kawhi Leonard Want Fans to Give Away Their Promotional Backpacks to People in Need
Last Friday, the Los Angeles Clippers gave out branded backpacks to every fan at the team’s game against the Denver Nuggets. Each backpack came with a message card from star Kawhi Leonard. “Fill it with food and give to someone who’s hungry, a blanket for someone who’s cold, books for a child who has none,” it said. “Or do your own thing. I get that. Go be great.”…
Read MorePeeps Teams Up With Crocs for Candy-Coated Branded Footwear
Crocs are legitimately becoming the hottest company to work with on branded footwear collaborations. Every time something seems like a goof on the surface, you find out it debuted at New York Fashion week or something. This time it’s with Peeps, the adorable little marshmallow confections that populate grocery stores every spring…
Read MorePrivate Equity in Promo: Pros, Cons and Gray Areas
Private equity’s continued and increasing involvement in the promo industry has led to major growth for some companies and uncertainty for others. With private equity a fact of life for promo, we take a look at the pros, cons and gray areas for the industry…
Read MoreCornell Researchers Develop ‘Fiberizer’ Machine to That Deconstructs Textiles for Use in Other Products
Researchers at Cornell University’s Department of Fiber Science and Apparel Design have created a new machine that deconstructs woven or knit fabric so that old apparel can find new life outside of a landfill. Tasha Lewis, Ph.D., and Anil Netravali, Ph.D, said their creation can help create a “closed-loop system” to turn post-consumer textile waste into products…
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