25 Company Swag Ideas for Your Employees & Customers
Choosing the right swag for your business isn’t as simple as it sounds. Your company swag ideas have to be useful for both employees and customers – not just look good.
Swag comes in all shapes and sizes, but the truly effective items promote your brand while being practical enough that employees and customers want to use them regularly. Let’s break down some swag types and how to design them for your company:
- Company apparel swag
- Headwear swag
- Business drinkware swag
- Office supply swag
- Giveaway branded swag
Start your swag journey with Smartpress’ custom promotional products.
One of the most common swag ideas is company apparel. From T-shirts and jackets to sweatshirts and socks, apparel items are simple and accessible. And when you design them with your logo, brand colors or custom graphics, they become the walking advertisements they’re meant to be.
Vintage T-Shirts
Among our promotional swag ideas, vintage T-shirts create a vibe by their very nature. Think soft feel, distressed texture and warm colors. They radiate nostalgia, which boosts the emotional connection employees and customers have to it – and entices them to slip them on.
Keep them stocked in your employee store, include them in welcome kits for new team members or offer them for sale on your website.
Sweatshirts & Hoodies
Whether you’re looking for swag ideas for employees, customers or both, sweatshirts and hoodies are two more super popular choices. When you see them, you immediately think comfort, making them items your audience will immediately gravitate toward.
Offer a variety of styles to appeal to a broader audience and allow individual personalities to come through.
(Hint: And speaking of comfort, take it to the next level with throw blankets in branded colors.)
Jackets or Quarter Zips
One of the best promotional swag ideas is outerwear like jackets and quarter zips. These items offer a more professional look than a hoodie without sacrificing comfort. For employees, in particular, jackets and quarter zips are tailored enough to be worn in office settings, which is a huge win when it comes to swag utility.
Stitched logos are common and popular, so try adding yours to the front. Or go bigger with branded graphics on the back.
Branded Socks
Company swag ideas can also be fun swag ideas, like socks. Branded socks are a great option for work environments that are more business than casual and allow for employees to add personal flair to what they wear. If your company hosts events like golf tournaments, branded socks are essential.
Design yours with a small repeated logo or one big logo on the outside. If you want to stick to brand colors, choose two and make the toe and heel the contrasting color.
Company Polos
When it comes to corporate swag ideas, it doesn’t get more classic than the polo. A great option for workplaces that abide by a business casual dress code, company polos are easy to pair with both chinos and denim, making them a versatile wardrobe essential for employees.
Promote your brand with a stitched logo on the front, brand colors with contrasting collar and sleeve trim or both.
See how fashion and marketing go hand-in-hand with seven ready-to-print ideas.
Headwear Swag
Another main category for branded swag is headwear. From casual caps to beanies and bandanas, these items are perfect for your employee store and website. And as for design, sometimes less is more. Oftentimes loyal customers and clients are simply looking for a way to wear your logo, and branded headwear is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
Baseball Caps
One of the best company swag ideas is the trusty baseball cap. You can’t go wrong! Offer styles that are adjustable to suit any and all customers and stick to your logo or branded colors for a winning design.
If you really want to create excitement and branded buzz, experiment with the merch drops. Surprise your audience with an unexpected collection or build the anticipation with a countdown on your socials.
Trucker Hats
A cousin of the baseball cap, trucker hats play a similar role in the company swag realm. They’re an ideal spotlight for your logo or even a word or phrase that customers will instantly recognize as you and your brand.
With a hat style like this, it’s important to consider your audience and the vibe your business is trying to convey. If it doesn’t fit, go with a different style that does.
Beanies
Not just for brands in colder climates, beanies make excellent swag for companies anywhere. Material is a crucial consideration for beanies (if you’ve ever worn a wool one, you know what we’re talking about), so go with one that’s soft and easy to care for so customers and employees stay comfortable – and attribute that comfort to you.
Try stitching your logo on the front or adding your brand name all the way around the beanie. You can even add the year to give your beanie a limited edition look.
Bucket Hats
Bucket hats are another one of those company swag ideas where knowing your audience is key to your success. One thing’s for sure, though: Bucket hats scream summer, so incorporate a branded design that does, too. Try simple icons and graphics that appeal to your customers while boosting your brand awareness.
Bandanas
Bandanas are one of those unique swag ideas you might not think of but definitely should. Multipurpose and completely customizable, bandanas are an accessory that can promote your brand subtly or super loudly around the neck, in the hair or tied to a tote. (Plus, they look super cute on dogs.)
They’re also great for nonprofit collaboration. If you partner with a local charity, design an exclusive bandana with sales benefiting the organization.
Need some design inspo? We’ve got all the logo love you need right here.
No company branded sway is complete without drinkware. From mugs to tumblers to glasses, this category is a mainstay for one reason: utility. Everyone uses drinkware. No matter which vessel you choose to include in your swag collection, it’s a perfect way to highlight your logo and be seen by many.
Insulated Water Bottles
One of the most popular and cool swag ideas for drinkware is the water bottle. And an insulated one, to be exact. Nearly everywhere you look, someone’s carrying a water bottle, so it’s the perfect item for marketing on the go. Offer styles that are easy to carry and clean and that fit in a cup holder.
Coffee Mugs
A contender for the best corporate swag, coffee mugs are perfect for both employees and customers. Like branded T-shirts, branded coffee mugs are a great addition to new employee welcome kits, make great gifts and keep employees caffeinated enough to produce their best work (maybe).
Travel Tumblers
A travel tumbler is a must-have for customers on the go. Choosing a quality material is important here, as you want the hot stuff to stay hot and the cold to stay cold. Look for lids that are easy to clean and don’t stain – you don’t want your corporate branded swag to draw attention for the wrong reasons.
Glassware Set
Glassware sets are one of those company swag ideas that really thrives in the gifting realm. Whether you choose a wine glass set, highball set or simple drinking glasses, each one puts your logo in the spotlight. Design glassware sets as holiday gifts for employees, silent auction items that benefit a local charity, or if you’re a brewery, the perfect companion to your latest release.
Coasters
A promo item for the gifting and home decor crowds, coasters are an excellent opportunity for branding. From cork to leather to wood, material choice should be your first consideration with this one. Then it’s all about design application. Try an embossed logo for a touch of modern sophistication or stick with screen or heat pressing for a classic yet accessible look.
(Hint: What sits nicely on a coaster? Branded candles and candle sets. Add them to your home decor items.)
See how swag items can boost the buzz around your trade show booth.
Office Supply Swag
Office supply swag is a great way to boost morale and create stronger connections between employees. In this category, the best items are the ones employees will use or come into contact with every day. From custom stationery to branded tech, employee swag like this keeps people engaged and creates a sense of ownership in and around your business.
Notebooks
One of the most popular swag items for employees is a notebook. For this one, use cases are important to think about – how do your employees use notebooks practically, in their everyday work life? From there, you can decide on binding, paper stock, and of course, a branded cover design. Consider printing specific designs for specific departments or stick to one that works for everyone.
Pens
Another super useful promo item, a custom pen is always a good idea. Even in our ever-digital world, there are still times (and more of them than you think) when you just need a pen handy. Add your company name and logo to the side and include a couple in new employee welcome kits, as well as stocked in your office supply cabinet.
Mouse Pads
Mouse pads are an essential for office supply swag (and just like pens, one you might think isn’t anymore). Company swag ideas need to include options that touch every employee, no matter the role, and that still includes those working at a desktop. Go big on your logo design for this one.
USB Drives
One of the best swag items for employees, USB drives are another tech tool you want to have handy. In a world where so many devices aren’t compatible with each other, USB drives ensure employees can take assets with them at all times. Include a USB in your employee welcome kits or make them available to team members before they head to conferences and trade shows.
(Hint: Make it even easier for employees on the go with branded backpacks and computer bags, too.)
Calendars
For employees working in office and administrative roles to retail and beyond, custom calendars are another essential. No matter the position, planning and organizing is part of it. Be sure to consider the binding and format before sending your designs to print. You can even involve employees by having them submit their own photography for specific months.
Get insight for how to choose binding, paper and finishes for your calendar.
Giveaway Branded Swag
As you ask yourself what is company swag, your answer should also include giveaway items. Everyone loves free stuff (clients and employees, alike), so it’s best to have some items ready to go as you plan your events. With totes, stickers, lanyards and more, giveaway branded swag increases brand visibility and even helps strengthen customer loyalty.
Tote Bags
Whether for eco-friendly reasons or otherwise, more and more people are carrying around tote bags. Perfect for shopping, traveling and everyday use, totes are popular branded swag for businesses of all kinds. They’re literally a blank canvas, so go with a simple logo, print exclusive seasonal graphics or add designs tied to specific products.
Stickers
Custom stickers are one of the best swag items because they’re just plain fun. And they pair nicely with other swag items like water bottles and notebooks. Print yours in custom shapes (like your logo) and sizes and with designs that represent your brand. Slip them in giveaway bundles, hand them out at events or pop them into packages.
Planners
Planners are one of those company swag ideas that harkens back to simpler times. There’s something nostalgic about writing in a planner with a pen, pencil or highlighter that’s very appealing to both employees and customers. Keep your interior pages clean with a simple, functional design, and then brand the heck out of the cover.
Fanny Packs
Fanny packs have come back around and are one of the most popular wearables you can offer. Whether people go crossbody, hang it off one shoulder or clip it around the waist, the fanny pack is the new purse. Make yours stand out with a size that accommodates everyday essentials and your logo front and center.
Lanyards
A carrier for keys, IDs, pens, event credentials and more, lanyards get your brand seen wherever the wearer takes it. Print the strap with a repeated logo, contrasting brand colors on either side or both. Add lanyards to giveaway baskets and keep them handy for employees for conferences and trade shows.
Make promo items part of your overall print strategy with our comprehensive guide.
Print Your Company Swag with Smartpress
With this list of company swag ideas, you’re sure to find many that employees and customers want to use. And when you combine them with a design that’s branded but not too branded, it’s a win for them and you.
Printing your company swag with Smartpress means your customers and employees get high quality, premium products that look good and last long. Customize your swag and promo products, then upload your design files today.
