Handing out swag is a time-honored way to boost your business profile in the community. Admit it: We all get a little ego boost when someone puts a trinket in our hands (although giving away a cool coffee mug may even put you on someone’s BFF list!).
Yet there is one snake in the garden of swagdom: A rising awareness among consumers of the environmental concerns that come with freely distributing those plastic giveaways.
Continually promoting your business is essential in a crowded marketplace. So what to do? Here are a few tips on how to continue your promo giveaways, while lessening the environmental impact of your swag.
- Hand out durable items with a useful purpose. This lessens negative perceptions, particularly among those younger consumers who are more concerned about environmental issues.
- Swag made from eco-friendly materials has a lower impact on the environment, and offer a business a means to ensure giveaway promotions don’t harm our planet. One of the most promising trends in swag today is the use of bamboo. Many do not realize this fast-growing plant is a great eco-friendly choice for fashioning all kinds of giveaway items. From rulers to tote bags, swag made from bamboo is kinder to the environment. Bamboo also generates a higher volume of woody material faster than any other plant on the planet, and requires no pesticides or herbicides! The rapid growth rate of three feet a day and a perpetual ability of the plant to generate new roots makes it a much better alternative to wood.
- Using recycled materials is also a good way to start shrinking your carbon footprint. There’s an abundant array of swag made from recycled materials now available, and many of these items are imprinted with a recyclable symbol — something consumers are looking for these days.