Over three years since its founding, ASI’s Promo for the Planet educational hub is still going strong. The page itself got a refresh earlier this year, with an emphasis on video content and a section with practical tips for promo pros looking to reduce their carbon footprints and divert waste from landfills. Even with the new look, the mission hasn’t changed, and editors continue to break down the hottest sustainability trends in promo and beyond. Among the biggest stories this year was a look at how EcoVadis became the leading assessment tool in promo and an analysis of the percentage of Counselor Top 40 companies that are releasing annual sustainability reports. Other coverage highlights this year include announcements of various upcycling and recycling initiatives and product innovations from suppliers. Here are the ASI Media top 10 stories on our Promo for the Planet page in 2025.

1

Dr. Bronner’s Drops B Corp Certification, Sparking Debate

Early in 2025, natural soap brand Dr. Bronner’s made headlines when it announced that it would be dropping its B Corp certification, criticizing B Lab for weak standards that allow “greenwashing and purpose-washing.” Dr. Bronner’s, which had been a B Corp since 2015, boasted a particularly high impact score of 206.7, far exceeding the certification threshold of 80. However, the brand said it believed the integrity of B Corp certification was compromised after large multinationals with serious ecological and labor issues earned B Corp status. Dr. Bronner’s decision spurred mixed reactions in the B Corp community, with one distributor noting that it had also dropped its certification recently. However, stalwarts pointed out that “B Corp is still a gold standard by a long shot,” when it comes to purpose-driven business and the certification criteria continue to grow and evolve.

2

Billie Eilish & UMG Upcycle 400K Unsold Concert Tees Into New Merch

Pop star Billie Eilish wanted to give her unsold merch a happier than ever ending, by keeping it out of a landfill and repurposing the garments into something new. Eilish and her mother, Maggie Baird, worked with Universal Music Group (UMG) to find a more sustainable solution for the thousands of pounds of unsold concert merch the music label had in its massive Nashville warehouse. Bravado, UMG’s merch arm, partnered with Spanish clothing designer and textile manufacturer Hallotex to upcycle 400,000 tees from the warehouse. The goal was to unspool the garments into cotton yarn and then re-spin them into more than 280,000 new 100% recycled cotton tees that UMG artists would use in the fall. Shirts that couldn’t be recycled were shredded and turned into housing insulation. Guess Eilish isn’t the bad guy, after all.

3

Gemline & XD Connects Launch New Cross-Continental Merch Fulfillment Program

In May, Counselor Top 40 supplier Gemline (asi/56070), a certified B Corp, teamed up with Dutch supplier XD Connects, Counselor’s 2024 Sustainability Advocate of the Year, to make conducting cross-continental promotional products business easier. At first blush, the story doesn’t seem like typical Promo for the Planet fare, but the logistics of the supply chain are very much tied to sustainability, since getting products from Point A to Point B accounts for much of their carbon footprint. With the suppliers’ TransAtlantic Advantage program, distributors were empowered to source and ship identical branded gifts on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, thanks to local fulfillment solutions.

4

Ruckus & Co. Launches Nametag & Lanyard Recycling Program

Lanyards and event credentials are indispensable promo products during trade shows, conferences and other large-scale meetings. But when the show’s over, and the dust settles, where do those items usually end up? All too often, in a landfill. Greenwood, SC-based supplier Ruckus & Co. (asi/84119) wanted to buck that trend, creating a new takeback program for lanyards over the summer. With TagBack, the supplier created an end-to-end recycling program to help organizers easily and sustainably dispose of nametags, lanyards and other credentials at the end of an event. Attendees drop their lanyards and nametags into designated collection boxes, which are then shipped back to Ruckus via prepaid labels. Ruckus said it has an agreement with a national recycling company to recycle the products.

5

The EcoVadis Effect: How It’s Driving Sustainability in Supply Chains

Third-party certification and concrete data on carbon reduction and other ESG metrics have become a must-have for companies serious about sustainability. There are a slew of certifications and business assessment tools available, but in the promo industry, one has been increasingly rising to the top. EcoVadis measures companies across four key pillars: environment, labor and human rights, ethics, and sustainable procurement. Companies in the top 35% of assessments over the previous year receive medals, from bronze to platinum, denoting their status. Why did this particular tool gain so much weight in promo so quickly? In part, it’s because of its laser-focus on supply chain. But it’s also thanks to Counselor Top 40 distributor Staples Promotional Products (asi/120601), which made EcoVadis assessment a requirement for all of its suppliers.

6

Sustainability Roundup: Biodegradable Hat Brims & Recycled Footwear

Periodically, it’s worth taking a look at the sustainability innovations happening both in the promo industry and the business world at large. This roundup, published in September, focused on Allbirds releasing footwear made of a variety of recycled materials. A new initiative from Recover Brands, part of NG Labs (asi/41325), was all about experimenting with new colorways for its 100% recycled garments. Among the innovations was a space dye-effect recycled tee made by mixing textile waste of different shades – and not adding new dyes. But leading off the story was a profile of Canadian headwear brand Whelk, which offers caps with Blutech, an additive that makes plastic brims biodegrade naturally in landfills. Said founder Justin Bastarache: “We want to be one of those brands that promotes the new face of cleaner promo and thoughtful, purposeful merch.”

7

How the Recent B Corp Backlash Reveals the Limitations of Sustainability Certification

Six months or so after Dr. Bronner’s took B Corp to task, B Lab was again making headlines after granting certification to ultra-fast fashion brand Princess Polly, with many saying that the very nature of fast fashion is anathema to the social and environmental standards B Corp should be upholding. As sustainability-focused journalist Alden Wicker told the Guardian at the time: “It’s greenwashing. You can’t run a certification like this based on vibes.” B Lab, the nonprofit that certifies brands as B Corps, has said its certification is holistic, and not exclusively focused on a single social or environmental issue. It also launched an overhaul of its certification system, which it believes address many of the criticisms people have had. But the controversy underscores some of the limitations and challenges with certifications. Namely, sustainability certification should be a starting point for deeper conversations on impact, rather than just a box to be checked.

8

Nearly One-Third of Top Promo Firms Release Annual Sustainability Reports

Without accountability, sustainability initiatives can quickly devolve into greenwashing. That’s why it’s encouraging to see more suppliers and distributors publishing their baseline impact metrics, setting reduction goals and sharing their progress in annual sustainability reports. In this in-depth article, ASI Media looked at Counselor Top 40 companies to see how many had released public reports over the last two years and what kinds of information they highlighted. What we found: 31% of Top 40 suppliers and distributors released reports. Of that total, only nine were reporting figures for Scope 1, 2 and 3 greenhouse gas emissions. Going forward, those percentages are likely to go up. As Lindsay Hampson, founder of sustainability consultancy ThisRock, put it: “If companies don’t do sustainability, they’re likely going to lose deals.”

9

‘Why It Matters’: Promo’s First Sustainable Merch Summit

Sustainability isn’t a side conversation in promo anymore – it’s everywhere, and it’s here to stay. That was one of the big takeaways from the inaugural “Why It Matters Live: Sustainable Merch Summit.” The virtual conference was hosted by Jay Busselle of Branded Merch Network; Cassie Green, content director of PRINTING United Alliance’s Apparelist brand; 2 Regular Guys podcast hosts Terry Combs and Aaron Montgomery; and me – ASI Media’s executive editor of special projects and sustainability. Panel topics included a look at how to sell sustainability, the importance of transparency and why third-party certification is crucial.

10

PRINTING United Expo 2025: Actionable Sustainability Steps for Apparel, Decorators & More

Sustainability is measured in small increments, rather than grand, sweeping gestures. In a session at PRINTING United Expo 2025, Cassie Green of Apparelist spoke with Eric Henry of TS Designs, Milissa Gibson of Lane Seven Apparel (asi/66246) and Sara Osorio of PRINTING United Alliance about some of those small steps print, promo and apparel companies can make. One key point was that sustainability goes beyond what a garment is made of; distributors and decorators should think about a product’s longevity and strive to create items that recipients will love and cherish. “You can make the most sustainable thing,” Gibson said, “but if someone doesn’t wear it more than once, it’s pointless.”

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