Product Hub January 09, 2026
ASI Orlando 2026: 4 Print Trends From Promo & Print Suppliers
Eye-popping graphics and sustainability were on display at the year’s first promo trade show.
Key Takeaways
• Suppliers featured photo-quality, detailed digital prints across a wide range of substrates with fast turnaround times, low minimums and little to no setup fees.
• From UV prints with sheen and texture to multimedia, suppliers are elevating print with tactile elements that increase visual impact and perceived value.
• Print-on-demand services continue to gain traction among distributors, with adoption set to grow in 2026, while eco-friendly products retained a strong presence.
A busy, energetic trade show floor during ASI Orlando showcased a number of trends that will define 2026, including options in print.
Suppliers said they’re meeting need for eye-catching graphics, quick turns, low minimums, textured and multimedia decoration, and sustainable options.
Massachusetts-based DFS (asi/47991) had a variety of stickers, postcards and folders on display, printed with full-color digital graphics at low minimums.
Here are a few trends from the trade show floor.
Detailed Digital Prints
Suppliers showed off a number of different items, such as bags, display items, packaging and stickers, with crisp, detailed, photo-quality prints, often at low minimums.
Dena Hill of Colorguppy Printing (asi/45795) in Illinois said her company offers various paper bags for different uses, such as SOS/popcorn bags, handled shopping bags, sandwich bags and pharmacy bags, printed with digital inks that are food-safe. “We can print pretty much anything, and we do it in-house,” said Hill. “We also offer low minimums and no setup fees.”
Supreme Color Graphics (asi/90264) in Louisiana offers printing on various substrates, including foamcore, window and wall clings, PVC, magnetics and vinyl. “It’s a UV digital print with sheen and texture,” said General Manager Sylena Sullivan.
Custom printed packaging also took center stage at the show – Ryan Zieleck of Indiana-based BoxUp (asi/41320) discussed the company’s brand-new larger mailer box, measuring 14” x 12” x 5”.
“A lot of people requested a larger size of our most popular box,” he said. “They wanted that extra inch of height for products like hats and drinkware, so we started producing this larger size. We can get it to distributors in less than a week, and we can do as little as 12 boxes at once.”
Textures & Multimedia
Print is no longer just one-dimensional. Suppliers also showed off ways they’re boosting their prints with textures and multimedia.
Supreme Color Graphics’ digital UV print has a sheen and texture, while StickerYou (asi/89791) unveiled its new proprietary fuzzy stickers at the show.
“We developed a soft material that’s perfect for stickers, and we print them and put strong 3M adhesive on the back,” said Gui Bonamigo, promo sales manager for the Toronto-based supplier. “They’re great for phone cases, laptops and plastic headwear like helmets. It’s been a big hit.”
Fuzzy die-cut sticker (FYDCS) from StickerYou (asi/89791)
Counselor Top 40 supplier Bag Makers (asi/37940) also had printed bags combined with rhinestones for a multimedia look. Pete Gleason, vice president of sales at the Illinois-based company, said they can produce edge-to-edge sublimated bags in as little as eight days. Destination pieces have been big, especially for conferences.
This Picasso polyester tote (DS40PIC1414) from Counselor Top 40 supplier Bag Makers (asi/37940) is printed with edge-to-edge sublimation plus rhinestones for a conference in Chicago.
“We have print templates for destination cities like New Orleans, Philly and Washington, D.C., and then the customer adds aspects to make it their own,” said Gleason. “Conference tourism has been big for us. Organizers want attendees to keep and use the bags beyond the event. They won’t throw these away.”
Print-on-Demand Services
As print on demand becomes increasingly popular among distributors, contract services continue to gain momentum. Both Printnest (asi/79560) in Texas and STAHLS’ (asi/88984) in Michigan had booths promoting their print-on-demand services.
According to Gurkan Aydin of Printnest, exhibiting for the first time in Orlando, the company’s platform offers a full slate of print-on-demand services and fulfillment options for distributors and decorators. Their location in Texas means they’re ideally located to ship all over the country.
Real-time polling on Education Day in Orlando showed that nearly 60% of distributors in the room were offering print-on-demand services for their customers, and more than 30% are planning to offer it in 2026.
Eco-Friendly Options
Sustainability is still a mainstay on trade show floors, and Orlando was no exception. Pennsylvania-based Seeded Promotions (asi/86180), a new supplier for the show, offers mini-planters with biodegradable paper and ink, as well as seeded paper and seed ball bracelets packaged with recycled materials.
Meanwhile, Minnesota-based Fey Promo’s (asi/54040) biodegradable Swedish dishcloths are printed with a durable, full-color ink and can be used, washed and reused multiple times – replacing hundreds of paper towels over their lifetime.
Swedish dishcloths (F1415) from Fey Promo (asi/54040) are reusable, washable and biodegradable, replacing hundreds of paper towels over their lifetime.
The supplier also recently launched car cup holder coasters in the same material. “They’ve been a hit,” said Fey’s Beth Friese. “They’re great for healthcare, finance and sports teams.”
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