Where would the money go? That was the lingering question after sales of PPE and health and safety products retreated in the waning days of the pandemic. There’s been a clear answer: apparel. Every apparel category (save caps and headwear) got a solid boost in 2022, as clients gravitated toward giveaways, gifts and uniforms. Otherwise, the top promo product categories (thankfully, refreshingly) held the status quo. In fact, nine of the top 10 categories are the same from last year. The one that didn’t survive? You might have guessed – PPE.
Hover over the bar charts to see more detailed State of the Industry statistics.
T-shirts command the highest percentage of industry spending since Counselor first started tracking the category in 2012.
TOP 10 PRODUCT CATEGORIES
(As Percentage of Overall Promo Products Sales)
And The Rest
- Health & Safety 3.3%
- Buttons/Badges/Ribbons/Stickers/Decals/Emblems/ Lanyards 2.9%
- Electronics/USBs/Computer-Related Products (Non-Mobile Tech) 2.6%
- Blankets/Towels 2.4%
- Recognition Awards/Trophies/Jewelry 2.2%
- Mobile Tech Accessories 2.2%
- Housewares/Tools 2.1%
- Calendars 2.0%
- Books/Cards/Postcards/Stationery/Giftwrap 2.0%
- Magnets 1.5%
- Food Gifts & Bottles of Water 1.2%
- Other 0.9%
4 Eye-Opening Product Trends
There are a few big winners in the post-pandemic product landscape, but also one obvious category that dropped precipitously.
1T-Shirts on Top of the World
It’s hard to imagine a time when tees weren’t the most popular promo product. Well in 2022, their share of the marketplace soared to its highest number ever.
T-SHIRTS
2A Toast to Drinkware
Promo’s hottest category keeps going up and up. Consider that, in 2008, drinkware was the eighth most popular product category at 5.1%. Today at 9.9%, it’s second, and nearly doubled its share of promo sales during that time.
The percentage that drinkware’s market share has increased since 2008.
3PPE’s Run Is Over
The U.S. government officially ended the national public health emergency declaration (for many, the end of the pandemic) in May 2023. For the majority of distributors, the pandemic’s swan song came in 2022 when PPE sales dried up. (Note ASI Media has folded PPE sales back into the health and safety category.)
HEALTH & SAFETY PRODUCTS (INCLUDING PPE)
4Wave the Flag
Flags and banners have steadily risen the last three years. There’s no secret why: the return of events and trade shows have goosed the demand for these items.