Every new year brings fresh trends and innovations to the promotional gifts sector. For 2025, we turned to the expert insights of Gift Campaign founders, Diederik de Koning and Oriol Badia, to guide us through the emerging trends and their predictions for the promotional merchandise market.
Which corporate gifts will your clients love? Which should you choose to ensure your brand remains memorable? Discover the most popular promotional gifts of the year and how they can benefit your business.
Express Delivery Gifts: Shorter Lead Times
The demand for express gifts has been growing since last year, making them one of the most in-demand trends. As Diederik de Koning explains, this shift is becoming increasingly important in the corporate merchandising market:
“Customers expect shorter delivery times, wanting their promotional gifts to arrive as quickly as their other online orders, like those from Amazon. To meet these expectations, we have optimised our processes to offer faster delivery times without compromising on quality.”
Fast delivery has become a necessity for many businesses, with professionals often working to tight deadlines or needing last-minute orders. This explains why express promotional gifts are in such high demand.
Locally Produced European Gifts
Beyond quick delivery, the place of manufacture has become a key factor for businesses. Whether it’s to support the local economy or due to perceptions of higher quality, demand for European-made promotional gifts continues to rise.
Diederik highlights: “Local production not only reduces delivery times but also significantly lowers the carbon footprint by eliminating long-distance transport. Additionally, European manufacturing typically adheres to stricter sustainability and labour regulations, ensuring a more responsible and environmentally friendly process.”
Branded Apparel: A Simple Yet Effective Marketing Tool
With increasingly innovative and sustainable materials, branded clothing remains a staple for businesses, whether for staff uniforms, team-building events, seminars, or promotional campaigns.
Oriol Badia notes: “Branded clothing, such as T-shirts, polo shirts, and hoodies, will continue to play a key role, accounting for approximately 30% of the promotional market. These products are valued for their versatility and their ability to provide continuous brand visibility.”
Thanks to their affordability, effectiveness, and impact, personalised textiles remain one of the most popular promotional gifts. Recycled fabrics, organic textiles, and full-colour printing are all trending in the sector. “Companies are looking for larger, full-colour logos with flawless finishes. At Gift Campaign, we’ve introduced advanced digital printing techniques to offer greater detail and quality in customisation,” adds Oriol.
Multi-Functional Tech Gifts
In the world of technology, connectivity and versatility are the key factors driving demand for corporate gifts in 2025.
As Oriol explains: “Multi-functional tech products and connectivity-related items will take centre stage. Wireless chargers, USB hubs, and multi-purpose cables are becoming increasingly popular for their everyday practicality and ability to streamline digital life.”
As digitalisation continues to shape daily work and personal life, demand for smart, efficient tech solutions grows. From low battery warnings to a lack of USB ports, practical gadgets that solve common problems are highly valued.
Wellness Gifts: Taking Care of Your Clients
In recent years, wellness and work-life balance have become central themes in both personal and professional life. Demonstrating concern for your clients’ wellbeing – even through small gestures – can make a big difference. That’s why personalised wellness gifts are set to be a major trend this year.
Oriol explains: “Taking care of oneself is becoming increasingly important […] Promotional gifts focused on physical and mental health, such as relaxation kits, fitness accessories, and stress-relief items, are growing in popularity among businesses aiming to project a caring and responsible brand image.”
Eco-Friendly Gifts: The Future of Sustainable Branding
Sustainability is now a top priority in the corporate gifting market, with businesses and consumers alike becoming more aware of the environmental impact of their purchases.
“In recent years, promotional merchandise has shifted towards sustainability, in line with the growing environmental awareness. At Gift Campaign, we have expanded our range of eco-friendly products to meet this increasing demand,” says Oriol.
As sustainability becomes a key business strategy, brands are seeking greener alternatives to showcase a genuine commitment to the environment. “Sustainability will remain a fundamental pillar. The demand for products made from recycled, recyclable, or reusable materials will continue to grow, reinforcing the move towards more responsible and eco-conscious promotional gifts,” adds Diederik.
Corporate Gifts with Traceability and Sustainability Certifications
As businesses search for more ethical products, professionals are placing greater emphasis on trusted labels and certifications to guide their purchasing decisions. These guarantees help combat greenwashing and ensure products meet strict quality and sustainability standards.
Oriol highlights: “The focus is now on regulatory compliance and product certification. Companies are looking for promotional gifts that meet high quality and safety standards, such as FSC certification for paper products or GRS certification for recycled items, ensuring they are both safe and environmentally friendly.”
Diederik further emphasises that simply offering sustainable products is not enough. Companies are now more discerning, preferring to work with suppliers who integrate sustainability into every stage of their operations. This means partnering with businesses that rigorously monitor their supply chains, adopt responsible practices, and actively work to reduce their carbon footprint. Such an approach ensures a consistent and genuine commitment to sustainability throughout the entire production process.
Promotional Items: Combining Practicality, Durability, and Visibility
In 2025, the most popular promotional gifts will be those that combine three key elements: usefulness, durability, and brand visibility.
When asked about the top promotional gifts of the year, Diederik and Oriol agree: reusable bottles made from stainless steel, aluminium, and Tritan will be among the best-selling products. By offering an eco-friendly alternative to disposable plastic cups and promoting sustainable habits, these remain one of the most sought-after branded products.
However, they won’t be the only favourites – tote bags will continue to dominate trade shows and events. Practical, reusable, and offering ample customisation space, they provide an excellent branding opportunity while being highly useful to the recipient.
What’s Your Pick for 2025?
Which trend will you embrace for your personalised gifts this year? Do you have any questions for Diederik and Oriol about the future of the promotional merchandise market? Let us know in the comments!