If your organization promotes to anyone that is likely to use prescription medication, this is a handy giveaway to consider. Great imprint area, and very, very handy!

And handy promotional products are very, very effective.

Earlier this year, I traveled to see one of the makers of our stainless steel bottles and had the chance to see the manufacturing process from start to finish.

It was fascinating to see the step-by-step transformation from stainless steel sheet to finished water bottle.

Step 1: Stainless Steel Sheets

Every stainless steel bottle begins its life on one of these rolls of stainless steel.

Step 2: Stainless Steel Tubes

Then, each flat sheet is formed into a stainless steel tube.

Step 3: Tubes Cut to Size

Each tube is then cut to size.

Step 4: Water Bottle Shaping Begins

Each tube is then shaped – and the familiar bend of the water bottle neck begins to emerge.  When shaping is complete, each stainless steel bottle is then polished and painted to add color.

Step 5: Detail Added

For some stainless steel water bottle designs, additional features (like the rubber grip on the Travel-Well Stainless Steel Water Bottle pictured above) are added.

Step 6: Finished Product

Finally, the finished product – ready to imprint with your logo!

-Suzanne

It looks like classic is the new trendy.

The Associated Press reports consumers are craving the tried-and-true, with a healthy dose of nostalgia in their holiday décor and gifts.  Consumer psychologists say classic colors, shapes and styles evoke welcome feelings of security and stability.

If classic gifts will resonate with your customers, suppliers, donors, volunteers or members, a gift like our 3 ¼” Round Shatterproof Ball Ornament might be a good option.  We’ve given it a slight update, screening a holiday motif and the year on one side, with room for your logo in a subdued, metallic gold on the other.

The ornament comes in muted, matte shades of classic holiday colors: red, gold, green, blue, clear, white and purple.  These are available in quantities as few as 100, for just $2.50 each.  Packaged in an individual gift box, these ornaments are ready-to-give.

In fact, you may even want to start a new tradition – making this the first in series of collectibles you share with customers. You’ll have your holiday gift-giving figured out for years to come!

-Suzanne

Have you heard of Tritan(R)?  It’s the new plastic developed that’s slowly making its way into the marketplace as a replacement for polycarbonate.

Why the interest in Tritan?

Tritan(R) Copolyester

Tritan (developed by Eastman Chemical Company) has many of the positive properties of polycarbonate.

It’s tougher than standard plastics used in drinkware, making it shatter-resistant. It’s also heat-resistant, so you can put it in the dishwasher. It’s odorless – so it doesn’t smell like plastic. And, it has one important feature that differentiates it from polycarbonate.  It’s BPA-free.

Promotional Products Made with Tritan

4imprint Camelback Better Bottle

We’re starting to see a few products made from Tritan, including the Camelback Better Bottle, which comes in both a 17 oz. and 25 oz. size.  If you’d like to see Tritan up close, just click the ‘Request a free sample’ button on the Camelback Better Bottle page.

In fact, when traveling on the West Coast earlier this month, I couldn’t help but notice a bunch of new products made with Tritan.  The industrial design of this water bottle from Kor caught my eye.  It is one example of a new product made with Tritan.

We will be releasing more promotional products made with Tritan this fall, too.

If you want to know more about Tritan, visit the Eastman Tritan Web site for additional product details.
-Suzanne

A couple times each year, we do something really fun.  We give some of our customers a sneak preview of products that we are developing.

Our customers expressed a lot of interest in these products, so I want to tell you about them, too.

Atherton USB Drive

With its round metal case, this USB Drive (available in 1GB, 2GB and 4GB) looks like no other.  Bright colors provide a perfect backdrop for your logo.  And, with the accompanying black lanyard and key ring, customers will keep this USB drive close.

Get Organized! Notebook Combo Set

This is a multi-tasker’s dream gift.  A 70-page notebook, plastic pen in an elastic loop, sticky notes and adhesive flags are all packed into this polypropylene notebook set.  Everything you need when you’re on the go.  The Get Organized! Notebook Combo Set is a 4imprint exclusive.  We designed it based on customer feedback on related products.

Off-Roader Travel Bag

This bag is big enough to hold a camera, money and travel documents (like tickets, a passport and ID) and yet small enough that it’s easy to carry around.  The updated shape gives it a more modern appearance.  Zipper pockets in front keep everything secure.  No wonder travel agents and tour groups seem to gravitate toward this style of bag.  It is perfect for travel, tours, fairs or trade shows.  You can either screen print or embroider your logo on this bag.

-Suzanne

I know this is a simple, value-priced product, but for those of us who love to read – especially business materials –  it’s a great item.  Also handy for spending quality time with contracts or other legal or detailed material.  Who doesn’t love that?

Got a tweet from @hollyapeterson looking for ideas for a ‘tropical themed giveaway’ for a grand opening (150 people).  Decided to just throw that out to some of the team here with the instruction to  ’give me the first idea that comes to mind’ – even though we don’t (as yet) know the budget or what kind of grand opening this is.

So @hollyapeterson – here you go – lots of hyperlinks below to have fun with! And thanks for letting us have fun on a Friday afternoon! If you need more, just say the word…

Amber – “Luggage Tags”

Lindsey – “Little Drink Umbrellas”

Jennifer K – “Beach Towel” or “Full color lip balm with beach background art”

Missy M – “Tahitian Totes or tub cooler”

Erin – “Sand Toys, lip balm, deep sea aquarium…parrot towel, Cabana Cooler”

Susan – “Stress Item – palm tree, sun, tropical fish”

Jennifer S – “Lip Balm”

Richard – “Swanky Pen”

Kristi – “Beach towel, cooler, Koozie”

Kate – “Beverage Cooler”

Judy – “Cooler”

Missy E – “Sunscreen (I burn too easily)”

Melissa – “Beach Towel”

Kristen – “Hobo Tote”

Guenevere – “Palm tree shaped items: stress balls, key chains, chocolates”

Jen G – “Sunscreen Packets”

Melanie – “Plastic coconut cups”

Emily W – “Sunglasses, towels and sunscreen, oh my!”

Randi – “anything with a Caribbean full color image…”

Carolynn – “Cabana Cooler, Bean Bag Animals with Life Raft, beach chair, towel…”

Tricia – “Koozies, Life of the Party Tub Cooler, Sea Life Beanbag w/Inner Tube”

Joe – “Tahitian Tote”

Jessie – “Sea Life Beanbags”

Steve –“Palmtree and Sunblock”

Julie –“ Sunscreen”

Niki, April – “Flip flops”

Crystal – “Pineapple or Banana Pen or Photografix Tote”

Marge – “tropical cooler”

Lori- “Sunglasses”

Trish, Nancy, Carrie – “Palm Tree InkBend”

Melissa – “…Goofy Clipz Holder -snorkel guy, Paper Photo Frame Summer”

Shelley K – “Life of the Party Tub Cooler, Parrot Towel”

Kari – “Palm tree/cabana hut beach towels”

Shelley – “…beach safe caribineer, tropical shirt…”

Marsha – “Sun care kit”

Nila – “…Tropical Camp Shirt…”

Angie H – “Life of the Party Tub Cooler- Tropical”

If you’re looking for effective giveaways, the best advice is to offer something that’s going to get used – something that has real practical value.  If your target audience is involved in cooking at home (which in this economy is something that’s grown in popularity) these new palm peelers/graters are the perfect example of a promotional item that does exactly that.

The number of products we have made from this material has increased dramatically over the last year.  One common question: What, exactly, is it?

Non-woven polypropylene is one of the most common new fabrics we see in bags.

This is actually a plastic product, which makes it lightweight and sturdy.  Making non-woven polypropylene is somewhat like making paper.  It starts out as a thick liquid, is extruded into sheets and then cut apart and sewn into products such as bags.

What does all this mean for you?  Well, simple production methods keep costs low.  So, if you’re buying for your organization, you’ll notice these bags cost less.  And, because they’re lightweight, you save on shipping, too!  Compact design makes them a snap to store.  And, trade show attendees love these bags – because, let’s face it, when you’re at a convention picking up catalogs, sell sheets and the like, it helps to have a lightweight bag.

–Suzanne

Quick props for two promotional items that fall into the ‘it’s always nice to have your logo associated with coming to the rescue’ category.

The Scotch Brand Lint Sheets Pocket Pack and our Stain Pen make great giveaways because they’ll get used, and when they get used the ‘wow, I’m really glad (insert your company name here) gave me this item’ is worth WAY more than these items cost.

Plus you’re doing your part to keep people looking good and living lint free!