Holiday Corporate Gift Guide [2023]

We’re once again approaching that time of the year in which gifts are a great way to cement your relationship with new and old clients and even your own employees. People love receiving unexpected gifts, and it’s even better when it’s from a business they already know and trust. We’ll take you through the most effective corporate gifts for this holiday season.


Corporate Gifts

Most corporate clients spend hours sitting and working from a desk, so we think stationary gifts items are one of the safest options. However, thinking outside of the box can earn you extra points with clients.

Corporate gifts have the potential to deepen the clients perception of your brand by offering a physical touchpoint that makes people happy. It might seem like a small thing, but when an employee, customer or lead interacts with a nice water bottle or other fun gift stamped with your logo, they are more likely to have positive feelings toward your business.

Check Out What is Corporate Gifting and Why is it Important?

Gift Boxes

Impress your clients with a gift box full of different stationary items such as notebooks and coffee mugs or for the techies a portable charger with a docking station or even a potted plant! You can display your logo on many items by screen printing, laser engraving, and embroidery!

Tech lover Gift Box

Most of love technology especially if it’s something that can make our everyday life easier. Tech gifts include bluetooth speakers, portable chargers and cellphone accessories such as wireless headphones.

Themed Gift Box

For the end of the year we recommend a box stuffed with holiday favorites like hot chocolate with a mug and a sweater with your company logo can be a perfect way to say thank you and promote your business.

There are other products such as beanies, socks, and blankets that can also be printed with your company logo. This is a great option to guarantee 100% satisfaction from your client.

Fully Custom Swag Boxes

Customizing packaging and other wrapping elements may show your client that you’re focused on your branding and care about your product or service. As a fully equipped merch agency, Family Industries has helped hundreds of brands create unique and fully customized gift boxes for clients, employees, and events.


A new study estimates the corporate gifting market will reach $242 billion this year and continue growing at an accelerated 8.1% CAGR through 2024.

Choosing The Right Swag

This process is usually worked out with your chosen merch printer, however, certain products may make more sense than others. Additionally, budget may be something to consider as some items will be more economical than others. Either way, the goal is to be able to clearly display your logo. The list below shows items that will best highlight a logo.

A Printed Hoodie

A sweatshirt is a great way to display your logo and making the person wearing it a walking billboard for your company.

Remember, not only is your logo important but creating a design with your company name or within the logo is recommended so as to add a more customized element to the gift.

A Printed Tote Bag

Tote bags are classic pieces of swag. But this model is so robust, so well-made and so perfectly-sized that we often see our customers give them out as high-demand gifts for their team members and or clients.

Once again, getting creative with the logo design is important as items like these are often used for every day thing such as grocery shopping.

Travel Mug

A regular mug or a travel mug is also a safe choice and a great canvas for your logo. There are different types of mugs such as thermal mug, camping mug, or a tumblr that keeps beverages cold or warm. Tumblers especially usually have a finish that has a premium-feeling which is why we like to recommend it.

Bluetooth Speaker

Portable bluetooth speakers are a more expensive gift option, however, it’s an items that most people use and can be the best gift for a more tech focused client. Speakers can be printed with your logo and your brand colors. Ask us how!

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator


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eCommerce: Apparel Fulfillment Service

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Fulfillment for a small clothing brand can be a challenging task, especially if you are receiving hundreds of orders in a single day and you’re competing with larger operations that may have more resources to get the orders out the door faster. In the age of instant gratification, small brands are having a harder time ensuring customer satisfaction when it comes to shipping efficiency. At Family Industries, we offer a solution to all of your fulfillment needs.

How Does It Work?

As a full-service print shop, we feature white-label fulfillment which means we not only print your merch but we also pick, pack, and ship your orders directly to the buyer. We also include any other promotional items such as pins or stickers and branded packaging. This allows you to focus on your business strategy and your creative process to push your sales, while we worry about getting those orders to your customers.

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Integrations

We can connect directly to your e-commerce store and sync your product SKUs to begin receiving orders. Integration time may vary and depend on where the e-commerce store is hosted. In most cases, this can be done in a single day.

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Invoicing / Restocking

We invoice your monthly for your orders and services, we also track your inventory so re-stocking is easy and we ensure you’re never sold out of your most popular items.

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Client Services

We’re always here if you have questions or concerns, our goal is to ensure 100% satisfaction with all the brands we work with. While we don’t directly contact your customers, we are always here to address your concerns.

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Shipping & Returns

We offer white-label shipping which means your brand logo, name, address, and phone number will be on the shipping labels as well as any other promotional items included in the package. We simply do the work for you ensuring tracking information is available for your client by alerting them via email.


Benefits of Fulfillment Services

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Time

If you’re like most business owners, you have your hands in every aspect of your operation. As you continue to grow your brand, tasks such as shipping become a daily time-consuming chore that must be done in a timely manner. Most start-up brands eventually run into difficulties when it comes to shipping on-time and this also becomes something that can damage your brand and reputation. Not to mention, in order to survive you also need to be constantly innovating to retain those customers, therefore, time becomes of the essence. You will need to dedicate more time designing and/or scaling your business, and for this reason, you will need fulfillment to be done and taken care of in a timely manner.

Space

One of the many pain points of an eCommerce business is inventory and the capacity to store those items. With fulfillment services, you have the freedom to keep as much stock as possible, ensuring that you will not run out of the popular items in your catalog. This also prevents “out of stock” products and diminishes the amount of “stock availability” inquiries from potential buyers.

Shipping Rates

In many cases, fulfillment services will provide you with their negotiated shipping rates. If you’re a brand that is just getting started, chances are, your shipping rates will be high and you don’t have the leverage that some of these bigger companies have with a long record of packages shipped. In order to be able to negotiate a discounted rate, as a business owner, you would need to show the carrier that you have the volume they would like to see in order to offer you those discounts. With fulfillment services, discounted rates are almost always offered and can be highly beneficial economically.

Quality Assurance

Because printing and shipping are done in the same location, the quality of the product tends to be the main priority, and inspections are done prior to drop-shipping. The fulfillment process requires quality checks and ensures your buyers are happy with their purchase.

Re-Stocking

A fulfillment service company will keep track of your inventory and replenish it as needed to ensure you never run out. Restocking is generally done per SKU, calculating sales velocity and production time to ensure restocking is done on time before running out. This calculation can also be adjusted depending on the seasonality and other factors such as special sales days or in preparation for the holidays.


If you’re thinking about using a fulfillment service, hit us up!



Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator

Best Custom Printed Bags

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A great way to step up your merch game is to consider bags. And depending on what kind you get and how you customize them, they can be surprisingly more affordable than T-shirts and other items. We will tell you about our top-selling customizable bags we customize, along with some details about each kind that can save you money and help avoid printing issues.


5 Most Popular Bags

It is good to note that for screen printed designs, it’s recommended to have a relatively big print area. For smaller items such as a fanny pack and wallets, embroidery is preferred or an embroidered patch to add an extra element of design.

Read Why Your Company Should Invest In Promotional Bags

Some bags call for specific events or occasions. This is why it’s important to consider your audience when it comes to promotional bags. The type of event will also dictate which type of bag is the best and what type of other promotional items to provide event-goers with.

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Tote Bags

A tote bag hits all the marks: affordably priced, simple construction, durable, lays flat for printing, and comes in a variety of colors and styles. People love tote bags and use them for everything, from carrying groceries to beach supplies, especially with plastic bags going away.

The most affordable tote bag is made of canvas which is easy to print on and you can be sure that people will use them long-term. Avoid plastic tote bags, which can look cheap and people are quick to get rid of. Additionally, plastic is bad for the environment! Tote bags probably provide the most opportunities for customizing out of all the bag types, especially if you go with cotton. They tend to have the largest print area and the widest variety of print methods to choose from.

Check Out 5 Benefits Of A Giveaway Promotional Tote Bag

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Drawstring Bags

Drawstring bags are great for big events where people will be walking for long periods of time. Because these bags are generally small and simple, they are great for people looking to hold just a few things while displaying your logo to several thousand people at large events.

Cotton fabric makes the best drawstring bag for screen printing a large order. Especially because you can’t screen print on the synthetic drawstring bags unless you want them to get all mangled and melted under the heat dryers. The other nice thing is that this bag can be washed like regular laundry.

Fanny Packs

Now that the ’90s are back in style, fanny packs are cool again. We generally suggest using embroidery for your logo or design application, as these types of bags are usually made of tougher material, and because of it’s size and shape, screen printing or DTG can be difficult.

Pro Tip: Avoid designs with too many details or thin lines, these types of designs are not good for embroidery.

Check Out 7 Reasons to Use Wearable Promotional Items for Your Business

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Duffel Bags

The duffel bag or gym bag is all-purpose, durable, and handy are some of the words used to describe the duffel. Take it to the gym, take it to school, take it camping, take it as a carry-on bag on your trips. Printing on a duffel bag has its’ restrictions that tend to come down to the print area, which can be small depending on the size of the gym bag. So be prepared for that with a logo that can be reduced in size and still look good. Avoid details and multiple colors for the best results.

Once again, we believe that the best way to customize a duffel bag is to use embroidery. This method has a more classic finish look than a simple screen print.

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Neck Wallet

This type of bag is not conventional and is mostly used by event-goers and athletes or outdoorsy people to hold phones, IDs, credit cards, keys, and other small flat items.

Because of the size of this bag and the area available for logo placement, it’s recommended to use embroidery or an embroidered patch which can give the bag a cool look.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator


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How To Design a Statement T-Shirt

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As individuals we all have a lot to say and we’re constantly looking for ways to share our opinions and thoughts about social issues, politics, and our own identities. A statement tee is a great way to share your thoughts without having to say a single word. A statement tee also helps you identify people that are likeminded and can become a way to meet new people and share common ideals. In this article we’ll show you how design the perfect statement tee.

The Statement

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Statement shirts are the perfect choice to highlight any outfit or occasion. Whether you are just trying to spruce up a casual look or you want to down play your evening look, a statement shirt almost always fits. A statement t-shirt doesn’t always have to be something serious, it can be printed with funny quotes, inspirational quotes of your favorite celebrity or a funny drawing, the choice is up to you and you’re imagination and opportunities have no limits.

The Design

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Don’t overthink it - the more simple your concept is, the more relatable it will be. To come up with the best statement think of all the things or ideals that you strongly believe in and put those believes into 2 or 3 words. You can also convey your message by creating a single graphic.

If you own an apparel business and are looking to create a buzz around your idea, creating a graphic tees with a message can also be effective and look more appealing. A statement tee can also include pop culture references, which tend to be more widely recognized.

Pro Tip: If your design includes a font or typeface, making sure it’s easily legible.

The Print Process

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Once you have a design locked in, it’s time to decide what type of printing and what type of ink you will use for your design. Here is a guide to help you with your options.

Print Options

  • Screen Print - This is the gold standard of t-shirt printing. The screen printing method is the most widely used because of its’ effectiveness and durability. It is also affordable when printing in bulk as it most often a minimum is required.

  • Direct To Garment - Also known as DTG printing, this method uses the freedoms of inkjet printing, but prints directly on fabric. Generally, this option is more affordable than screen printing as it requires less setup, specifically if the print has more than 2 or 3 colors. This method is also best when printing a small amount of t-shirts and if the design is highly detailed or is a photo image.

Check out Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing

Inks & Effects

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  • Plastisol - This is the standard ink used in screen-printing. It is the most long-lasting type of ink.

  • Foil - This ink is shiny and reflective, mostly used in specialty prints where you have a metallic or a gold color.

  • Water-based - This type of ink is engrained into the fabric, unlike plastisol that sits on top of the fabric. This ink is also better for the environment.

  • Puff - This type of print requires an additive that is applied to ink. This additive rises when it is exposed to heat, making the print “puff up” on the garment.

Learn more about What is The Best Ink for Screen Printing

Color

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Considering the colors before the design process is complete may help you budget for your production. The more colors your print has, chances are, the more it will cost you to print. Figuring out what type of print you will use is the first step, if your prefer method is screen printing, then we recommend you take into consideration that if your design contains a lot of colors, this will require a bigger set-up cost for each screen.

By choosing the direct to garment print option your cost will most likely not go up if you have a lot of colors, however, you will sacrifice durability.

In addition to dictating the cost of printing, color can also dictate the color of the t-shirt.

T-shirt designs have two sets of colors to keep in mind: the fabric color(s) and the print color(s). To make sure that these two complement each other, always use your fabric color as the background of your design ideas.

Learn more about the Pros and Cons of Screen Printing vs. Digital Printing

T-Shirt Type

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Work with your printer to find the right fabric and t-shirt style for your design. You should also consider your customers such as what type of t-shirt style is most popular among your demographics? and what price point is most attractive for your customers? that questions specifically will help determine the t-shirt quality you will need to purchase.

Find a Printer

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Finding a print shop can be an easy google search, but finding a GOOD printer can be a little more diffucult.

So how do you know if a print shop is good? Don’t just look for the best deals, you should also consider the printer’s reputation. Check for customer reviews, check their social media such as Instagram for examples of their work. Remember, the print shop does not always have to be local, if you find a printer outside of your city or even state, ask them about their shipping rates prior to placing your order.

You can also tell if a print shop is good based on their customer service and how much help they provide for setting up your files. File setup can be a little complicated, so a print shop that offers to help with this task is a plus!

Check out How To Prepare a Design File For Screen Printing

Besides the technical file setup, find a print shop that has an in-house art department. This will demonstrate that they are capable of assisting you on your design to achieve the best print possible.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator


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Merch Ideas for Streamers and YouTubers

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If you’ve built up a substantial following, the most logical thought is about how you can further explore other avenues for earning money and keep your audience engaged with your content. Most YouTubers and Twitch Streamers now sell merch with their names, logos, or tag-lines. We’ll tell you about all the possible merch that will work specifically with your audience and coincide with your content.

Creative Merch Design

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Being creative with your design is the first step. Because anybody can put their name or hashtag on a mug, it’s important to set yourself apart from others by having clear branding that best represents you and what you’re about.

Put your creative ideas to use by creating merch that your subscribers will want to show off and add an income stream to your YouTube influencer earnings to boot!

Professional Design

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Once you have a concrete idea of what you are envisioning for your design, hire a designer. By hiring a professional, you are guaranteed that your merch will look good because they will be able to assist you on not only bringing your design to life but advising you on certain design rules to ensure high quality graphics.

Here are a few options on where you can find talented designers within your budget or design style.

  • Fiverr: Freelancers posts gigs on Fiverr which you can filter by price, delivery time, and more. By browsing the available gigs you are able to click on and see their previous work. It’s a great place to find designers who can create great merch designs at fair prices.

  • Upwork: Another great place to find freelance designers is Upwork. You can simply post your project as a job and designers are able to apply. You then have the choice to hire the best candidate.

  • Instagram: Everyone has a profile on Instagram, and this is a great platform to find your favorite designers and reach out directly to ask for their rates. Additionally, collaborating with a designer that has a big following is beneficial.

DIY Design

If your budget does not allow for hiring a designer and you don’t have or know how to use design programs such as illustrator, don’t fret! there are other FREE tools that can help you come up with a kick-ass design.

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  • Canva: This online tool is great for creating all types of graphics for social media and websites. Additionally, Canva offers a logo design tool that is easy and fast!

  • Crello: This tool is also a good option for a more traditional approach to logo design, it is fully loaded with graphics and fonts that can be interchangeable to create your own.

  • Choose Us!: At Family Industries, we offer design assistance to all of our customers. We work with clients on bringing their ideas unto a solid print. We not only print your merch, we also create your digital files all in one place.

Causes & Beliefs

A good way to further promote your merch and make a difference is working with a cause that you are passionate about or is somehow tied into your branding. You can donate portions of the profits from each sale, this can boost your merch sales and in turn help others.

Limited Editions

By dropping limited edition items, you are creating a buzz around those products and that incentivizes people to buy your merch knowing not a lot of people will have that same item or piece of clothing. The exclusivity of posseting an item that only a few other people have can drive interest in that product by 50%.


Popular YouTuber and Streamer Merch

There are many different influencer merch ideas out there. We recommend getting feedback from your subscribers to find the most creative merch ideas for YouTubers and streamers. However, there are also some tried and true products that the best influencer merch stores carry.

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Apparel

Clothing such as t-shirts, hoodies, and even socks are the most common merch sold across all platforms. This option can be the most affordable and the best way to get more exposure for your brand, too, since customers will likely wear your merch when they’re hanging out with friends in public.

Bags

Much like apparel, bags such as tote bags and backpacks can be the best way to get exposure and in turn it’s a very useful product for everybody.

Hats & Accessories

Accessories such as hats, bandanas, or even headphones are also good options and low in cost. Smaller items are also cheaper to ship which can allow you to offer your items are a lower price to incentivize people to make the purchase.


Conclusion

Merch is the best way to capitalize on your popularity as an influencer, streamer or YouTuber and can earn you some extra income at the same time. Merch is also a great addition to your advertising and marketing strategy and can help boost brand awareness and get you more followers. With the merch ideas for YouTubers and streamers we’ve shared here, you have everything you need to start selling your own products!

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator


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For any inquiries, send us a message!

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send us an e-mail at quotes@familyindustriesla.com

Printing on Athletic Apparel

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Athletic and athleisure wear has become more and more popular over recent years, not only because of a more health conscious population but because these types of apparel provides more comfort when going through our day-to-day activities. In this article we’ll take you through the advantages of creating athletic merch for your brand and the challenges that come with printing on this type of material.

What is Athletic wear?

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Athletic wear refers to clothing that allows for maximum flexibility and comfort when performing a sport or when working out at a gym. Athletic wear is made up of ultra breathable and moisture wicking fibers to help release sweat outwards which evaporates into the atmosphere. It keeps the body cool in heat and warm in cold.

The Benefits of Moisture-Wicking Fabric in Your Workout Clothes

What is Athleisure Wear?

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Athleisure wear is a more common type of fashionable casual and comfortable clothing such as tights or leggings and lightweight tops to keep skin cool while doing every-day activities, walking, or non competitive sports. This type of clothing was born out of the necessity to be comfortable while performing daily activities. It lies at the intersection of activewear and traditional sportswear that was meant as recreational wear designed for daytime or leisure activity.

Read more about What is the Difference Between Athletic wear and Athleisure wear?

How is Printing Done on Athletic Wear?

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There are a few ways to print on athletic or athleisure wear that depend on the type of fabrics used to make the garments. Some fabric are easier to work with than others but there is always a way.

We’ll recommend the most common ways we recommend to print on athletic wear or athleisure wear with Pros and Cons.


Design

Because of the nature of athletic fabrics, keeping a design simple can be beneficial if you’re looking to have prints such as your logo or letters. Many brand such as Nike have a simple logo that they can print using a heat press and that also keeps the costs down.

Inks

Ink production technology has kept up with the athletic fabric trend, and there are inks out there that are formulated to address the challenges of printing on synthetic jersey fabrics. If you’re looking to screen print your design, look for low-bleed inks that cure at lower temperatures for longer times. These are made specifically to lessen the effects of dye migration.

Consider Flexibility

Most athletic fabrics have a specific amount of stretch that may make screen printing difficult or not as durable as other print methods. Once you have found the garment, check the material it is made with, that information will dictate which print method is best for your apparel.


Recommended

PRINT METHODS:

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DTG or Direct To Garment Printing

DTG printing method uses a printer with textile inks which allows for faster and low cost production. While this option is the more cost-effective, it is also the lowest quality. This type of textile ink is not durable and depending on the material you are printing on it may look dull and cheap. Additionally, printing on dark clothing using this method is not recommended.

PROS

  • Low Setup Costs

CONS

  • Low Resolution

  • Not Durable

  • Not Good For Dark Fabrics

Sublimation Printing

Sublimation is one of the most durable methods you can use if you are printing on polyester fabrics. This method requires applying a liquid dye unto the garment until it has solidified, then heat is applied to then evaporate the solid matter leaving the dye perfectly printed into every thread. This is why this method provides long-lasting quality.

PROS

  • Durable

  • Creative Freedom to Use Wide Range of Colors and Patterns

CONS

  • Limited To Polyester Fabrics

Heat Press Printing

Heat press is the type of printing that is most often used in athletic gear for smaller logos and labels. Heat press uses a specific type of paper that is applied directly unto the garment and then it is pressed using a press. This type of printing is used by brand such as Nike and Adidas. This method has a very sharp and clean look to it.

PRO

  • Low Setup Cost

  • Sharp Print

CONS

  • Quality Control - If done incorrectly, print can easily peel off


CONCLUSION

If you’d like to print your logo or a smaller design unto a breathable material we suggest to go with heat press printing, this method will result in the most clear print with perfect lines and it’s one of the most affordable options.

If you’d like to have the entire garment printed with an intricate design, we suggest to print using the sublimation method. Sublimation is highly durable and gives you freedom when it comes to colors and design, however, you’re limited to polyester fabrics only.

Author: Irene Floridia - Content Creator


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For any inquiries, send us a message!

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send us an e-mail at quotes@familyindustriesla.com