The 2026 version of the PPAI Expo, which traditionally attracts the country’s largest and most prominent promotional product providers and distributors, recently wrapped up in Las Vegas. As usual, the event showcased emerging trends and hinted at which branded promotional products might be popular for the coming year.

This year, the themes seemed to revolve around simplification: ways to declutter your life, reduce stress, and generally promote wellness—for people as well as the planet—through more convenient and “mellow” products.

Employee engagement is a critical driver of business success. Engaged employees are not only more productive and loyal, they are also more likely to invest in the company by contributing innovative ideas and recommendations.

Over the past several weeks, to help customers navigate the evolving tariff landscape (and avoid the related costs), we’ve produced a series of blogs covering various branded promotional items made in the U.S.A.  

The first chapter in this story covered promotional giveaways under $5. The second offered insights into branded items priced between $5 and $10, while the third covered items priced between $20 and $50—nice corporate gifts typically given to customers, partners or employees. The most recent entry focused on higher-end executive gifts priced $50 and up—the types of items that celebrate a specific accomplishment or milestone.

The tariff situation remains up in the air. Once day they’re on; the next day they’re off. Deals are struck; deals are abandoned. Rates are up; rates are down.

As the U.S. threat to impose oppressive tariffs continues, businesses are uncertain about how to proceed with their summer plans. For those in the market for branded promotional giveaways, it’s not clear what the economic impact will be from one day to the next on products purchased or sourced overseas.

This series shows there are ways around this situation or strategies for avoiding it altogether: purchasing promotional items made in the U.S.A. This entry is the third in this series, offering suggestions on branded merchandise we’ve found are either produced entirely in the U.S. or made using pieces produced overseas but assembled domestically (qualifying them to still be labeled “Made in the U.S.A.”).