Trends for 2025: What’s In, What’s Out, and What’s Hot for Event Giveaways

At the recent Promotional Products Association International (PPAI) Expo, held in January in Las Vegas, we got a peak at the popular trends experts believe will influence purchasing decisions by marketing organizations and fulfillment vendors for the year to come.

Based on what we saw, it appears that 2025 will continue to build on last year’s trends, with an emphasis on more neutral color palettes, higher quality materials, and longer lasting products. Unlike in the past, where event giveaways were often just branded trinkets that were typically thrown away, businesses today are more focused on delivering useful items with a higher perceived value that reflect well on the company.

Notably, this pursuit of quality over quantity does not necessarily mean companies will be spending more on giveaways. Competitive pricing and better production methods are enabling businesses to purchase high-value products without a significant impact on the budget.

As for corporate gifts given to customers, prospects, and employees, these higher-end items will feature more subtle branding so as not to appear too showy or blatantly promotional, further elevating their perceived value.

Let’s dig deeper into the details of what we discovered at this year’s PPAI Expo.

Move to More Neutral Colors Continues

Similar to last year, bright, bold, and flamboyant colors are out in 2025. This year, businesses are opting for a more luxurious palette featuring warmer, lighter colors accented by darker muted tones.

Mocha Mousse is the Pantone color of the year—a mid-toned brown that has become the center of modern style and interior design. Darker colors such as navy blue and dark brown are the “new black” for 2025, incorporated into more products and wearables.

Tans and other shades of brown will be prevalent, essentially serving as an alternative to grays and whites. Shades of blue—predominantly navy, cobalt, and dusty—will be used as accents to add a splash of color to products and apparel. Universally considered a calming color, blue offers a bit of brightness without being too showy and can also stand on its own if needed.

A Shift Towards Practicality

In 2025, functional, useful gifts with simple designs convey an elegant simplicity that will resonate with budget-conscious recipients. Monochromatic black, white, gray, or stainless-steel color schemes will be popular, while matte or other softer finishes will suggest a greater perceived value—even for lower-priced items.

Rugged rubberized finishes will also be fashionable in 2025, adorning products ranging from high-tech gadgets to drinkware and even bags. Whether the material is silicone or actual rubber, it makes products appear more durable, not to mention weather and stain resistant. The softer grip not only gives products a higher-quality look, it also just feels better compared to the standard plastic. Visually, rubberized materials are also easier to render in a matte finish, implying a higher-end product compared to those using shiny plastic and steel. Finally, rubber coated items are much easier to clean, which is a real plus for products intended to be used frequently.

What Items Will be Popular in 2025?

Based on activity at the PPAI Expo, the following gifts and giveaways are shaping up to be some of the most popular items in 2025.

Based on the trends emerging for the coming year, you might want to consider some different decorating alternatives when ordering these items. For instance, rather than producing these materials in your corporate color, try a base such as black or white and use the corporate color as an accent for branding or accessories such as handle pads, notebook straps, pens, or lids.

Clear/See-Through Drinkware

Transparent plastic or glass drinkware attracted a lot of attention at the show. The see-through glasses or mugs allow people to see what’s being consumed—especially popular with both at-home and on-the-go coffee drinkers who love showing off their delicious creations. See-through materials also provide some unique and interesting branding opportunities.

Sling Bags

Smaller than a backpack but bigger than a belt bag (which will continue to enjoy strong popularity in 2025), sling bags are more flexible and gender-neutral because they can be worn in any number of ways, including across the chest or back. These bags are particularly favored by people who love hiking or short adventures and require minimal packing. Some sling backs can even be converted into smaller backpacks when additional storage is required.

Backpack Coolers

Great for beach days, hiking, or camping, backpack coolers offer a compact alternative to carrying large, cumbersome coolers on your outings. Simply load up the cooler and wear it slung over your shoulders, lightening the load and freeing up your hands.

Apparel and Wearables

What apparel and styles will be popular in 2025? Here’s an overview of the trends that emerged at the PPAI Expo.

Heavyweight Fabrics for Shirts and Hoodies

Expect a sharp move away from softer, lighter fabrics in 2025 in favor of heavier apparel. For confirmation of this trend look no further than Lululemon, whose newer shirts have strayed from their usual buttery fabrics. Carhartt is the trend setter in heavyweight cotton fabrics for shirts and hoodies. While their decision to deal primarily in heavier material stemmed from their original target audience of field workers who needed a sturdier material for their work clothes, they have turned this business move into one of the most popular streetwear brands.

Oversized Apparel

The trend of wearing oversized shirts, jackets, and pants that are not fitted to the body has grown over the years. While it started primarily as street fashion, it has recently found a home in promotional apparel with more brands embracing this trend. The upside to this trend is that people no longer need to size-up to get the desired look—apparel will come already oversized.

Vintage Country Club

An upscale twist on last year’s retro trend, the vintage country club style features classic golf and equestrian apparel that makes people feel they are members of something exclusive and elite. These styles, including polo collared sweatshirts, polo stripes, and slightly curved hats like Legacy Skully Caps, use thicker cotton fabric and color blocking to project a “jockey” look.

Solid Fabrics

In 2025, the industry will see a shift away from heathered fabrics with a washed out, complex look toward more solid fabrics and colors like sage green, browns, and warm whites. This monochromatic style is expected to dominate the streets, making outfits sleeker and simpler while helping them stand out.

Horizontal Split Seams on Jackets

Seen mainly on quarter- and half-zip jackets, this seam— originally popularized by North Face—is designed to provide color and texture blocking as well as to break up the fabric and draw attention to the front of the jacket. It’s the perfect style for drawing attention to your corporate logo when embroidered on the chest above the seam.

Cuffed Long-Sleeve Tops for Women

New polo alternatives designed exclusively for women will gain significant attention in 2025. While polos are popular corporate apparel for men, women often find their shape unflattering. Cuffed and bloused long-sleeved versions will address these concerns and become the new polo alternative for women.

Jewel and Cowl Necklines

These more conservative necklines for women will become more fashionable in 2025. Jewel necklines are similar to crew necklines but slightly lower and wider, barely exposing the collarbone. Cowl hood necklines are popular for hoodies, creating a draped look that makes a fashion statement when wearing the hood.

Let OnFulfillment Help You Navigate These Trends in 2025

While these trends are obviously not set in stone, they do provide some direction for branded merchandise purchasing decisions for the next 12 months. Consider these options as you begin planning out your events and giveaways for the coming year.

OnFulfillment is available to help you find and produce these, or any other, items you need. To learn more about how we can help, visit www.onfulfillment.com/contact-us to schedule a meeting.