The Drinks are on You

When it comes to drinkware, recipients remember who the giver was, especially if it is personalised

The government may be going cool on its green agenda but in the promotional merchandise world sustainability goes from strength to strength, not least in the world of drinkware.

Nowhere was this more evident than at the most recent edition of Merchandise World where the much-needed cuppa was turned into an opportunity to demonstrate the power of circularity courtesy of exhibitor Circular&Co.

We’re all fans of the unlimited hot beverages at our favourite merchandise trade show, and the September edition saw the usual single use cups supplanted by a Circular Returnable Cup scheme. Drinks were served in the premium feel, no litter cups which have been specifically designed for commercial deposit return schemes. 

Drinkers collected their beverages as usual and deposited them and their lids in collection bins where they could be taken away for cleaning and reuse.

Liz Newton of event organisers Sourcing City, said: “The Merchandise World event team are always looking for ways to make the show more environmentally friendly. We were delighted that Circular&Co offered to provide their returnable cup scheme for the show. With the amount of tea and coffee consumed at the show, it was clear to see the benefit of using returnable cups at an event of this size. The clear signage and collection bins made it very simple for people to enjoy their drinks and reuse and/or return the cups, for use again in the future.”

It is hoped that Circular&Co will provide the cups again for the next Merchandise World show in January 2024.

 

Many happy returns

The result of two years of development and over 12 months of field testing in a variety of pilots, the attention to detail makes the transition from single to returnable as pain free as possible. Everything has been considered and tested.

In US and Asia the cups are supplied in 100% food grade recycled PP (rPP) making the Circular Returnable Cup a fully circular product, with huge carbon savings for the industry.

FSA European and UK markets are not currently able to use rPP due to pending regulatory approval so the cups are supplied to these markets made from 100% recyclable, food grade virgin PP.

However, it remains a cost-effective, affordable solution to replacing single-use cups designed to last over 500 commercial wash cycles. It is tough and ready for whatever you can throw at it.

Everything can technically be recycled in the cup making it 100% ‘Real World’ recyclable the company claims.

 

In the Loop

The company was not the only one to make a virtue of circularity. First Edition was also launching a sustainable product at Merchandise World, in the shape of its Loop water bottle which is made from recycled milk containers.

According to Mark Alderson, managing director of First Editions: “With businesses increasingly demanding trust and traceability from their suppliers, we place sustainability centre stage and offer complete transparency throughout our supply chain.”

In a closed-loop production facility, milk bottles are sorted, cleaned, shredded and melted down into pellets. These are then used to manufacture the Loop bottle which is based on First Editions’ popular style Olympic bottle, with a no-slip grip.

The Loop is made in the UK from 100% post-consumer waste and is food grade-assured, BPA free and dishwasher safe. It’s fully customisable and presented in recyclable packaging. It is even produced using renewable energy from First Editions’ zero-waste plant.

Alderson added: “Our focus on energy efficiency, renewable energy supply and a ‘zero waste’ production process is helping us to mitigate our environmental impact and reduce our carbon footprint. Business success should not come at a cost to the planet.”

Giving back

Having a good story for a product is increasingly important for brands to help convey that there actions go beyond mere mission statements.

Laltex Promo has launched the first in a series of promotional items that help to support charitable causes. It Bilby Bottle, from its new eco-friendly drinkware range has an interesting story that really seems to resonate with distributors and end users alike.

Promoting environmental and humanitarian change for the better, the Bilby Sports Bottle is branded as the ‘bottle that gives back’. This environmentally conscious item is made from recycled ocean bound plastic which is much kinder to the planet.

In addition to its eco credentials, the Bilby helps to provide safe water sources for thousands of impoverished children and their families at direct risk of waterborne illness in Uganda as for every bottle sold, a donation of 20p is given directly to HUGS (reg. charity 1098176) to fund the provision of sanitation, latrines and water catchment facilities for those who need it most.

 

Ocean plastic

Another product that combines longevity with protection of the coastal environment is the Ocean Bottle, which is distributed in the UK by PF Concept.

The high-quality bottle provides stainless steel vacuum insulation to keep drinks hot for eight hours and cold for 18.

Every one of the bottles funds the collection of 1,000 plastic bottles, or 11.4kg of plastic, helping to divert plastic away from the world’s oceans, improving livelihood in coastal communities.

Not only that, but they look great and can be branded in several different ways including engraving, printing and Pantone colour matching.

According to PF Concept’s Rob Durrant, the bottles are retail standard and so are particularly desirable and valued by recipients. The high perceived value makes them ideal for sectors such as electric vehicles and fintech companies, he thinks.

 

Attention grabbing

Neil Cleere, managing director of The Pen Warehouse & Snap Products, said such innovation captured the imagination of users.

“Businesses are continuously looking for unique promotional products that capture attention and resonate with their audiences. We are thrilled to provide our distributors with the latest and most sought-after items,” he added.

With increased awareness of gifts with meaning, the company is seeing an increase in environmental sustainability credentials being essential. Companies are also prepared to spend more on a well-made and long-lasting product.  

Recycled materials and carbon offsetting are in demand with bottles made from recycled materials with GSR certification becoming standard. This relates to mainly plastic materials where the raw materials are guaranteed to be ethically recycled.

Carbon offset products are also proving popular as it is not always possible to manufacture promotional items from recycled materials, where the process of recycling can impact the quality of the material.

There is a growing appetite for offsetting the carbon footprint of these types of products. The Chili range of products is offset using reforestation projects, tree planting and building sustainable energy production facilities such as hydro-electric power plants in Africa.

Cleere points to personalisation as a way of adding meaning and value to a promotional gift. Items that can be customised to feature a recipient’s name or a tailored message are particularly on-trend, with a sharp increase in this request around the festive season.

The Pen Warehouse and Snap Products uses a digital printing technology that offers high quality printing at magazine quality, this print method along with laser engraving allow for variable data meaning an individual message or initials can be added to each unit product ordered. 

 

Set to stay

Listawood managing director, Alex Turner also notes a move towards ‘ultra-personalisation’ where customers are wanting more than just a silver bottle, white Cambridge or black Sparta mug for example.

“They are looking for custom coloured products matching exactly their corporate colour palette that can be branded with their logo or advertising message. Or equally they may be looking for drinkware that can be branded from top to bottom that can be personalised quickly and in very small quantities,” he said. 

The company offers an extensive selection of coffee to go and thermal drinkware lines that meet the increasing demand for high quality and useful corporate gifts that offer exceptional return on investment due to their high desirability and value for money.

Listawood has invested in innovative processes and state of the art technology such as its digital ColourFusion process which allows the entire surface of the drinkware to be decorated. Developed in its UK research and development centre and first launched in 2018, this innovative process is protected by US and European Patents and has proved to be phenomenally popular with their line of thermal bottles.

Traditional ceramic products remain a staple product line for the manufacturer, and demand for thermal and coffee-to-go products continues to grow.

Along with standard colours and finishes across the product portfolio, Listawood offers UK produced Pantone matched thermal bottles and coffee-to-go drinkware in a choice of finishes. Its recently launched 360-degree full colour digital print can be applied to its entire metal drinkware collection, including Pantone matched ColourCoat bottles for a stunning and totally customised finish.

Whatever product brands choose, the recipient is sure to remember who got the drinks in.

 

BOX – A journey of innovation and expansion

In the world of promotional products and personalised merchandise, Listawood has a rich history of innovation and expansion.

The BPMA grabbed the chance for a factory visit, hosted by Alex Turner, Listawood managing director and BPMA Board Member, Andrew Hill, group sales and marketing director and Becki White, sales and marketing manager.

Established in 1988 as a small supplier of magnetic games, Listawood took its first steps into the promotional market in 1992.

Demonstrating the innovation for which is would become known, Listawood introduced WowMugs, a product line that utilised a special spray coating method for thermochrome mugs. The mugs reveal an image or message when a hot liquid was poured into them, creating an engaging and interactive experience for users and brought a new level of personalisation to promotional products.

Listawood’s unique spray coating method was at the heart of its success, allowing for high-quality, full-colour images and designs to be applied to the mugs, ensuring durability and a vibrant finish.

Next, Listawood developed DuraGlaze, a revolutionary dishwasher-proof coating that significantly enhanced the durability of their merchandise, ensuring that printed images and designs remained intact and vibrant even after repeated wash cycles.

As the demand for innovative products grew Listawood makes strategic moves to expand its operations, opening factories in India and Poland. These hubs ensure that Listawood’s products are readily available around the world.