Spotlight On Stran
Inside the World's Biggest Merch Markets ✈️
Every product Stran recommends starts somewhere; a factory floor in Guangzhou, a supplier conversation in Hong Kong, a prototype held in hands before it ever reaches a client's.
This spring, our team traveled to China to attend two of the world's most significant sourcing events: the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair and the China Import and Export Fair (Canton Fair).
Click the + to read more 👇
Why We Go
The branded merchandise industry moves fast. New materials, new manufacturing techniques, new sustainability standards, new product categories entirely — the brands that stay ahead of these shifts are in the room when changes happen. Stran's trip to China this spring was about getting eyes on what's coming, so our clients don't have to wonder.
The Shows
The Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair is one of the world's largest trade events for gifts, premiums, and corporate merchandise, drawing over 3,500 exhibitors from 25 countries and regions, with more than 35,000 buyers in attendance. It's where trends in branded product design, packaging, and gifting innovation surface before they hit North American distributor catalogs.
The Canton Fair (formally the China Import and Export Fair) is the largest trade fair in China, spanning 1.55 million square meters across three phases and hosting 32,000+ exhibitors.
What This Means for Clients
When our team travels to events like these, the benefit isn't abstract. It translates directly into better sourcing options, more informed recommendations, and early access to products before they become widely available.
Product Picks:
Sustainably Sourced 🌱
Sustainabile merch has moved from differentiator to expectation, and buyers are paying attention.
This month's picks have a positive environmental impact and the kind of design that earns a permanent spot in someone's daily rotation.
Click the + to see the picks! 👇
Outpatch Peel & Stick Embroidered Patches
The patch is having a moment, but Outpatch came to it differently. Their custom embroidered peel-and-stick patches are made from thread spun out of 100% recycled post-consumer plastic, and every purchase channels funds to grassroots nonprofits chosen to reflect the values of the design.
The sustainability story isn't a footnote here; it's baked into how the whole thing works.
For branded merch, the patch format opens creative territory. Because they peel and stick rather than requiring sewing, recipients get to decide where they live — on a hat, a bag, a jacket, a notebook — and can move them around as the mood strikes. That flexibility makes them a strong fit for event activations, conference swag, new hire kits, or any program where you want the item to feel personal rather than uniform. Custom designs are available, so your logo or campaign mark can live on something people are proud to wear.
Brevité The Pouch
Brevité built its reputation on camera bags designed for people who take their gear seriously, but don't want to look like they're carrying a camera bag. The Pouch brings that same sensibility to a compact everyday organizer made from recycled polyester, with YKK zippers, two internal pockets, a large magnetic compartment, and a bottom handle for quick grab-and-go carry.
The versatility is what makes it a strong branded pick. It works as a standalone send, a kit component, or a conference giveaway for audiences who travel, commute, or just want their small essentials sorted. The recycled construction gives it a sustainability credential that holds up, and the design is clean enough that people will reach for it long after the moment they received it.
Both picks are available through our Sustainable collection, chosen because they hold their value, carry a credible environmental story, and put your brand somewhere people keep coming back to. Explore the full sustainable collection here.
Industry News
2026 ASI Ad Impressions Study
Every year, ASI publishes its Ad Impressions Study — the most comprehensive look at how promotional products perform as an advertising medium. The 2026 edition just dropped, and the numbers make a strong case for investing in branded merch.
Click the + to read what caught our attention 👇
The Case for Promo
The study is based on surveys of thousands of consumers across the U.S., Mexico, Canada, and much of Europe, examining how branded merchandise influences buying decisions and brand perception.
A few findings worth knowing:
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Consumers choose promo over every other ad format. When asked to rank advertising mediums, respondents put promotional products above TV, social media, radio, and digital ads. The downstream effect is significant too: nearly 80% of people who receive a promo item walk away thinking more highly of the brand behind it, and most say it makes them more inclined to buy from that company.
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The cost-per-impression is almost impossibly low. A single low-cost item can generate thousands of brand impressions over its life at a fraction of a cent each — a $6 tote bag, for example, generates close to 5,000 impressions over its lifetime at roughly 1/10 of a cent per impression. Even higher-investment pieces like outerwear hold their efficiency because people keep them and wear them for years. No digital campaign leaves something behind when it ends.
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People keep what they can use. The study found that practicality is the dominant factor in whether someone holds on to a promo item — by a wide margin. That insight cuts straight to the brief: the best merch isn't just well-branded, it earns a place in someone's daily life.
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Sustainability has moved from differentiator to expectation. Consumer appetite for sustainable, socially responsible, and domestically made products has grown noticeably since the last edition of the study across demographics, not just among the audiences you might expect.
What This Means for Your Brand
The data doesn't just validate promo as a category, but rather points toward what makes promo work: useful products, intentional choices, and a clear connection between the item and the impression you want to leave.
From The Blog
Merch As a Sales Strategy
Cold outreach has a response rate problem, and most sales teams know it.
Our latest blog explores a different approach: using branded merch as a strategic touchpoint to re-engage cold leads, stay present during long decision cycles, and give your follow-up a reason to land.
It's less about gifting and more about timing, intention, and knowing what to send and when.
