A Case for a New Kind of Swag

There are few things folks agree on these days but I think it’s safe to say, when it comes to corporate swag, everyone has it, but few actually use it.

Don’t believe us? Just dig through your bottom drawer, and let us know if there’s no branded lanyard, notebook, or ballpoint pen buried in there. We’ll wait.

Folks tend to have an ever-growing mountain of stuff that ends up collecting dust in drawers, or worse, getting tossed after little or no use - contributing to the 2.01 billion tons of waste a year. 🫠

We’ve had the to swag or not to swag debate more times than we can count at Black Glass, most recently for our 5 Year Anniversary Party. Do we need swag for this event? What type of swag do people actually want to use? How do we tie it to our ambition of making a meaningful impact? ARE WE JUST CREATING MORE STUFF?!

To be honest, we don’t totally have a one-size-fits-all answer. We want to show appreciation for our team and use swag to boost culture—because swag can be a powerful embodiment of the workplace—but we also want to ensure that whatever we give out aligns with our values (and gets used!)

That’s why we took a new approach with our anniversary swag. Instead of the typical branded tchotchkes, we partnered with RAREFORM, a B Corp certified brand that repurposes billboards into bags. It was no extra lift to order from RAREFORM, but it signaled something different—something meaningful.

If you do find yourself making swag, here are three tips to make it meaningful:

1. Expand your definition of swag: Challenge yourself to show appreciation for people beyond traditional artifacts (think donations in their name, access to learning opportunities, exposure, etc.)
2. Create s*** people will actually use: Invest in items your team will value. High-quality, practical gifts like durable water bottles, or tech accessories are a great option. When you can, customize items so they feel extra special (i.e. monogram the item with people’s initials vs company logos and watermarks). By creating swag that aligns with people’s needs (and is SPECIAL), you not only reduce waste but also show your team that you care about giving them something meaningful.
3. Invest in sustainability for ONE item—even if it costs a little more: We know it’s not realistic for all your swag to be sustainable. BUT, if you can swap out just one item for a sustainable option, that’s a great start.

We're not saying to stop the swag—but we encourage you to think about the little ways you can do better. That could look like partnering with an organization like SwagCycle to repurpose obsolete branded merch, or rehoming via your local BuyNothing group. Let us know the most meaningful swag you’ve received OR your tips for breathing new life into old stuff in the comments section below. ☕🖊️🎁

With intentionality, we all keep pushing the world forward.