This Earth Day, ASI’s award-winning Promo for the Planet turns 3, and to celebrate the occasion, we’ve launched a refresh of the page, with updated information and a few new features to ensure that members are privy to the latest news, biggest trends and best ideas to help build a more sustainable and socially responsible industry.

If you haven’t visited recently, I encourage you to check it out and email me at thegel@asicentral.com to let me know what you think. We’ve updated the glossary of sustainable terms and listing of sustainable certifications and labels. In addition to featuring the three most recent sustainability stories published by ASI Media at the top of the page, we’ve added a button to spotlight other stories that still have relevance but might have gotten lost in the shuffle of your busy workweek. Simply click the “highlighted sustainability stories” button to find trends to watch, sustainable innovations, tips and strategies, and sustainable product ideas.

In addition, we’ve added a “Watch & Learn” section featuring six sustainability-related videos, which will be updated regularly with new episodes of the Promo Insiders podcast, quick-hit videos featuring actionable tips and smart strategies, or other multimedia content from around the industry.

Another new section on the page is all about what branded merch companies can do to kick-start their own sustainability efforts. The “What Can You Do?” section of Promo for the Planet includes a waste decision tree created by Counselor Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863) to help distributors and apparel decorators keep textiles and other products out of landfills. There’s also a listing of companies – in the promo industry and beyond – that can help you to donate or recycle end-of-life branded merch. Plus, we’re featuring a few resources companies can use to help calculate and reduce their carbon footprint, including a free calculation tool for printing operations created by ASI’s strategic content partner PRINTING United Alliance.

Peppered throughout the page are eye-opening statistics about the power of sustainable and socially responsible merch, often gleaned from ASI’s own research. For instance, did you know that 100% of promo end-buyers ages 25 to 34 say it’s important that the companies they work with offer eco-friendly products? And 88% of end-buyers (of any age) say it’s important to them that the companies they work with offer socially responsible products.

Refreshing the Promo for the Planet page is just one of many sustainability-related activities planned for 2025 and beyond. In June, for instance, I will be helping to host the inaugural Why It Matters LIVE: Sustainable Merch Summit, in conjunction with the Branded Merch Network, Apparelist and the 2 Regular Guys podcast. The free two-hour-long virtual event will be packed full of live panels, prerecorded keynotes, real-world case studies and more – all designed to spark real conversations and celebrate the brands shaping a more responsible industry.

As always, I welcome your input, questions and concerns. If you couldn’t tell from the wealth of sustainability stories we produce each year, suppliers and distributors across the industry are diligently working to lower their environmental impact. I, along with ASI, remain committed to sharing the most important news, trends and strategies to help elevate the sustainability of the promo products industry and make a better future a reality.

Promo for the Planet is your destination for the latest news, biggest trends and best ideas to help build a more sustainable and socially-responsible industry.