Fourth of July celebrations are a hallmark of summer in the U.S. This year, however, the festivities will go far beyond fireworks and barbecues. That’s because 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence. America250, as it’s being referred to, is expected to bring the country together – and businesses and communities alike are sure to get in on the excitement.

Whether you’re a supplier or distributor, there are plenty of opportunities to take part. From can’t-miss events to licensing requirements to key information about Made-in-USA labeling, here’s everything you need to know about this historic celebration.

A Nationwide Initiative

Planning for America250 has been in the works for close to a decade. Congress established the U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission in 2016 to plan and orchestrate this historic anniversary. The nonpartisan committee is made up of individuals appointed by Democratic and Republican leaders in the House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as representatives from all three branches of government.

In addition to the America250 campaign, Freedom250 is a public-private partnership between businesses, federal agencies and the White House Task Force 250. With events across the country to commemorate America’s independence, the initiative also focuses on laying the groundwork for the next 250 years.

For companies like Counselor Top 40 supplier NC Custom (asi/44900), America’s 250th anniversary offers a prime opportunity for developing and promoting Made-in-USA product lines. The supplier’s America250 promotional strategy has been carefully coordinated from the start.

“Everything is coordinated,” says Lance Stier, CEO of NC Custom and a member of Counselor’s Power 50 list. “We have a hat that has a striped red, white and blue pattern that pairs with the crewneck with that same striped pattern, and that pairs with a mug with a striped pattern.”

For Stier, successfully rolling out a Made-in-USA lineup for the event requires thoughtful planning. His team has been perfecting its product catalog for nine months.

“Our design team is building collections where the art makes sense and coordinates with the initiative,” he says. “We’re doing more than just dropping logos on stuff.”

Mitch Cahn, president and founder of Newark, NJ-based domestic supplier Unionwear (asi/73775), says his company is busier than it has ever been with America’s 250th anniversary on the horizon.

“We’re seeing a lot of big brands and distributors who have never considered buying domestic now coming to us,” he explains. “We’re seeing the most traffic from brands that have a lot to lose by offering America250 merch that’s not Made in USA because of the risks involved.”

He adds that many of these brands don’t want to send a mixed message by sourcing their America250 merch from overseas. “They don’t want to be called out on social media for not practicing what they preach,” says Cahn, whose company has produced hats and other promo items for both Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns, including the Trump campaign’s iconic red Make America Great Again hats, as well as campaign swag for Barack Obama, Kamala Harris and John McCain.

“We’re seeing the most traffic from brands that have a lot to lose by offering America250 merch that’s not Made in USA because of the risks involved.” Mitch Cahn, Unionwear (asi/73775)

Joe Lankasky, the VP of sales at ImprintID (asi/73651), was already witnessing a growing demand for domestic products even before America250 orders started to trickle in.

“The crazy tariff wars over the last year or so have created a natural demand for domestic products,” he says. “We moved to a new facility in 2024 and brought a lot of production [to the U.S.], and I would say that’s kind of been our thing.”

In February, ImprintID launched its USA Made-To-Order collection – a lineup of domestically produced apparel, bags and custom soft goods. Lankasky says he hopes this offering will afford distributors more freedom and flexibility ahead of this year’s celebrations.

“A lot of our USA-made products are on-the-shelf products ready to be printed, like a trucker cap where you’d put something on it and get it out the door,” he explains. “But we wanted to go after a little bit more customization with the sublimation line. So, now you can make a bag in any shape or size and print full color edge-to-edge on all of the panels beginning to end.”

What To Know About Licensing & Labeling

Companies that are interested in becoming a licensed America250 partner can reach out to Global Icons, the official licensing agency representing official logos, trademarks and assets. To explore licensing opportunities, contact the firm at bill.mcclinton@globalicons.com.

Unionwear is not a licensed partner, but Cahn said that hasn’t stopped the America250-related business from coming in. He hasn’t received any requests to use a licensed logo as part of these orders.

“There are two reasons for this,” he says. “First, it’s expensive. America250, USA 250, you can use all those words… It’s public domain. But if you want to use the licensed logo, you’re paying 10% on the cost of both the logo and the product.”

By the time it reaches the end-user, Cahn continues, businesses could be looking at an extra cost of $3.00 or $4.00 per unit.

“The second reason that many brands aren’t using the America250 logo is that it’s inextricably tied up with the Trump administration,” Cahn says. “For most corporations, it’s very risky to align themselves that closely with a political party.”

Instead, Cahn has seen most of his customers opting to create their own logos to use for their promos.

Anna Ramos of Berney-Karp, Inc. (asi/40261), a manufacturer of USA-made ceramics promo items, agrees that licensing isn’t necessary to get involved in America250.

“We label all our ware USA made, but we have come up with our own saying that you don’t need [America250] licensing,” Ramos says.

Made-in-USA labeling, however, is a bit more complicated – and businesses claiming that status for their products must ensure compliance with Federal Trade Commission (FTC) standards, or risk a potential fine.

“A Made-in-USA label has to be verified all the way from beginning to end,” says Lankasky of ImprintID, which has about 167 products labeled Made in USA. “So, sourcing, printed fabric, finals, construction and then shipped from a USA facility. You really need to dot your I’s if you’re going to put the Made-in-USA tag on things.”

When it comes to labeling a product Made in USA, “marketers need to be ready to show all or virtually all parts and processes are of U.S. origin, all the way back to raw materials,” says Julia Solomon Ensor, a counsel of the Advertising & Media Industry Group at law firm Reed Smith who spent 15 years as the Made-in-USA program manager at the FTC.

Ensor added that during big promotions and events like America250, there’s a tendency to get caught up in the excitement and step over the line, so she recommends due diligence.

“If a marketer makes a false Made-in-USA claim on a product, they’re liable for significant civil penalties,” she explains. “You could be looking at more than $50,000 per violation per day, which really stacks up quickly.”

“A Made-in-USA label has to be verified all the way from beginning to end.” Joe Lankasky, ImprintID (asi/73651)

Companies should take steps now to ensure their Made-in-USA claims are accurate. “Make sure you have a good handle on your supply chain,” Ensor advises. “Go back to suppliers and get documentation.”

For companies that can’t claim Made in USA, Ensor says there are plenty of other ways to get in on the America250 excitement. For example, “think about U.S. job creation claims you can make that aren’t related to manufacturing,” she says. “Or, if everything was designed in the U.S., make that claim.”

ImprintID recently hired a conformity officer who signs off on almost every order to ensure the proper regulatory considerations are taken. Lankasky says this has been a helpful step in ensuring compliance year-round on issues like intellectual property, SMETA audits and more. It also allows his team to fulfill orders more quickly and avoid any legal or regulatory speed bumps.

Cahn, meanwhile, takes issue with the FTC standard because it limits what companies can do with promo. “We’ve seen a lot of companies that want products with only Made-in-USA materials, and that’s a mistake,” he explains. “You might be able to make that work with items like a tote bag or a T-shirt, where there’s only fabric and thread in there, but then you get into more complicated items.”

He offers the example of a baseball cap, one of Unionwear’s most popular products, which is made up of around 23 raw materials. “Those materials aren’t available in all colors domestically,” he says. “So, you’re really going to limit the number of colors you could have. You might be limiting the quality of the raw material, too.”

Get Your America250 Orders in Now

For companies looking to do promo around America250, Mitch Cahn of Unionwear (asi/73775) recommends getting all orders in as soon as possible. “It’s going to be like a presidential election,” Cahn says. “There’s going to be limited capacity and people are going to get stuck having to use imported products or end up with products they don’t like because they waited too long to place their orders.”