ASI Chicago, held at McCormick Place from July 25 to 27, was jam-packed with promo – from high-end drinkware to light-up sneakers to heated camp chairs. Here are four trends from the show that really stood out.

1. Sustainability Sells

Nimble for Good (asi/73952) featured sustainable tech products.

Throughout the show floor at ASI Chicago, suppliers were touting their green bona fides, sharing the sustainable story behind their products. It’s a message that has continued to dominate at industry trade shows in the last couple of years, as more and more companies seek out B Corp certification and other metrics to measure their ESG efforts.

“We’re seeing the market shift to sustainability, and we’re leading that when it comes to tech accessories,” said Chris Goede of Nimble for Good (asi/73952).

Nimble for Good, a B Corp that’s climate-neutral and a member of 1% for the Planet, makes tech accessories – like power banks and wireless chargers – from at least 72.5% post-consumer recycled material. The products come in plastic-free packaging that’s easily recycled, and the company even includes a bag so end-users can recycle their old gadgets for free.

“We kind of close the loop on electronics,” Goede said, noting that disposal of tech items is a big issue in landfills.

Circularity continues to be a growing concern. Recover Brands – a division of NG Labs, which also owns Boxercraft (asi/41325) – showed off its recovery bins that its partners can use to collect old tees for recycling.

“At the end of a garment’s life, we can actually take the product back, break the fibers down and put it back into our supply chain through our closed-loop program,” said Bill Johnston, co-founder and president of Recover.

Recover makes apparel from 100% recycled plastic and cotton – and doesn’t use dyes to color its garments. “On average we use 10 times less water and energy than a conventional shirt that’s dyed,” he added.

Pagani Pens (asi/79688) displayed an array of sustainable writing instruments including the True Biotic, which is made of biobased, nontoxic biopolymers that are biodegradable without industrial composting. And Freaker USA (asi/55445) showed off the Slippy, a reusable beverage sleeve that founder Zach Crain said is made in the USA from ocean-bound plastic collected in Mexico and Haiti.

2. Doggie Dressup

PupLid (asi/80053) presented this specially designed trucker hat that has sun protection for dogs.

Pet apparel at ASI Chicago was as stylish and on-trend as clothing for their human counterparts. Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863) showed off a rugged Carhartt chore coat for dogs made of 100% ringspun cotton duck canvas with a water-repellent coating and a quilted nylon lining for warmth. Bandanna Promotions by Caro-Line (asi/44020) launched its new Swag Wag Pet Triangle product line. The bandannas feature a “snap and go” closure to make it easy to put on and take off.

Another notable product came from PupLid (asi/80053), a supplier that makes trucker hats for dogs. Co-founder Tony Choi said he and his wife, a veterinarian, founded the company after creating the product for their own dog, Buddy.

“Buddy doesn’t like the sun, and my wife wanted to provide him with a little sun protection,” he said. “We just tried different solutions and didn’t find anything we liked.”

PupLids come in different sizes for different breeds, and Choi said it typically takes about a week of training to get a dog to wear the special hats without complaint.

3. Sophisticated Snacking

Mondelez Global Direct (asi/72024) offered customizable Oreo cookies.

During the pandemic, high-end food items skyrocketed in popularity, with corporate clients looking for giftable goodies they could have kitted and sent out to thank their remote workforce. Even though many people are back in the office, the appeal of edible treats hasn’t waned.

Distributors strolling the show floor could easily make a meal out of suppliers’ free samples – whether it was a charcuterie spread set out by Maple Ridge Farms (asi/68680), prosecco gummy bears from Top 40 supplier HPG’s (asi/61966) Batch & Bodega line, mini Bundt cakes or customizable shortbread cookies. The Little Red Kitchen Bake Shop (asi/67767) offered handcrafted desserts made with clean ingredients in small batches by the woman-owned bakery in Brooklyn.

Funky Chunky (asi/55536) had an array of gourmet caramel corns mixed with chocolate, nuts and other treats.

“We’re the best type of merchandise because we’re merchandise you can eat,” said Jen Voss, vice president of marketing and sales at Funky Chunky.

Well-known retail snack brands also made an appearance. For example, Mondelez Global Direct (asi/72024), the maker of Oreo, offered customizable versions of the beloved sandwich cookie, enrobed in white chocolate, covered in sprinkles and decorated with an edible graphic.

4. Quilted & Color-Blocked

Hexa | Custom (asi/60557) showed a new line of customizable color-block windbreakers.

On the apparel side, quilted fabrics were particularly prominent, and not just for outerwear. Marine Layer (asi/68730), a B Corp that makes sustainable garments, offered several styles made with its quilted Corbet fabric, including a crewneck sweatshirt. Andrew Graham, senior director for wholesale and custom, said it’s one of Marine Layer’s best-selling fabrics.

“This quilted look has definitely started to trend even more in the last 12 to 18 months, and we’re continuing to lean into it,” Graham added.

Color-blocking was also prevalent. Marine Layer offered a color-block hoodie in shades of blue and white. Graham noted that the supplier is leaning into customization that elevates their garments from more generic apparel in the promo marketplace “to give customers a true retail-brand feel.”

Hexa | Custom (asi/60557), known for its high-end customizable down jackets, was at the show to debut its new line of custom windbreaker jackets, anoraks and vests – each of which can be customized in a variety of colors to create unique color-block designs.

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