Branding Together: The Latest Trends in Print & Promo
In this mini-episode, the podcast hosts chat about some of the most significant industry trends they’ve been seeing in the latter half of 2025.
Join Theresa Hegel of ASI and Cassie Green of Apparelist and PRINTING United Alliance for a special mini-episode of Branding Together as they discuss key trends in the promotional and apparel decorating industries for the latter half of 2025.
The Branding Together co-hosts explore recent survey results showing increased optimism despite a tough first half of the year and highlight the growth of print-on-demand services. They also emphasize the importance of sustainability practices and note a significant rise in apparel decorators diversifying into the promotional products space.
The show was recorded on location at the grand opening of Stahls’ Fulfill One facility in Chesterfield, MI. During the episode, Green and Hegel also tease another in-person episode of the podcast, which will be recorded at PRINTING United Expo in October.
Key Takeaways
• The promotional products and apparel decorating industries reported sluggish sales in early 2025, with distributor sales down 3.2% in Q2 and decorators averaging just 0.9% growth. However, optimism at industry events suggests a stronger finish to the year.
• Roughly 54% of promo distributors and 54% of apparel decorators now offer print-on-demand services, with apparel decorators more likely to handle it in-house. Sales from this model are expected to grow nearly 16% on average, making it an increasingly essential offering.
• Apparel decorators are expanding into promotional products, with 66% reporting diversification and more than 84% of those branching into promo printing. Likewise, 61% of promo distributors now sell printing services, highlighting the industries’ growing overlap.
• Distributors are adding value with offerings such as company stores (48%) and kitting services (35%), both of which have steadily increased over the past few years. These services align with the broader trend of convergence and diversification.
• Nearly half of surveyed decorators report adopting basic eco-friendly practices such as recycling and energy-saving measures. Meanwhile, around one-third of the industry’s top 40 suppliers and distributors now release annual sustainability reports, signaling a push for transparency and measurable progress.