If you want to find out the hottest merch trends among young people, it’s best to go straight to the source. So, that’s just what we did. In this episode of Promo Insiders, ASI Media’s Theresa Hegel chats with Elena Hubert, an intern this spring at ASI and a junior at Northwestern University, studying journalism and economics. Hubert shares her favorite promo products, her impressions of the industry and what’s trending among her peers.

So far, Hubert says, many of the industry sources she’s spoken with have said education is the largest market they work with – which rings true based on her college experience so far. “When I got on campus, I probably should have packed half the clothes that I did because you’re just getting so much free stuff thrown at you,” she says.

For hard goods, items like full-color lanyards and silicone phone wallets are popular, so students can keep their ID and cash close at hand without worrying about carrying a bag or purse. And when it comes to apparel and accessories, branded ball caps and “baby tees” are trending. “A lot of brands don’t actually sell baby tees in the campus bookstores, so you’ll go through the children’s clothing and look for shirts, which is also kind of an economical decision for us because we can’t really drop $40 on a T-shirt,” Hubert adds.