Apparel accounts for nearly half of all promo sales – amounting to roughly $12 billion in 2024. But the bulk of those orders are outfitting clients from the waist up: Think T-shirts, polos, outerwear and headwear.

Focusing only on the top half, however, is leaving money on the table, suppliers say. “You’re giving away 51% of the sales when you don’t include the pants,” says Kelly Connolly, national account manager for Counselor Top 40 supplier Workwear Outfitters (asi/98258). That figure is based on a primary research report that the Nashville, TN-based supplier did a few years ago, which found that 51% of end-users purchase pants – more than polos, T-shirts and outerwear.

Looser fits are taking hold, as shown with this oversize crew sweatshirt (3040) and triblend fleece lounge sweatpant (25054) from Royal Apparel (asi/83731).

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Whether it’s tailored trousers for an employee uniform or stylish joggers color-matched to an on-trend hoodie, “pants round out the story,” says Glen Brumer, sales director of Hauppage, NY-based Royal Apparel (asi/83731). “For distributors or decorators already selling tees, fleece and quarter-zips, offering pants creates an additional opportunity to present the complete look,” he adds. “It also helps to increase average order size.”

So, why have bottoms so often been overlooked in the promo space? One reason, Connolly says, is that they’re perceived as more complicated than tops, especially when it comes to sizing. While T-shirts and fleece typically have simple, straightforward size ranges – XS to 3X, say – pants, particularly for uniforming, often require more precise size measurements to ensure fit.

However, she adds, sizing is easier than many realize. “Our pants are really only two measurements, the waist and the inseam, and it’s exact to the measuring tape,” she says. And for larger order sizes, Workwear Outfitters actually created a web-based measuring tool that allows a person to take two images of themselves on their cell phone and record those measurements into a spreadsheet. The sizing tool, Connolly says, is more than 90% accurate on pants.

The new Dawn to Dusk hoodie and jogger (B8857) from Burnside/Sierra Pacific (asi/87224) is made of a very soft jersey fabric from 89% recycled polyester and 11% spandex.

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Sizing for joggers is more forgiving, thanks to elastic waistbands and stretchy fabrication, but it’s still a good idea for distributors to familiarize themselves with garments’ measurement specs and buyers’ fit preferences, Brumer says. “More relaxed fits are now trending,” he adds. “How the bottom hem of the pant is finished, the width of the waistband, drawstrings or no drawstrings are all variables.”

Another reason for the dearth of pants in promo has been simply that end-users don’t realize the category is available, says Paul Kory, vice president of business development at Sugar Land, TX-headquartered Burnside/Sierra Pacific Apparel (asi/87224). “A lot of times distributors’ clients aren’t even thinking about pants,” he says. “You have to educate the end-user because they might not know they’re an option.”

Traditionally, Kory says, the only time the promo industry as a whole considered pants was when it was working with athletic clubs or the education market. Now, however, with the advent of elevated athleisure from brands like Lululemon and Vuori as well as dress pants designed to mix stretch and style, bottoms are an easier sell into corporate markets.

“You’re giving away 51% of the sales when you don’t include the pants.”Kelly Connolly, Workwear Outfitters (asi/98258)

“Athleisure pants don’t look like joggers anymore,” Kory says. “We’ve come such a long way. … People want to be comfortable whether you work in the office or at home,” he adds, noting the rise of super-lightweight joggers constructed with poly-spandex blends that don’t wrinkle so “you always look good.”

Burnside’s top-selling bottom, the unisex Perfect Jogger (B8888), is reminiscent of Lululemon styles. “They look just like dress pants,” Kory says of the style. “The only way you can really tell is if you look at the waistband.”

Shari Hoffman, marketing director at Dryvve (asi/154912), has seen growth in jogger sales for corporate and employee programs as part of cozy matched sets for onboarding kits, wellness initiatives and holiday gifting. “Employees love pieces they’ll actually wear outside the office, which keeps the brand visible and recognizable,” she says.

Another selling point when it comes to pants is brand cohesion. For employee uniforms, including pants enables companies to steer the head-to-toe look of their workers. “It really does allow you to control the brand look, the image and the professionalism for the complete uniform,” says Aimee Say, senior marketing manager at Workwear Outfitters. Plus, she adds, employees see it as a benefit when they’re provided a full uniform by their company, since they aren’t purchasing or soiling their own clothing.

It’s a similar story for more casual outfits. Offering a hoodie and joggers made from the same fabric and dyed in the same color allows a brand to build a strong collection that sends a unified message, according to Brumer. “Many buyers want color stories and matching fabrics across tops and bottoms,” he adds.

Another area to consider when it comes to pants – as with all apparel categories – is sustainability. Burnside recently launched a line called Dawn to Dusk, with what Kory characterizes as “butter-soft fabric.” The soft jersey material is made from 89% recycled polyester and 11% spandex. And Royal Apparel, which specializes in sustainable styles across its “premium knitwear story,” has seen “growing demand for USA-made, ethically produced apparel,” Brumer says. Pants are an extension of that overall trend.

Decoration, with pants, is also a factor – especially because they aren’t imprinted as often as tops. Logos on the thigh or prints down the leg can work well. Subtle embroidery or a small patch or hem tag could also work. However, it’s important to be aware of how seams and pockets affect decoration placement and to ensure that decoration doesn’t compete with the fit and feel of the garment, since comfort is paramount, especially in higher-end jogger styles.

Red Kap utility pant (PX60) from Workwear Outfitters (asi/98258). Pants can be a lucrative addition for distributors offering uniform programs.

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Offering blank pants, as part of an overall set or uniform, is a viable option, Connolly says, noting that Workwear Outfitters has a deep inventory of pants that distributors can take advantage of to drop-ship directly to clients. “When you’re truly the uniform supplier, meaning shirts and pants, it becomes an annuity – and you’re keeping out the competitor,” she says.

The bottom line on bottoms? “Pants are no longer a side category,” Brumer says. “They’re a growth opportunity.”

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