The Custom Ink Staff is a team of design enthusiasts and promo product experts dedicated to bringing your ideas to life. From screen printing secrets to the latest trends in custom gear, we draw on decades of collective experience to help you create something unforgettable.
How to Create and Sell Custom Merch at Your Bar or Cafe (Without Hiring a Designer)
Walk into a beloved neighborhood bar or cozy local cafe, and you’ll probably spot someone wearing a t-shirt with the restaurant’s logo on it. Maybe it’s a regular who’s been coming for years. Maybe it’s a tourist who wants to remember their trip. Or a staff member who genuinely likes where they work. That [...]
Creating Professional Branding, Apparel, & Promo for a Professional Services Company
Whether you’re an established pro or just starting your service company, thereβs a big difference between showing up and making an entrance. No matter what service you offer β mowing lawns, cleaning homes, or building decks β custom t-shirts, polos, yard signs, and promotional leave-behinds build trust, communicate professionalism, [...]
10 Best Trade Show Giveaways: From Tech Swag to Eco-Friendly Conference Gifts
On a trade show floor, every booth is competing for attention, yet attendees gravitate toward just a handful. What draws them in? Often, it’s the giveaways. After helping thousands of businesses prepare for conferences and expos, we’ve learned that the right promotional products do more than fill tote bags. They start [...]
Why Longevity is Your Best Swag Strategy for 2026
Whether it’s a new hire’s first day or a team celebration, you want the swag you hand out to build a real connection. But as every manager knows, the real test isnβt the moment itβs opened β itβs whether that gear is being used, worn, and loved months later. According to our 2026 Swag Trends Survey, longevity is now the [...]
2026 Swag Trends: The Gear Your Team Will Actually Keep
At Custom Ink, we believe the best gear builds connection. And thatβs also the big takeaway from our new 2026 Swag Trends Survey. We asked over a thousand organizers and buyers what they need for the year ahead, and the answer was clear: there is a decisive move away from “disposable” promos toward retail-quality [...]
2026 Swag Forecast: New Predictions (and Data) to Power Your Teamβs Success
Letβs be honest: organizing gear for your team is a big job. You want everyone to feel included, look professional, and actually use the stuff you order. To help you ensure your gear doesn’t end up in the “donate” pile, weβve asked the experts on our Merch team how to make your team look good and feel even better in [...]
The Gear That Powered Your Teams in 2025: Custom Inkβs Top Trends & Best Sellers
From trade show floors to finish lines, this is the custom swag that defined the year. If we know anything about you – the planners, the doers, the organizers making the magic happen behind the scenes – itβs that 2025 was a year of big goals and even bigger team moments. Every year, we love looking back at the millions of [...]
New Survey Reveals What Gifts Employees Really Want for the Holidays
With the holiday clock ticking, business managers are quickly trying to figure out the best holiday gifts to get their employees. The stakes can feel huge. After all, good gifts go a long way towards building loyalty and retention, with more than three-quarters of employees saying it makes them more likely to stay with their [...]