Utah-based supplier SnugZ USA (PPAI 112982, S11) has announced a key leadership change to its financial team. Shelly Allred has joined the company as its new chief financial officer. 

Allred joins the SnugZ team without any experience in the promotional products industry. 

• She previously worked in the auto and insurance markets.
• Allred came to SnugZ from Asbury Automotive Group where she worked for just under 10 years, most recently as VP of financial systems. 

The supplier's previous CFO, RaNell Lefler, will remain with SnugZ.

• Lefler will transition to the role of chief processing officer.
• Lefler had previously held the CFO role for seven years. 

SnugZ recent growth led to the acquisition of Sweda in January of 2022. 

• SnugZ would later admit that the integration process led to a few speed bumps. 
• This led to an increased number of complaints from distributor customers, including some online chatter about inconsistent service, in the following months. 
• SnugZ President and CEO Brandon Mackay acknowledged the transition period led to a "tough" 2022. 
  
  

Recently, SnugZ announced a number of moves that the company promised would lead to reduced lead times. These included: 

• Upgraded phone systems.
• New customer service representatives.
• Completely integrated systems and websites.
  
  

The hiring of Allred proves SnugZ was apparently not finished with significant moves and announcements. 

"We couldn't be more excited to have Shelly join our team, and she fits in our culture perfectly," Mackay says. "She brings a wealth of knowledge, and we're excited to have her talents as we continue to experience growth." 

Allred looks forward to being a part of the industry and the SnugZ team. 

"I am really excited to be joining the team here at SnugZ," Allred says. "I can already tell how amazing the people and teams are and am thrilled to learn all about this new industry. I feel like the culture and values are a great fit, and I can't wait to dive into the numbers."

Storm Creek (PPAI #438091/ASI#89879/SAGE #50007), a leading supplier of eco-made outdoor and lifestyle apparel, announced today their ability to help customers quantify their sustainability efforts.

The company is supplying the number of upcycled bottle counts per order on both the invoice and the shipping notification email. The example invoice below shows 9,346 bottles upcycled with that particular order.

Distributors continually field end-user requests for sustainably made products and hear how important environmental responsibility and sustainable practices are to their company. Many companies also have written statements of these goals – and, in the case of B Corp Certification or similar, the company is accountable to environmental performance standards.

Storm Creek started a sustainable sourcing initiative in 2016 and quickly committed to converting the entire line to be eco-made. Since 2020, the company has upcycled more than 24 million plastic bottles into eco-friendly lifestyle apparel for all seasons. By the end of 2023, the company projects this number to be 30 million bottles.

“As an outdoor-inspired apparel company, we are proud of our efforts to protect and support the environment through product innovations and conscientious sourcing practices,” Fudenberg noted. “Being able to quantify and share with customers and end users how their Storm Creek purchases deflect plastic from oceans and landfills takes it even one step further.”

The world’s plastic problem is enormous, with plastic drinking bottles being the third most common type of item found washed up on shorelines, according to the Ocean Conservancy. Over 480 billion plastic bottles are used worldwide in a single year, and less than 9% of plastic is recycled. 

Teaching Sustainability to the Branded Apparel World

Earth Month is appropriate timing for the bottle tracker update. Also this month, Storm Creek launched Sustainability School which offers education via webinars, speaking engagements, and content, as well as an Eco Quiz that companies can take to test the depth of their sustainability knowledge.

“More and more companies are seeking to offer their employees responsibly made, high-quality products that last longer and are actually worn by their teams, thus building brand awareness,” said Fudenberg.  “But not all companies are aware they can easily take part in alleviating the massive ocean plastic problem and fast-fashion waste issues.” 

With summer just around the corner, VisionUSA, a leading provider of promotional products, has announced its latest partnership with Ball Corporation, the world’s largest manufacturer of aluminum packaging and supplier innovative and sustainable drinkware solutions.  As part of this collaboration, VisionUSA will be adding the infinitely recyclable Ball Aluminum Cup® to its impressive list of brands, offering event-goers a premium, sustainable, and recyclable choice for enjoying their favorite beverages.

For 20 years, VisionUSA has been providing high-quality, branded merchandise to clients across the country. From sports teams and concert venues to corporate events and festivals, VisionUSA has become a trusted name in the promotional product space. With the addition of the infinitely recyclable Ball Aluminum Cup® to their portfolio, VisionUSA is now able to offer customers a premium and sustainable alternative to traditional plastic cups.

Ball Corporation is a leading supplier of aluminum packaging solutions, committed to sustainability and reducing the environmental impact of packaging. The Ball Aluminum Cup® is made with 100% recyclable aluminum and can be easily recycled after use. The Ball Aluminum Cup® is lightweight, sturdy, cool to the touch, and made and remade in the United States of America, making them a perfect option for sports and entertainment, dining, and leisure events.

"We are excited to partner with Ball Corporation and bring their innovative, premium, and sustainable aluminum cups to our clients across the country," said Felix Soliz, President of VisionUSA. "Not only are these cups durable and stylish, but they are also infinitely recyclable unlike traditional plastic or compostable cups. We believe that this partnership will not only enhance the experience of event-goers but also promote sustainable practices at events."

The Ball Aluminum Cup® will be available through VisionUSA starting April 2023, just in time for the summer event season. For more information about VisionUSA and their line of promotional products, visit www.vision1usa.com.

Each year, PPAI invites distributor members to weigh in on suppliers in the industry and vote for the best, based on quality of communication, customer service, products, decorating and packaging.

Despite the challenges of the past few years – especially supply chain breakdowns that delayed raw materials and finished goods – the industry persevered. In particular, these 24 companies continued to deliver quality products and service that impressed their clients, and their consistent excellence won them top honors as this year’s PPAI Supplier Stars.

The Supplier Star is one of four PPAI Pyramid awards, the industry’s pinnacle of achievement now in its 65th year and sponsored by Pacesetter Awards. Distributors cast their votes for one supplier in each of 12 categories. This annual competition is open to all PPAI supplier members in good standing who update their sales volume every two years as required and maintain a SAGE supplier rating of A or higher. 

Voting for the 2024 competition will begin June 12. The nomination period for other Pyramid Awards categories is currently open through May 12. More information is available here.

Solo Stove
Grapevine, Texas

Fueled by the company mantra, “Create good,” the Solo Stove team creates smokeless fire pits, camp stoves, pizza ovens, grills and more. These outdoor recreation products are designed to help people have good moments that become lasting memories. The company introduced a host of new products in 2022 and contributes to organizations like One Tree Planted and the National Forest Foundation.

KNOSS Apparel
Burlingame, California

KNOSS Apparel offers innovative styles for the modern professional, created by an award-winning designer. KNOSS also offers a business bootcamp and takes a consulting approach for an authentic connection with customers. Founded by the Knoss family more than 50 years ago, the company’s roots go back to manufacturing school uniforms, premium sweaters and postal uniforms. Their timeless and trusted styles offer work-to-play balance with garments that are functional, comfortable and performance-driven.

Refresh Glass
Tempe, Arizona

Refresh Glass rescues hundreds of thousands of glass bottles destined for the landfill to create one-of-a-kind products. Refresh Glass products are made in the USA with style, function and purpose. As eco-friendly as they come, the company’s story combined with the products shows recipients that you are walking the walk when it comes to the growing need for sustainable promo products that can be used again and again.

Fossa Apparel
Fremont, California

Fossa Apparel is a family-owned, women-owned and minority-owned small business on a mission to bring innovative designs and carefully manufactured apparel to customers’ hands. The company is dedicated to making clothes that are comfortable, affordable and high-quality. Unlike many apparel companies, Fossa starts the design process with the woman’s version to deliver better-fitting apparel to women in the workforce. They also offer in-house laser engraving, embroidery and digitizing for unparalleled flexibility.

Liqui-Mark*
Hauppauge, New York

Liqui-Mark has been manufacturing quality writing instruments, school and office supplies for almost half a century. With many items Made in the USA, we are proud to be a 5 Star and A+ Supplier to the Promotional Products Industry. Many products are made in the USA, including pens, highlighters, dry erase, permanent and washable markers, crayons, pencils, coloring books, stylus pens and accessories. The company also offers custom packaging capabilities.

Wolfmark
Neenah, Wisconsin

Wolfmark manufactures and supplies stock and custom-made promotional apparel and accessories, from aprons, ties and scarves to hats, vests and blankets. The company has been in business for over 75 years and evolved from a small cut-and-sew shop into a company that stocks over $2 million in inventory, building a reputation for quality products with excellent customer service. Expanded product offerings include cashmere, fleece, wool and bamboo blankets and scarves, chef apparel, neckwear and more.

BEST Promotions USA
Balch Springs, Texas

BEST Promotions USA was founded in 2007 with a passion for answering the phone with a live person and building relationships on trust and authenticity. As the second-largest designer and supplier of “coolies” in the United States, BEST prides itself on championship-level service and market-leading product quality. About 70% of the company’s products, including drinkware and tech items, are made 100% in the USA, and all of their products are customized domestically.

WOWLine
Syosset, New York

WOWLine, a third-generation family-owned business, has been in business for over 50 years. Previously known as Many Mini Toys, the company is known for toys, games, puzzles and novelties but more recently branched out to add practical items for the kitchen, health and wellness, pets and much more. WOWLine has been making strides in offering more items made with eco-friendly materials like bamboo, recycled paper or plastic and other degradable materials.

RiteLine
Dallas, Texas

Pen manufacturer RiteLine USA is committed to responsible product sourcing, rare design, reliable quality and a reputation built on experience. Each RiteLine pen is an exclusive design, focused on providing users the best writing experience possible. The company’s products are manufactured in a state-of-the-art facility overseas using inks that meet exacting U.S. and Canadian safety and social responsibility standards, then decorated in and shipped from its Dallas headquarters.

ImprintID
Lorton, Virginia

Launched in 2009 with an initial focus on lanyards and ID products, ImprintID has added a variety of product categories as the company has grown, such as tech accessories, drinkware, apparel, headwear, office supplies, bags and more. ImprintID also offers a variety of decorating methods, including die cut, screen print, heat press, color/full-bleed sublimation, embossing, embroidery and more. The company strives to provide the best customer experience without hassle and instill confidence in every order.

SOCK101
Lee’s Summit, Missouri

First to the promo products industry with fully custom knitted socks, SOCK101 has helped thousands of people stand out in a crowd. The company has grown and added custom shoes and apparel items, as well as bags, blankets and more. They have also added more eco-friendly products made from recycled cotton to help prevent textile waste and use fewer resources than conventional or organic cotton.

Jornik Manufacturing*
Stamford, Connecticut

Jornik is a multi‐award-winning, five‐star, A+ rated, second‐generation, family-owned and operated supplier. In 2020 it was named Counselor’s Family Business of the Year. Jornik strives to provide a fun, unique and fresh line of hard goods, including made-in-the-USA items and packaging, that are designed, engineered, manufactured, tested and inspected to exceed expectations. 

Raining Rose*
Cedar Rapids, Iowa

Raining Rose Promos is a full-service manufacturer and supplier of personal care products, including high-quality lip balms, hand sanitizers, sunscreens and lotions. The company has achieved status as a certified B Corp, which means it meets the highest standards of accountability, transparency and social and environmental performance, and it operates by the values of service, people and planet, integrity, expertise and a focus on the future.

Towel Specialties
Baltimore, Maryland

Towel Specialties is a family-owned business that began in 1985 with a goal to provide innovative products and unsurpassed customer service. Many of the company’s employees and outside sales reps have more than 20 years of service, providing continuity and product knowledge to keep customers coming back year after year. In addition, Towel Specialties facilities have been audited for product safety, product quality, social accountability, environmental stewardship and supply chain security.

Pro Towels
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Pro Towels is one of the largest towel and textile suppliers in the U.S., serving a wide range of products to the promotional products industry for over 35 years. Product offerings range from beach, golf, fitness and sports towels, as well as other textile items including bath and kitchen accessories, for over 50 industries. The company offers in-house screen printing, sublimation and embroidery services to support its broad product line.

Maple Ridge Farms*
Mosinee, Wisconsin

When someone receives a gift from Maple Ridge Farms, they’re getting more than mouth-watering gourmet food and beautiful packaging, they’re getting a sensory experience they will remember long after they’ve enjoyed the contents. Founded in 1979, the company offers a variety of naturally aged cheeses, premium chocolates, fresh-roasted nuts, smoked meats and made-from-scratch baked goods.

Evans Manufacturing*
Garden Grove, California

Evans Manufacturing specializes in promotional products for better living in categories including health care, drinkware, bags, writing instruments, travel, auto, outdoor and more. Nearly half of the product line is manufactured in the company’s California facility, so those products are always in stock and the majority are available in within a week. Evans was recently acquired by HPG, but the Evans team will continue to handle orders for the foreseeable future.

Goldstar*
San Diego, California

Goldstar is a manufacturer and supplier of customized writing instruments, drinkware and bags, servicing over 5,000 distributors across the U.S. and Canada. The company differentiates itself with its commitment to simplicity, an award‐winning promise for easy transactions and all‐inclusive pricing with no setup charges or hidden fees.

Gold Bond*
Hixson, Tennessee

Founded in 1947 as a small pencil company, Gold Bond now has operations on two continents. The company supplies hard goods, apparel and accessories and prides itself on being large enough to handle demanding orders while small enough to be flexible in accommodating customer requests. Gold Bond says its greatest asset is its ability to adapt to the ever-changing needs of its partners, and each team member strives to exceed customer expectations.

Garyline / Gary Plastic Packaging
Bronx, New York

Garyline, a family business celebrating 60 years in 2023, manufactures 95% of its products, including sports bottles, travel tumblers, stadium cups and more, in its 300,000-square-foot New York facility. The company is proud to be a source for union made products, over 100 of which are made from recycled materials. All aspects of production are controlled on the premises to ensure quality and stock availability in all colors, even for the largest orders.

Ariel Premium Supply
St. Louis, Missouri

Entering its 30th year, the family-owned and operated Ariel Premium Supply has grown into a global operation with production and sourcing offices around the world. Its mission is to help build successful promotional and motivational programs through a wide offering of attractive, high-quality products. The company designs and decorates thousands of items across dozens of categories, including stress relievers, pedometers, hot/cold packs, bags, lights and more, including the Ariel EDGE line of innovative tech-focused products.

Gemline*
Lawrence, Massachusetts

Founded in 1958, Gemline is an award-winning, design-centric supplier providing high-quality branded products to the promotional products industry. The company’s product line includes bags, luggage, business accessories, drinkware, electronics, stationery, writing instruments, gourmet foods and lifestyle gifts. In addition to its house brands and Gemline-branded products, the company offers in-demand retail brands such as American Tourister, Igloo, Samsonite, Moleskine, MiiR, Corkcicle, Paper Mate, Sharpie and Zebra.

SanMar*
Issaquah, Washington

Family owned and operated since 1971, SanMar is a national supplier of apparel from more than 30 private label and celebrated retail brands, with eight distribution centers nationwide. The company provides apparel and accessories to screen printers, embroiderers, promotional products distributors, athletic dealers, industrial launderers and more, whether they are outfitting a Fortune 500 corporation or the local bowling team.

HPG
Braintree, Massachusetts

HPG was formed in 2017 with one goal in mind: to make the best of the best even better with products that wow. The company produces thousands of innovative products across seven different production facilities in North America and delivers them to customers quickly to help create memorable branded experiences that leave a lasting impression. HPG brands include Hub, Beacon, Best, Debco, BCG Creations, Origaudio, Handstands, HPG Exclusive, Batch & Bodega and Mixie.

Pets are part of the family – and big business. A 2022 report from the American Pet Products Association says 7 in 10 American households (more than 90 million) include at least one pet, and we spend almost $124 billion on our pets each year. Dogs still lead the pack, followed by cats, then fish and other critters.

Driven in part by increased animal adoptions and more time at home during the pandemic, we’re also spending a lot more time with our furry (and feathered and finned) friends. Building a connection is what promotional products industry are all about, so it makes sense for brands to tap into the emotional investment people have in their pets.

Katherine Smith, director of sales and marketing for Houston-based distributor Bullpen Marketing, encourages her sales team to consider pet promo items for all kinds of clients.

“The cool thing about pet items is that it evokes that emotional connection that people have to their pets. It’s such a powerful branding tool for that reason,” she says, “because you put your logo on it and you give it to somebody and they get to use it for their pet and they get so excited about that, and that’s the emotional connection that you want them to have when they think of your brand.”

April 11 marks National Pet Day, and May is National Pet Month in the U.S. But let’s face it – every day is dog or cat (or ferret or whatever) appreciation day once an animal has captured your heart, so anytime is a good time to add pet promo products into the mix.

Plenty of suppliers have rolled out new pet lines in the past year. Michael Williams, director of national accounts for New York-based supplier AZX Sport, says interest in promotional pet products is increasing, particularly generic pieces that aren’t tied to the size of the animal, and on-the-go items like collapsible water bowls.

“We sell way more leashes than we do collars, because a leash is good for any dog out there or any cat or any animal that you’re taking on a walk,” says Williams. “And we’re seeing a ton of requests for pet bandanas, because it’s super easy to tie around the animal’s neck and relatively one size fits most.”

On the more custom side, he notes some fun projects with promo products matching owners to their pets. After all, the D-O-double-G himself launched the “Snoop Doggie Doggs” pet accessory line last year.

Gemline has expanded its product offering to include Igloo Playmate coolers. 

• This offering will include the Igloo Playmate Pal 7 Qt. Cooler and the Igloo Playmate Elite 16 Qt Cooler.
• Both will be part of Gemline's Summer 2023 Collection.
• Gemline utilizes its recently expanded digital decoration capabilities for these offerings. 
• The partnership between Gemline and Igloo began over 10 years ago. 

"We are coming off back-to-back record sales years with Igloo products and continue to look for opportunities to offer our distributor partners the most sought-after products and the best branding options available," says Frank Carpenito, president and CEO of Gemline. "We also continue to invest heavily in state-of-the-art decorating technology."

Based on PPAI’s annual Sales Volume Estimate, it’s hard not to feel good about the state of the promotional products industry. It was a record year, with promo topping $25 billion in total sales for the first time ever.

A 13% increase over 2021 total sales suggests that the industry has fully rebounded from the unprecedented circumstances of the first year of the pandemic. But a record-breaking year inevitably leads to questions about 2023: Is this type of growth sustainable? Or is down the only direction left for 2023?

Most would agree that 2022 required, as Proforma CEO Vera Muzzillo calls it, a “confluence of positive events that contributed to the significant growth.” Quite a few factors went into the exceptionally high sales totals in the promo industry in 2022. Since early 2023, when the early results of the Sales Volume Estimate were indicating a record year, PPAI Media has spoken with key leaders from some of the industry’s biggest companies to get a clearer picture of what those factors truly are.

Some of them might prove to be specific to 2022. Others might have staying power. Examined together, rational expectations for 2023 may begin to emerge.

The Flash-In-The-Pan Factors

There isn’t an industry – or perhaps even an individual – who can realistically talk about 2022 without bringing up inflation. It may well have been the word of the year, and it is very much part of the conversation when it comes to the promo industry’s big year.

Inflated prices mean inflated sales numbers, at least to some degree.

“It’s conceivable that, while we may have experienced record top-line numbers for the industry, we may not yet have eclipsed the same unit sales as the industry experienced in 2019, due to higher prices for similar items,” says Kevin Walsh, CAS, president of Showdown Displays and PPAI board chair.

Thus, inflation is the big caveat that the promo world will have to wrestle with when using 2022 as an indicator of the future. Promo companies were forced to sell products at a higher price because they were paying higher prices for nearly everything that went into their promo business. As Nancy Schmidt, CEO of AIA Corporation, says, “Inflationary prices drove higher total revenues.”

Parsing out how much price inflation might have inflated sales totals is no easy task, considering that independent of inflation, many promo companies were very happy with the number of sales they achieved in the year. Furthermore, inflation began to show signs of letting up in the latter half of the year, meaning promo companies, like many industries, no longer had to constantly react to inflation’s whims.

“Price fluctuation amongst various commodities started to level out, which thus made it easier to stabilize pricing for a longer period of time,” says CJ Schmidt, CEO of Hit Promotional Products.

Another factor potentially specific to 2022 was that many clients might have stockpiled marketing budgets from more cautious spending in the two years prior. It wasn’t until a few months into 2022 that many brands went full throttle back into their marketing plans, likely with some amount of surplus carried over from a spending pause in 2020 and 2021. Promo likely saw the dividends in 2022.

“I believe that most corporations had a larger budget piling up from the previous two years, which increased their promotional spending,” says CJ Schmidt.

Calling this a flash in the pan would be presumptuous. Certainly, some of that spend on promo was used with surplus dollars, but if the strategy was effective, there’s no reason to think most clients will not continue to double down.

“Distributors and end buyers are increasingly incorporating promotional products as part of their integrated marketing strategy, resulting in a higher share of their budgets being devoted to promo,” says Nancy Schmidt.

The Promising Factors

If a big portion of stockpiled marketing budgets went toward promotional products, it certainly wasn’t for arbitrary reasons. The return of in-person events such as concerts, sporting events, conferences, sales meetings, trade shows and other events were significant contributors to 2022’s growth.

Live events often go hand-in-hand with promo, but they also create a buzz that reminds clients of the lasting effect of promo. It’s almost a domino effect.

“We returned to events in full force, recapturing the annual energy of promo for the first time since the pandemic began,” says Nancy Schmidt.

All of this was only made reasonably cost effective, however, because of a fairly dramatic improvement to the supply chain – a major talking point in Q1 – as we progressed deeper into 2022.

“Having the goods available for sale at the industry’s peak season was a major contributing factor,” says Walsh.

As China contends with its own major wave of COVID-19, complications may still arise going forward, but a supply chain turnaround can only be seen as good news. CJ Schmidt agrees that inventory levels “started to creep their way back to a level of normalcy towards the latter half of 2022,” which was ultimately a prerequisite for record-breaking sales numbers.

Essentially all of these factors are related to the COVID-19 pandemic and its unprecedented global and economic effects. Times were hard, and there’s no getting around that.

“Many businesses thrived through the pandemic, but generally speaking, that was not the case with promotional products,” Walsh says.

The further we get from the onset of the pandemic, the easier it has become to do business, resulting in something of a delayed recovery for the promo industry.

What About 2023 (And Beyond)?

The promo leaders we spoke to all seem confident in another strong year for promo in 2023, albeit with possibly less growth than in 2022. Of course, there is the remote but lingering possibility of rockier economic conditions ahead.

“I see the industry growing again, at least 5-10%,” predicts Muzzillo. “If we hit a recession, all bets are off.”

To Muzzillo, much of what has been detailed above indicates positive and relatively sustainable momentum. Surviving the pandemic brought more than just survival. Proforma’s pivot into PPE products and e-commerce improvements actually laid the groundwork for growth that paid off in 2022.

“A lot of what we did really set our owners and our distributors up for success, because it brought on new customers, new opportunities, and we delivered quality products on time during COVID,” Muzzillo says.

Independent of economic and global factors, there are two impactful areas that the promotional products industry focused on and improved in during 2022: higher-quality products and education.

Much of the promo world understands that higher-quality products will be a requirement of the industry’s growth. End users care about the sustainability of the products put in front of them. That means products that last longer, and in turn, come at higher price points. It’s possible 2022 proved that clients are willing to pay those higher prices for the idea that end users will equate the quality of the brand with the quality of the promotional product.

“Eco-friendly, renewable products and products with social impact tend to carry a higher price point to match the higher perceived (and real) value,” Nancy Schmidt says.

Additionally, the industry and PPAI have made efforts to explain to clients what we already know: Promotional Products Work! That’s the name of the Association’s initiative to translate the range and effectiveness of promo to potential and existing clients. Perhaps 2022 is the beginning of those efforts landing with their intended targets.

“People are really starting to understand that the cost per impression, and the return on the investment of a promotional product and the longevity of it, has such tremendous value relative to other forms of advertising,” Muzzillo says. “I think we, as the leaders of this industry, have a responsibility to continue to get that message out.”

All of this has promo leaders confident that, even with the inflation caveat, 2023 will be another year of growth.

“We are expecting a low double-digit growth in 2023, after a very strong year in 2022,” says CJ Schmidt.

Perhaps we are emphasizing the wrong metrics when looking toward the future. Muzzillo points out that promo still makes up a relatively small portion of many companies’ advertising spending, while delivering great results. Her big prediction is that we may see a change in that regard.

“[Promo] will continue to propel this industry  forward, I believe, at a slightly enhanced rate relative to other forms of media and advertising,” Muzzillo says.

alphabroder, the leading supplier of wholesale apparel and promotional products, is launching its enhanced, One-Stop-Solution via alphabroder.com. The upgraded alphabroder.com will combine alphabroder and Prime Line®’s full assortment and have the most extensive assortment of apparel and promotional products in the industry.

alphabroder's goal in creating its enhanced One-Stop Solution is to give its customers one place for all their blank and decorated apparel and promotional product needs.

“alphabroder is committed to evolving to better serve our customers and partners,” said Dan Pantano, President and CEO of alphabroder. “The enhanced alphabroder.com will streamline the ordering process in a way that hasn’t been done before.”

The updated alphabroder.com will allow customers to decorate any promotional product through alphabroder’s online decoration configurator. The industry leading configurator takes what can be a cumbersome off-line process and creates a turnkey, digital experience.

alphabroder vetted their One-Stop Solution through independent research, focus groups and customer feedback. The result is a more robust alphabroder.com that provides customers with:

• Full apparel and hard goods assortments
• Industry leading end-to-end online Decoration Configurator
• Order status tracker through entire production process
• All apparel and hard goods order history

For more information about alphabroder and to explore its wide variety of promotional products, visit www.alphabroder.com.

Supplier company LarLu is pleased to announce the addition of Reisack Sales & Marketing as Multi-line representatives in the Southwest states of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, and Arkansas.  Joe Durand, SVP of LarLu stated “the Reisack team shares our commitment to customer service and professionalism.  We’re excited for our customers to have a local LarLu representative to help them grow their business!” Please feel free to reach out to them today for ideas…. www.reisack.com

SAGE, the leading provider of information, marketing, and business management solutions to the promotional products industry, invites SAGE Supplier Advantage Members to join the SAGE Community through its new web-based supplier portal.

SAGE Community is an industry-specific, collaborative social network where suppliers and distributors can share news, best practices, ask questions, and connect and engage with other industry professionals, all-in-one platform.

SAGE Community has long been available in SAGE Total Access, SAGE’s flagship distributor tool, for distributors to network with their industry peers. With the addition of the SAGE Community to the new web-based SAGE Supplier Center, it is now open to everyone in the industry.

“In today’s world, social media is so ubiquitous that for many of us it has blurred the lines between personal and professional communication. We all have so many connections on so many platforms, and with the amount of information on all of these platforms, we end up missing a lot of important things,” said David Natinsky, President of SAGE. “With SAGE Community, distributors, and now suppliers, have one central location where they can go just for industry-related content. Whether that’s news or advice, our customers can be intentional and efficient with their time, get answers to their questions, and never miss important industry update.”

The new web-based SAGE Supplier Center is available now to all supplier Advantage Members at no additional cost. Simply visit www.sagesuppliercenter.com to log in. To join SAGE Community, select Community on the left side menu, then search and follow the Community group of your choice on the right side under Groups.