With the new year comes new trends and we’ve rounded up some of the hottest trends for promotional products in 2018. From apparel to mobile technology, you can count on us to keep your brand on target this year.

We said it last year and we’ll say it again: People want casual apparel that they can wear outside of the office. We polled a few people and found that when it comes to wearing company branded apparel on the weekends, most prefer a tone on tone logo (where the thread color matches the color of the material.) Take subtle branding to another level by adding the logo to the sleeve instead of the left chest.

As millennials continue to influence the workplace, many companies have adopted business casual dress codes. (I distinctly remember the days of pantyhose and matching pantsuits, so if you’re fortunate enough to have missed that era, count your lucky stars.) After seven years in the promo products industry, I’m thrilled to see some options that were designed to help women look and feel their best.

We’re currently loving this new and improved knit cardigan (which works great for women of all shapes and sizes) as well as the Perfect Fit collection, which offers consistent size/fit in a number of styles. Hats off to the Lilac Bloom collection as well, which is by far one of the most fashion forward options for women in the corporate market. (Looking for an affordable polo? The ladies’ version of this budget-friendly Crownlux polo features some super flattering details, too.

The new denim Presidio Collection from OrigAudio feels like a blast from the past, but the modern details make it totally relevant for today’s business traveler. The collection includes:

• a denim backpack.
• zippered amenities bag.
• personal organizer.
• roll up case for cords/cables.
• passport holder.
• luggage tag.

We love the leather patch for your company logo, and the option to go with basic black on the backpack if denim’s not your thing.  You can buy each item in the collection separately, or choose from a variety of bundles.

Pantone named Ultra Violet as 2018’s Color of the Year, so expect to see lots of bold colors pop up in the corporate market this year. We spotted some of your favorite promo items in bright purple, like this the 20 oz. stainless steel tumbler, as well as new arrivals like this single-walled 15 oz. tumbler with straw.

As for patterns, how about woodtone drinkware?  (Really, I feel like this fits under the vintage collection trend, too. Flashback to wood paneling, anyone?)

As always, this year brings more new technology to the corporate market. Some of the most retail-forward products for this year include wireless charging pads, plus new and improved bluetooth products. Of course, leave it to the tech category to offer up a couple of products that are either completely over the top, or right on trend. I mean, selfie drones? Really? Oh, and an app-enabled Smart Button that can call an Uber, play music for you, and do a host of other functions on your behalf. (Check out the video below for the details, and let us know what you think about this. Is this something you’d consider adding to your marketing campaigns this year?)