In 2026, we’re moving beyond Stanleys and New Me clichés, and instead creating things people will naturally reach for in their real lives. Here are a few ideas that strike the right balance between practical and trendy (again).

If you manage swag, you already know this: everyone on your team has ideas, and not all of them can necessarily happen. The key is to focus less on shutting down ideas, and more on introducing structure (without killing enthusiasm). Here’s how to do that.

Start with audience fit and critical mass. Swag doesn’t need to be for everyone, but it does need a meaningful audience. Ask: Who is this actually for? Employees, customers, event attendees? Is there a critical mass of people who would genuinely reach for this? Culture matters here. Outdoorsy teams, developer-heavy orgs, parents, remote-first companies – different audiences connect with different items. Employee-requested swag is usually for employees. That’s okay. People connect more deeply with swag when they feel seen and involved – as long as expectations are set that not every idea will make the cut.

Create merch guidelines and socialize them. Create simple brand guidelines for your swag, including things like your quality bar, materials, aesthetics, logo usage, sustainability standards, use cases, etc. Once the guidelines exist, decisions stop being personal. An idea isn’t rejected because it’s “bad” – it just doesn’t meet the criteria (or often, the budget). This protects your brand and your relationships, and honestly makes for better swag overall.

Use a survey to test demand before committing. Instead of debating ideas in Slack, put them to work. At the end of each year (or quarter), collect swag requests and turn them into a survey. The requestor gets to see their idea in the mix and feels heard – and you get real data on what people actually want. It’s low effort and avoids misjudgments as to what will be popular with your team.

Crowdsource intentionally. Include one or two crowd-sourced items in your quarterly or annual drops (but only if they meet your guidelines and hit critical mass). This creates buy-in, excitement, participation without turning your swag program into a free-for-all. Swag works best when it’s curated, but your team should still feel part of the journey and decision-making process.

One of the most obvious truths heading into 2026: customization is an expectation. In 2025, embroidery had a major moment (names, initials, symbols everywhere). The next evolution is patches, which are faster, more flexible, and infinitely more scalable.

Brands like Marine Layer are leaning in by turning retail spaces into patch bars – transforming simple garments into personal pieces on the spot. Customization becomes a reason to linger, participate, and connect with the brand in real time.

This same idea works beautifully in B2B marketing. Around this time last year, Cordial brought patch customization to life during a custom activation with Levi's, turning denim jackets into one-of-one keepsakes instead of unmemorable swag.

I think we can all agree that personalization isn’t going anywhere. Patches are just the current manifestation. They’re especially powerful when the experience – the actual moment of customization – becomes part of the core memory (and a reason to wear and keep the item in rotation).

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