To boost college outreach and alumni engagement, the gifts and incentives you choose can speak volumes about your institution's values and commitments. As colleges like yours increasingly prioritize sustainability, the shift toward choosing eco-friendly merchandise isn't just a trend — it's a strategic choice that resonates deeply with your recipients and reflects positively on the college's image.
Sustainable merch or gifts appeal to students, their families, alumni, and the larger community. These items show recipients that your college cares about their well-being and positively impacts the environment.With 94% of Generation Z and 93% of Millennials prioritizing sustainability or a brand's social and environmental commitments when purchasing, choosing sustainable gifts allows your college to resonate deeply with your audience. Not only does this choice significantly impact your audience, but it also aligns with an eco-friendly mission, reflecting values important to your students and alumni.
9 Ways to Use Sustainable Merch in Your Campus Marketing Campaigns
As environmental sustainability is a growing concern for consumers, integrating eco-friendly practices into your campus marketing campaigns isn't just responsible — as we've said, it's strategic. From attracting prospective students to engaging alumni, incorporating sustainable merchandise can enhance your college's brand image, resonate with your audience, and contribute to a greener future.
Check out these nine innovative ways to infuse sustainability into your campus marketing efforts and make a lasting impact on your community and the planet.
1. Make your admissions process even more memorable.
- Recycled paper brochures: Use flyers made from recycled paper to showcase campus highlights and academic programs.
- Reusable tote bags: During campus tours or admission events, you can offer prospective students reusable tote bags made from recycled materials.
2. Welcome new students to campus with an exciting, eco-friendly gift.
- Reusable water bottles: Greet new students with branded, BPA-free water bottles, encouraging hydration and sustainability on campus.
- Door tags or backpack tags: Put the student's name, your school name, and logo on
- tags they can display on their door, in their room, or on their backpack.
- Sustainable campus maps: Provide eco-friendly maps printed on recycled paper, showcasing key locations and highlighting green initiatives on campus.
3. Celebrate graduating seniors' achievements with thoughtful and sustainable gifts.
- Engraved plaques: Commemorate their graduation with plaques made from sustainable bamboo, personalized with their name and graduation date.
- Eco-friendly gift baskets: Create gifts filled with locally sourced, organic treats and sustainable products, such as reusable water bottles and fair trade chocolates.
4. Keep your alumni engaged and proud of their alma mater.
- Bamboo USB drives: Give alumni USB drives made from bamboo, a sustainable alternative to plastic, containing event photos or newsletters.
- Plantable greeting cards: Send alumni plantable greeting cards embedded with seeds that grow into flowers or herbs, encouraging sustainability at home.
5. Show your staff that you appreciate them with eco-rewards as part of your employee recognition program.
- Sustainable trophies or awards: Award faculty and staff with trophies or plaques made from recycled glass or sustainably sourced wood for their contributions.
- Eco-choice award selection: Invite employees to choose from a variety of sustainable items to thank them for a job well done on campus. Include organic cotton tees, reusable water bottles, and notebooks made from recycled materials.
6. Make every day Earth Day on campus.
- Reusable water bottles: At special events or fairs, distribute branded, BPA-free water bottles to students, faculty, and staff to reduce single-use plastic waste.
- Recycled notebooks: Offer notebooks made from recycled paper events to promote sustainable note-taking or for purchase in the campus bookstore.
7. Rally your sports team fans even more with sustainable fan gear.
- Organic cotton t-shirts: Sell organic cotton t-shirts with the college logo at sports events, promoting sustainable fashion among fans.
Compostable food containers: Use compostable food containers and utensils at stadium concessions to reduce plastic waste.
8. Stock sustainable items in your campus merchandise store.
- Recycled plastic pens: Offer pens made from recycled plastic in the campus bookstore for sustainable writing.
- Upcycled apparel: Sell apparel made from upcycled materials, such as recycled polyester, to promote sustainable fashion choices.
9. Engage your broader community in supporting sustainability and your school.
- Solar-powered phone chargers: Provide solar-powered phone chargers as giveaways at community events hosted by the college, promoting renewable energy.
- Native tree saplings: Give away saplings to community members during Earth Day events, encouraging local biodiversity.
Here's How to Shop Sustainably for Impactful Merch
When scanning the field for sustainable gifts, giveaways, or promotional items, it's important to know what they're made from and how they're made. Seven considerations for evaluating products for your next sustainable campaign or event.
1. Is the company behind the product sustainable?
Appealing to the values of younger consumers, sustainable corporate gifts create a personal and emotional connection, fostering greater engagement and positive word-of-mouth for your business.
Choosing the best sustainable gifts also involves sharing an engaging backstory detailing how your gift was made. This approach aligns perfectly with the core values of your client base and resonates with environmentally conscious consumers. It also demonstrates your dedication to sustainability and preserving the planet.
2. What's the item made from?
Choosing items made from eco-friendly, recycled, or organic materials is one sure way to signal your dedication to sustainability.
3. Does the item come in recyclable or biodegradable packaging?
Opting for items with plastic-free, recyclable, or biodegradable packaging demonstrates your commitment to reducing waste and minimizing environmental impact. This choice also aligns with consumer preferences for eco-conscious brands.
4. Does the product offer a practical environmental impact?
Promotional items with a clear environmental purpose, such as reusable bags or water bottles, serve a practical function and contribute directly to reducing single-use plastic waste and promoting sustainable habits.
5. Is there an authentic environmental commitment to purchasing this item?
Consumers appreciate initiatives beyond profit, such as donating proceeds to tree planting or community programs. Choosing eco-friendly promotional items that give back demonstrates a genuine commitment to environmental causes.
6. Does the purchase of this product support important businesses or causes?
Eco-friendly products made in the USA by women, minorities, veteran-owned companies, or B-Corps resonate with consumers who value diversity, social responsibility, and environmental sustainability.
7. Is there a transparent supply chain?
Promotional items with a sustainable manufacturing story and transparent supply chain provide peace of mind with professional certifications to consumers who prioritize ethical production and labor practices. This transparency builds trust and credibility for your campus brand.
By opting for sustainable gifts, you actively support ethical production methods and reduce your ecological footprint. According to a recent Environmental Protection Agency report, eco-friendly products have been shown to decrease waste by approximately 70% vs. conventional alternatives. Additionally, choosing sustainability means advocating for better labor conditions and fairer wages for farmers and workers across the supply chain, ensuring a positive impact on the planet and people.
Promote Your College With Sustainable Marketing Choices
Choosing eco-friendly promotional items for your marketing campaigns is a smart business decision and a statement of your commitment to environmental stewardship. By aligning your brand with sustainability, you appeal to a growing market of eco-conscious consumers and contribute to a healthier planet for future generations. With a wide range of sustainable options available via Campus Stop, you can positively impact the environment while promoting your brand in a meaningful and impactful way.
Contact the Sustainability Experts at Campus Stop for Your Next Eco-Friendly Marketing Promotion
Campus Stop delivers branded merchandise exclusively to colleges, universities, and high schools with unparalleled category expertise, superior customer service, competitive pricing, and award-winning designs.
From admissions to athletics, alumni, student life, and beyond, Campus Stop provides eco-friendly branded merchandise that excites, engages, and connects with recipients.
We understand the "why" behind every project to achieve goal clarity and to deliver eco-friendly branded merchandise built for school pride. Campus Stop strictly adheres to licensing, positioning, and brand guidelines.
Call (267) 314-5583 or email us at sales@campusstop.com to tell us about your promotion or event and how we can help you make it eco-friendly.
