Custom Apparel & Promotional Products Basics

Welcome to the very first FrogTown Tees blog post! We’ve created “Shimmer’s Corner” to be the go-to spot for educational resources and materials for all your questions. Each week we’ll dive into a different topic or sector of the industry, so you know the best ways to keep your brand top of mind in the community. 

This week we’re kicking off with a topic that confuses A LOT of people: what’s the difference between custom apparel and promotional products? TLDR; they’re both awesome but serve different purposes, so the best approach is to use a combination of both. 

The first question we have to answer is what exactly custom apparel products and promotional products are.  

Custom apparel is any clothing piece (t-shirts, hoodies, sweats, uniforms, hats, etc...) that can be customized with a logo, message, or branding using various decoration methods (embroidery, screen printing, DTF transfers, etc...). This creates a cohesive, professional, and unified look for your team.  

Promotional products are non-apparel branded items (pens, mugs, bags, keychains, stickers, etc...) used for giveaways, thank you gifts, or in your day-to-day business. These tangible items are meant to keep your brand top of people’s minds. 

Custom Apparel	Promotional Products
Definition: Articles of clothing that can be customized with a logo, message, or branding using various decoration methods ​​	Definition: non-apparel branded items (pens, mugs, bags, keychains, stickers, etc...) used for giveaways, thank you gifts, or in your day-to-day business ​
Purpose: Wearable form of branding that creates a unified, professional look for your team or event ​	Purpose: Tangible items that keep your business or brand top of people’s minds ​
Longevity: Years; people will rewear these products consistently, especially if they’re part of a uniform ​	Longevity: Varies; dependent on the product selected  ​
Visibility: Your people (or pets) become a “walking billboard” because anytime they’re wearing the item in public, your brand gets seen  ​​	Visibility: Since most things can be branded to be a promotional product, it can be seen almost anywhere (kitchen, car, desk, waiting rooms, etc...) and thus becomes a constant reminder to those who see the item ​
Best Use Cases:  • Uniforms  •.Event Branding • Spirit Wear ​•Trade Shows & Conferences  ​	Best Use Cases:  • Giveaways  • Client Appreciation & Thank You Gifts  • Direct Mail Campaigns  ​• Seasonal Campaigns

Sometimes your brand will only need custom apparel or promotional products, but a good marketing plan will include both options. When partnered together, they become a powerful combination that ensures your brand will be visible both within your team and out in the community. 

So by this point of the article you’re asking me, “well that’s all fine and dandy, but what does this look like in practice?” Great questions! 
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Let’s say you’re the organizer of a new youth sports team in your area. You’ve got a decent budget to work with to get the word out about the team, uniforms, and league fees. You call up your local apparel and promotional product experts *cough* *cough* FrogTown Tees, and work with them to determine immediate needs. 

Custom Apparel	Promotional Products
1. Home Uniforms  2. Away Uniforms  3. Practice T-Shirts  4. Spirit T-Shirts  5. Hoodies  ​6. Sweatpants  ​	1. Team Backpacks 2. Yard Signs 3. Postcards – Direct Mail outlining information sessions & tryout dates 4. Spirit Poms 5. Water Bottles ​6. Car Magnets / Decals

Imagine if you just went with custom apparel. You’re missing out on all the impressions you’d get when your player’s parents are driving around town with their new car magnet. Or the impressions of the players using their team water bottle in school amongst their friends. 

Here’s the bottom line: Custom apparel will make your team look good and professional. Promotional products keep your brand in people’s hands.  

Have more questions? Give us a call and speak to one of our expert brand concierges about the best solution for your organization. 

Until next time, keep it local and keep it custom – Shimmer 🐸