Five Trends to Keep an Eye on in 2026

In many ways, 2025 has been a tumultuous year for the print and promo industries, with ever-changing tariffs and ensuing economic headwinds keeping everyone on their toes. As we head into 2026, it’s worth taking a moment to pause and reflect on the year that was – and ruminate on how the new year will unfold. With that in mind, here are five trends I believe will influence the converging worlds of print and promotional products in the months to come.

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1. Corporate AI Initiatives Will Grow More Sophisticated

AI and automation have been huge trends over the last few years, as more companies infuse AI tools into their products, and corporations scramble to train their employees on the efficiencies and ethics of using said tools. For many, 2025 has been about experimentation and exploration; next year, I’m expecting more companies to formalize their AI policies and measure their impact in earnest.

A recent survey of ASI Power Summit attendees found that 40% use AI sparingly, while 46% of promo distributors and 34% of promo suppliers don’t measure the impact of their initiatives. As my colleague Nate Kucsma, senior executive director of research, said at the ASI Power Summit: “That number will have to go up over the next few years. Companies will have to use data to justify their spend on these tools.”

We’re also likely to see more developments in so-called agentic AI, where AI bots are given basic instructions and are then empowered to make decisions and execute them.

Still, tech futurists like Sam Maule warn that we can’t lose sight of the human aspect. In an episode of Promo Insiders, Maule stressed that overreliance on generative models trained on AI-produced content risks losing creativity and authenticity. A company’s data, employees and intellectual property are the true “moats” protecting and differentiating a brand.

2. Print on Demand Is Poised for Growth

Print on demand (POD) represents the shift from “analog to digital manufacturing,” according to Rusty Pepper, head of global markets and partnerships at Taylor OnDemand. He elaborated: “You’re basically providing print-ready art files and letting them flow directly into production without any manual manipulation, no prepress, no back-and-forth, pure automation.”

It’s a business model that’s been around for a while but really began to take root in the promotional products world in 2025. According to ASI Research, 54% of promo distributors provide POD services, with 78% of those who offer POD saying it’s an add-on to traditional bulk ordering of promo, rather than a replacement.

Going into 2026, I expect the industry to embrace the trend even further, especially as distributors latch on to the ways that POD can remove a lot of the friction that’s existed in traditional print and promo ordering, freeing them up to focus on building relationships and increasing sales.

3. Sustainability Is More Than a Trend

2025 was the inaugural year for “Why It Matters Live,” a sustainable merch summit organized and hosted by Branded Merch Network, 2 Regular Guys, ASI and Apparelist. During the virtual conference, panelists talked about the importance of transparency and third-party certification to back up sustainable claims. They also shared real-world examples of how a focus on green initiatives and social responsibility can spark sales and build business.

While 2025 was a year of raising awareness, Jay Busselle, part of Branded Merch Network, believes 2026 will be defined by action. Busselle and his counterpart Jeff Solomon were guests on a recent episode of the Branding Together podcast to unpack the impact of the first summit and give a preview of next year’s event, which will bring more conversations and case studies to the forefront.

It’s just one example of how print and promo are putting an emphasis on sustainability – and the way the discourse surrounding the topic is evolving and maturing.

4. Brace Yourself for More Mergers & Acquisitions

Over the last few years, blockbuster mergers and acquisitions have dominated headlines. In 2024, Counselor Top 40 supplier S&S Activewear completed the purchase of fellow Top 40 alphabroder, marrying what had been the second- and third-largest suppliers in the promotional products industry. Just recently, Counselor Top 40 supplier Gildan announced the completion of its acquisition of Hanesbrands, doubling the scale of the apparel giant.

Other noteworthy deals in 2025 included Counselor Top 40 distributor The Sourcing Group acquiring Vanguard Direct, Counselor Top 40 distributor BDA acquiring Harper + Scott, and Taylor Corp. acquiring Gooten.

Will next year spark even more high-profile deals? Only time will tell, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see continued shuffling among the industry’s largest players. And smaller, agile companies may find rapid growth by employing a strategic acquisition strategy as well.

5. USA-Made Will Take on Greater Significance for America’s 250th

2026 is America’s semiquincentennial. (Say that three times fast!) It’s also the 25th year since the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Another major event coming up? The United States will be one of the hosts of the men’s FIFA World Cup, with top national soccer teams from around the globe playing matches in several major U.S. cities.

Consider that in 2025, demand for Made in the USA goods spiked, as tariffs on global goods led buyers to search for alternatives. Earlier this year, Colleen Shea, vice president of sales at promo supplier All American Writing Instruments, told ASI Media that she was certain her company’s position as a USA manufacturer had a strong impact on its positive numbers. Counselor Top 40 supplier World Emblem has made headlines by growing its U.S. manufacturing base, reshoring jobs as it opens new facilities.

Though it’s unlikely we’ll see a large-scale reshoring of promo manufacturing anytime soon, the year-long celebration of America’s milestone birthday will likely spur continued interest in those brands that have already established domestic operations.

The preceding content was provided by a contributor unaffiliated with Printing Impressions. The views expressed within may not directly reflect the thoughts or opinions of the staff of Printing Impressions. Artificial Intelligence may have been used in part to create or edit this content.