The Gear That Powered Your Teams in 2025: Custom Ink’s Top Trends & Best Sellers

From trade show floors to finish lines, this is the custom swag that defined the year.

If we know anything about you – the planners, the doers, the organizers making the magic happen behind the scenes – it’s that 2025 was a year of big goals and even bigger team moments.

Every year, we love looking back at the millions of orders we customized and delivered, because that data tells a story about you. It shows us how…

You outfitted your field crews in safety gear;
Thanked your clients with premium tumblers;
Built the kind of belonging that turns a group of people into a unified team through the power of t-shirts, bags, and hoodies;

…and so much more.

So from the hats keeping the sun off your field crew to the notebooks capturing your next big idea, here is the gear that defined 2025.

Tools of the Trade (and the Desk)

2025 proved that your custom needs go way beyond the closet.

The Medium Hard Cover Notebook was the best-selling item for office and desk use. In a digital world, there’s still power in putting pen to paper.
You ordered the Sleek Write Rubberized Ballpoint Pen more than any other non-apparel item this year. It’s tactile, practical, and gets your brand into thousands of hands.
When you wanted to make a lasting impression, you chose the YETI Laser Engraved 20 oz. Rambler. As our top-selling new product, this tumbler was the ultimate “thank you” gift that people definitely want to keep.

2025’s Top Selling Custom T-Shirt

You want your team to look good, but you really need them to feel good.

That explains why the Gildan Softstyle Jersey T-Shirt was our top-selling t-shirt of 2025.

It’s soft, it fits just right, and it proves that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort for a professional look.

Beyond the T-Shirt: How You Suited Up with Custom Apparel

While tees are always a staple, 2025 was also the year you majorly expanded your wardrobe. We saw massive sales growth in:

This tells us you’re thinking about the whole team experience. You’re keeping them warm on the commute, safe on the job site, and looking sharp in front of customers.

The Fastest Growing Outwear Category: Custom Quarter-Zips.

Quarter-Zips are the defining look of the “business casual but ready for anything” vibe. It’s the ultimate ‘uniform’ for the modern team; polished enough for client meetings, and still comfortable enough for the commute.

Expect to see custom quarter-zip sweatshirts a lot in 2026.

Peak Performance: The Top-Selling Athletic Gear

Your teams were also active this year!

When you needed to dress for performance, you reached for the AllPro Interlock UPF 50 Performance Shirt (both the short and long-sleeve versions). This shirt was our top-selling new product and the highest volume athletic item.

Whether it was for a charity 5K or a landscaping team facing the summer heat, you loved the combination of moisture-wicking technology and sun protection to keep your teams safe and comfortable.

Team Wellness Was Back at the Forefront of Custom Gifting

We also noticed a shift in how you care for your people and clients.Health & Personal Care grew faster this year than any other product category.

This included crowd favorites like custom lip balms, sunscreen, and hand sanitizers.

Swag that promotes personal well-being is in. It sends a message that you care about the person beyond their title.

2025’s Biggest Bulk Buys

When it came to high-volume events like trade shows, conferences, and company offsites, you looked for high-impact items that made the most of your budget and maximized your brand’s reach.

Custom Pens and Can Coolers reigned supreme for large bulk orders, proving that sometimes the smallest, most portable items bring the most joy (and brand visibility) to a crowd.

For the Marketers: These portable powerhouses delivered the lowest cost-per-impression of any item, getting your brand into thousands of hands and extending your reach far beyond the booth.

For the Event Planners: They were the perfect budget-friendly “crowd pleaser,” allowing you to give everyone a fun, tangible memento of the day while keeping your budget on track.

Here’s to You, the Organizer

Getting sizes right and tracking shipping can feel like a lot – but you handled it like a pro (with a little help from the experts at Custom Ink).

Looking at this list, we see the results of your hard work: teams that look united, employees who feel appreciated, and brands that stand out.

Thank you for trusting us to be part of your team’s story in 2025. We can’t wait to see what you create next year.