On a surface level, company swag like mugs, T-shirts, or office supplies can make us feel like a valued member of an organization and even give a sense of belonging.
But there are only so many swag bags you can accept before you run out of room to store everything.
One Reddit user recently called attention to the issue of corporate waste — specifically excessive amounts of swag at conferences — and many commenters shared their experiences involving the worrisome trend.
What happened?
In the "r/Anticonsumption" community on Reddit, an employee shared that they recently had attended a work conference and noticed an appalling amount of "useless garbage" many companies were handing out to market their brands.
"Yes, some of this could be used, but it's the sheer amount of it that gets collected in one day. I don't use tote bags, why would I need 20 with a [company's] name I don't even care about???" the original poster wrote.
"I guarantee 95% of this stuff is going into the trash when this event is over," they continued.
Commenters chimed in with personal accounts of promotional products that they'd been gifted but didn't necessarily want.
"This is one of my biggest pet peeves. My company started mailing giant swag boxes to our homes in 2020 as a show of appreciation. I couldn't even use most of it," one commenter said.
"My company talks about being zero waste, environmentally friendly, etc. yet gives tons of swag that just goes in the trash. I think we should go back to business cards or magnets and notepads instead of useless plastic junk," another person shared.
"Convention swag is just birthday party junk favor bags for adults. Hate it," another commenter posted.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Should companies be required to help recycle their own products?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 👍 Why is excessive waste concerning?
Aside from burdening employees who have to worry about how to get rid of unwanted items, corporate swag also takes a major toll on the environment. Many company-branded products end up in landfills, where trash leaches toxic chemicals into the environment and contributes to our planet's overheating by releasing harmful gases.
"Conference swag has a huge environmental impact as most of them are made from cheap plastic and materials, are of poor quality, and have a short product life," said Sonali Diddi, an associate professor in the Department of Design and Merchandising at Colorado State University.
And while a survey run by Custom Ink found that giving regular swag gifts can boost employee morale and retention, companies should also consider the environmental impact of the items and the long-term consequences of distributing so many products. Even if swag giveaways are limited to a few conferences a year, that can add up when you consider how many companies are doing the same thing globally.
Are companies doing anything about this?
The conference employee didn't disclose who they work for or which companies attended the event, so there's no way to tell if anyone is making moves to become more sustainable.
However, several companies have popped up that offer eco-friendly swag, including ForestNation, Fairware, and Ethical Swag. As ForestNation explained, these brands provide recyclable water bottles, biodegradable utensils, planet-friendly apparel, and even seed kits to grow trees — all to help make conferences a little greener.
What else are companies doing to reduce waste?
Many retailers are actively working to adopt eco-friendly practices and reduce waste. For example, Best Buy has teamed up with a packaging company to reduce its packaging waste and incorporate more sustainable materials, and Aldi has switched to recyclable wrapping for some of its butter products.
And beyond company action, we as individuals can help with these efforts by donating or selling old items to keep them out of landfills, as well as swapping disposable plastic products for reusable alternatives.
Bonus: These actions not only save you money but also have long-term benefits for the planet.
Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
