PPB November 2021

“Our color palette for 2022, especially spring, reflects our need for both familiarity and spontaneity during the uncertain times we live in now,” says Stephanie Bennet, senior marketing manager for Sharon, Massachusetts supplier, Charles River Apparel. “We crave the calm that’s found in marine blues and greens but are also drawn towards something punchy and exciting, like vibrant fuchsia or sunshine yellow (a classic harbinger of spring!). We believe these tones speak to our current lifestyle: the sanctuary of home, which has become so very important, but also the desire for joy and excitement to break up the monotony of our daily routine.” Vicki Ostrom, trend analyst/futurist with supplier SanMar and founder of Trendependent, a trend resource for the promotional products industry, says of this season's colors, “There is a definite move for many consumers to build smart, eco-friendly, less-but- better wardrobes. These are based in colors that can be mixed and matched and be worn any time of the year, regardless of the season. The rules of ‘never white after Labor Day’ or ‘pastels in spring jewel tones in fall’ are no longer recognized. In fact, the opposite is true. While we are filling our closets with practical, earthen-inspired tones like tan, brown, grey and black, we are at the same time adding intense pops of color in the way of t-shirts, outerwear and accessories like scarves, beanies and baseball caps. These dopamine brights make up about 20-percent of our closets and are our way of pumping up the joy in our everyday lives while still being mindful of the planet with 80 percent of our choices dedicated to seasonless, comforting, grounded neutrals.” The aim this current and coming season, and every period, thereafter, is to delight promo recipients by providing them with wearable options they can use or wear daily to help spread a message of awareness or hope, to show support for a sports team or represent an afterschool group, to share information about a business or upcoming event, and so many more possibilities. By offering recipients product selections in fresh and trending colors and styles, year over year, brands raise the likelihood that the garment will be worn and seen more often. But also important, wearables are made to delight those wearing them, and by offering options that incorporate an array of colors, it serves to embolden, enliven and inspire recipients, especially during the colder months. | NOVEMBER 2021 | 19 INNOVATE