PPAI • JULY 2026 • 31 A forthcoming study commissioned by PPAI measures branded merch through more than just traditional distributor sales. From GDP to job creation, the report will reveal the industry’s true global economic value. By Jonny Auping Branded merchandise powers lasting connections, often experienced most deeply as the gifting of a product from a brand to a recipient. But many more people touched that T-shirt, tumbler or charging device on its journey to the end recipient. Keep that in mind when considering PPAI’s forthcoming global economic impact study, produced by highly regarded independent third-party firm Oxford Economics and slated to release in the third quarter of 2026. The study is intricate in both process and results, but it was commissioned and carried out from a simple notion: The numbers you have been seeing attributed to the branded merch industry’s annual economy do not tell the whole story. Around the world, the true impact is far greater than the $27.1 billion attributed to U.S. distributor sales last year. “The branded merch industry has always punched above its weight, but we haven’t always had the data to prove it,” says Danny Rosin, CAS, co-president of Brand Fuel, PPAI 100’s No. 42 distributor. “Previous figures provided valuable benchmarks, but they didn’t fully capture the scale, complexity and global reach of today’s branded merchandise ecosystem. “This study gives us a clearer picture of who we are, the value we create and why our industry deserves a larger voice in conversations about business, trade, workforce development and economic growth.” Something BIG Is Coming | Must Read
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