An essential in education, new hire gifting and outdoor adventures, these versatile branded bags are the ultimate companion on the go.

About a quarter of Americans work at least some hours remotely each week, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. For new hires starting in fully or partially work-from-home roles, it can be easy to feel disconnected from the rest of the company without a comprehensive onboarding process. A welcome kit – based around a work-branded backpack – is an ideal onboarding gift to help these and any new additions to a department build connections to the company and their coworkers.

Holding up to 36 cans and made from easy-to-clean tarpaulin, this Olympus cooler backpack is ideal for camping trips, outdoor team-building retreats or construction sites. Features a heat-sealed PEVA liner to help prevent leaks.

Perfect for work, school or travel, the Graphite Deluxe computer backpack holds up to a 15.6-inch laptop, plus has plenty of pockets for storing a tablet, pens, business cards, water bottles or other business essentials. Ideal for university orientation kits or new hires.

Keep it cool with the 32-can capacity Acadia backpack cooler. Made from rPET and recycled foam, with an insulated PEVA lining, it’s a sustainable choice for sports team sidelines or outdoor adventures.

Made from recycled two-tone polyester and fitting most 15-inch computers, the WorkSpace backpack tote is a smart choice for employees on the go. Features a luggage pass-through, USB-A outlet and double grab handles.

With space to fit a large 17-inch laptop, the Mercury backpack is ideal for commuting tech employees or onboarding kits. Made from durable ripstop and 600D polyester, with a colorful interior lining, and including padded, vented shoulder straps for comfort and airflow.

Embrace the pickleball trend with this specialized carry-all backpack, with room for two paddles in the main pocket and any needed accessories in the front or side pockets. A great fit for community rec center tournaments or local sports league promotions.

Branded notebooks and journals are an essential product for colleges, universities, elementary and high schools, as students and teachers alike tackle to-do lists, class notes and lesson planning while promoting their educational institutions.

Capture your thoughts in this 5” x 7” Comfort Touch hardbound journal, including 80 lined sheets and a durable PVC cover in various colors. Features an elastic band closure and ribbon bookmark. Perfect for school events.

With an Italian UltraHyde cover, 80 sheets of lined paper and interior document pocket, this PedovaTM Soft Bound Journal is ideal for professional workshops or training sessions. Made from a mixture of materials from FSC-certified forests, recycled materials and/or FSC-controlled wood, it also features a built-in elastic band and page marker.

Stay organized in a sustainable way with this eco magnetic notebook set featuring a lined spiral notebook, a matching paper barrel pen, sticky flags and sticky notes in two sizes. A great new hire gift or item for office supply stock.

Ideal for tech conferences or education events, this Mercury notebook set includes a 70-page spiral bound notebook and a matching stylus pen that attaches via an elastic pen strap. Available in a variety of metallic textured cover colors.

This Leeman refillable journal features a soft faux leather cover, pen loop and elastic closure. Includes approximately 80 lined sheets of 80 g cream paper that can be replaced with fresh 5.8” x 8.3” notebook paper. Ideal for executive meetings

The Amherst journal features 80 5” x 7” pages and makes for a great promotional giveaway at trade shows or corporate events. The leatherette cover is available in six classic colors and also includes an elastic band for security.

In addition to sunny colors, the coffee chain’s seasonal drop focuses more on carrying and customization than volume.

Could the days of 40 oz. tumbler dominance be behind us?

If Starbucks’ summer drinkware collection is any indication, consumers might be looking for more manageable drinkware options – especially when on the go.

The Starbucks seasonal drinkware collection is typically a good look into what sort of designs end-users want for things like tumblers, cups and bottles. The colors reflect the season, with the summer collection full of bright yellows, blues and greens. But what stands out the most in the collection is the relatively small size of all the pieces.

Recently, 40 oz. tumblers inspired by the “Stanley Cup” were all the rage, and drinkware suppliers created their own answers to the piece after it became a social media sensation. Now, however, Starbucks is betting on end-users looking at smaller drinkware pieces – and also accessories for them.

Take, for example, the Cold Cup & Carry Case from this collection. It’s only 24 oz., and it comes with a carrying case and strap that matches the lid of the cup. This bridges the gap between tote bag and water bottle, creating another opportunity for branding with the carrying strap and bag.

The Vibrant Yellow Cold Cup & Carry Case (24 oz.) from Starbucks

Elsewhere in the collection, there’s a 24 oz. cold cup with a flower charm that fits around the straw. The idea of a drinkware accessory is something that makes sense for a 40 oz. tumbler, where you can attach a “tumbler backpack” for carrying small items. But the charm idea creates an opportunity for end-users to collect or trade their charms like they might do with trading cards or even other accessories of this ilk. Look at the "Labubu" collectibles that are currently all the rage for people to put on their purses and bags. (The idea of merchandise specifically for the Labubu dolls is a topic for another day.)

It’s simple, but something like that adds a layer of branding and creates engagement among end-users, and possibly even additional business if the customers can go back to get different varieties.

Swirl Cold Cup with Flower Charm (24 oz.) from Starbucks

Whether the Stanley Cup era is truly over remains to be seen, but some suppliers and distributors have predicted that the tariff situation could make it difficult, or at least not as cost-effective as other drinkware choices.

The change could also just be that trends are cyclical, and end-users fluctuate between two ends of product spectrums. Baggy pants give way to skinny jeans, and then we go back to baggy. Hard goods are not exempt to these swings in consumer trends. At one point, everyone wanted their cell phone to be as small as possible, and then smartphone manufacturers offered products that double as tablets.

The drinkware got bigger, and now it might get smaller when end-users want something easier to carry.