The Hill reported today that the $349 billion set aside for small businesses affected by the COVID-19 pandemic is gone. The Treasury Department and Small Business Administration have reportedly gone through all of the funding allotted for the Paycheck Protection Program, as well as $10 billion in emergency relief loans…
Read MoreAuthor: Brendan Menapace
Will Coronavirus Change the Way Countries Source Apparel? In the U.K., Domestic Textiles See Increased Demand
The coronavirus pandemic has upended markets all across the world, and has forced countries to make changes to the way they do business and how they source products. In the U.K., domestic textile businesses have seen an uptick in business as demand still exists for textile products, but companies are wary…
Read MoreHow One Promo Distributor Landed a Pretty Large Customer: the U.S. Census
What do you look for in a big order? You want the end-result to be worth your labor and energy, right? Maybe you want to be part of something bigger. Nick Mirabile, vice president of merchandise and licensing for Stran North America, Quincy, Mass., told us about a promotion that fit both criteria: marketing the U.S. Census…
Read MorePM Screen Time: Denielle Lue Has a Business Idea for When Promo Sales Are Slow
Welcome to PM Screen Time! In this new video series, Sean Norris and Brendan Menapace talk with promotional products professionals about their challenges, wins and creative ideas, in the hopes of sparking some ideas and inspiration for anyone who needs it. In this episode, Denielle Lue, owner of Stitch to My Lue Promotions, shares an idea involving a businesses communications platform she’s putting together for clients while promotional products sales are slow…
Read MoreScreen Printing Supply Owner Receives Death Threats Over Another Company’s N95 Mask Price Gouging
Bob Drake owns Performance Screen Supply in Manalapan, N.J. Coincidentally, there’s another business in town called Protective Supply LLC. The latter business is currently the subject of a lawsuit over alleged $45 million price-gouging involving N95 face masks, but Drake has received death threats over mistaken identity…
Read MoreNCAA Tournament, Kentucky Derby Merchandise Is Still Available
People who were previously lucky enough to score tickets to events like the NCAA Tournament or the Kentucky Derby are no doubt bummed. It’s for the best, but it doesn’t take the sting out of missing out on the action. We can’t go back and magically make the events happen as scheduled, but we can do the next best thing: buy merchandise as if we were there…
Read MoreThe Hand Sanitizer Shortage Might Last a Lot Longer Than Expected
There’s been a shortage of hand sanitizer at retail and in the promotional products industry for about a month now, and some companies have had to stop taking orders completely. That shortage could continue longer than anyone expected, though, and not just because of demand for sanitizer itself. A plastics shortage is contributing, too…
Read MoreBands and Artists Benefit COVID-19 Relief Through Exclusive ‘Stay at Home’ Merch and T-shirts
With tours and concerts canceled, bands and artists have had to find new ways to get their merchandise out. Thankfully, we live in an age where they can sell merch online and mail them directly to fans. A few bands and artists have taken their quarantine merch sales game to new, more altruistic heights by tying in special items with charitable donations…
Read MoreMerchandisers Rush to Trademark All Things ‘Coronavirus’
It’s not every day that there’s a global pandemic that reaches every single facet of human life, transcending borders, languages and politics. So, it’s only natural that a few opportunistic apparel and merchandising companies are looking to trademark the coronavirus for their own gain…
Read MoreUpdate 5/12: A Guide to Face Masks: Types, Materials and Best Practices for Universal Masking
Not all face masks are created equally. It’s natural to feel a bit overwhelmed by all of the information, or feel unsure about which mask types or fabrics work best (or at all) for certain applications, but this is critical knowledge if you’re brokering sales on masks for medical facilities or other applications…
Read More