Here in the U.K we love promotional products, so much so that we are the second-biggest buyer of branded merchandise in Europe, with only the Germans buying more promotional merchandise. As with most items, a lot of promotional merchandise will come from overseas. Being a predominantly service sector economy, we tend to import most goods whilst manufacturing very little ourselves and currently only 17% of our economy comprises of manufacturing. This said, there are some promotional items available that are actually made in the U.K! Whilst we are not saying merchandise made abroad is a bad thing, because it isn’t, there are benefits to choosing to get your branded merchandise manufactured in the U.K, some of which we have listed below.
1. Support U.K Manufacturing and Jobs
With the bulk of the U.K’s manufacturing comprising of small to medium-sized business, when you choose to buy British made promotional merchandise you’re more than likely supporting a small independent business. These small to medium-sized business’ provide 16.3 million people with jobs but we’re losing 27,000 of these kinds of business’ every year! Your support really matters and buying British made merchandise helps to keep people in work. This is more important than ever as according to Howard Robinson, a spokesperson for Independent business’, it really is now a case of “use them or lose them”.
2. Shorter Delivery Times
Whilst not every item of British made merchandise has shorter lead times, compared to items made abroad they do have shorter delivery times. A reusable coffee cup from Blackpool will get to Birmingham a lot quicker than one coming from Badalingzhen. It’ll probably also have a lower carbon footprint with fewer emissions being used in the delivery transportation process.
3. Brexit Proof
In these uncertain times we live in, where Brexit has been delayed twice, it can be difficult to make business plans. To try and omit a few of the risks posed by Brexit some companies have taken precautions such as stock pilling goods in the U.K or by researching alternative suppliers. Whilst we wait for politicians to sort it out, you may want to consider where you will get your promotional products from over the coming months. The next Brexit deadline is the 31 January 2020 so, if you require branded merchandise around this date that is time-critical, it may be a safer option to choose promotional products from U.K suppliers. These won’t be affected by potential bottlenecks at ports, lengthy import inspections or additional taxes. Watch the video below to find out even more benefits to supporting British made products:
Whilst there aren’t millions of merchandise items made in the U.K we do have some cracking and quirky products that will make you proud to choose British made promotional merchandise. Here are some of our favourites:
Branded Beeswax Wraps
These Beeswax Wraps offer great scope when it comes to branding and are fully customisable, which means both the wraps and the cardboard packaging can be printed with your logo and artwork. They also provide a more eco-friendly alternative to cling film which is another single-use plastic causing havoc on our environment. Each of these wraps can be reused for up to a year and afterwards, are compostable, meaning future generations won’t be burdend with waste from your branded merchandise. All this whilst also supporting a small British business!
Exec Umbrella
Given that it rains for an average of 156.2 days each year in the U.K it should come as no surprise that you can get umbrellas made and branded with your logo here in Blighty. Made in Sheffield, our Exec Umbrella is a sturdy brolly with fibreglass ribs that help prevent breakage when it’s windy. It also has a handy automatic function for quicker opening meaning you can get it up in a jiffy without fiddling around in the rain. All Exec Umbrellas come printed with your logo and can be supplied in either a rubber-coated, faux leather crook or eva handle.
Custom Deck Chair
There’s nothing better than the Great British Summer, short and fleeting we savour every moment of it. So, whether chilling in a pub garden or at the beach, you’re bound to see deck chairs when out and about in the summer. We’d go as far as to say that deck chairs are as synonymous with our beaches as a bucket and spade or even seagulls! This makes deck chairs a great item of promotional merchandise for industries looking to capitalise on seasonal sales such as those promoting hospitality or beverages. Being such a classic British thing our custom deck chairs are also made right here in good ol’ Blighty. Offering full sublimation print on their large canvas gives you plenty of space to be as creative as you want. Custom deck chairs are also long-lasting and will likely be used for years which makes them an incredibly cost-effective item of promotional merchandise that offers years of repeated brand exposure.
There’s plenty more branded merchandise made here in the U.K to choose from, you can view the full range of British made merchandise by clicking the button below.
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