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First impressions matter so shouldn’t the swag you create to show off your brand be focused on quality, style and sustainability? Check out all the ways we can put together a welcome kit that your employees will be proud to wear and share!

A new hire welcome kit is just what it sounds like. It's a collection of thoughtful, useful, inspiring, and fun items employers give out to new employees as part of the onboarding experience. Think of it as a way to make the new hire feel at home.

Sustainable employee welcome kits take this idea to a new level. The idea is to curate swag that delivers on quality and style, with packaging that is 100% recyclable and compostable while making your branded merchandise something they’ll never want to throw away.

Top Tips for New Hire Welcome Kits

So, what are the best items to include in a welcome kit?

We've assembled a list of essential items, perfect for every welcome kit no matter what the budget. The list focuses on custom swag that will help those new hires feel right at home on day one, as well as those that will prove quite useful on the job.

And don’t forget, every piece of branded merch on our list is sustainable and responsibly sourced.

New employee kit for Plex curated, kitted, and shipped by Swagger

Handwritten Welcome Notes

A brief, handwritten note from the manager or another coworker is a great way to welcome a new hire. Remember, the note should be handwritten and personalized—a typed, generic letter comes off as just that, generic (at best) and insincere (at worst). The extra time it takes to put pen to paper will make your new hire feel that much more valued—it’s time well spent.

New employee kit for BrightHire curated, kitted, and shipped by Swagger

Reusable Drinkware

A water bottle is a practical, must-have for all sustainable employee welcome kits.

Everyone enjoys their coffee, tea and/or water, so you can't go wrong by including reusable drinkware in a new hire package from brands like MiiR, Soma, S’well, Ocean Bottle, Elemental and more.

It may seem like a generic and overused company swag gift, but people really love them and use them regularly. What’s more, there are so many sustainable options to choose from, including brands that give back with every purchase.

Notebook & Pen Sets

Here’s another high-usage, practical item that Swagger can customize to feel elevated and personalized. Notebook and pen sets come in a wide range of sustainable options from coveted brands like Moleskine, Karst and Appeel.

A new hire welcome kit isn’t complete without an eco-friendly notebook or pen. Level up with company branded swag they’ll use every day—whether it’s to journal or to take notes at your next company All Hands.

New hire kit for Talentful curated, kitted, and shipped by Swagger

Hats and Beanies

So many options to choose from! Depending on the company vibe—some brands go for the traditional cap while others opt for the beanie (Atlantis is Swagger’s go-to for the best beanies). The great part is how many cool and distinct ways there are to add branding: woven tags, leather labels, patches, embroidery. The fun goes on and on with this new hire gift...

Custom branded Okta hat curated and designed by Swagger

Sustainable Tech

A charger is something employees really value and love to receive. Even better, Swagger’s favorite charger, by Nimble, is made of recyclable material, so it does its job while doing good for the planet too. Win-win!

And if you haven’t heard of Rocketbook, you’re going to want to consider this. This next-gen notebook comes in a range of sizes and has erasable pages. You can take photos of your notes and upload them to the cloud in seconds. What’s not to love?

Another brand we love? Bose! The Bose Soundlink Speaker can go along with you wherever you go and has amazing sound quality. It makes for the perfect branded merch so your team can play their fave chill tunes while working or some beachy funk for the next vacay!

New hire kit for LinkedIn curated, kitted, and shipped by Swagger

Headphones

Image of Urbanista Lost Angeles Solar Powered headphones curated by Swagger

Headphones are a versatile addition to new hire kits. Employees appreciate them because they help them stay focused on the job and, at the same time, can be integrated into their life outside work, like listening to music at home or working out.

The Urbanista Lost Angeles Solar Powered headphones are all the rage right now and channel the natural neutral trend with your corporate branded swag that we’ve been seeing everywhere. Choose a neutral to highlight other colors that really pop, or keep it elevated with a tone-on-tone version of your logo. For more inspiration on this year’s branded merch, indulge in Swagger’s 2024 Trends Lookbook.

Tote Bags

Tote bags remain one of the best items to include in welcome kits–and for good reason! They're handy for a ton of different uses, they’re reusable, they’re made of eco-friendly materials. Oh, and best of all, they reduce the need for plastic bags.

Swagger can customize your tote bag branded swag with a company logo or personalized message. We think a tote should always be: useful, customized, and sustainable.

Image of custom branded eBay tote bag designed by Swagger

T-Shirts

Always a classic: the branded T-shirt.

T-shirts make go-to apparel for corporate swag for employees. For one thing, a good T-shirt will always be in style. On top of that, T-shirts make great gifts for both men and women and come in a wide range of sizes and colors. But not just any T-shirt will do. It’s important to choose quality T-shirts that will last and a design that employees will want to wear.

At Swagger, we source brands like Allmade and Marine Layer, because they offer well-designed, sustainable t-shirts woven from organic cotton and recycled materials.

Image of custom branded Thankful t-shirts desiigned by Swagger

Customization is Crucial!

The most impactful new hire kits are those that are fully integrated with your brand, from core values to specific look & feel. Never underestimate the fact that these first impressions truly become lasting, meaningful brand moments and associations that employees carry with them.

New hire kit for Forethought curated, kitted, and shipped by Swagger

Ready to create welcome kits for your brand? Swagger will thoughtfully curate your customized, branded, sustainable swag, then manage the end-to-end process of kitting, warehousing and shipping all over the globe.

Ready to treat your employees or clients to products that inspire them to live more sustainability? Just fill out this short form: Let's do this!

We’d love to hear from you! Drop us a note anytime at hello@giveswagger.com