Tips to Promote Campus Sustainability with Custom Eco-friendly Swag
College campuses are powerful engines of innovation, activism, and environmental leadership. As institutions continue to champion sustainability, events like Campus Sustainability Month and Earth Day offer valuable opportunities to engage students and reinforce eco-conscious values. One impactful way to support these efforts is by choosing sustainable promotional products that reflect your institution’s commitment to a greener future.
Looking to make your campus events and initiatives more sustainable? Whether included in welcome kits for new students, handed out at campus events, or used as branded merchandise for clubs and departments, eco-friendly swag can help spark conversations, build awareness, and inspire action. Eco-friendly promotional products are a great way to engage students and staff while reinforcing your commitment to the environment. From reusable items to recycled materials, here are six tips with product ideas that help reduce waste and promote greener habits across campus.
1. Prioritize Reusable Over Disposable
Tip: Choose products that students and staff can use repeatedly to help cut down on single-use waste.
Product Idea: 18 oz Perka Insulated Tumbler with Dual Lids
This versatile tumbler comes with two lid options: a translucent straw lid for cold drinks and a black screw-on flip-top lid for hot beverages. It keeps drinks hot for up to 12 hours or cold for up to 24 hours, replacing countless disposable bottles and coffee cups.
Bonus: Encourage usage with a campus incentive program, such as discounts at cafes, for those who bring their branded reusable drinkware.
Perka® Insulated Tumbler with Dual Lids | 18 oz
2. Choose Recycled or Upcycled Materials
Tip: Look for items made from recycled paper, plastic, or fabric to help keep materials out of landfills.
Product Idea: 100% Recycled rPET Tote Bag
This sturdy tote is made from post-consumer plastic bottles and is perfect for carrying books, groceries, or everyday essentials.
100% Recycled rPET Tote Bag | 13x15x10
3. Support Local Sourcing
Tip: Select products that are made in the USA and crafted from sustainable materials to support the local economy while reducing transportation-related emissions.
Product Idea: USA-Made 100% Organic Cotton T-Shirt
Made with USA grown organic cotton and produced ethically in the United States, this unisex t-shirt is ideal for student organizations, campus events, or eco-friendly giveaways.
100% Organic Cotton Adult Unisex T-Shirt | USA Made
4. Align Products with Campus Life
Tip: Choose practical, everyday items that students will actually use in their academic and social routines.
Product Idea: Recycled Spiral Notebook with Eco Pen
This useful set features FSC®-certified lined pages, a recycled paper cover, and a pen with a recycled barrel. It’s a great fit for classes, club meetings, or campus workshops.
FSC Recycled Spiral Notebook and Pen Set | 5x7
5. Highlight the Eco Message
Tip: Use branding and packaging to share your sustainability story. A clear message such as "Made from recycled materials" can help raise awareness and inspire environmentally conscious choices.
Product Idea: USA Made Plant Positivity Seed Packet
Each packet includes a recycled cardstock backer card and a curated mix of wildflower seeds. Customize with your logo and a positive message to support mental wellness and sustainability efforts on campus.
Plant Positivity Seed Packets | USA Made | Recycled
Bonus Product Idea: USA Made Recycled Round Buttons
These full-color buttons are made from 30% recycled steel with 10% post-consumer recycled content in the paper. They're perfect for showing school spirit, promoting student clubs, or raising awareness while reinforcing your commitment to sustainability.
USA Made Recycled Round Buttons | Multiple Sizes
6. Partner with a Purpose-Driven Promotions Company
Tip: Collaborate with companies like Eco Promotional Products (EPP) that specialize in responsibly sourced and sustainably made branded merchandise.
Product Idea: USA Made Skin Soothing Stick
Soothe tired muscles with this easy-to-apply cooling stick, made with menthol and shea butter from a certified B-Corp. Great for post-workout recovery or sunburn relief, this item is a convenient, wellness-focused giveaway for college events, sports games, and tradeshows.
Skin Soothing Stick | 1 oz | USA Made
Bonus Product Idea: Fill it Forward Tritan™ Cupanion Water Bottle
This reusable 18 oz BPA-free Tritan™ bottle is made in the USA by a certified B-Corp and designed to help offset its own carbon footprint. Each refill supports global giving through the Fill it Forward app, making it a sustainable, tech-enabled giveaway for eco-conscious campus events.
Fill it Forward Tritan™ Cupanion Water Bottle | USA Made | 18 oz
Sustainability doesn’t have to stop at recycling bins. It can be woven into every handshake, giveaway, and welcome kit. By choosing eco-friendly custom swag, your brand becomes a meaningful part of a student’s sustainable journey and encourages students and staff to adopt more eco-friendly habits in their daily lives.
Curious about more eco-friendly promotional products to boost campus sustainability? Call 877-ECO-WINS (877-326-9467) to speak with a dedicated EPP customer representative for further assistance.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who would benefit from using eco-friendly promotional products in the higher education space?
Eco-friendly promotional products are helpful tools for a wide variety of groups within the higher education community. Students, staff, faculty, and visitors can all benefit from these sustainable product alternatives. Student organizations can use eco-friendly promotional products to advertise their events or causes while aligning with institutional sustainability goals. Department leaders and administrators use sustainable branded swag to boost school pride while reducing waste and reinforcing a shared sense of responsibility toward a greener future. Eco Promotional Products (EPP) has experience partnering with athletic departments, student affairs divisions, residential life committees, research centers, and other groups leaning toward sustainable choices in colleges and universities.
Why should colleges and universities use customizable products with sustainable advantages?
Customizable swag with environmentally friendly and socially responsible advantages supports institutional goals to boost campus engagement, pride, and sustainable development. Eco-friendly promotional products serve as tangible reminder of the institution’s dedication to environmental responsibility and creating a more conscious campus environment for all.
How can eco-friendly promotional products contribute to campus sustainability efforts?
Eco-friendly products can directly reduce corporate environmental footprints by promoting the use of recycled, biodegradable, or reusable materials. Items such as reusable water bottles and tote bags reduce reliance on single-use plastics and other non-renewable materials. Universities can elevate their campus culture to value sustainability and inspire campus populations to take climate action by incorporating sustainable swag giveaways. Also, integrating purposeful promotional products into campus-wide campaigns can raise awareness of sustainability initiatives and motivate campus communities to participate in collective efforts like waste reduction, recycling, and green transportation.