Like everyone else at The PPAI Expo 2026, PPAI staff were eager to check out the show floor for the latest and greatest the promotional products industry has to offer. Here are a few of our favorites from branded merchandise’s largest and longest-running trade show.
Jonny Auping, Senior News Editor
The Movie Poster Notebooks from Denik (PPAI 766866, Standard-Plus, Booth 2063) caught the eye of our senior news editor:
It’s hard to find a product that’s simple in concept and can serve as a thoughtful gift for a friend at a low cost, in the promo space or otherwise. Denik, which received a strategic investment from Rupt last year, pulls that off with their notebooks. They all have creative designs, but it’s their movie poster covers that feel different. They work as great promotional materials for a film, and if you know someone who loves that film, you already have their next birthday covered. And Denik has used the sale of their notebooks to fund schools in Mali, Guatemala, Laos, Ghana, Nicaragua, Senegal and the U.S.
Denik / PPAI 766866, Standard-Plus / Booth 2063
Josh Ellis, Publisher & Editor-In-Chief
Between hosting conversations for PPAI’s livestream from the edge of the show floor, our editor-in-chief found two products perfect for getting brands into people’s hands and homes (and stomachs):
It’s simple physics: Ice melts. Whiskey stones don’t. As a result, the ROCKS Whiskey Chilling Stones make for keepsake brandables to be used again and again, as well as conversation starters for any friends who like the brown drink. The stones themselves can be engraved for a statement at the bottom of the glass, and the company also decorates their fine wood carrying case. With a MOQ of one, these are excellent options for corporate gifts.
ROCKS Whiskey Chilling Stones / PPAI 900371, Standard-Base / Booth 5973
Spoil your client and their dinner with bread from Wildgrain. Cookies, candy and charcuterie are staples of branded gesturing, but in an age when so many people are laying off the carbs, a delicious buttered slice of bread is a treat. While the branding itself is limited to a card packed within the packaging, bake-at-home sourdough, croissants and more stand out as memorable options for clients, especially during the holiday season.
Wildgrain / PPAI 899147, Standard-Base / Booth 5677
Elizabeth Wimbush, CAS, Director, Sustainability & Responsibility
Whether it’s leading a behind-the-scenes tour showcasing all the efforts that make The PPAI Expo officially a waste-free event or checking out new products on the show floor, sustainability, circularity and corporate responsibility are always top-of-mind for Wimbush. This product ticked all the boxes:
These Coconut Candles from RIPL Goods – a certified B Corp and another recipient of a Rupt Ventures investment – are made using reclaimed coconut shells that would otherwise be discarded as waste. Plus, they create employment opportunities in the community for local artisans who fill them by hand with unscented soy wax. Laser engraving adds elegant branding, and each candle comes in a cotton bag and premium gift box that tells the story for a high-end gifting experience. And when the candle runs out (after an estimated 37 hours), the coconut shell can be cleaned and used as a pencil holder or plant pot, giving your client’s logo pride of place on the recipient’s desk indefinitely.
RIPL Goods / PPAI 812763, Standard-Base / Booths 1740, 1743
John Corrigan, Deputy Editor
The recently rebranded Totally Chocolate Promo’s assortment of goodies is worth throwing off your New Year’s diet for. My favorite is the 3.2-Inch Large Sugar Cookie With Engraved Chocolate, which is delicious, pairs perfectly with a tall glass of milk and makes for a unique branding opportunity. Tell Chip and Coco that their favorite writer sent ya!
Totally Chocolate Promo / PPAI 111668, Standard-Base / Booth 1149
Rachel Zoch, CAS, Public Affairs Manager
I love a plant project, and the Recycled Wine Bottle Grow Kit from Fields caught my eye. Each kit includes soil pods and a packet of seeds – choose from flowers like cosmos, forget-me-nots or zinnias, or herbs like basil, mint or parsley. But the star is the stylish jar made from a recycled wine bottle, which features a full-color label for branding. And once the flowers fade, the wine-jar can find yet another life as storage thanks to the cork lid/base that can be laser engraved for added flair
Fields Manufacturing / PPAI 111951, Silver / Booth 3549
