Be Well! Safe, Sustainable, Wellness Products Driving Market

Wellness products encompass a wide array of items. Not only is it the start of a new year—it is also the dawn of a new decade! Self-care is top of mind as well as corporate wellness in the workplace. Now more than ever, it is vital that employees make their emotional and physical well-being a priority. Eco-friendly, sustainable products are also in high demand. Wares such as tumblers, sports bottles, lip balms, massagers, reusable straws, and fitness gadgets are popular wellness products when it comes to hydrating, working out, and relaxing.

BIC Graphic’s Carrie Lewis cites a Wall Street Journal article that reports technology is boosting the popularity of at-home workouts. “We are seeing more people looking for equipment and easily portable gear to enhance their workout at home or on the road,” she says. “Simple items like push-up grips or exercise bands are great additions to home-gyms that can get brands noticed with every workout.”

Lewis continues that one of the newest wellness trends revolves around “dry January,” as more and more people are starting 2020 with this 30-day alcohol-free trial. “Taking a break from booze and focusing on hydration is a good way to improve mood, sleep better, and analyze habits,” she elaborates. She references stylish sports bottles and high-quality tumblers as items that appeal to everyone that is trying a sober month to improve their personal wellness.

Demand has been strong for safe and sustainable wellness and personal care items, Lewis adds. “We ensure all applicable products comply with FDA standards for that item,” she comments. “Additionally, we are launching more sustainable items that minimize environmental impact—like reef-friendly sunscreens—this spring.”

Over at Webb Collection, Jake Peterson points out that the company’s new Biodegradable Wheat Straw product line garnered a great deal of attention at the recent ASI Orlando Show. “Being able to offer products that decompose significantly faster than their predecessors seem to be what the end users are asking to see,” he observes. He anticipates continued high demand for products such as these.

Brian O’Gara at PCNA agrees that sustainability is a top trend. “Eco-friendly products are a natural fit for healthcare, fitness and wellness brands,” he affirms, adding that demand has been very strong for wellness products. “Corporate wellness programs have become the norm for many U.S.-based companies with more than 50 employees,” he comments. “A recent report sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and produced by the RAND Corporation found that over 80 percent of companies in the U.S. with over 50 employees offers some sort of wellness benefit. This makes wellness one of the top drivers of corporate business.”

Fortunately, suppliers are more than willing to tackle the wellness market head-on with enticing new and best-selling products. BIC Graphic has introduced the #41116 Fitness Flashing Armband with Bag Tag—a colorful, LED band with varying illumination features. The plastic hanger allows it to be used as a bag tag for outdoor packs or the hanger can be removed to be used as an armband for outdoor activities like running, jogging, or hiking in low-light situations.

BIC’s #41096 Yoga Mat with Shoulder Strap is a convenient, hassle-free way to get one’s mat to the next workout session. “Just roll this mat, loop the attached strap, and go,” Lewis says. “The soft mat is durable constructed and a great promo for health clubs, yoga studios, and fitness events.

“Recovery is a big part of any wellness routine, and the #41093 HoMedics Thera-P Total Body Massager has interchangeable massage heads and variable intensity to soothe sore muscles or easy everyday aches and pains,” Lewis adds. “Our customers and their clients are also looking for options when it comes to flavors, scents, and imprints. We now offer the new RVO lip balm which comes in nine different flavors (or neutral) or a new breath spray with your choice of color cap and full-color imprint.”

Peterson at Webb Collection notes the company’s wheat straw line that includes drinkware, a silverware set, a lunch box, lip balm, and reusable straws with three different packaging options is generating excitement. “The biodegradable lip balm container filled with our Made in USA Lip balm and the multiple straw options got a lot of attention and will likely be the product leaders in this category,” he predicts.

Conservation, innovation, eco-friendliness, and evolution are buzzwords when it comes to selling wellness products, Webb Collection’s Peterson and PCNA’s O’Gara assert, with O’Gara adding that eco-friendly products provide companies and organizations with a simple way to take small steps toward sustainability. 

BIC Graphic’s Lewis expands on these sentiments. “Wellness isn’t just about hitting the gym, and with the massive ‘self-care’ trend in pop culture today, think outside the box for what wellness may mean for your individual clients,” she urges. “Instead of a piece of fitness equipment, a journal that can help with mental wellness may resonate more with their target audience.

“At the beginning of the year, many companies are rolling out their wellness initiatives for the year,” Lewis adds. “Wellness programs are a win-win because they can create happier employees while keeping healthcare costs down for the business. Suggest enhancing employee wellness programs with promo products that will incentivize employee participation and build brand impressions at the same time.”