So many people are becoming eco conscious that it has become almost a necessity to ensure that the promotional gifts we give are as easy on the environment as possible. This is especially important if you work for a company that is involved with the environment in any way. It may seem strange but many companies that promote themselves as being "green" do not think when they are planning which promotional gifts to give. Since the gifts we give can either make or break our company’s claims it is important to think before we simply choose the first gift that "looks good".

Here are a few tips that you can use to make sure you are choosing environmentally friendly items to give as promotional gifts.

How much packaging is included?

The first thing to consider is how much packaging is included with a particular promotional item. Many items have little to no packaging and these are generally much more environmentally friendly than items that are wrapped and packaged in a lot of cardboard or plastic. Remember that much of the waste that is getting into landfills is actually made up of packaging and by reducing the amount that is used on a gift that we give we end up being much more ecologically friendly.

Does it replace an item that is not environmentally friendly?

There are many items that are great to give as promotional gifts because they help to replace non-environmentally friendly alternatives. A great example of this is the cloth shopping bag or cloth drawstring bag. Reusable coffee mugs that allow people to travel with hot beverages can also be quite popular. Water bottles are also a great choice because they can save your customers money and can also help keep a lot of plastic from getting into landfills.

Are they going to be visible and put your company’s name into a visible location?

Although it can be great to give green promotional gifts the fact is that unless they are being used around a wide variety of people there may not be any way for someone to see your company’s name, logo and contact information. This can be a huge problem. If you are spending a large sum of money on these gifts you may find that you may not get the same return on your investment if you are not choosing items that will be out in the public eye. This is part of the reason why some items are so popular to give as gifts while others are less so.

By choosing promotional gifts that are ecologically friendly you are making a strong statement about your commitment to the health of the planet. It is one that many consumers are looking for when they are choosing a company to provide them with goods and services.