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Custom School Uniforms and Swag: How to Order Branded Gear for Students, Staff, and Events

Back-to-school season comes around every year, and smart planning ensures your school has custom school swag that’s impactful and memorable. The best time to plan branded merchandise for students, staff, and campus events is right at the end of spring—before everyone disappears for summer break. But we still have time! 

From school spirit wear to practical promotional giveaways, we have favorite strategies to make your school year kickoff a success. For example, custom hats are still one of the top-requested items. But the standard embroidered hat just doesn’t cut it anymore. Schools that order fully custom, color-matched hats instantly create buzz—parents at rival schools notice and start asking why their kids don’t have cooler school spirit gear.

If you have high school students, start the year with football-related gear—it’s one of those quintessential pieces of the American high school experience. And don’t forget teacher appreciation gifts. These need to be useful inside and outside the classroom. Don’t go cheap—teachers look forward to these every year, and they are evaluating the thought behind them. Consider tech gadgets, wellness items, or even branded self-care products.

The key takeaway? Whether for students, staff, or supporters, the most effective items are school promotional products that are actually useful—not just pens, stickers, or temporary tattoos. Think outside the box and your school swag will have a lasting impact.

Why Branded Gear Builds School Spirit

School can be challenging—between assignments, social dynamics, and peer pressure. Building school spirit through branded gear helps unify students and staff.

While individuality matters, shared school swag helps everyone feel like part of something bigger. When all students wear the same hoodie or lanyard, barriers drop and connections build. Even small items—like silicone wristbands or ID lanyards—create common ground.

School spirit wear is more than just clothing—it’s a culture-builder. It says: This is who we are. This is what we stand for.

Top Promotional Items for Students, Staff, and Supporters

When choosing school promotional products, consider three factors: guilt, loyalty, and usability.

Parents will buy something out of guilt because their child goes there, but loyalty and usefulness determine whether they’ll keep buying—and at higher price points. Usability is key. The more practical the item, the easier it is to get parents, students, and even alumni to support fundraising efforts.

Schools with a strong brand identity and loyal parent-teacher communities can sell school swag at premium prices. Keep trends in mind, adjust your handouts, and your school spirit wear will feel fresh all year long.

Uniform Add-Ons That Make a Statement (and Keep You in Dress Code)

Most schools don’t require a strict, head-to-toe uniform anymore, but almost every school has some level of dress code. That doesn’t mean school spirit can’t shine.

Small add-ons make a big impact:

• Custom lapel pins for lanyards

• Branded patches for backpacks

• Logo keychains

If your school has a firm dress code, consider scheduling “casual days” where students can wear a school t-shirt or hoodie—it gives them something to look forward to and reinforces school pride.

Ordering Made Easy: Tips for Schools and Parent Committees

There are several ways schools distribute promotional products and school swag:

• Bulk ordering: PTAs or PTOs buy items in bulk, store them, and sell them at back-to-school nights, conferences, and other events. It’s simple and profitable, especially for inexpensive items like stickers and t-shirts.

• Batch ordering: Schools collect order forms for hoodies, hats, or school spirit wear, then submit them to a company like Be Branded for fulfillment.

• School spirit stores: Be Branded can even provide an online storefront so parents and students can order directly. Schools just choose the items, and we handle the logistics.

Each method has its benefits, but the key is to choose a system that keeps school swag moving and builds excitement—not dust in a closet.

Customization Options That Showcase Your School’s Identity

Every school should have spirit staples—core products that always sell and always spark pride:

• Hoodies: Students wear them year-round, and parents will buy them for younger siblings, too.

• T-shirts: A must-have, especially if you refresh the design a few times each year. Go beyond just the school logo—try clever slogans, limited-edition “drops,” or event-specific designs.

Even if your business isn’t a school, these promotional product strategies work for onboarding, client gifts, and community events. But for schools, they’re invaluable for building school spirit and giving students and staff items they’ll actually use.

Back-to-school season is all about connection. The right school swag makes your brand stand out—and stick around.

What if your next project came with a bonus? We never got the chance to work together last time, but we have created a little “welcome back” offer to make sure your first order with Be Branded feels like a win from the start!

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From now through the end of the year, when you place your first order with Be Branded, you will receive:

A Free Portable Charger – our gift to you

15% Off Your Order

Your Choice of 3 Free Samples from BEL Promo’s product lineup

Let’s make your first Be Branded order simple, fun, and cost-effective!

Offer valid through December 31, 2025.

The holidays will be here before you know it, and now’s the perfect time to start planning! Our 2025 Holiday Gift Guide is live and packed with thoughtful, creative, branded gifts your team and clients will love. Take a look and get inspired:

CLICK HERE

AND don’t forget about our Referral Program! Click here to get more information: Referral Program Details

On top of that, we’re offering a special bonus: 10% of any order that someone you refer places will be applied as a discount to your own holiday order!

Refer & Earn

 • Refer someone who places an order with us

 • You’ll earn a 10% discount on your own holiday order, based on their order total

It’s a simple way to spread the cheer, help others with their branding, and save on your own gifts this season!

Let us know what caught your eye in the guide, or if you’d like ideas pulled together for you, we’re here to make holiday gifting stress-free. Reach out soon!

Looking for branded journals that make a lasting impression without breaking the bank? Check out this simple, value-packed deal:

Deal Breakdown:

 • 100 Soft-Touch 5"x7" Journals — just $375 total

 • Includes one color imprint and elastic band closure

 • For more information CLICK HERE

These journals come packed with features: durable PVC cover, a ribbon bookmark, and a stretch elastic band, perfect for offices, client gifts, or students.

Want a mockup or need ideas for your branded kit? Just let us know and we’ll take care of the rest!

Branded Custom Polos and Unique Looks

Branded products, including branded custom polos, will bring your brand to an entirely new level of professionalism and help your team or business project a polished, consistent look. Sometimes, looking the part is half the battle when it comes to winning trust. If you have a salesperson randomly knock on your door and you have to choose who you will listen to—one wearing a t-shirt and one wearing a custom polo—who would you trust more? In a restaurant, if every staff member is in a t-shirt but you see two individuals wearing logo polos, doesn’t it instantly signal they’re likely in management? Absolutely.

Custom embroidered polos create another level of uniforming for your business and are considered the standard for almost every professional industry. Some companies can get away with outfitting their employees in branded custom t-shirts, but custom polos take everyone to the same level of professionalism and polish. As branded apparel continues to rank among the highest-performing promotional products—delivering some of the most impressions and highest perceived value—branded polos will continue to be a staple for businesses of all sizes, across every industry.

Custom Embroidered Polos with Your Logo

The industry standard for custom embroidered polos is an embroidered logo on the left chest—it’s timeless, clean, and doesn’t overpower the garment. The final cost of a custom polo is determined by the quality of the polo itself, the stitch count for your logo, and the number of embroidery locations you choose.

Beyond the left chest, common customization areas for branded custom polos include the sleeve, nape of the neck, or the right chest. If you’re creating a co-branded polo, it’s common to place the main logo on the left chest and the secondary logo on the right chest. If you want a more understated look, placing a logo just on the sleeve works beautifully. Sometimes you’ll be decorating polos that already have a stitched logo—like a Nike polo or an Adidas polo—and that helps determine the best placement for your custom embroidery.

Styles and Quality You Can Trust

Investing in premium branded apparel—especially custom polos—elevates your team’s look, boosts brand perception, and extends the life of your branded clothing. Higher-end fabrics create better fit, greater comfort, and longer durability, which means your employees will actually want to wear them. And when your team and even customers love what they’re wearing, they’ll rep your brand proudly, which equals more visibility for your promotional products investment.

Whether you’re looking for sporty custom polos or a more refined, professional look, we carry the brands that people trust. Some of the most popular options for branded custom polos include Under Armour, Eddie Bauer, OGIO, New Era, TravisMathew, Adidas, Cutter & Buck, Spyder, vineyard vines, and, of course, Nike. The right custom embroidered polo not only looks sharp but also becomes a long-term part of your branded apparel program.

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Design Custom Polo Shirts

Corporate America has long played it “safe” with polos—solid colors, simple designs—but that’s changing. While many apparel suppliers have consolidated color options due to supply chain limitations, tops with prints and patterns are now breaking through. Solid polos remain the standard for the promotional products industry, but new styles keep coming out.

You can even create fully custom polos that are designed from scratch and dye-sublimated, allowing for an all-over print. Patches are becoming a regular customization option for polos, adding texture and dimension. Want to add a subtle upscale touch to your branded custom polos? Consider a custom woven label stitched to the sleeve or hem—it’s a small detail that can transform the look from simple to sophisticated.

Promotional Brand Growth from Polos

Polos aren’t always the product you sell directly at retail or hand out to every customer like a giveaway—but they are a cornerstone branded product for companies that want to stand out and look sharp. A branded custom polo signals professionalism and sets your business apart from the sea of competitors.

Investing in your brand—whether through promotional products, signage, or branded apparel like custom embroidered polos—isn’t just about looking good. It aligns your intentions with your presentation and helps transform your vision into reality. Every time an employee wears a branded polo, it reinforces your brand identity, both internally and externally.

Looking for a meaningful way to recognize your team or impress your clients? Custom awards are the perfect choice for employee recognition programs, milestone celebrations, or standout client gifts.

An award is more than just a piece to display—it’s a lasting reminder of appreciation and achievement. Whether it’s recognizing hard work, honoring years of service, or saying thank you to a valued client, awards carry weight and create memorable moments.

Here are some styles we love:

Boulder Collection - CLICK HERE

Level Up - CLICK HERE

Cobra - CLICK HERE

Mantella Chrome Star Award - CLICK HERE

Birkdale Clock - CLICK HERE

Collinson Award - CLICK HERE

We can help you find the perfect fit for your occasion and your budget. Reach out for more info and let’s create something worth celebrating!