The weather is starting to look like January. It's cold, rainy and miserable. It seems that the only thing we are missing is snow. 

With the weather cooling off by the day, it might be hard to rummage back into your winter clothes and pick out something stylish and warm to wear. Luckily, Motivators carries an item that does it all.

Meet the custom imprinted Devon & Jones Men's Organic Cotton Club Jacket. It's made of 100% certified cotton organic cotton chino twill, making it extremely soft to the touch. The lining is very durable soft, made of both cotton poplin (body) and nylon taffeta. (sleeves) The jacket also features double-stitching on the sleeves, a center front zipper, large hand pockets, two inside pockets and an adjustable snap-cuff closure. The jacket allows customization with a professional imprint of your choice. 

Bundle up out there!

 

When it comes to environmentally-friendly promotional products, we're all familiar with the usual suspects:  bamboo kitchen utensils, recycled pens and pencils, biodegradable plastic bags, etc.  But there are also plenty of eco-friendly products that would surprise you.  Let's take a look at some promotional products that'll have you saying, "Eco-friendly what?"

1.  Hats

If you're like most people, you had no idea that a cap could be made in an eco-friendly way.  But if you don't leave the house without something on your head, you're totally going to fall in love with these custom eco friendly caps and hats.  These high-quality hats are eco-friendly because of their organic materials.  For example, the super-attractive promotional Dri-Duck wildlife organic hat is made from 100% organic cotton chino twill.  Not only does this fine material allow the cap to be extremely comfortable, but it also means it was made with limited impact to the environment. 

2.  Electronics

Although we've all used a solar-powered calculator at one point or another, few people know the extent to which electronics can be eco-friendly.  But there are actually many different promotional energy-friendly products!  One great example of an electronic item that'll make you say, "That's eco-friendly?" is the promo water powered alarm clock.  This amazing item uses just a splash of water to keep you up-to-date on the time.  Users simply fill with water to activate.  There are also energy-friendly flashlights, eco-smart dynamo cell phone chargers, and more. 

3.  Messenger bags

While we absolutely love recycled tote bags and biodegradable plastic bags, many people don't realize that fancy bags can be eco-friendly, too.  Take the logo natural recycled cotton messenger bag, for example.  The fact that this bag is environmentally friendly is going to blow them all out of the water!  Made from 85% recycled cotton, this product can be used for everything, from commuting to work to carrying books to and from class.  Everyone's going to be thrilled to know such a trendy-looking bag is also safe for the environment! 

The next time you choose to go green for your promotional campaign, remember that you're not as limited as you think!  In fact, there are pages and pages of environmentally friendly promotional products through which you can browse.  We love recycled pens and biodegradable bags, but sometimes it's fun to think outside the box.  Plus, you're just going to love hearing people say "Eco-friendly what?"

There are several different categories of items that can be defined as "environmentally friendly."  Some are biodegradable, while others are made from natural products.  Everybody has his or her own preference.  So what kind of eco-friendly are you?

Some of the most popular environmentally friendly promotional items are ones that are made from recycled materials.  These make great giveaways because their recycled properties are very recognizable, and will therefore impress all recipients.  You'd be surprised by how many recycled items are available to choose from, too.  A great recycled item is the custom imprinted nine inch flyer.  It's made from 100% recycled materials, and offers a large imprint area for customized messages.  This recycled promotional product will help your company soar to success! 

Others prefer biodegradable items.  This group of products can be easily broken down by living organisms, so the products have a less harmful impact on our beautiful earth.  The types of promotional products that can be made to be biodegradable are almost limitless.  They include bags, water bottles, pet dishes, and more.  Explore our huge selection of biodegradable promotional products to find the perfect green item for your next promotional campaign!

Another group of highly popular eco items is organic promotional products.  These items are particularly great because they are made from materials that were grown without any harmful pesticides or fertilizers.  There are t-shirts that are made from organic cotton, as well as lip balm that's made from organic ingredients like palm oil and beeswax. 

No matter what kind of eco-friendly products are your favorite, one fact remains true:  Buying environmentally friendly promotional products is beneficial to our earth and generations of people to come.  So whether you're a biodegradable type of person or prefer products made from organic materials, keep up the good work!

One thing's for certain, if you love the environment and are fighting for sustainability, you'll be at the Go Green Expo this weekend. From Friday, March 19 to Sunday, March 21st, the largest eco-friendly trade show worldwide, will take place in New York City.

Big names attending and speaking during the Go Green Expo include the likes of actor/director, Ed Begley Jr., nutrition expert and trained athlete Bobby Williams and Linda Louder, an eco-friendly fashion designer. This celebration of all things green is bound to reveal the latest in green products, which is where we come in. Below is our pledge to the environment and a fantastic selection of our best environmentally friendly products. Here's a taste of the items we'll be featuring at booth 317 at the Go Green Expo. Come check them out!
                                     
It is Motivator's Environmental Mission to ensure that all employee behaviors and corporate practices reflect our commitment to sustainability. We strive to raise the bar for responsible environmental practices in the Promotional Products Industry by introducing innovative eco-friendly products and pledging to eco-friendly practices. It is our goal to work in accordance with federal, state and local environmental standards in both our corporate offices and in our factories. This requires each Motivators employee to participate in and accept responsibility for achieving the goal of lowering our carbon footprint.
                     
Motivators is dedicated to the conservation of energy in our offices and factories by incorporating eco-friendly practices into daily work tasks like computer usage.

Motivators is committed to environmentally sound recycling as seen in our recycling programs for materials including paper, plastic, glass.

Motivators is devoted to spreading corporate social responsibility by educating and training employees according to environmental laws and regulations.

Motivators is proud to be an environmentally conscious company leader in the Promotional Products Industry and promises to provide the most reliable and efficient services to our customer in an effort to achieve sustainability in our lives and the lives of others.
         

The Green Gadget trade show came to New York City on February 25. Along with the best in green technology, the Green Gadget show also happened to bring along a couple feet of snow as well. I love the fluffy whites but today, in the wake of another snow storm, I'm planning for brighter days. Warmer days. Camping days!

      
The major attention getter at the Green Gadgets trade show was the Orange Solar Tent from Kaleidoscope. It's the perfect eco friendly camping gear and is guaranteed to impress your humble tenting and gas guzzling RV neighbors.

The awesome tent includes solar panels that use the absorbed sun light to illuminate the tent at night, creating the perfect glow for navigating around your campsite at night. Inside is a heated groundsheet for comfort and a wireless hub. The coolest feature I've seen? The magnetic induction charging pouch.
       
Have you seen THAT before? Awesome eco friendly camping is in the works for me. Are you looking to join? Here are my picks for the best environmentally friendly camping items.

The custom imprinted eco blanket will keep you warm inside of the tent with its bamboo and cotton components. And this eco-friendly apparel will keep you warm while star gazing outside.
        
Always keep a custom imprinted solar flashlight nearby for night-time adventures. And our eco-friendly health and first aid items will prepare you for any emergencies.
      

Eco-friendly trends continue to bloom throughout the world. From one person to another, the seeds of sustainability are being planted each day. Likewise, each month our supply of environmentally-friendly products grows. It's clear that people are eager to incorporate eco-friendly items into their lives and into upcoming promotions.

However, many of the materials used in environmentally-friendly products, and even more of the terms used to explain them are not yet common knowledge. When you choose a biodegradable item we want you to know that it's got the ability to safely and quickly break down into the raw materials that nature embraces. Similarly, we want you to know the difference between organic giveaways and recycled giveaways.

To help every customer to understand the perks to any given environmentally-friendly product, we present this list of eco-friendly terms originally from Halo/Lee Wayne Green Promotions, 2010.

Bamboo – Bamboo is 100% naturally grown and sustainable, it is also naturally antibacterial & Bamboo fiber is 100% biodegradable. As the fastest growing plant in the world, bamboo grows to its maximum height in about 3 months and reaches maturity in 3-4 years. Bamboo is known to improve soil quality in degraded and eroded areas of land.

Biodegradable – The ability to break down, safely and relatively quickly, by biological means into the raw materials of nature and disappear back into the environment.

Bonded Leather – A recycled synthetic material containing elements of recycled leathers, leather scrap & tannery leather fibers, which otherwise would go to a landfill.

Compostable – A product made of materials that will break down over time in a landfill.

Corn Plastic – Derived from corn & 100% biodegradable

Cotton-Organic – Organic cotton is grown without the use of synthetic fertilizers, growth regulators, chemical pesticides, irrigation or genetic engineering.

Green – The movement that incorporates environmental awareness, social responsibility, bioregionalism, and nonviolence.

Organic – Products created through a system of farming that maintains and replenishes soil fertility without the use of toxic and persistent pesticides and fertilizers.

Organic Leather – Made from skins that are tanned using only vegetable extracts and chemicals approved by TUV. All possible by-products are also re-used. Non allergenic.

PET – Polyethylene terephthalate is the most popular thermo-plastic packaging material used for drinks and food. It is lightweight, transparent, and has a good moisture barrier.

Polypropylene & Non-Woven Polypropylene – Made from carbon and hydrogen, and manufactured without any dangerous emissions. Can be recycled, incinerated, or land filled without any harm to the environment. When burned, polypropylene will give off only water vapor and carbon dioxide, which is converted by photosynthesis. Sometimes known as “pp”.

Post-Consumer Material/Waste – Term used to describe material that is being reused/recycled after it has been in the consumer’s hand (i.e. soda bottles, yogurt containers).

Post-Industrial Material – Term used to described scrap or excess material that a manufacturer reuses or recycles throughout the manufacturing process.

Recyclable – Materials that can be reused. Includes glass, paper, aluminum, asphalt, iron, textiles, plastics and biodegradable waste.

Recycled – Term used to describe material that has been separated from the waste stream, reprocessed into a new product and then brought back to the consumer as a new item.

Recycled Cardboard – The material is made from cardboard that has been discarded or once used by a consumer.

Recycled Content – The amount of pre- and post-consumer recovered material introduced in a material production process, usually expressed as a percentage.

Recycled Leather – Material is untreated and is made with leather scraps – recycled to save waste. (As opposed to scraps going into a landfill, they are recovered and reprocessed to make leather material.)

SAFE Plastic – Truly biodegradable in landfills & composting, environmentally safe, no toxic effects, can be recycled.

Take a deep breath of that old country goodness and saddle up for the 2010 Minnesota Organic Conference. Mary Hanks, one of the conference organizers said, "It will be an outstanding educational opportunity for organic farmers and others interested in learning more about organic food and agriculture."
            
This trade show is to offer a look into the wonderful world of living organic. The two day conference will include guest speakers and open up for discussion with round table get-togethers. It takes place in the heartland of family run farms offering products like meat, cheese, eggs, milk and more. They use organic practices to raise crops and animals, making for healthier products and a reduced carbon footprint. What a perfect occasion to browse agricultural giveaways.

This will be an important trade show for businesses moving towards organic initiatives. With farms across the United States offering their services of organic agriculture, they may also want to offer some organic giveaways. By using fun green items to grab the attention of trade show attendees, they'll be likely to remember you.
                                   
While all giveaways will help brand your name, it's important to stick with eco-friendly trade show giveaways. Your business instills itself in sustainable practices and should therefore give the gift of sustainability. For the organic trade show, any of our organic promotions will come in handy. Now, after displaying your dedication to going organic, business opportunities can bloom and we can work towards a green future.

With the holiday season coming up, everyone will be giving and receiving presents. And while some would say that there's no better feeling than unwrapping a gift, that leftover paper and additional packaging does pile up, creating plenty of extra and uneeded garbage. There are companies who now sell recycled wrapping paper and that's a great option, but why not give a gift within a gift?

Choosing custom eco-friendly bags to place your gifts in is a simple, and effective way of giving a gift within a gift. Sure bags are most often used at trade shows, and big company meetings but they can also be given out to make a statement during the holiday season. Just take a look at this case study of how promotional eco-friendly cotton totes worked for an ad agency looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

Over in the Phillipines, TWBA Advertising chose to do just that. Their parent agency, TWBA Worldwide had created a movement called the Carbon Nuetral Challenge, in which they asked their agencies all over the world to think of a way to reduce their carbon footprint. Taking into account their extensive design skills and the power of recycled promotional products, they created these custom eco-friendly cotton tote bags to carry the holiday gifts that they would be giving to clients and staff members. Take a look at some of the fun designs:

 

 

These three bags are just a sampling of some of the fun custom designs that TWBA came up with while seeking to reduce their carbon footprint. Make the smart decision this holidat season and choose promotional eco-friendly cotton totes instead of wrapping paper. Not only will you be reducing your carbon footprint, but your logo will stick around much longer than it would on a gift tag.

People around the world are altering their lives in an effort to live more sustainably. Sacrifices include using public transportation instead of your prize possession car and spending a few extra dollars on eco-friendly products and services. While everyone's willing to give up certain possessions and privileges, there's one thing that we won't give up; that perfect pair of jeans.

While we must count our blessings and limit our possessions, there are some things in life that we just "want." Not to mention, we've all got to wear pants and now, Levi jeans is helping to make our selfishness a bit less selfish. They're now offering a 100% eco-friendly line of jeans to join in the eco-friendly parade. These jeans, made from 100% organic cotton, maintain their perfect fit qualities while offering a green way to look and feel great.
           
We realize that to live sustainably, all aspects of your life must be altered. That's why we've created a huge portal of environmentally friendly products that includes tons of eco-friendly apparel. To make their greenification more prominent, Levi jeans is now using organic products to promote their new line of jeans.
                      
Awesome "eco-tags" are being attached to all of the eco-friendly apparel to entice customers even further. The eco-tags bear a striking resemblance to our plantable ornaments and custom printed seed paper printed postcards. This green smart promotion is the perfect way to encourage purchasers to live sustainably. While wearing their new organic jeans, they can head to the garden and plant this seed paper.

With effective green promotions like these, one by one people will turn to more eco-friendly habits. So support organic companies and use environmentally friendly products.