It’s that magical time of year again—when kids groan and parents cheer! That’s right. It’s back-to-school season, when we rush to supply all our learners with a fresh set of school supplies.
Savvy companies looking to spread their brand awareness can invest in this nationwide dash of school shopping to promote their businesses while providing much-needed supplies to students.
When we think of back-to-school supplies, we often picture elementary and middle school children with pencils, crayons, and lunch boxes. However, companies hoping to leverage their back-to-school marketing should aim higher, looking to high school and college students and beyond.
Businesses can join the back-to-school action by providing branded backpacks, pencil bags, supply cases, and drinkware imprinted with company logos. These promotional products are perfect for school fundraisers, administrative offices, and booster groups. Academic clubs and sports teams can use custom-branded spirit merchandise emblazoned with their team names, colors, and mascots to raise money.
Here we round up some of the best customized school supplies and other promotional academic resources to show students you care and help teachers in the classroom—all while promoting your business or organization.
Stay Hydrated
Boost your branding, support student well-being, and reduce waste with customized stainless steel water bottles. A dependable water bottle is a fantastic way to spread brand awareness and raise school spirit in class, around campus, at athletic events, and beyond.
The Hydro Flask 21 OZ Standard Mouth with Flex Cap stashes easily into a small shoulder bag or your pack’s side pocket. The TempShield insulation eliminates condensation and keeps beverages cold up to 24 hours and hot up to 12 hours!
Another great compact option is the Metis 22 oz. Aluminum Water Bottle. It’s BPA-free, FDA-compliant, and comes with a matching translucent screw-top lid. Each top has a silicone ring for a tight seal and a matching silicone strap for easy carrying.
Pencils (and Pens) Down!
The ultimate staples of back-to-school supplies: Pencils, pens, and other writing implements are the perfect promo products for school stores, book fairs, new student welcome kits, and more.
These foiled pencils act as an eye-catching canvas for your brand. The shiny, colorful Carnegie Round Foil Pencil offers students a pleasurable, exciting writing experience.
For those students who prefer a crisper line, the BIC Matic mechanical pencil fits the bill. Each pencil comes with an eraser and three 0.7mm #2 graphite leads, equivalent to 2.5 wood pencils.
Looking for a solid and high-performing pen with a vibrant look? The Mardi Gras Clipper Pen has a strong metal clip, while the ultra-smooth black ink and jumbo rubber grip create an enjoyable writing experience. For an even larger imprint area, the barrel of the Alamo Gel Pen features a large imprint area (300 degrees around!) for maximum promo messaging.
Finish with a dependable highlighter. The Collegiate Highlighter features an ergonomic ribbed cap and is ideal for use at school, home, or in the office.
Put all those writing implements to good use in a high-quality notebook. The 9 x 11-inch Econo Poly Cover Composition Notebook features 50 sheets of 18-lb white, tablet bond, college-ruled stock and a 30-point poly, foil-stamped cover.
Let’s Get Organized
Without proper organization, backpack pockets can quickly become an inaccessible black hole of junk, wrappers, and tangled wires. Keep learners stress-free and organized with the Honor Roll School Kit with Imprinted Contents. Featuring twin pockets, it comes with a 6-inch wooden ruler, two pencils, an eraser, and a pencil sharpener.
The Ventoux Polyester Drawstring Cinch Pack Backpack is the perfect throw-it-in-and-go bag for shoes, clothes, and books. It has adjustable 17-inch cords for an easy fit and reinforced corners and metal grommets for increased durability.
Or keep your contents slightly more protected with this Puffy Quilted Drawstring Bag, featuring 150D Quilted Polyester and 190T Lining.
Learners will measure up to their classmates with an imprintable 6″ Plastic Ruler with standard and metric scales. And be sure they always have a compact calculator on hand with this little number: The Grip & Flip Calculator’s display cover flips open to form a stand and includes textured side grips.
Finally, something gratifying to toss in their bag: this Popper Stress Reliever Key Chain. Made of high-grade silicone, it features a durable metal split ring and eight popper bubbles to keep fidgety hands occupied all day!
