2019 Wrap-Up: The Top Promotional Apparel Stories of the Year

Where would we be without apparel? Well, we probably wouldn't be in public, that's for sure. Colder, too. Jokes aside, promotional apparel remains the top selling category for the industry. So, naturally, we covered it a lot this year. Here are 10 of our most-read, favorite or otherwise noteworthy apparel stories from 2019. Don't forget to check out our other wrap-ups here!

1. Jordan Peterson's Lobster Apparel Has Questionable Undertones

Controversial lecturer and professor Jordan Peterson made headlines by stocking his web store with lobster-centric apparel. Weird, yes, but a quick read into Peterson's beliefs would show you that it's not just a celebration of crustaceans.

2. Jake Paul’s New Merchandise Line Is a Lesson in Artificial Exclusivity and Opportunism

What's that? A YouTube star capitalizing on his fame while he can with an apparel line that creates exclusivity to spur sales? How could that be?

3. Amazon Is Expanding Printing Capacity for Its Booming On-Demand Apparel and Merchandise Service

A look at Amazon's plans to expand Merch by Amazon, from added printing capacity to new items.

4. The Top Promo Apparel Trends We Saw at PPAI Expo 2019

The PPAI Expo show floor was our version of a promotional apparel runway. We checked out apparel suppliers' booths to see what was trending at the beginning of the year and beyond.

5. Why Patagonia Won’t Sell Its Co-Branded Vests to Certain Corporate Clients

Patagonia's vests were so closely associated with Silicon Valley tech types that it was practically a uniform. The apparel company took steps to avoid the same thing happening with certain companies that don't share Patagonia's values.

6. 2019 Style Preview: 5 Promotional Apparel Trends to Watch This Year

We asked the experts about what apparel trends would look like in 2019. Here are five styles that were popular this year and will likely carry on into 2020.

7. Pantone Predicts These Colors Will Be Major For Spring/Summer 2020 Apparel

It hasn't even gotten to the coldest part of the winter yet, but we're eagerly looking forward to spring. Pantone is, too, and predicted the must-wear colors of the warmer seasons.

8. Are Clothing Vending Machines The Next Big Thing?

They've been popping up at events and games all over the country, but is the world ready for the super-convenience of an apparel vending machine?

9. Inside Playoff Season With the Promo Distributor Behind Almost Every NBA and NHL Team’s Merch

Distributor Something Inked is the force behind a lot of the jaw-dropping apparel promotions you see in arenas, like when there are T-shirts draped over every seat. A promotion that size takes a lot of work!

10. University of Tennessee Turns Bullied Fourth-Grader’s Hand-Drawn Design Into Official T-shirt

An elementary school student wanted to show his Vols pride by creating his own T-shirt. His peers mocked him, but the University of Tennessee turned it into a real-deal apparel release on campus.

This list barely scratches the surface of everything we covered this year. We're looking forward to another eventful year in promo and beyond. Starting Tuesday Dec. 24, our Headlines and Threads newsletters will be taking some time off for the holidays, but don't worry. They'll be back Thursday Jan. 2 to catch you up and keep you updated on all things promotional products.