As sustainable and socially conscious products gain traction in the promotional industry, one company has made an official commitment to the movement.

After a six-month process, EcoPlum (asi/185835) has received a registered trademark for the phrase “Sustainable Swag” from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office as part of its official business name. Founded in 2008, the company specializes in sourcing products that meet specific criteria, including organic, recycled, fair trade, artisan and USA-made.

“We are very pleased to obtain a trademark for Sustainable Swag, as it represents the essence of our promotional products business with its focus on environmentally-friendly branded merchandise with an innovative twist,” said Gia Machlin, EcoPlum’s founder, president & CEO.

EcoPlum specializes in socially conscious gifts and promotional products for a variety of industries, including corporations, universities, non-profits and events. The company launched its Business Gifts division in 2016.

“EcoPlum has a unique product proposition because the company sources and distributes only sustainable products,” Machlin told Counselor. “We wanted a trademark that embodied that in a way that’s easy to understand.”

Machlin says that companies are gradually becoming more socially conscious, which means they want their branded products to reflect that commitment. “They’re instituting their own sustainability programs,” she told Counselor. “They’re evaluating what they produce and the materials used to see how they can do it more sustainably and efficiently. With this growing orientation towards sustainability, EcoPlum is seeing more interest from companies in what we do. We can help them get this part of their marketing proposition right.”

EcoPlum’s ethos reflects a movement within the promo industry to provide environmentally- and socially-conscious products that match end-buyers’ brand values. In a recent Q&A, Will Valentine of Ethix Ventures (asi/189731), based in Massachusetts, discussed his company’s commitment to sourcing USA-made, union-made, eco-friendly and fair trade goods for the promotional industry. “It’s cool to connect with a client who believes in the same things we do,” he told Counselor.