From First Impressions to Industry Trends: Our Team’s Take on the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair

Each year, the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair brings together suppliers, manufacturers, designers, and buyers from around the world to showcase the latest trends in promotional merchandise, corporate gifts, and branded products. As one of the largest events of its kind, the fair offers a unique opportunity to explore emerging innovations, discover new suppliers, and gain insight into the evolving world of merchandise and gifting.

This year, a few members of our team attended the event- one returning after several years of visits, Anja Freiberger – Zinc Group, and two experiencing it for the first time, Ellie Smith – The 1947 and Ella van Veen – BeGlobal. We caught up with them to hear their thoughts on the event, the standout products they encountered, and the trends that caught their attention.

 

Anja, having attended the fair over several years, what changes have stood out most to you in the type of merch on display? Did this year feel noticeably different in any way?
 “I’ve been traveling to Hong Kong for this fair for about 13 years now. It used to be a real trendsetter and an absolute must-attend event – the place where you would gather inspiration, discover new ideas, and then continue on to China to visit factories and bring those ideas to life.

Since COVID, however, quite a lot has changed. The fair has become noticeably smaller, booths are more compact, and MOQs have generally decreased. At the same time, digitalization has had a major impact on the industry – many processes that used to require being there in person now happen efficiently online, so you simply don’t need to spend as much time at the fair anymore.

That said, it’s still always interesting to see new products and especially different techniques. What has clearly evolved is the shift toward more personalization, more creative and design-led approaches, and a stronger focus on sustainability. So, while the fair may no longer be quite the “must-visit” it once was, it remains a valuable place to experience how the industry continues to evolve.”

 

Ella & Ellie, as you’re experiencing the event for the first time, what surprised you most about the scale, creativity, or variety of merch at the fair

Ella: “Going into the HKTDC, I actually expected the physical footprint of the fair to be a bit more massive. What surprised me was that the quality of the products is increasing.” 

Ellie: “After over a decade of attending trade fairs across Europe, it was felt worthwhile for me to attend the Hong Kong fair, especially having sourced from China for over 10 years. It was great to see many of our current suppliers still exhibiting as nothing beats face to face meetings, even in our digital world!

The Hong Kong fair is significantly more manufacturing-led, with direct factory access rather than distributor-heavy stands typical in Europe. HK had much wider product breadth and customisation capability than in Europe, of course. There was also strong emphasis on MOQ flexibility and negotiation, continuing to offer much lower MOQs which brings us further opportunities.

The HK Fair was obviously much larger in scale than in Europe, although the booths were much smaller and there were many aisles of booths displaying the same merchandise over and over which made you hone into your sourcing expertise to pick out the best supplier amongst them all! 

Rather than finding the next ‘new/innovative’ product, suppliers are making upgrades to existing products, for example, Mobile Phone Holders that previously had to be ‘stuck’ to the backs of our phones, now come with MagSafe compatible elements. Or a Notebook with unique branding to upscale a more standard product.”

 

Was there a particular product, material or trend this year that made you think, ‘This is where the merch industry is heading next’?”

Anja: “This year, you could clearly see that the focus is shifting toward higher-quality products rather than mass giveaways. It’s no longer just about the item itself, but the entire experience around it – especially packaging and the unboxing moment. A lot of brands are investing in premium finishes, thoughtful design, and storytelling, making merch feel much closer to a retail product than a typical promotional item.

My personal highlight was actually a Korean skincare face mask. It really stood out because it taps into a much bigger trend we’re seeing everywhere right now – especially on TikTok and other social platforms – where beauty and self-care products are booming. Skincare, in particular, has become a huge part of everyday culture, and that’s now translating directly into the merchandise and gifting space. You can clearly tell that personal care and wellness products are one of the fastest-growing categories in merch. Brands are moving toward items that feel more relevant to people’s lifestyles – things they actually enjoy using and that add value beyond just branding. That combination of high-quality product, strong packaging, and a culturally relevant category like skincare feels very much like where the industry is heading next.”

Ella: “For me, the standout trend was what we call ‘tactile nostalgia.’ The items that perfectly captured this were these incredible mini retro cameras. Seeing them made me realize the merch industry is heading toward products that make people actually feel something. In a highly digital world, giving someone a physical product that sparks joy or brings back a fond memory creates a much stronger bond between the brand and the consumer than a standard, everyday promo item ever could.”

Ellie: “During my visit, I had a strong focus on finding packaging with the wow-factor that draws your attention in, this was certainly the case at both the ‘Gifts and Premiums Fair’ and the ‘Print and Packaging Fair’. Thoughtful, high-quality packaging often with a sustainable element, such as ‘all-paper’ options which are recycled and/or recyclable, instead of packaging with magnet closures, for example.

Overall, the fair definitely had a strong emphasis on showcasing premium, higher-quality merchandise that’s designed to be kept and deliver real value to the receiver.”

 

Overall, what products or merch trends felt the most unexpected to you personally?

Anja: “What felt most unexpected to me personally was how strongly the industry is moving into categories that traditionally had nothing to do with classic merchandise. Especially the rise of personal care and wellness products really stood out – it’s not something you would have associated with promo items a few years ago. At the same time, you can clearly see that many traditional products are being rethought and upgraded. Items like bottles or lunchboxes are no longer just standalone products – they now come with accessories, add-ons, or modular elements. This really reflects what I mentioned earlier: everything is becoming more premium. Suppliers are putting much more thought into how to elevate even simple items and how to translate digital trends into physical products”

Ella: “The absolute highlight for me, though, was the licensing show. Walking through those exhibits, the sheer creativity was on full display. It made it so visible what merchandise can actually do for a brand and how deeply it connects with people. It proved that great merch isn’t just a by product of a brand; it’s an active driver of it.”

 

One thing is clear: the Hong Kong Gifts & Premium Fair continues to be an important window into the future of merchandise. While the industry is evolving through digitalisation, sustainability, and changing consumer expectations, the value of seeing products first-hand, meeting suppliers face-to-face, and discovering new ideas remains as relevant as ever. The fair showcased how merchandise is becoming more thoughtful, premium, and experience-driven—offering plenty of inspiration for brands looking to create meaningful connections with their audiences.

Thank you to Anja Freiberger – Zinc Group, Ellie Smith – The 1947 and Ella van Veen – BeGlobal for sharing their views and insights.