Editor’s Note: This article was written for Promo Impressions. For more content on promotional products decoration, be sure to subscribe to the biweekly newsletter at PromoImpressions.com.

PRINTING United Expo once again brought the printing industry together under one roof, filling the show floor with energy, innovation, and inspiration. From cutting-edge technologies to hands-on demos and packed education sessions, attendees explored the latest advancements shaping the printing industry, including the promotional products space. Whether it was digital embellishments and texture, laser engraving, or new UV-LED solutions, decorators and suppliers had technology at their fingertips, igniting fresh ways to elevate their offerings and bring more value to their customers.

The Tactile Tale

Across all print segments, not just promo, it’s all about texture — using ink to add a tactile feel to printed products.  

This was on full display in the Color-Dec booth, where domed emblems and badges were the focus. Its doming equipment can create 3D thermal and pressure-sensitive transfers for various applications, including solutions for hard goods and apparel. 

Speaking to why someone might opt for a domed solution over embroidery or other pressure- or heat-applied graphics, Joe Musgrave, managing director of Color-Dec says it offers a higher value, durability, and an overall elevated look. 

On the UV-LED side of things, LogoJET showcased its flexible inks, which allow for textured UV printing on various substrates, creating effects like soft-touch finishes for journals and 3D texture for items like promotional tokens, packaging, leatherette patches, and more.

Promotional products supplier PCNA had everything from hard goods to apparel in its booth, showcasing what’s possible with promo. From laser-engraved drinkware to apparel with 3D decoration, the textured finishes with subtle branding make for promo products that “stick” and don’t end up in the landfill.  

“We’re really keen right now on using some of our deco technologies like laser and HXD in non-standard locations on our apparel,” Lindsay Alward, senior sales manager, says. The HXD decoration method allows for logos and branding to pop, offering a raised element on a jacket or sweatshirt. “We’re really finding that these are driving interest, particularly as we move into the holiday season,” she adds.  

From products that pique interest to textures that add dimension, decorators have endless ways to elevate promotional products and go outside the commodity box.  

And one way promo folks can do just that is by expanding their capabilities. If you’re a promotional products supplier offering or considering expanding into packaging, labels, or marketing collateral, you also want to explore digital embellishments. First impressions matter, and a brand may be looking to take its impact to the next level, whether it’s a branded notepad, journal, folder, business card, box, sticker, or label. Digital embellishments add special effects like gloss, texture, and foils to create elevated printed products. 

Taktiful, a software and training company, held several guided Embellishment Technology Tours throughout the event. Each tour took attendees around the show floor to see the best of embellishment showcased by exhibitors, including Xerox, Duplo, Sharp, FUJIFILM, Harris & Bruno International, and more.  

One thing was clear: Technology and software solutions providers want to make digital embellishments accessible to anyone looking to add value to their offerings.  It allows print providers to “move beyond commodity print,” Illeana Barber of Xerox said during the tour. 

Looking at Laser Engraving 

Another exciting decoration technique common in the promotional products space is laser engraving. From tumblers to leatherette patches, keychains, and more, promo decorators can engrave or etch on various materials — from metal to glass and plastic, depending on the laser machine they opt for.  

“Tumblers are huge right now,” Corey Kelly, marketing manager at Trotec Laser, says. “They’ve been for a while, and they’re still not going away. Being able to do 360-degree wraps on tumblers is really big. … Using a rotary attachment, and engraving all the way around the tumbler, making it look really seamless, no lines or anything from start to finish.” 

When it comes to popular markets, those in real estate and education commonly request laser-engraved items, Kelly notes.  

What’s Happening in Headwear 

On the headwear front – a top product category in promotional products – several trends continue to take over and will continue to remain, according to Jeffrey Trinh, director of growth at Otto International.  

Muted, neutral colors, as well as bold, bright hues across various styles, including five-panel, corduroy, and bucket hats, continue to trend. And with sustainability a growing concern, Trinh says the use of recycled materials, like nylon and cotton, have risen to the top. 

What it really comes down to is the emotional branding a company or brand is looking for – the story they want to convey through branded products, Trinh says. This could be a sandy or olive green corduroy five-panel or a bright pink or turquoise bucket hat.  

Looking at decoration techniques, Trinh says embroidery is the go-to for headwear, in addition to various heat-applied graphics like patches.  

Trinh explains branding perfectly, saying, “Storytelling is so important right now because at the end of the day, no matter what you sell to, B2B or B2C, our nature — we don’t like to be sold. We like to be told a story.”

The UV-LED World

From UV-LED flatbed and direct-to-object (DTO) printers to UV-DTF, exhibitors showed what’s possible when printing to curved, textured, and non-flat surfaces.  

Roland DGA displayed its various solutions, from its VersaSTUDIO benchtop and desktop DTO printers with a max print height of 8″ to its CO-i flatbed printers that can handle more volume.

These printers can handle everything from golf balls, phone cases, and cylindrical objects to notebooks, gift boxes, and more, and have the capability to add embossing, gloss, and matte finishes for an elevated look. 

In addition to DTO printing, UV-DTF continues to take center stage, and Mimaki had several presentations in its booth showcasing its equipment. 

The UJV300DTF-75 allows users to print UV-LED printed graphics onto hard-to-print surfaces. Plus, for those wanting the laser-engraved or etched glass look without investing in the equipment, UV-DTF just might be the solution. 

“Dual ink systems ensure transfers are both durable and flexible, allowing adhesion to a variety of substrates while resisting scratches and wear,” the sign above the UJV300DTF-75  read. 

What’s New?

Looking at new and innovative technologies, there were many standouts, including embossing and debossing apparel, robots (you read that right), and a UV-LED printer with a linear CIS scanning camera for product and graphic registration. 

Embossing

If you haven’t heard of embossing, it may just be the next big “decoration” method for 2026. While it doesn’t require any ink, printing, or thread, it offers a premium look.

With an embossing machine that uses heat, tons of pressure (literally), and a specialty plate featuring the desired design or logo, promotional products decorators can bring something new to the table.

“It’s almost a very analog thing because you’re making these plates and such, but embossing and debossing is making a bit of a comeback,” explains Monty Mims, strategic account manager and decorator and tech solutions at SanMar. “And we’re seeing some companies here [at PRINTING United Expo] that do that. It wasn’t a thing anybody was showing or talking about two or three years ago, but retail, as all things start, has been showcasing that trend.”

Kyle Eslinger, strategic account manager at SanMar, adds that it’s not just for sweatshirts. Its found success across a variety of products, including bags, totes, and even headwear.

“Headwear — as long as it’s five-panel and the weave isn’t too tight, we’ve seen success there,” Eslinger adds. “Knit beanies especially with the cuff that rolls up. That’s another category that you can emboss/deboss in. I think when you look at this elevated style of decoration, assume maybe two weeks to get a mold or a plate made for that job, and then you’ve got that plate forever, and you can emboss/deboss multiple categories.”

In a world of printed garments, embossing is a great way to rethink how to make branded products stand out, and for another 3D element, it can even be paired with embroidery and foam.

Robots and AI

While it’s no surprise that artificial intelligence (AI) and automation were all the talk at Expo, especially so in the AI Pavilion, which featured educational sessions and chats with AI experts, robots also made an appearance on the show floor.

One particularly interesting robot integration was in the TAMPOPRINT booth, a provider of pad printing, laser, inkjet, and automation systems. The demo featured a robotic arm picking up a single poker chip, placing it in the pad printer for printing, and then carrying it to the laser engraver for engraving.  The finished product was a double-sided, customized promo piece — all done by a robot!

This type of automation application is becoming increasingly common across the printing industry, where touchpoints related to product picking, loading, and unloading are the focus.

Jigless UV-LED Printing

Innovations in UV-LED printing continue to take shape, from improved rotary attachments for drinkware to faster speeds and better quality.

One exciting innovation on the show floor was AutoTran’s Eclipse CB600, a UV-LED industrial inkjet printer with linear CIS scanning. The printer’s scanning camera ensures precise product and graphic registration, enabling printers and manufacturers to get seamless, repeatable graphics on each product without the need for a jig.

“The software will actually find the product on the bed,” explains Jason Parker, vice president of AutoTran. “As long as the part sits flat, it will give you the opportunity to print the part.”

And the products placed on the bed don’t necessarily have to be the same shape. As long as they are the same height, the scanning system will recognize the different print needs, giving promotional products decorators flexibility.

PRINTING United Expo once again proved why it’s the premier event for discovering what’s new and next in printing. The show floor buzzed with ideas, technologies, and inspiration for those decorating promotional products — each solution pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in customization and decoration. As innovation presses on, decorators and suppliers have more tools than ever to deliver premium, memorable products that elevate every brand story.