Ethical swag guide

Start by asking whether you need it

The most sustainable item is the one you never ordered.

• Ask on the registration form whether people want merchandise, and order to that number.
• Consider a donation to a charity your community cares about, named on a slide, instead of an item for every seat.
• One good thing beats a bag of small things. Most bag fillers are in the bin by the end of the week.

Choose things people keep

• Useful beats novel: a good notebook, a decent pen, a water bottle people would buy themselves.
• Keep branding small. People wear and use things that do not look like advertising.
• Offer a full range of clothing sizes and cuts, and order from the sizes people actually asked for.
• Avoid anything with a battery unless it is the point of the gift. Cheap electronics fail fast and are hard to recycle.

Check where it comes from

• Ask the supplier where each item is made and whether the factory is independently audited.
• Look for recognised certification on cotton and paper, and ask to see the certificate.
• Prefer Australian-made and locally printed where the budget allows: shorter freight and easier reorders.
• Consider suppliers that are certified Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander businesses or social enterprises.

Cut the waste around it

• Skip individual plastic wrapping; ask the supplier to bulk pack.
• Do not print the year or the event date on items, so leftovers can be used next time.
• Use lanyards without dates and collect them at the door for reuse.
• Plan what happens to leftovers before you order: a school, a community group or next year.