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What Branding Methods Are Used on Promotional Merchandise? | Indigo Promotions
Branding & decoration

The craft behind
every branded product

Every product we supply can carry your logo, your colours, your message. We use a range of tried-and-tested techniques to brand promotional merchandise — each one chosen to suit the material, the artwork, and the impression you want to leave.

10k+
Products available
Expert
Branding & decoration
All-in
Price inc. product, setup & delivery
Debossing on promotional merchandise — a heated die creates a permanent indented impression on leather products
Watch it in action

Debossing

Premium feel

A heated die presses your design into the surface, leaving a permanent indented impression. No ink needed — just a clean, tactile mark that adds real perceived value. Works beautifully on leather, faux leather, and thick paper or card. Popular for branded leather notebooks, debossed corporate gifts, padfolios, and premium accessories.

Best for
Leather, faux leather, thick card
Colours
No colour — blind impression
Finish
Tactile, permanent indent
Screen printing on promotional merchandise — ink pushed through mesh stencil producing vivid opaque colours on fabric and flat surfaces
Watch it in action

Screen printing

Vivid spot colour

Ink is pushed through a mesh stencil directly onto the product — producing vivid, opaque spot colours with excellent wash resistance. One of the most versatile branding methods available, suitable for an enormous range of products including bags, apparel, notebooks, ceramics, and even pens via rotary screen printing. Most cost-effective for bold designs with fewer colours.

Best for
Fabric, bags, notebooks, pens & more
Colours
Up to 8 spot colours
Finish
Vivid, opaque, wash-resistant
Pad printing on promotional products — ink transferred via silicone pad for precise branding on curved surfaces like pens and golf balls
Watch it in action

Pad printing

Curved surfaces

Ink travels from an engraved plate via a flexible silicone pad — the only reliable way to brand curved, irregular, or recessed surfaces cleanly. Uses PMS inks for accurate colour matching. The standard for branded promotional pens, printed lighters, branded golf balls, electronics, and tools.

Best for
Curved, irregular & small surfaces
Colours
Up to 4 spot colours — PMS matched
Finish
Sharp, precise
Ultra HD full colour printing on promotional merchandise — stunning photorealistic colour reproduction on branded products
Watch it in action

Ultra HD full colour print

Next-level quality

The next generation of full colour printing — producing extraordinarily sharp, vibrant results that go beyond standard CMYK. Ideal for photo-quality branded merchandise, highly detailed artwork, and premium full colour promotional products where standard digital print simply isn't enough.

Best for
Multi-colour & photographic artwork
Colours
Unlimited — full CMYK
Finish
Exceptionally sharp & vivid
Embroidery on branded clothing — logo stitched directly into fabric for a premium lasting finish on workwear, polos and caps
Watch it in action

Embroidery

Best on fabric

Your logo is stitched directly into the fabric using coloured thread — a finish that doesn't crack, peel, or fade with washing. Works best with clean, bold logos rather than fine detail or gradients. The gold standard for embroidered workwear, branded polo shirts, and custom caps.

Best for
Polos, caps, jackets & workwear
Colours
Up to 15 thread colours
Finish
Textured, washfast, long-lasting
Foil blocking on branded merchandise — metallic foil heat-stamped onto notebooks and packaging using a custom die for a luxury shimmering finish
Watch it in action

Foil blocking

Luxury finish

Metallic or coloured foil is heat-stamped onto the surface using a custom die — creating a bold, shimmering impression that photographs beautifully. Available in gold, silver, and a range of coloured foils. Works best on leather, PU, and coated card. Note that Pantone matching isn't possible as foil comes in a fixed colour range.

Best for
Leather, PU folders & notebooks
Colours
Fixed foil range — gold, silver & more
Finish
Metallic, high-shine
Full colour digital printing on promotional merchandise — CMYK printing for unlimited colours on branded products
Watch it in action

Full colour print

Unlimited colours

Digital CMYK printing reproduces your artwork with vivid, photorealistic accuracy — no colour limitations and no per-colour setup costs. If your logo has multiple colours, gradients, or photographic elements, full colour print can often work out more cost-effective than spot colour methods. Thanks to advances in print technology, it can now be applied to rounded products too.

Best for
Multi-colour artwork & gradients
Colours
Unlimited — full CMYK
Finish
Vivid, photo-quality
Laser engraving on branded merchandise — precision laser etches a permanent design into metal, wood and acrylic promotional products
Watch it in action

Laser engraving

Most durable

A precision laser etches your design directly into the surface — no ink that can wear, nothing to peel. The colour of the engraving is determined by the material beneath the top layer, creating a natural tone-on-tone effect. The premium choice for laser engraved pens, engraved metal gifts, branded drinkware, keyrings, and USB sticks.

Best for
Metal, wood & acrylic products
Colours
No ink — tone-on-tone material finish
Finish
Permanent, wear-proof
Sublimation printing on branded merchandise — heat converts ink into gas that bonds permanently into polyester fibres for photorealistic full colour results
Watch it in action

Sublimation

Photo-quality

Heat converts ink into gas that bonds permanently into the product's fibres or polymer coating — the dye becomes part of the material itself, so there's nothing to crack or peel. Works on polyester and polymer-coated surfaces including mugs, water bottles, and branded lanyards. Produces photorealistic, full-colour results that last the lifetime of the product.

Best for
Polyester, polymer-coated products, mugs & bottles
Colours
Full colour — photorealistic
Finish
Fade & crack resistant
Transfer printing on branded clothing — pre-printed design heat-applied to fabric for fine detail and full colour on waterproof garments
Watch it in action

Transfer printing

Fine detail

A pre-printed design is heat-applied to the product with extreme colour accuracy and fine detail reproduction. Originally used for ceramics, it's now widely used for clothing too — particularly where direct printing isn't possible. Ideal for transfer printed workwear, logos with many colours or fine detail, and branded waterproof jackets where other methods would compromise the fabric's performance.

Best for
Fabric, ceramics & waterproof textiles
Colours
Full colour
Finish
High detail, colour accurate
360 degree laser engraving on cylindrical promotional products — full wrap permanent etching on branded drinkware and bottles
Watch it in action

360° laser engraving

Full wrap

An evolution of standard laser engraving — the product rotates as the laser works, allowing your design to wrap all the way around cylindrical surfaces in one seamless pass. No ink, no wear, completely permanent. Stunning on 360° engraved water bottles, branded vacuum flasks, and engraved metal pens where standard flat engraving can't reach the full surface.

Best for
Cylindrical metal products
Colours
No ink — tone-on-tone material finish
Finish
Full wrap, permanent
Doming on branded merchandise — full-colour label sealed under clear epoxy resin creates a glossy raised 3D effect
Watch it in action

Doming

Glossy 3D

A full-colour printed label is sealed beneath a clear epoxy resin dome — creating a glossy, raised 3D effect that's extremely durable. The resin protects the print from scratches and wear. Brilliant for branded keyrings, domed metal badges, and hard-surface accessories that need to stand out.

Best for
Metal, plastic & hard surfaces
Colours
Full colour
Finish
Glossy, raised dome

Not sure which method is right for you?

With so many variables — material, artwork, and budget — the right choice isn't always obvious. Our team will look at your brief and recommend the best option before you commit to anything. All our pricing is all-inclusive: product, branding setup and delivery to one UK address. No hidden costs.

From brief to delivery

The journey of promotional merchandise

Ever wondered what happens between placing your order and receiving your branded products? This short film follows the full journey — from your initial brief, through artwork approval, production and branding, right through to delivery at your door.

It's a great way to understand what goes into every order we fulfil — and why all-inclusive pricing makes the whole process simple from start to end.

The journey of promotional merchandise — from initial brief through branding and production to delivery

See it on the product

Watch how we apply branding to our most popular products.

How to print promotional pens using pad printing

How to print promotional pens

Pad printing in action on one of our most popular products.

Dye sublimation printing on a branded ceramic mug

Dye sublimation on branded mugs

Full wraparound sublimation printing on a ceramic mug.

How to embroider branded clothing and workwear

How to embroider branded clothing

Logo embroidery on workwear, polos, and uniforms.

Screen printing setup explained for promotional products

Screen printing setup explained

How we set up and run screen printing for promotional products.

Laser engraving on branded stainless steel drinkware

Laser engraving branded drinkware

Permanent engraving on stainless steel and vacuum bottles.

How to digitally print promotional items

How to digitally print promo items

Digital printing applied across a range of promotional products.

How to digital print promotional drinkware

Digital printing on promotional drinkware

Full colour digital print on mugs, bottles, and cups.

Seed paper printing for eco-friendly branded promotional products

Seed paper printing

Printing on eco-friendly seed paper promotional products.

Dye sublimation printing on branded promotional lanyards

Dye sublimation on branded lanyards

Full colour sublimation printing on promotional lanyards.

How to digitally print promotional product labels

How to digitally print labels

Digital printing on labels for branded merchandise.

Rotary screen printing on promotional merchandise

Rotary screen printing

Continuous pattern screen printing on promotional products.

Digital transfer printing on branded promotional merchandise

Digital transfer printing

Detailed full colour digital transfer on branded merchandise.

How to foil block a branded notebook — metallic foil stamping on hardback notebooks

How to foil block a branded notebook

Metallic foil stamping on a hardback branded notebook.

Common questions

Everything else you might want to know

Yes — some products work brilliantly with combined techniques. For example, a notebook might use debossing for the main logo and foil blocking for a detail. We'll always flag this as an option when it suits your chosen product.
Ideally yes — vector artwork (AI, EPS, SVG) gives the best result for almost every method. For sublimation, full colour print, and transfer print, high-resolution raster files can also work well. If you only have a low-res logo, call us and we'll advise on what's possible.
Our all-inclusive pricing covers the product, branding setup and delivery to one UK address — so the price you see includes everything. Certain premium techniques on very specific products may carry a small additional cost, which we'll always confirm before your order is placed.
We produce a visual proof for every order before anything goes to print. You'll see exactly how your artwork looks on the product — placement, sizing, colours all confirmed — and we don't proceed until you're happy with it.
We prefer vector files — AI, EPS, or SVG formats — as these can be scaled to any size without losing quality. For full colour printing and sublimation, a high-resolution JPEG or PNG also works well. If you only have a low-resolution file, our team can advise on what's possible or help convert your artwork.
Yes — for most print methods we can match your Pantone reference to ensure your brand colours are reproduced accurately. For laser engraving and foil blocking, the colour is determined by the material or foil range, so an exact Pantone match isn't possible. We'll always advise the best approach for your specific logo and product.
Most branded products are delivered within 7–10 working days from artwork approval. Lead times vary by product and branding method — some items are available on a faster express service. If you have a specific event or deadline, let us know and we'll do everything we can to meet it.
Minimum order quantities vary depending on the product and branding method. Some items can be ordered in very small quantities, while others require a higher volume to make the setup costs worthwhile. Our all-inclusive pricing means the price you see includes the product, branding, and delivery — so there are no hidden extras.
Yes — we can arrange unbranded samples for most products so you can check the quality, size, and feel before committing to a full order. If you'd like to see your logo on the product before production, we provide a visual proof as standard on every order.

Still unsure? Speak to our team — we're always happy to talk through your requirements and recommend the best branding method for your products.

Branding Methods for Promotional Merchandise — Indigo Promotions

Choosing the right branding method for your promotional merchandise is one of the most important decisions you'll make when placing an order. The technique used to apply your logo directly affects the quality, durability, and perceived value of the finished product — and different methods suit different materials, artwork styles, and budgets.

At Indigo Promotions, we offer a comprehensive range of branding and decoration methods across our full catalogue of over 10,000 promotional products. Whether you're looking for the tactile elegance of debossing on branded leather notebooks, the photorealistic vibrancy of sublimation printing on promotional drinkware, the professional finish of embroidery on branded workwear, or the precision of laser engraving on metal gifts — we have the expertise and equipment to deliver outstanding results every time.

Our all-inclusive pricing covers everything: the product itself, branding setup, and delivery to one UK address. There are no hidden origination charges or surprise extras — the price you see is the price you pay, plus VAT. Every order includes a visual proof for your approval before anything goes to production, so you can be completely confident in how your branded merchandise will look before we print a single item.

Based in Winsford, Cheshire, Indigo Promotions has been supplying branded promotional merchandise to businesses across the UK for many years. From small businesses ordering for the first time to large corporations managing ongoing merchandise programmes, our experienced team is here to help you select the right products, the right branding method, and the right finish for your brand. Call us on 01606 871555 or email sales@indigo-promotions.co.uk — we're always happy to help.