Sustainable corporate gifts usually cost 5 to 20% more than a non-certified alternative, but thanks to their longer life and higher use value, the cost per contact moment is often lower than with cheap options.
Why the extra cost
- Certificates (GOTS, GRS, FSC) require investment at every stage of the chain.
- Better materials (organic cotton, stainless steel) have higher raw material costs.
- Fair production (Fair Wear) increases labour costs.
- Local production (Portugal, EU) is more expensive than production in Asia.
Why you ultimately pay less
- Longer life: 3 to 5+ years instead of 1 year.
- Higher use value: worn or used more often.
- Lower cost per contact moment (a KPI for your marketing team).
- Retention: recipients appreciate quality for longer.
Example calculation
A stainless steel water bottle costs €15 and lasts 10 years, with 5 washes a week. That’s 2,600 contact moments for €15, or 0.6 cents per moment. A disposable plastic alternative costs €3 and is thrown away after a day: 300 cents per contact moment. The more expensive bottle is 500 times cheaper per use.
When to choose a cheaper option
For one-off events with high footfall (festivals, trade fairs), cheap RPET items can make sense. Make sure they are GRS certified and responsibly processed at end of life.
More on our sustainable corporate gifts page.
