Promotional Gifts Made in Germany: Giving Local and Regional

Plenty of companies want gifts that say something about where they are based: promotional gifts made in Germany, ideally from the region or even from their own city. In catalogues, the label turns up on all sorts of items. What it really means is often less clear. Here's what the phrase stands for, which questions to ask your supplier, which local corporate gifts work well, and where a Soapi from Berlin fits in.

What "Made in Germany" means for promotional gifts

"Made in Germany" is not an official seal awarded by anyone. Under established German case law, though, the key manufacturing steps that give a product its characteristics must take place in Germany. Parts and raw materials may come from abroad. For you as a buyer, that means the label alone tells you little about how much of an item is actually made here.

So ask specific questions:

• Where is it manufactured? Meaning the place where it takes shape, not just where the reseller is based.
• Where does the material come from? An honest supplier will also tell you when a raw material is sourced abroad.
• Where is it finished? Printing, engraving and packing may happen somewhere other than production.
• Who is your contact? For logo projects it helps to have someone who can answer your questions directly.

An open answer that includes a few steps abroad is worth more than a big seal with no explanation.

Why companies give regional and local gifts

A gift from your region has something no catalogue item can offer: a story that fits you. Clients in the same city recognise the name of the roaster or the maker. Business partners further afield get a little piece of your home base. And you support businesses you may already work with.

Ideas for local corporate gifts

• Coffee from a local roaster: almost every city has one, and many will pack a company blend.
• Beer or lemonade from a nearby brewery: with the bonus of a bottle cap left over afterwards. Ideas for that are in what to do with bottle caps.
• Honey, mustard or spices from small producers: compact, consumable and easy to post.
• Products from social enterprises and sheltered workshops: many can make gifts in larger quantities.
• Vouchers for shops in your neighbourhood: the bookshop, café or restaurant around your office.
• A calendar or postcards by photographers from your city: showing the place where you work.

Corporate gifts from Berlin: the Soapi

For companies in Berlin, and anyone who wants to give something from Berlin, there's the Soapi. You press a bottle cap halfway into a bar of soap, the soap hangs from a magnet on the wall and dries all the way round instead of going soft in a dish. The basin stays clean. Here's an honest breakdown of where it comes from:

• Production: the Soapi is injection-moulded in Berlin, so it's made in Berlin.
• Material: The housing is injection-moulded from recycled plastic, around 90 % of which comes from discarded fishing nets and ropes. The nets are processed in Denmark.
• Soap: the lavender soap in the Starter Kit at €14.95 is handmade in Marseille. If you'd like a different soap, pair the Soapi with soaps from Blaull, Grete Manufaktur or KLAR.
• Guarantee: a 10-year durability guarantee.
• Reach: more than 250 retailers worldwide stock Soapi. For promotional product distributors: Soapi is listed in the PSI Product Finder.

More ideas from the capital are in gifts from Berlin and Germany.

Your logo on the bottle cap

The bottle cap is where your company logo goes. We print bottle caps with your logo from 500 pieces. The number of Soapis is independent of that, so you don't need to order 500 Soapis. The remaining caps make a small giveaway for trade fairs, an insert for letters, something for the reception desk, or they keep for later orders. The cap sits visibly in the soap, so your logo is on show every day in the bathroom or by the kitchen sink. The Soapis themselves come in 10 colours. You can mix them or choose one that matches your brand colour. How the enquiry works is explained on our corporate gifts with logo page. As a company, you buy from us at the retailer price: very good terms that normally only go to retailers who order from us regularly. Printing logo caps takes about two weeks from order to dispatch, often much less.

Small teams without a logo

For a small team you don't need to send an enquiry. With Mix & Match you pick 5 products, pay €50 and get free delivery within Germany. You can combine Soapis in all 10 colours, the key holder and solid soaps. Not everyone gets the same thing, and the order is still done in minutes.

FAQ

Is "Made in Germany" protected?

There's no official seal. Misleading statements of origin are not allowed, however, and the key manufacturing steps should take place in Germany. If in doubt, ask about the individual steps.

Is everything in a Soapi from Germany?

No, and we say so openly. The Soapi is injection-moulded in Berlin. The recycled material is processed in Denmark, and the lavender soap in the Starter Kit comes from Marseille.

Can we match the colours to our brand?

Yes, from the 10 available colours. You can also mix them, one colour per department, for instance.

In short

Promotional gifts made in Germany are convincing when you can explain honestly what is made where. Local businesses, short explanations and a gift that gets used do more than any label. For small groups, put together five items with Mix & Match. For your logo on the bottle cap, send us an enquiry with quantity, colours and preferred date. For logo bottle caps it's best to ask early, so there's enough time for printing.