The British Promotional Merchandise Association (BPMA) has relaunched its awards, opening them up to more suppliers, with categories for clothing and other textile products.
The 2022-23 BPMA Product Awards for promotional merchandise will open for entries on 1 September 2022 but this year the organisers want to bring in suppliers outside of its membership.
They are open not only to BPMA Supplier members but to any qualifying supplier: companies who are classed as “trade only” or “multi-channel”, trade in the UK, have registered status in the UK or another country, and have traded for more than 12 months.
Suppliers no longer need to qualify by exhibiting at trade show Merchandise World. However, the awards are still not open to distributors or agencies. BPMA members benefit by receiving complimentary and preferential rates.
There are 15 categories including apparel product and bag and folder product as well as awards for exhibition product, health and travel product, innovation, sustainable innovation, sustainable product, UK-made product, and “Work & Play Product”. Visit bpma.co.uk/productawards for a full list.
Announcing the relaunch, the BPMA explained: “The BPMA has opened the entry criteria for this year to ensure more suppliers can enter, providing the basis for an excellent competition to find the best promotional merchandise available to the UK market.
“Already a renowned award in the industry, widening the landscape enables those products and suppliers not previously eligible the chance to have their moment.”
There is also a Grand Prix Award which celebrates the “winner of winners”. The ceremony will take place in January 2023.
The awards will open for entries at 8am on 1 September and close at 5pm on 1 November 2022. Charges for entries plus terms and conditions apply.
For advice and tips on entering, the BPMA will hold a webinar on 8 September. Click here to register.
