Blog | Ladybug Designs

August 31, 2026

Sustainability in promotional products: what's real and what's greenwashing

An honest look at sustainability claims in the promotional products industry: which certifications matter, what eco-friendly actually means, and how to spot greenwashing before you buy.

What procurement officers should ask branded merchandise vendors

A checklist-style guide for procurement officers evaluating branded merchandise vendors, covering governance, supply chain, compliance, bilingual capability, pricing, and reporting.

Are employee gifts taxable in Canada? The CRA rules, in plain language

The CRA's $500 rule for non-cash gifts, when gift cards count as non-cash, the separate long-service award exemption, and what is always taxable, explained for HR teams.

How a managed employee store works, from sign-in to doorstep

What actually happens inside a managed employee store: how accounts get created, how budgets and claim codes control ordering, and how one hoodie gets decorated, packed, and shipped.

Planning event merchandise on a deadline: the timeline you actually need

A practical timeline guide for event coordinators ordering custom merchandise, working backward from event day across four planning windows.

The complete guide to employee service anniversary programs

A comprehensive guide to building a service anniversary recognition program: milestone tiers, gift ideas per tier, budget ranges, CRA tax rules, managed platforms, and bilingual considerations.

Why Canadian organizations choose Canadian suppliers for branded merch

A practical look at why sourcing branded merchandise from a Canadian partner matters: shipping timelines, currency risk, bilingual requirements, compliance, and what actually stays local.

Should you outsource your branded merchandise, or keep it in-house?

An honest comparison of in-house merchandise management versus a managed partner: what the work involves, where in-house breaks down, and when keeping it internal makes sense.

How to keep brand consistency across a national merchandise program

How to prevent brand drift across locations and departments with centralized artwork, approved catalogues, and managed merchandise stores.

Inside our decoration studio: how custom embroidery works

A behind-the-scenes look at how a design goes from artwork file to finished embroidered product, covering digitizing, stitch types, thread matching, and quality inspection.

What a managed merchandise program costs, and how the pricing models work

The three pricing models behind managed merchandise programs in Canada: revenue sharing, client-owned inventory with managed fulfillment, and OECM pre-negotiated pricing.

Running a bilingual merchandise program in Canada, properly

What a genuinely bilingual English-French merchandise program requires: storefront, catalogue, packing slips, and support in both languages.

Building an onboarding kit program for a distributed Canadian team

How to build an onboarding kit program that reaches remote hires before day one: kit contents, size capture, HR-system triggers, and realistic budgets.

Switching merchandise vendors: the migration checklist

What to collect, transfer, and verify when you change branded merchandise vendors: artwork, inventory, accounts, data, and a timeline employees never notice.

Using OECM agreements for branded merchandise programs

A practical guide to using OECM agreements for branded merchandise and promotional product programs in Ontario's education and broader public sector.

Employee recognition gifts that actually work

A practical guide to choosing employee recognition gifts that people actually want, from branded onboarding kits to milestone rewards, with advice for Canadian organizations.

What to expect from a custom kitting service

A practical guide to what happens when you engage a custom kitting service, covering discovery through sourcing, assembly, quality control, and delivery across Canada.

How to choose a school spirit wear program

A decision-making guide for schools in Ottawa, Ontario, and across Canada choosing a spirit wear program: what to evaluate, what questions to ask, and why local matters.

Planning your fall school merchandise program: start now

A practical planning guide for schools looking to launch or refresh their fall merchandise program, with timelines, product ideas, and how to make it easy.

How employee recognition programs actually work

A practical look at how managed employee recognition programs work, from service anniversaries to spot recognition, and what to expect when you set one up.

How we manage nationwide fulfillment for branded merchandise

A behind-the-scenes look at how orders move through our operation, from intake to delivery across Canada.

5 ways to run school fundraising without paper forms

Five modern approaches to school fundraising that eliminate paper forms, reduce admin burden, and make it easy for parents to participate.

OECM-approved suppliers: what it means for your procurement

What OECM approval means for Ontario's education and broader public sector, and how it simplifies procurement for branded merchandise programs.

How school spirit wear stores work

A step-by-step look at how hosted school spirit wear stores work, from setup to fundraising, with minimal effort for school staff.

What to look for in a managed branded merchandise program

A practical checklist for evaluating managed service partners, from governance controls to fulfillment operations.