Almost anything can be branded with a companyâs name or logo and used for promotional purposes. Common items include t-shirts, caps, keychains, bumper stickers, pens, mugs or mouse pads. The largest product category for promotional products is wearable items, which make up more than 30% of the total.[citation needed]
Jasper Meeks, a printer in Coshocton, Ohio, is considered by many to be the originator of the industry when he convinced a local shoe store to supply book bags imprinted with the store name to local schools. Henry Beach, another Coshochton printer and a competitor of Meeks picked up on the idea and soon the two men were selling and printing bags for marbles, buggy whips, card cases, fans, calendars, cloth caps, aprons and even hats for horses.
