If you sell or supply branded merchandise in the UK, some of your best enquiries are also the hardest to fulfil: an unusual shape, a custom colour, a tight event date, or a quantity your usual suppliers will not touch. The Bridge Sourcing is a UK-based China sourcing partner near Birmingham, with our team in China on the ground. We help UK businesses source custom promotional products, branded merchandise and corporate gifts from China, with clear communication, samples before bulk and checks before anything ships.
Promotional products we source from China
The categories below are examples, not a fixed catalogue. If your product is not listed, send us your brief and we will tell you honestly whether we can help.
Corporate gifts and executive items
- Branded notebook and pen gift sets with presentation boxes
- Desk accessories, card holders and leather or PU items
- Welcome packs and onboarding gift sets
- Awards, plaques and keepsake items
Branded drinkware
- Mugs, travel cups and tumblers
- Stainless steel and insulated water bottles
- Glassware and reusable coffee cups
Bags, textiles and branded apparel
- Cotton, jute and recycled PET tote bags
- Drawstring bags, backpacks and cooler bags
- Caps, beanies, towels and blankets
- T-shirts, hoodies and event clothing
Tech and electronic gifts
- Power banks, chargers and cables
- USB drives and phone accessories
- Speakers and earbuds, with CE/UKCA documents checked before you order
Event, exhibition and festival merchandise
- Lanyards and ID holders
- Silicone, fabric and Tyvek wristbands
- Badges, enamel pins, keyrings and fridge magnets
- Stickers, hand fans, ponchos and sunglasses
Eco-friendly promotional products
- Bamboo, cork and wheat straw items
- Recycled PET and organic cotton products
- Paper and card items, with FSC-certified material where available
Custom-shaped and made-to-design items
- Custom moulded PVC and silicone items
- Squishies, stress toys and plush mascots, with toy safety testing arranged
- Custom-shaped USB drives, magnets and keyrings
Office and stationery
- Notebooks, pens and pencil cases
- Desk calendars, planners and sticky notes
- Mouse mats and conference folders
Branding and decoration options
We help you choose the branding method that suits the product, quantity and budget, and check logo position, colour and finish on samples before bulk production.
- Screen printing and pad printing
- Full-colour UV and digital printing
- Laser engraving, debossing and embossing
- Embroidery, woven labels and patches
- Dye sublimation and heat transfers
- Foil stamping and custom presentation packaging
Who we work with
We support UK businesses that buy promotional products for their own brand, and trade partners such as promotional merchandise distributors, print management companies, marketing agencies and event organisers who need a reliable China sourcing desk behind them. For trade partners, everything is white label, so your client stays yours.
How a promotional products project works
- Share your brief. Product, quantity, branding method, target cost and the date you need it by. A photo, sketch or reference sample is a great starting point.
- Supplier options and quotes. We find suitable manufacturers, compare quotes and explain the trade-offs. We aim to reply with an initial quote within 2 working days.
- Samples and logo checks. Samples usually take one to two weeks. We check colours, logo position and finish against your brief before you approve.
- Production and quality checks. We follow production and check goods before dispatch, sharing photos and updates.
- Delivery to the UK. We ship by express, air or sea depending on your timing and budget.
Quality and UK compliance
Our team in China checks suppliers before recommending them. We agree the specification and approved sample with the factory, follow production, and check goods before dispatch, sharing photos and updates so you are never left guessing.
For products that need it, we review the supplier’s certificates and test reports and flag any gaps before you place an order, for example CE/UKCA documents for electrical items, toy safety testing (EN 71) for toys and items aimed at children, food-contact testing for drinkware, and REACH documentation for materials.
Delivery to the UK
We coordinate shipping to your UK address and choose the route around your deadline and budget: express courier (around 3–5 days, with duty and VAT paid separately), air freight delivered to your door with duty and VAT included (around 7–12 days), or sea freight for larger, heavier orders (around 1–2 months). Times are typical, not guaranteed, and we confirm a realistic timeline when we quote.
Why use a UK-based sourcing partner?
- One UK contact instead of managing several overseas suppliers yourself
- A sample-first approach to reduce avoidable surprises in bulk production
- Help turning a sketch or photo into a specification a factory can quote on
- Confidentiality: we can put an NDA in place with you and with the factory
- Support with repeat orders, so batches stay consistent
Promotional products: common questions
What is the minimum order for custom promotional products from China?
It depends on the product, material and branding method. Some items can start from a few hundred units, while others need larger runs. We look for suppliers whose minimums match your order, including smaller first orders where possible.
How long does it take to get promotional products from China?
Samples usually take one to two weeks. Production time depends on quantity and branding, then shipping is added on top: express is fastest, air freight is a good middle ground and sea freight suits larger orders. Tell us your date at the start and we will give you a realistic timeline.
Can you meet a fixed event date?
Yes, if it is realistic. Share your event date with your brief and we will plan samples, production and shipping around it, and tell you early if a date is too tight.
Do you work with promotional merchandise distributors and agencies?
Yes. We work with UK trade partners who need custom or hard-to-source items for their own clients, and we keep everything white label.
Can you check product safety and compliance?
We review the certificates and test reports available from the supplier, such as CE/UKCA, EN 71 toy safety, food-contact and REACH documents, and flag any gaps before you order.
Can you source eco-friendly promotional products?
Yes. We can source products made from bamboo, recycled PET, organic cotton, cork and paper, and check what material evidence the supplier can provide.
Ready to price your next promotional product? Request a sourcing quote, see all our China sourcing services, or read our guides on the cost to import from China to the UK and using a sourcing agent vs Alibaba. We also source custom packaging and branded workwear.