While last year it may have felt like a distant dream, this year marked the return of ASI Show Chicago – along with trade shows and in-person events as we know them. This was at least the case for the Windy City, which saw its first official trade show open its doors after a long 2020 – kicking off what has shown to be promo’s powerful return in 2021.

But don’t call it a comeback – Next Level Apparel has been here for years. Even the ongoing pandemic couldn’t keep down this leading supplier, who saw this event as a chance to instill confidence and optimism in their loyal customers. That doesn’t mean Next Level wasn’t affected by the unprecedented (sorry, we said it!) year. On the contrary, Next Level experienced a huge overhaul, welcoming many new team members to the crew who hailed from all over the country. ASI Chicago was not only Next Level’s return to the trade show circuit, but also a chance to finally bring all their new staff members together in one place to meet in-person at long last.

Next Level typically gathers their team for a strategy and training session at the end of each month to discuss challenges, upcoming goals, focus products and more. ASI Chicago was the perfect opportunity to have this meeting live and in-person. Of course, it wasn’t all business. Along with hosting product trainings on their innovative ECO performance pieces, the Next Level team also found time to celebrate VP of Business Development Eric Simsolo’s birthday – complete with a surprise visit from Promo himself!

Finally, it was time to hit the trade show floor and engage with promo professionals in a way video chats and emails just can’t touch. Next Level saw ASI Chicago as a chance to show their customers they’re still here, providing all the retail-inspired fits we’ve come to know and love. In fact, Next Level set out on the ambitious task of bringing all of their product styles to the trade show floor, which anyone who’s ever browsed their catalog knows is no small feat! The hard work paid off, however, as tons of attendees mentioned how much they appreciated that and what a relief it is to know one of the industry’s greats is not only still standing, but stronger than ever.

Most exciting of all, trade show attendees also got to enjoy an exclusive sneak peek of the newest products being added to Next Level’s line. Weren’t able to attend? Okay fine, we’ll let you in on the secret … meet the Unisex Laguna Sueded Hoodie (9304) and the Women’s Laguna Sueded Crop Hoodie (9384). While more info will be released soon, we can let you know now that these elevated comfort pieces feature a buttery-soft sueded face unlike anything you’ve felt before. Trendy, versatile and fashion-forward, you’ll want to check back soon for more details (likely around September 2021) when these hoodies will be officially launched.

Overall, we’d call Next Level’s return to ASI Chicago a smashing success, and a strong showing for the promo industry as well. If this is a sign of what’s to come, we can’t lie: We’re feeling optimistic.