If you’re looking for HubSpot’s new hire swag kit, then you’re probably either joining HubSpot (in this case, congratulations!) and wondering what you’ll receive, or you’re looking for some ideas and inspiration to build your company’s own onboarding kit.
Whatever the case may be, you’ve come to the right place! In this blog, we’ll walk you through the swag items that are included in HubSpot’s new hire swag kit, how it looked like five years ago, what swag items you can use for your own employee onboarding kit, and what other lessons you can learn from HubSpot’s onboarding program.
What’s inside HubSpot’s new hire swag kit?
Based on what we’ve found online, HubSpot swag kits contain a HubSpot-branded backpack, a cork notebook, an orange pen, and a reusable coffee cup. However, it’s worth noting that HubSpot doesn’t publish an official list of the swag items included in its employee onboarding kit, and there’s no recent post or look inside one. This means there’s no way to actually confirm whether these are still the exact items that go out to HubSpot new hires today, or the kit has changed or has been completely removed from the company’s onboarding program.
In any case, take this as a guide and a reference point for building your own swag kit or learning about what you can possibly get during your onboarding at HubSpot, rather than undeniable proof.
That said, here are the items that HubSpot has in its new hire swag kits (retrieved from a LinkedIn post from two years ago).
A charcoal HubSpot backpack
The backpack is HubSpot’s anchor or flagship item. It’s made from heathered charcoal fabric with a padded laptop compartment and the HobSpot sprocket across the front panel. It’s a swag item that a new hire carries into the office, which makes it the most visible swag item in the kit.
A cork notebook with the HEART values
This swag item is a unique one. At first glance, it may seem like it’s only a notebook, but the design is actually a reflection of HubSpot’s HEART values: Humble, Empathetic, Adaptable, Remarkable, and Transparent, repeated in tiny type.
An orange pen
The pen that HubSpot includes in its kit is in the color of HubSpot orange, with the sprocket on the barrel. It pairs with the notebook, and the two items work as a set that new hires can use on their first day.
A reusable coffee cup
For the drinkware, HubSpot opted for a soft gray reusable cup with a screw lid. Printed on it is a line about HubSpot’s culture: “Our culture lives in our hearts, not our hallways.”
How HubSpot’s New Hire Kit Has Changed
If we rewind to 2021, HubSpot’s new hire swag kit looked completely different. In an interview with Boxaroo, Mariel Argonza from HubSpot’s Learning and Development team laid out what every new HubSpotter received at the time:
The Culture Map book
A pennant highlighting remote inclusion
Stickers featuring the HubSpot sprocket and Allyship
Pins with “Have HEART” and “Grow Better” texts
A postcard with a welcome note from HubSpot leadership
A webcam cover
If you’ll notice, there’s no backpack or drinkware, nothing that you’d see in a standard onboarding kit. The company’s kit was almost entirely made up of cultural artifacts. The newer kit (the one we found from two years ago) swaps those artifacts for swag items that new hires will actually use every day. The backpack and pen have the branding, while the notebook and mug reinforce HubSpot’s culture and values. And that is the real takeaway for your own welcome kit for new employees: the best and most effective swag items don’t force you to choose between practical and meaningful; they can do both.
Why do new hire swag kits matter?
HubSpot’s new hire swag kit is a good example of what thoughtful onboarding looks like. The items are practical, the branding is consistent, and every swag has a purpose. That naturally raises the next question: why does a well-designed new hire kit matter in the first place?
Most onboarding falls short, especially for remote hires
Among 1,002 people who started a new job, half said they already planned to leave soon, according to Paychex. In the same survey, 52% of remote employees felt undervalued. And while sending a new hire kit won’t magically resolve such issues with onboarding, it gives new employees something more tangible that can make them feel more welcomed and valued by their new employer.
Swag items are used even after the first day
HubSpot’s notebook is actually a good example of a swag item that’s used after a new hire’s first day. And because it’s used every day, this means that HubSpot’s company values stay in front of them even after the first two weeks. That’s organic advertising! Additionally, according to the 2026 ASI Global Ad Impressions Study, 85% of people remember the company that gave them a branded product, and 78% keep it because it's useful. That gives practical swag items, and by extension, your brand, longer visibility
Swag is one of the easiest ways to reinforce your company culture
Most companies introduce their values during orientation, then leave them in a handbook. HubSpot puts its HEART values on a notebook that its employees will most likely open in meetings every day. You don’t have to copy that exact approach, of course, but the lesson is something you can borrow. Simply attach your message to a swag item your new hire will actually use, and it'll have far more staying power.
What Investing in New Hire Swag Kits Actually Looks Like
The benefits of a good new hire kit aren’t just theoretical. Companies invest in them because they create a stronger first impression and reinforce company culture, while also giving every new employee a consistent onboarding experience.
Each company also builds its own onboarding swag differently, based on its own culture, priorities, and budget. Here are some real-life examples you can take a look at, aside from HubSpot:
Amazon
Amazon’s welcome kit reflects the company’s culture of “Frugality”. That said, the company’s new hires receive a laptop, a simple backpack, and, depending on the team, a hoodie or other apparel. Amazon’s approach is a good reminder that your onboarding kit should reinforce your company's identity.
Apple
Apple keeps its new hire kit simple but premium. Employees typically receive a t-shirt printed with their year of joining, along with logo stickers and a welcome note. Some teams also receive a backpack or other branded apparel.
Uber
Uber takes a more comprehensive approach than Amazon. Its onboarding kit commonly includes a branded hoodie or jacket, a notebook, pen, hat, drawstring or laptop backpack, plus practical extras like a reusable water bottle, coffee cup, and USB drive. Everything follows the same clean black-and-white visual style that the company has.
Companies that use PerkUp for their new hire kits
In addition to the three above, many companies also build and distribute their welcome kits for new employees through PerkUp, making it easy to deliver a consistent experience to their new hires around the world. Here are some examples.
DuckDuckGo
DuckDuckGo uses PerkUp to welcome new hires with a kit that embraces its brand personality. Instead of relying only on standard branding, the company incorporates its recognizable duck mascot throughout the experience, making the welcome feel unmistakably DuckDuckGo.
Growth Zone
Growth Zone’s new hire kit is simple: a YETI drinkware, a hoodie, a pen, and a sticker sheet all in the company’s brand colors. For this one, it’s the YETI item that carries the whole kit.
What swag items should go in your new hire kit?
If you want to build a new employee welcome kit like HubSpot’s and the many other companies we mentioned above, start with the items that you yourself and your new employees will actually use. Choose the ones that have enough space for branding or messaging, then build a kit around a few everyday essentials.
Branded apparel
This category contains the swag items that your new hires will wear even after their onboarding ends. As such, choose something comfortable enough for weekends and not just company events. When people genuinely like the fit, your logo naturally gets more visibility.
Some apparel swag items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Stanley/Stella Unisex Rocker Tee ($8.72) - A midweight tee made from organic combed ring-spun cotton with a soft feel and a modern fit. The smooth fabric shows off detailed artwork nicely, making it a great choice if you want to include your logo, company values, or a custom illustration.
Port Authority Unisex Silk Touch Polo ($13.69) - The Port Authority Silk Touch Polo is a polished polo that's easy to dress up for the office or client meetings. The smooth fabric, broad size range, and reliable fit make it an easy option when you're ordering for a large onboarding group.
Gildan Adult Heavy Blend Full-Zip Hooded Sweatshirt ($22.49) - This is a warm fleece hoodie with a full-length zipper that works across different seasons. The sturdy construction holds up well to repeated washing, making it one of the swag items that your new hires will continue wearing even after their first week.
Drinkware
Let’s be honest, a mug or tumbler becomes part of someone's daily routine because employees (new hire or not) will inevitably reach for a drink during the workday. Because of that, drinkware swag is one of the easiest places to reinforce your brand because it gets used a lot.
Some drinkware items you can include in your new hire swag kit:
YETI Rambler 20 OZ Tumbler W/ MagSlider Lid ($38.75) - This is a premium drinkware new hires will be genuinely excited to receive. Double-wall vacuum insulation keeps drinks hot or cold for hours, while the MagSlider lid helps reduce spills.
TYESO AURA Insulated Travel Tumbler | 30 oz ($21.19) - This TYESO tumbler is built for commuting, long meetings, and everything in between. The large capacity, integrated handle, and cupholder-friendly shape make it an easy everyday tumbler without the premium price tag.
Stanley Everyday Camp Cup ($30.00) - The Stanley Cup is compact enough for a desk but durable enough for weekends, too. The insulated design keeps drinks at a temperature for hours, and Stanley's recognizable branding gives it instant appeal as a welcome gift.
Bags
The highest-visibility item in almost any welcome kit for new employees is a bag. A good bag will be used by your employees no matter where they go. If you're investing in one premium item, this is usually the one to choose.
Some bags you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Fully Custom Mesh Tote Bag ($7.59) - Perfect for groceries, the gym, or company events, this breathable mesh tote is a practical alternative to standard canvas bags. Pantone color matching also makes it easy to keep everything on brand.
Professional Travel Backpack | 20L ($39.29) - This backpack pairs a clean, professional look with plenty of organization inside. The padded laptop compartment makes it an easy everyday carry for new hires, too.
Puffer Recycled 15" Computer Sleeve ($13.97) - The Puffer Sleeve is made from recycled materials with a quilted finish that feels more premium than its price suggests. It protects a laptop on its own or slips neatly into another bag for extra protection.
Tech accessories
If you help your remote or hybrid employee set up with the right tech, they’ll use the swag items before the first week is over. For this one, focus on items that make their workspace more comfortable or solve small everyday frustrations. Make sure that they’re high-quality, too!
Some tech accessories you can include in your new hire swag kit:
UV Desktop Phone Sanitizer ($8.32) - Keep a phone, keys, glasses, or earbuds clean with a quick 10-minute UV-C sanitizing cycle. It's a practical desk accessory that stands out from the usual onboarding tech without stretching your budget for onboarding kits.
Skullcandy Smokin' Buds True Wireless Earbuds ($34.63) - Video calls and onboarding sessions become easier with a reliable pair of earbuds. Skullcandy packs in strong sound, up to 20 hours of battery life with the charging case, and a comfortable fit that your new employees will keep using after onboarding.
15W Mag Max Wireless Charger Power Bank ($29.05) - This one is perfect for your new hires when they need to charge a compatible phone wirelessly or plug in through USB-C when they need more power. The slim design slips easily into a backpack, making it a smart addition for commuters, travelers, and hybrid teams.
Office supplies
Every onboarding kit needs a few practical essentials. Notebooks and pens come out in meetings every day, making them one of the places where you can reinforce your brand or company values. HubSpot does exactly that by printing its HEART values on its notebook cover.
Some office supplies you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Souvenir® Suite™ Chic Pen ($10.04) - Skip the disposable giveaway pen and upgrade to something your new hires will actually enjoy writing with. The matte metal barrel, smooth gel ink, and laser-engraved finish make this feel more premium.
Signature B5 Notebook ($5.29) - Give your new hires plenty of room for meeting notes, planning, and everyday work with the larger B5 format. The oversized cover also gives you enough space to print your logo, mission, or company values.
Multifunctional Folding Pen Holder Sticky Note Box ($3.85) - Help your new hires organize their desk with a folding organizer that combines sticky notes, pen storage, and a compact desktop holder. It's inexpensive and adds immediate value to any workspace.
Add-ons
Finish your new hire onboarding kit with a few inexpensive extras. These items don't carry the experience on their own, but they add personality without adding much cost.
Some add-ons you can include in your new hire swag kit:
Custom Sticker Pack ($7.34) - Multiple sticker designs give your new hires the freedom to personalize laptops, water bottles, notebooks, or anything else they use every day.
Koozie® Hype RPET Collapsible Can Cooler 16 Oz ($1.95) - If you’re aiming for a chill type of new hire kit, then pick this one and throw it into a backpack for a nice extra touch.
Dada Push Pop Bouncing Ball ($1.95) - The soft silicone design of this small toy works as both a fidget and a bouncing ball, making it one of those small extras new hires will likely end up keeping on their desk.
Takeaways From HubSpot’s New Hire Swag Kit
Just like HubSpot, you can make your new employee welcome kit have a great impact by carefully choosing swag items and incorporating your company values on them. Pick a couple of swag items from the ideas we listed, combine them in a box, and brand them with a logo or your core company values.
Ready to create your own new hire kit with PerkUp?
When everything is ready for your new hire swag kit campaign—the swag ideas, the design you want, the logo or values you’ll include—the only challenge left is sending those swag kits to your new hire in Sydney, Bangalore, and Hong Kong.
PerkUp, a swag management platform that caters to global teams, is the best solution for such challenges. For one, it can help you design, store, and ship onboarding kits to your newest employees in 65+ countries. Instead of packing boxes yourself or coordinating multiple vendors, you can manage everything from one platform while every new hire gets the same high-quality welcome, regardless of where they live.
How it works is that you design your own onboarding kit with the help of PerkUp’s design agency, and then order the kits in bulk. PerkUp then stores your inventory across warehouses in the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, India, China, and Australia until it’s needed. When someone joins your company, their kit ships from the warehouse closest to them within a few business days, reducing shipping times and avoiding unexpected customs delays or duties.
If you want to completely remove the manual work, you can also easily connect PerkUp to your HRIS since the platform supports 200+ integrations. By doing this, your welcome kits are automatically sent based on your new employee’s start date.
There’s also an option for your employees to redeem their onboarding through a branded swag store, where they can choose their own sizes and, if you allow it, their preferred items. The store supports both bulk and On Demand swag, helping reduce waste while making sure employees receive something they’ll actually use.
More than that, PerkUp also supports On Demand swag with a 1-unit minimum order, bulk swag programs, event swag, and 5,000+ gift cards, making it easy to manage employee and customer gifting in just one platform.
Frequently Asked Questions About New Hire Swag Kits
What should you include in a new hire swag kit?
A balanced welcome kit usually includes a mix of apparel, drinkware, a notebook and pen, a bag, and a small cultural touch like stickers or a welcome card. Six to eight items are typically enough. Start with one standout swag item, such as a premium hoodie, jacket, or tumbler, then build the rest of the kit around it.
How long does it take to produce a custom onboarding kit?
Production timelines depend on the products and decoration methods you choose. With PerkUp, custom bulk swag using screen printing, embroidery, or other decoration techniques typically takes three to six weeks. Kit assembly adds a little extra time since everything is packed once every item arrives, so it's best to work backward from your new hire's start date. As a rule of thumb, allot five to six weeks at least.
Can you automate new hire swag through PerkUp?
Yes. Connect PerkUp to your HRIS, including BambooHR, Rippling, ADP, and many others, and your employees' start date can automatically trigger their welcome kit. Set the workflow once, and future onboarding kits go out without you or anyone from your team manually placing an order.
Can PerkUp ship onboarding kits internationally?
Yes, because PerkUp has two fulfillment strategies, and the strategy for your swag campaign will depend on the most efficient way for you and your team. You can produce and ship swag within your recipient's region, or manufacture items in bulk and store them in a warehouse close to your employees before they're needed. Either way, kits ship as domestic deliveries whenever possible, helping reduce transit times while avoiding unexpected customs delays and duties. This is made possible through PerkUp's warehouse network across the US, Canada, Mexico, the UK, Europe, India, China, and Australia.
Can new hires choose their own swag instead of receiving a preset kit?
Absolutely! PerkUp's branded swag stores let new hires choose the items they actually want within a budget you set. You can offer item-based redemption, where your employees simply pick from a curated collection without seeing prices, or monetary-based redemption, where they receive a dollar amount to spend however they like in the swag store. Both options let your employees choose their own sizes, styles, and swag, leading to higher satisfaction and less wasted swag.
