A great onboarding box does more than fill a desk with logo items. It tells a new hire, on day one, that the company thought this through. Below are 35 items worth considering for a new hire onboarding box, ranked and grouped by what they solve: something to wear, something to carry, something for the desk, and a few tech and comfort extras. Prices are indicative per unit at typical volumes, with the minimum order quantity (MOQ) noted for each.
Running a full program rather than a one-off box? See our complete guide to new hire welcome kits, the best products for new hire welcome kits for a tighter trinity strategy, or 9 new hire welcome kit ideas that actually land for a shorter curated list.
What makes a good onboarding box item?
- Useful from day one. The best items get used in the first week, not shelved.
- A mix of tiers. One hero piece, a handful of daily-use staples, and a few small finishing touches.
- Sized right. Apparel and bags need a size-collection step; desk items and accessories don't.
- Consistent for everyone. The same core kit for every hire keeps the program fair and easy to automate.
1. Hoodie – The Rex: the hero item
A heavyweight 280gsm organic-cotton hoodie people genuinely choose to wear. It's the single item most onboarding boxes are built around.
- Material: 90% organic cotton, 10% polyester.
- Branding: embroidery, print or patches.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €40.09/unit.
2. T-shirt – The Axel: the everyday layer
A soft, durable everyday tee that doubles as a low-cost branding canvas for teams that want apparel without the hoodie budget.
- Material: 100% cotton.
- Branding: print or embroidery.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €18.68/unit.
3. Polo – The Avery: for a dressier culture
A polished piqué polo for companies where smart-casual, not streetwear, is the day-one dress code.
- Material: 100% cotton.
- Branding: embroidery.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €30.37/unit.
4. Bodywarmer – The Logan: the upgrade pick
A lightweight, packable layer that reads as a premium upgrade for senior hires or leadership onboarding kits.
- Material: 100% polyamide.
- Branding: embroidery or print.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €37.66/unit.
5. Windbreaker – The Kai: for remote and field hires
A breathable, windproof shell that suits field-based, travel-heavy or remote new hires who need something practical, not just decorative.
- Material: 100% polyamide.
- Branding: embroidery or print.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €32.56/unit.
6. Baseball Cap 6 Panel: the finishing touch
A cheap, high-visibility add-on that rounds out an apparel-heavy box without straining the budget.
- Material: 100% cotton.
- Branding: embroidery.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €8.34/unit.
7. Sports Socks: the surprise-and-delight filler
Sunday's single most-ordered item. A fun, unexpected filler that gets a genuine laugh when a new hire unboxes it.
- Material: 80% cotton, 17% polyamide, 3% elastane.
- Branding: knit-in logo zones.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €4.00/unit.
8. Classic Regular Socks: the budget-friendly filler
A lower-cost sibling to the sports socks, for boxes that want the filler-item charm at a tighter per-unit price.
- Material: 80% cotton, 17% polyamide, 3% elastane.
- Branding: knit-in logo zones.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €3.75/unit.
View the Classic Regular Socks →
9. RollTop Backpack: the day-one commuter bag
A waterproof 18L roll-top with a 15.6" laptop sleeve that quickly becomes the new hire's everyday commuting bag.
- Material: GRS recycled PU, water-resistant.
- Branding: print or embroidery.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €24.57/unit.
10. Backpack – The Essential: the all-purpose pick
A structured, 20L backpack with a padded laptop sleeve, the safe default when you need one backpack that suits everyone.
- Material: 100% polyester.
- Branding: embroidery or print.
- Order: MOQ 300 · from €30.00/unit.
View Backpack — The Essential →
11. Urban Lite Backpack: the security-conscious upgrade
An anti-theft, RFID-protected backpack in recycled fabric, a premium upgrade for leadership hires or client-facing new hires who travel.
- Material: 100% polyester, AWARE-certified recycled.
- Branding: print or embroidery.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €80.34/unit.
View the Urban Lite Backpack →
12. Premium Tote Bag: the lightweight alternative
A heavyweight cotton tote with a premium hand-feel, for teams who want a bag option without the backpack budget.
- Material: 270gsm cotton.
- Branding: print or custom webbing.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €6.44/unit.
13. Canvas Tote Bag: the low-cost tote
An affordable canvas tote that works as either the main carry item or as gift-wrap for the rest of the box.
- Material: 100% cotton.
- Branding: print.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €1.79/unit.
14. Fanny Pack: the fun add-on
A trend item that skews younger and hybrid, good for teams that want the box to feel a little less corporate.
- Material: 100% polyester.
- Branding: print or embroidery.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €12.50/unit.
15. Canvas Duffel Bag: for relocating hires
A durable travel bag that's a thoughtful add for hires relocating for the role, not just commuting to an office.
- Material: 100% cotton.
- Branding: print or embroidery.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €34.90/unit.
16. Felt Pouch: the cable organizer
A small, sustainable pouch for cables, chargers or earbuds, cheap enough to add without a second thought.
- Material: 100% recycled felt.
- Branding: embroidery or label.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €14.80/unit.
17. Recycled Stainless Steel Bottle: the sustainable pick
An RCS-certified, vacuum-insulated bottle for teams that want the ESG story to show up in the onboarding box.
- Material: recycled stainless steel.
- Branding: laser engraving or print.
- Order: MOQ 50 · from €11.00/unit.
View the Recycled Steel Bottle →
18. Stainless Steel Bottle: the everyday bottle
A slightly cheaper, non-recycled sibling for boxes that want a bottle without the sustainability premium.
- Material: stainless steel.
- Branding: laser engraving or print.
- Order: MOQ 50 · from €9.57/unit.
View the Stainless Steel Bottle →
19. Stanley Quencher H2.0 Tumbler: the trending pick
The cult-favourite tumbler in recycled steel. A hero-tier upgrade that new hires are genuinely excited to get.
- Material: recycled 18/8 stainless steel.
- Branding: laser engraving or pad print.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €49.60/unit.
20. Stanley Classic Bottle 1000ml: the all-day option
A rugged, 24-hour-insulation bottle that doubles as a cup, for hires who want function over trend.
- Material: stainless steel.
- Branding: laser engraving.
- Order: MOQ 25 · from €52.14/unit.
View the Stanley Classic Bottle →
21. Americano Mug: the desk staple
A reusable ceramic mug that lands on the desk in week one and stays there, an easy, low-cost inclusion.
- Material: ceramics.
- Branding: print, up to full wrap.
- Order: MOQ 108 · from €4.04/unit.
22. Espresso Mug: for the espresso-only crowd
A compact espresso-format mug, worth offering as a size alternative in kitchens with a real espresso machine.
- Material: ceramics.
- Branding: print.
- Order: MOQ 108 · from €8.44/unit.
23. A5 Notebook: for day-one notes
A hardcover A5 with an elastic closure and ribbon, the notebook every new hire needs for their first week of meetings.
- Material: FSC paper, PU hardcover.
- Branding: deboss or print on cover.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €3.92/unit.
24. A5 Premium Notebook: the upgrade
A step up in materials and finish for leadership hires or when the notebook needs to feel like a genuine gift.
- Material: paper, PU plastic.
- Branding: deboss or print on cover.
- Order: MOQ 50 · from €6.97/unit.
View the A5 Premium Notebook →
25. Recycled PET Pen: the sustainable pen
A near-zero-cost pen that still carries a sustainability story, an easy line item at scale.
- Material: recycled PET.
- Branding: pad or digital print.
- Order: MOQ 300 · from €1.33/unit.
26. Lacquered Chrome Pen: the quality signal
A polished metal pen that punches above its price, worth pairing with the premium notebook for senior hires.
- Material: aluminum.
- Branding: laser engraving.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €0.50/unit.
View the Lacquered Chrome Pen →
27. Recycled Aluminum Pen: the budget sustainable pen
A metal alternative to the PET pen, for teams that want a sustainable pen with a slightly more premium feel.
- Material: recycled aluminum.
- Branding: laser engraving.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €0.65/unit.
View the Recycled Aluminum Pen →
28. Printed Mousepad: the desk-setup essential
A cheap, brand-visible finishing touch for the physical desk setup, especially useful for hybrid or office-based hires.
- Material: polyester.
- Branding: full-colour print.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €2.50/unit.
29. Round Stickers: the laptop personalization
A playful, near-free extra that lets a new hire personalize a laptop or water bottle from day one.
- Material: paper.
- Branding: full-colour print.
- Order: MOQ 300 · from €0.85/unit.
30. Magnetic Wireless Powerbank: the tech they'll use
A genuinely useful piece of tech, especially valuable for remote hires who need to stay charged without a home office setup yet.
- Material: recycled ABS plastic.
- Branding: pad or digital print.
- Order: MOQ 50 · from €18.39/unit.
31. Camera Cover: the remote-work privacy essential
A near-free privacy add-on that signals the company thinks about remote-work security, not just swag.
- Material: ABS plastic.
- Branding: pad or digital print.
- Order: MOQ 500 · from €0.32/unit.
32. Wireless Mini Speaker: for the home-office setup
A playful desk accessory that helps a new home-office setup feel a little less sterile in the first weeks.
- Material: recycled ABS plastic.
- Branding: pad or digital print.
- Order: MOQ 50 · from €10.34/unit.
View the Wireless Mini Speaker →
33. Noise-Cancelling Headphones: the focus-mode hero
A high-value hero item for hires heading into an open-plan office, and a genuinely well-received upgrade over the hoodie for leadership kits.
- Material: recycled ABS, ANC + ENC, foldable.
- Branding: digital print or doming.
- Order: MOQ 50 · from €24.46/unit.
View the Noise-Cancelling Headphones →
34. Custom Lanyard: the practical day-one essential
Every new hire needs somewhere to put a badge or access card on day one, this is the cheapest way to solve it with branding attached.
- Material: polyester.
- Branding: woven or printed.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €2.50/unit.
35. Leather Luggage Tag: the small luxury touch
A small, premium item that travels for years, a nice closing touch for hires who travel for the role.
- Material: PU leather.
- Branding: engrave, emboss or print.
- Order: MOQ 100 · from €7.64/unit.
View the Leather Luggage Tag →
How to match the box to the moment
- Everyone gets (the core kit): Hoodie, A5 Notebook, Recycled PET Pen, Sports Socks, Premium Tote Bag. Consistent, low-risk, and cheap enough to send to every hire.
- Leadership and senior hires: Bodywarmer, Urban Lite Backpack, A5 Premium Notebook, Noise-Cancelling Headphones. A step up in materials without changing the format.
- Remote and international hires: Windbreaker, Magnetic Powerbank, Camera Cover, Wireless Mini Speaker. Practical extras for a home-office start.
- Fun finishing touches: Fanny Pack, Round Stickers, Custom Lanyard, Leather Luggage Tag. Cheap, high-visibility items that make the box feel considered, not generic.
Build a box by mixing one hero wearable, a bag they'll use, a couple of desk staples, and one or two small finishing touches. Keep the core kit identical for every hire, and reserve the tiered upgrades for seniority or role. See how to automate new hire welcome kits to turn this into a self-serve redeem-link program instead of a manual order every time someone joins.
Build your onboarding box
Every product above is fully customisable with your branding and available at business order quantities. Browse the full range in the Sunday catalog to build an onboarding box that fits your team and your budget.
