Q1 2026 · IMMEX · Banking · Fintech · Hospitality · Consumer
Q1 2026 trends report for corporate merch
The signals we gathered during the first quarter of the year across the merch programmes we serve: changes in average run size, decoration techniques, commercial calendars, delivery preferences and regulatory requirements. The report combines operational data with observations from customer brand and communications teams.
Quarter summary
Q1 2026 closed with twenty-two per cent growth in pieces delivered against the same quarter of 2025. Revenue grew eighteen per cent, with average ticket per programme roughly flat year-on-year. The gap between volume and revenue reflects a mix of shorter runs — more medium and small orders — and greater use of DTF and sublimation which carry a lower unit cost than traditional screen printing.
The most active sectors were banking, IMMEX manufacturing and fintech. Government held steady with recurring tenders. Mass consumer kicked off the year with a more conservative promotional calendar, in line with consumer caution. Hospitality grew against Q1 2025, driven by the Caribbean and Pacific high seasons.
IMMEX sector signals
The IMMEX sector kicked off the year with a cautious order calendar. The pending tariff review for H2 created caution across supply networks — corporates with plants in the Bajío, Saltillo and Juárez reduced operational uniform volumes for Q1 and pushed them to after the review closed. Average run per plant dropped from twelve hundred to eight hundred pieces per plant.
Decoration techniques stayed steady — screen printing and embroidery dominate — but DTF grew for pieces with local motifs — plant anniversary, operator day, safety programme. CFDI 4.0 invoicing stayed impeccable, with no observations from SAT or customer internal audit offices.
Financial sector signals
The financial sector kicked off the year with a dense communications calendar. Traditional banks issued the spring operational uniform for March with quarterly rotation per site. Fintechs maintained their mass onboarding programme on a rolling calendar with sustained volume. Independent brokers operated with shorter runs on seasonal market movements.
The demand for documented compliance stayed high. Every sector client asked for evidence of textile certifications, code of conduct and lot-level traceability. The customer's compliance area reviewed documentation at programme start and before the quarterly anniversary. CFDI 4.0 invoicing carried the payment complement where applicable.
Hospitality and tourism signals
The hospitality sector kicked off the year aligned with the Caribbean and Pacific high seasons. Boutique hotels in Riviera Maya, Tulum, Holbox and Bacalar asked for spring uniforms with partial renewal. Hotels in Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta asked for uniforms for spring break. DMCs asked for merch for in-venue MICE events with short deadlines.
The aesthetic demand stayed high. Hotels asked for t-shirts in colours that blend with the hotel palette — sand, turquoise, off-white, olive — and embroidery in tone-on-tone thread or subtle contrast. CFDI 4.0 invoicing broke down per property when the chain operates with multiple legal entities.
Decoration techniques and materials
Distribution by decoration technique: screen printing forty per cent of customised pieces, embroidery thirty-five per cent, DTF twelve per cent, sublimation eight per cent, laser engraving four per cent, hot-stamping one per cent. DTF grew against Q1 2025 — from seven to twelve per cent — driven by short runs with full-colour personalisation and photo pieces.
Materials stayed steady — 180-200 GSM ringspun cotton for t-shirts, 200-220 GSM piqué for polos, 320 GSM french terry for sweatshirts. The GOTS cotton line grew for premium runs and the GRS polyester line for tote bags and backpacks. Lot-level traceability was kept for three years for audit purposes.
Commercial calendars and logistics
The commercial calendar of Q1 was less dense than the second half of the previous year. Three Kings' Day in January did not generate significant merch campaigns. Valentine's Day in February generated targeted campaigns for mass consumer and e-commerce. International Women's Day in March generated targeted campaigns for banking and fintech. The logistics operation stayed steady with deliveries averaging six business days.
CFDI 4.0 invoicing was issued within two business days of product delivery. SAT or customer clarification handling was done within four business hours. The integration with SAP, Oracle and NetSuite of enterprise clients stayed stable with no webhook or customer portal drops.
What we look forward to
For Q2 we expect moderate growth in pieces delivered, aligned with the Hot Sale promotional calendar in May and the tourism sector high season. The IMMEX sector's tariff uncertainty remains a variable to watch — a favourable review close could reactivate volume in H2. The workshop operation stays at full capacity with a single named lead per programme for enterprise clients.
For clients on an annual programme we maintain the delivery calendar and quarterly forecast. Adjustments on the fly are notified to the customer at least two weeks ahead. When a regulatory change affects the operation — a new NOM, a Carta Porte complement change — we notify the customer and adjust compliance within thirty days.
Request the full Q1 2026 trends report
If your marketing, communications or procurement team requires the full Q1 2026 trends report with detail per sector and product line, let's talk. We deliver the report as PDF.
The trends report is a market observation based on workshop operation. The figures, percentages and observations are representative and may not reflect the broader market. Corp-Merch.MX is a Mexican workshop for corporate merch; we operate independently.