Earlier this year, our CEO Todd Mawyer traveled to San Pedro Sula, Honduras, for a promotional product industry experience hosted by SanMar and commonsku. Alongside a small group of distributors, the trip offered a firsthand look at how apparel is produced at scale and how those operations connect to the communities around them.
For our team, experiences like this help us better understand the full picture behind the products we recommend to clients every day.
A Firsthand Look at Promotional Products In Honduras
More than a decade ago, SanMar (a top apparel supplier in the promotional products space) and Commonksu (a promotional product CRM system) made a strategic investment in Honduras, partnering with Elcatex to expand apparel production.
Elcatex is a vertically integrated textile manufacturer in Honduras, handling everything from fabric to finished garments while focusing on efficiency, sustainability, and global-scale production.
Behind The Production Process
The visit included a full tour of the Elcatex facilities, walking through every stage of production from raw materials to finished garments.
Cotton sourced from the southeastern United States is transformed into yarn, woven into fabric, dyed, cut, and sewn, all within one connected system. Approximately 13,000 employees support production, many focused on sewing and assembly.
These facilities focus on innovation, using solar energy to support operations and reduce reliance on the local power grid. They have also developed in-house dyeing and chemical processes to improve efficiency and reduce waste.
A unique part of the process is how quality is tested. Products are washed and dried using the same washing machines and dryers commonly used by end users to ensure consistency and performance.
For clients, this level of control and investment means greater reliability, consistency, and confidence in the final product.
Community Impact In Action
Beyond manufacturing, the trip highlighted the broader impact of the Elcatex Foundation within the local community.
The group visited the Mhotivo School, which serves approximately 1,600 students and is supported by the foundation. Students welcomed the group with a music and dance presentation before sharing their classrooms and campus.
The group also visited local orphanages supported by the foundation, spending time with the children and joining in activities throughout the day.
In addition to education and youth programs, the foundation is investing in housing initiatives to provide accessible homes for employees and their families.
It’s a reminder that production is about more than output. Supporting the communities behind it matters. SanMar, commonsku, and Elcatex continue to prioritize meaningful investment in the people and places they work in.
Partnership Meets Purpose
As a family-owned company, SanMar places a strong emphasis on building meaningful partnerships and creating long-term impact. That approach is reflected in both their manufacturing investments and their community involvement.
“They’re very focused on making an impact,” he explained. “From schools to housing to community support, they’re invested in creating opportunity in the region.”
For distributors and clients, this level of transparency provides a clearer understanding of where products come from and how they are made. It also highlights the importance of working with partners who are invested in both quality and responsibility.
What We Carry Forward
This trip provided the chance to connect with fellow distributors and industry leaders while learning more about the systems that support the products our industry relies on every day.
For Todd, the experience reinforced the importance of understanding the full story behind the products we help bring to life for clients.
“Seeing the people, the community, and the scale of what’s happening there really puts things into perspective,” he said.
Experiences like this remind us that promotional products are more than just items. They represent collaboration across industries, countries, and communities.
