Making Meaningful ERG Merch for Frontline Employees

Author

Maceo Owens
September 17, 2025

I’m in SF today for an ERG Summit and I happened to see this at a local Starbucks - a Starbucks employee repping a shirt with an ERG logo on the back as part of their uniform and it got me thinking…

Too often, ERG swag is just a logo on a tee because it’s the easiest thing to design. Let’s be real, it usually ends up in a drawer (or worse, the trash). It’s also often the result of trying to make swag that appeals to everyone in the least amount of time possible.

For the record, I’m talking about wearable merch here, but know, member rewards/swag/merch can expand way beyond the wearables. That said, I feel like there’s two categories of useful wearables. Fun(stylish) and Functional.

Frontline workers often don’t have the luxury of business casual (or the “wear what you want” aesthetic for Tech companies). They have actual uniforms. So if we want them to feel connected to the ERG, the merch needs to meet them where they’re at aka functional merch (Fun typically doesn’t fit in the dress code). The hack? Make the swag part of the uniform—but still a way to express who they are. Think:

  • A pin that fits on an lanyard

  • A wristband that doesn’t interfere with the dress code

  • A patch or badge they can actually wear

  • Even a shirt that passes uniform checks but features their message on the back (like this one at Starbucks)

P.S. notice how the logo is on the back. If this ERG went with a plain tee with just the logo on the front (which is often cheaper) then it would’ve been blocked by the apron.

Back when I worked at Hilton as a Front Desk Agent, I tried to remix my uniform with a slightly different shade—still professional, but more me. (Let’s just say management wasn’t a fan 🙄) As I reflect on that moment, I think: people crave ways to show up as themselves.

So if your ERG program supports frontline workers with a uniform, this is your call to think deeper. Ask yourself:

What merch would make your members feel seen and be wearable at work?

Action items:

  1. Research the dress code for your company’s frontline workers

  2. Ideate on accessories and customizable clothing items.

  3. Create a BASIC mockup (don’t over do it since it may or may not be approved in the next step)

  4. Have your Exec Sponsor connect you with the person who would approve this (saves you the headache)

  5. Move forward with production

Hope this helps!

✌🏿The ERG Homegirl

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