How Freepik made standout merch for Upscale Conference without overspending

Freepik, a global creative tech company known for empowering designers with high-quality creative tools, hosted Upscale Conference, a two-day event in San Francisco exploring how AI is reshaping the creative industry. 

From the outset, the Freepik team envisioned their merch not as a freebie, but as an extension of the brand – something that would leave a lasting impression on every attendee.

What Freepik was looking for

For Upscale Conf, Freepik’s design team wanted swag that felt as forward-looking as the conference itself. Bianka Simonidesova, Product Brand Designer at Freepik, wanted a kit that matched Upscale’s dark-mode aesthetic, accented with neon details to capture the energy of AI and creativity.

But translating that vision into reality wasn’t easy. Some European suppliers could create custom products with the specific details Freepik had in mind, but only after hours of sampling calls and at a premium cost. “The problem with a lot of the merch ideas I had was that none of the vendors we were looking into were really able to do what I envisioned,” explained Bianka. “They could do one thing, but not everything, and if they could, it was super pricey.” 

On the other hand, global sourcing marketplaces raised significant quality concerns. “You can’t risk ordering 700 units and having them arrive defective,” explained Bianka.

What started as a clear creative vision quickly ran into real-world sourcing challenges: high costs, dubious quality, and fragmentation across vendors. Freepik needed more than a supplier. They needed a partner who could bring their ambitious vision to life.

That’s where Wayo came in.

Why Freepik chose Wayo to be its swag partner

Freepik partnered with Wayo because the team could deliver what other vendors couldn’t: a cohesive, end-to-end solution that combined design, manufacturing, and logistics for the full merch kit.

Most significantly, Wayo offered customization options no other vendor could match, like strap printing on holographic totes. “The main reason [we went with Wayo] was that you could do the printing on the strap. The other vendor couldn’t,” noted Bianka. 

Freepik was also able to create custom products that were otherwise impossible to justify – vests that were quoted at over $100 per unit were made affordable through Wayo’s factory-direct network.

Freepik worked with the Wayo team to produce: 

• Fully custom vests for staff uniforms
• Stainless steel tumblers
• Embroidered crew socks
• Event lanyards (4 colors)
• Holographic tote bags with custom printed black straps
• Flat zippered pouches

In total, more than 3,600 units were produced and delivered, with every product arriving on time, on budget, and ready for the event.

The result: Cost savings and merch that stole the show

The holographic tote bags quickly became the talk of the event, drawing attention from attendees – and even passersby who stopped to ask where they came from.

Other products found a second life well after the conference: bottles were adopted for daily use, pouches became go-to organizers for cables and adapters, and the socks were so well-received that speakers followed up to praise their quality.

With Wayo’s help, Freepik elevated swag into something memorable. Their merch became a brand amplifier – sparking conversations, creating buzz, and leaving attendees with a tangible reminder of the Freepik identity long after the event.

What’s next

The success of Upscale Conf in San Francisco showed just how powerful the right merch can be. Building on that momentum, Freepik is already working with Wayo on new swag for upcoming conferences in Málaga and New York – confident that future conference kits will continue deliver quality, cost, and lasting brand impact.