Fitness and sports accessories

Density matters more than thickness. Six millimetres of dense material cushions better than ten of soft foam, which sinks and becomes unstable. Density also decides whether the mat ends up dented from knees within a month.

TPE is light and odourless; natural rubber grips far better and weighs twice as much. It's worth asking about the smell: some cheap mats smell of plastic for weeks.

If the technique is right, yes. Towels, bands and straps end up in the washing machine every week, and unfixed screen printing wears off within ten cycles. We ask for the real washing instructions and check that the marking can withstand them.

By avoiding them. Elastic bands and wristbands look one-size-fits-all and aren't: if the group is broad, it's better to choose adjustable accessories than to ask for sizes on something nobody knows how to measure themselves for.

For internal campaigns and team programmes, where the message matters as much as the object: a wellness item communicates a priority, not just a brand. It works when it leaves the building, so we choose pieces that fit in a locker and go to the gym.