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5 8 G R A P H I C S P R O J U L Y 2 0 2 2 G R A P H I C S - P R O. C O M A W A R D S & C U S T O M I Z A T I O N W hile memorial products are probably not the first thing that come to mind when a deco- ration or promo company thinks of goods to offer, the memorial products market is big business. In 2020, the pet care and product industry reached almost $100 billion in sales, with a portion of that being devoted to pet cremation and memorial prod- ucts. Depending on where you look, statistics vary for what humans spend on burying and memorializing their dead, with numbers rang- ing from $12 billion to $16 billion a year. Whichever number you accept as the right one, there certainly appears to be a large market for products to help us remem- ber and memorialize loved ones, human or animal. It's a market not everyone will find attractive or comfortable, but for those who are interested, whether carved or engraved plaques and markers, or handmade embroidered memory bears or pillows, memorial products can be profitable. PRODUCTS & DECORATION First, we should talk about what products might be good options if your company elects to enter the memo- rial market. For those who do sublima- tion, there are a variety of products which can be sold. ings like urns and grave markers can be decorated with a photo and the birth and death dates of the deceased. Casket cap panels, which go inside the casket, can display pictures and birth and death dates as well, or a quote or saying significant to the deceased or to the family. ere are also things like photo frames, keep- sake boxes and memory blankets, which can be sublimated with pictures of the lost loved one. Don't forget that sympathy gifts for those who have lost loved ones are also something that fits in this category. You should also remember that many of The Constant Need for Memorial Products PROPERLY HANDLING A TOUGH BUT NECESSARY SALE B Y K R I S T I N E S H R E V E Image courtesy The Rowmark Group Image courtesy Creative Gifts International