Client Appreciation Gifts: What to Give and What to Avoid
Trinh HaiQuick answer: Send a silk piece your client can actually wear. A 26 inch (65 cm) silk scarf at $97 suits most recipients. A silk tie and cufflinks set at $191 suits a client who wears double cuffs. Each ships boxed with no price inside and, if you leave a message at checkout, a handwritten note, directly to their office or home.
Most client gifts end up in a drawer: a branded water bottle, a glass paperweight, a calendar no one will open. Client appreciation gifts work when the person feels seen, and that usually costs thought, not money.
What makes a good client appreciation gift?
A good client gift is personal enough to show attention and modest enough to accept without awkwardness. It should be useful, easy to carry home and free of your company logo. If the client has to think about whether they are allowed to keep it, the gift has failed.
A logo turns a gift into advertising. The recipient files it as promotional material and feels no pull to remember you. A silk scarf or tie carries none of your branding, so it reads as a gift, not as merchandise. It also has a story you can tell in one sentence: the design was printed or woven by hand, and the silk is real.
Folk Form scarves are 100% mulberry silk, hand screen-printed through both faces, with edges rolled and stitched by hand. The ties are woven silk jacquard, 3.1 inches (8 cm) wide and 57 inches (145 cm) long.
Which silk gift should you choose for a client?
Match the gift to how well you know the person and how much the relationship matters. The table lists each option with its price from the store today.
| Gift | Price | Best for | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Twilly, 2.6 x 59 in (6.5 x 150 cm) | $57 | A thank-you to an assistant or a project partner | Ties on a bag, in the hair or at the wrist |
| 26 inch (65 cm) silk scarf | $97 | Most clients, after a finished project | Neck, hair or bag; the safe middle |
| 36 inch (90 cm) silk scarf | $153 | A key client or a renewal | Nearly twice the cloth of a 26 inch |
| Silk tie and cufflinks set | $191 to $224 | A client who wears ties and French cuffs | Needs double (French) cuffs; tie is dry clean only |
| 44 inch (110 cm) silk shawl scarf | $197 | A major milestone or long partnership | Shawl size; the full design shows |
Browse silk scarves, silk ties and silk scarf gift sets. For the sizing logic behind scarves, read the silk scarf size guide.
Our pick for a client, if you are unsure
Choose a navy 26 inch (65 cm) silk scarf at $97. Navy is a neutral that works with almost any wardrobe, and a 26 inch square is the size most people use every week. It also avoids a guess that could embarrass you: you do not need to know a client's taste, size or shirt cuffs.
The tie and cufflinks set is the better choice only when you know the client wears French cuffs. Look for a cuff that folds back on itself with no buttons. If their shirts all button at the wrist, send the scarf instead.
What should you avoid when giving gifts to clients?
Avoid anything that looks like a reward for a decision. Some companies limit what staff may accept, and some forbid gifts entirely. If you do not know the client's policy, choose something modest and personal, and do not send it during an active tender.
There is a tax point too. The IRS limits the deduction for business gifts to $25 per person per year, as set out in IRS Publication 463. A $97 scarf is still a fine gift, but most of its cost will not be deductible. Check with your accountant before you budget.
For logo or name embroidery and larger orders, write to us through our contact page before ordering so we can confirm what is possible for US delivery. Otherwise, each piece is sent as a finished gift for one person, with a handwritten card in place of branding.
How should the gift be presented and sent?
Every scarf arrives in a rigid gift box with a matching bag, and the tie and cufflinks arrive together in one rigid box. Inside the scarf box you will find a story card naming the motif, an illustrated styling guide, a care card and a small cutting of the same silk.
To send it, enter the client's address as the shipping address and yours as billing. Write your message in the order notes and we copy it by hand onto a card. No price travels in the parcel. Each parcel goes to one address, so order one gift per recipient.
What should you write on the card for a client?
Name the work you are thanking them for. A specific line beats a general one, and two sentences are enough.
- After a finished project: "Thank you for the care you put into this project. We hope this brings a little color to your week."
- At the end of the year: "With thanks for a year of good work together. Happy holidays."
- After a milestone: "Congratulations on the launch. It was a pleasure to be part of it."
Sign it with your own name. Skip the company slogan.
If your list mixes men and women, keep the choice simple: the silk gifts for him for the colleague who wears a suit, a 26 inch scarf for nearly everyone else. Ordering for a whole list? BLOG5 gives 5% off each order.
When should you order for a client, and when does it arrive?
Your order leaves Vietnam within 1 to 3 business days, then takes 9 to 15 business days to reach a US address. Plan for up to 18 business days, about three and a half weeks, from the day you order.
For a December gift, that means ordering about four weeks before the day at the latest, and earlier if you can. We pay the import duty, so your client owes nothing at the door. Shipping is free on orders of $90 or more. An unused, unwashed and unworn piece can be returned in its original box within 30 days of delivery.
Answers for Client Appreciation Gifts
How much should you spend on a client appreciation gift?
Spend what feels generous without feeling like a favor. For most clients that is $50 to $200. The IRS deduction limit for business gifts is $25 per person per year, so the rest is a relationship cost, not a tax saving.
Is a silk scarf appropriate for a business client?
Yes, when it is a neutral color and a modest size. A navy 26 inch (65 cm) scarf is easy to wear at work and carries none of your branding.
Can you send a gift straight to a client's office?
Yes. Enter their address as the shipping address and yours as billing. Your note is written by hand on a card, and no price is included in the parcel.
What if the client does not wear French cuffs?
Send a scarf instead. The cufflinks in the set need double (French) cuffs, so the scarf is the safer choice when you are not sure.
Can you add a company logo to the gift?
For logo or name embroidery and larger orders, write to us through our contact page before ordering so we can confirm what is possible for US delivery.
How should the recipient care for a silk tie or scarf?
Take the tie to a dry cleaner and never to a sink. For a scarf, dry cleaning is the first choice; or hand wash in cool water with a little shampoo, do not soak, wring or rub, dry in the shade, iron on the reverse while damp on low heat.
