Custom Apparel Ideas for Animal Shelter Fundraising Events
Fundraisers are important for nearly every humane society. At the 4,000-plus animal shelters in the U.S., donations, grants and other private funding represent a large percentage of their operating budget. A fundraising event is an opportunity to encourage contributions now and potentially recruit annual donors that let you continue your mission of finding better homes for dogs, cats and other pets. From walk/runs to art festivals, there are many ways to drum up support.
No matter the type of animal shelter fundraiser you’re hosting, event apparel can make a huge difference. It gets your message out there and is a keepsake that keeps on giving. The key is making sure you have the apparel that best fits the occasion and your messaging. Use our guide to choose humane society fundraiser apparel that will make people want to give more to a worthy cause.
Animal Shelter Apparel Design Tips
To start, let’s look at how to design your fundraising event apparel. You want clothing that gets your message across and that volunteers and recipients will want to wear long after the event concludes. How do you do that? Consider these six tips for custom apparel design:
1. Choose Apparel That’s Comfortable and Versatile
The most important thing is that your apparel is comfortable to wear and remains useful for a long time. Choose breathable materials such as cotton, polyester fleece and spandex that are hypoallergenic and feel good all day. You also want event apparel that can be worn in many situations, giving more opportunities for your artwork to be seen.
2. Include the Shelter’s Name and Logo
On this note, the apparel should have the organization name and logo in a high-visibility area. You are building a brand just like a business, and that brand needs to be prominently displayed. Otherwise, people who want to support your cause won’t know who to support – and their money may go elsewhere as a result.
3. Use Simple Lines and Contrasting Colors
A lot is happening at a fundraiser, and you don’t want to overwhelm people with a noisy, complicated shirt or jacket. Limit the apparel to two or three main colors, and make sure the graphics are a contrasting color to make them more visible. Keep images relatively simple as well so they are easy to see and understand.
4. Have a Short But Effective Message
For the same reasons, wording should also be kept to a minimum on your apparel. A good message can be expressed in a few words or a short sentence. The message should be positive, too – numerous studies have found that people want to feel good about giving, and positive reinforcement helps with this emotion.
5. Make Use of the Back
Remember that most clothing has two sides – and both are excellent canvases. If you have a lot of information you want to get on an animal shelter shirt, place the most important things (slogan, logo, etc.) on the front and go into a little more detail on the back. Things you might add to the back include event dates, sponsor logos, large images and website URLs.
6. Consider a Design Template
Are you having trouble getting your creative juices flowing? An animal shelter apparel design template is a good starting point. Find graphics and messaging that are heartfelt, hilarious and everything in between. You can use licensed templates as-is or tweak them to reflect your specific event and branding goals.
Types of Animal Shelter Fundraiser Apparel
Now that you know some of the best practices for designing animal shelter fundraiser apparel, how should you put them to use? Check out these suggestions for what apparel to offer depending on your event.
Animal Shelter T-shirts
For casual fundraisers such as carnivals, barbecues, dog walking services and pet grooming, few things beat the classic T-shirt. These affordable garments come in many styles from basic crewneck unisex tees to fashion T-shirts and long-sleeves for cooler weather. T-shirts aren’t just for event volunteers, either – attendees will love them, too.
Dress Shirts and Polos
If you’re holding a more formal fundraising event such as a charity dinner or dog photoshoot, you may want something more upscale. Button-downs and polo shirts are a great way to add sophistication to the occasion – especially when your artwork is embroidered. You can even add the names of volunteers and major donors.
Customized Hoodies
Don’t let chilly temperatures put a damper on your event! The ever-popular customized hoodie is something that volunteers and benefactors of all ages will love adding to their collection. Pullover hoodies and zip-up hoodies are excellent fundraiser apparel that people can wear almost year-round, getting more eyeballs on your organization.
Athletic Apparel
Are you planning an annual dog walk/run or holding an event in the middle of the summer? Make sure your animal shelter provides athletic shirts, shorts and similar clothing made of performance fabrics. Their moisture-wicking properties help people stay cool as they’re jogging or otherwise moving about.
Hats and Caps
Top off a great event with some high-quality headwear! Add your humane society logo to a baseball cap, visor or bucket hat to promote everything from pet care classes to art festivals that raised money for animals. When winter arrives, knit hats and beanies help potential donors warm to your cause.
Fetch the Right Fundraising Apparel at BlueCotton
When you’re ready to order apparel for an animal shelter fundraiser, BlueCotton will deliver. We offer a huge variety of name-brand apparel that is printed in the U.S. With our Online Design Studio tool, you can discover the purr-fect look. Your satisfaction is guaranteed every time you shop at BlueCotton!