Gorgeous fluffy teddy bears with personalised t-shirts can be a cute keepsake for small children or a profitable fundraiser for major school events, centenaries and reunions.
In a Nutshell
Fundraising ideas: 25cm tall (when sitting) teddy bear with a white t-shirt which can be personalised with artwork or logos. Optional extra: graduation cap and scroll
Suitable for: day-cares, pre-primaries, primary schools, graduations (school and university), reunions, major celebrations such as centenaries, sports club, ballet schools, dance clubs, scouts and guides and more
Profit: $10 per bear
Dress My Bear is the original fundraising bear, a super cute little guy with honey coloured fur*, and a white cotton t-shirt which can be printed with artwork, photos, logos or other personalised images, and is perfect as a school fundraiser. The bears are also well suited for dance or ballet school fundraisers.
While individual bears can be purchased through the website for a price of $29.95 for the teddy-bear and $31.95 for the graduation bear, schools are offered a fundraising price of $19.95 for the teddies and $21.95 for the graduation bears.
You can mark up the bears at any price you choose, but it is recommended you have the same cost as their online shop – which gives a clear profit of $10 per bear.
The bears
The bears are super soft and very cute and the quality of the printing on the t-shirts is impressive. The graduation bear has a black silky graduation cap which is securely stitched on, as is a fabric scroll.
The Process
Each teddy-bear comes with a white cotton t-shirt which can be printed with an image measuring approximately 7cm by 7 cm.
Options include:
- Artwork drawn by the children
- A photo of the child with their name printed or handwritten underneath
- The school/club logo with/without individual names
For a school fundraiser which is selling personalised bears, a starter pack is sent explaining how to capture the best image, and organisers can either send scanned copies of the artwork or photos, or post the originals and Dress My Bear will do it for them (originals can be returned). The originals can be as big as A4, but since the finished product will be 1/12 that size, the pictures should be bright, bold and not too detailed. A matching border can be added around the artwork to make it pop.
A school or club which is organising a celebration for their 50 or 100 year anniversary, might alternatively sell non-customised teddy-bears all wearing t-shirts printed with the school or club logo and the date. Bears could be sold to celebrate a reunion, or as a thank you to volunteers or teachers.
Once the school has decided on what type of bear they will be selling, orders and payments are collected and the final number submitted online.
Prices and profits
Schools will pay $19.95 for each teddy-bear and $21.95 for each graduation bear. There is a nominal $11.95 shipping fee per order (not per bear) Australia wide.
The school can mark up the bear as they choose. A sale price of $29.95 is a clear profit of $10 per bear, and if only two classes are doing the fundraiser – the profit could still be around $500.
Dress My Bear offers a flexible payment process either before or after delivery dependant on the size of the order. There is no minimum order.
Click here to register your interest in a fundraiser.
Shipping Times
Bears are usually delivered within 2-4 weeks but during peak times or for schools outside major metropolitan areas it can take up to 6 weeks.
Worth mentioning
As a fundraiser, the bears are certainly at the higher end of the cost spectrum, especially if a family has more than one child at the school. However, they are good quality and make a nice keepsake that will last. They are also a unique way of raising money for schools and would be well suited for a special anniversary celebration where lots of former students and alumni return.
In promoting the fundraiser at school, you can remind families they can order extra bears as gifts for other family members – provide a list of suggestions such as a photo or drawing of the children with their grandparents (as a gift for Grandma), the name and date or birth of a new baby, a ‘Baby’s First Christmas’ t-shirt or as a birthday gift.
To celebrate the arrival of the bears, organise a teddy bears picnic and invite parents or grandparents to attend.
For more information visit the website:
http://www.dressmybear.com.au/
*Disclosure: Fundraising Mums were sent two bears as samples for this article
