Images Magazine Digital Edition May 2018

www.images-magazine.com MAY 2018 images 73 MARKET INTELLIGENCE range of organic cotton items to help raise funds shortly after it was set up. They are sold online and at events, and are printed by Inkthreadable, which says it is dedicated to operating under ethical and environmentally friendly practices, such as paying above the national living wage, donating garments that have failed quality checks to charity, and using either 100% recyclable or biodegradable packaging for all orders. The approach has worked. “They seem to have really chimed with funky environmentalists and tree-lovers who absolutely get the value of organic cotton and love the Climate Neutral label inside the garment. It states the item was manufactured ‘solely using renewable green energy from wind and solar power’,” says Tracey. The charity reviews all of its suppliers regularly. “Due diligence should prompt NGOs to make, at the very least, an annual review of all their suppliers,” she states. “Whilst we are really happy with Inkthreadable, there are no exceptions. We are just coming up to the end of our first year and we do have a formal review date of late April. I must be honest though, we are really happy and another company would have to go a long way to beat their service.” Tracey would like there to be more drop-shipping services in the UK that offer organic cotton products, while noting that any garment business hoping to impress them would have to show their commitment to caring about the health and wellbeing of the people manufacturing the items, the wildlife in the locale near their business and the planet. “We sniff out greenwash!” she adds. The Word Forest Organisation’s babygrow is a very popular item, as is its ‘play on words’ adult T-shirt, which Tracey says always goes down well at events: “Possibly because we always tell them we plant a tree for every single item bought; it’s a win- win, planet-pleasing, ethical-fashion statement!” Team spirit While some charities such as Building Heroes have a very specific need for the garments they buy, a huge number now use branded garments as a way to raise both much needed funds and their profile. They are the perfect marketing tool, as well as a great way for a charity show its appreciation for the work that volunteers and others do. Emmaus UK supports formerly homeless people (known by the charity as ‘companions’) by giving them a home and work in a social enterprise. There are 29 Emmaus communities across the country, supporting more than 750 companions. Dan Booth, individual giving manager at Emmaus UK, explains: “We have branded running vests and cycle tops for people who are participating in fundraising events for Emmaus, and T-shirts for volunteers, corporate partners and community fundraisers. We’ve been using them for quite a few years but more so since our new branding was rolled out four years ago. We find it motivates fundraisers, creates team spirit at events and enables us to capture great branded photos for use in our fundraising materials.” The branded T-shirts are by far the most popular item, he says. “It enables our supporters to feel they are part of the Emmaus family, while helping them to fundraise for us. It has the added benefit of profiling our charity to a wider audience. It’s also used as a thank you from us to our supporters for raising money on our behalf.” The charity is currently reviewing its tender process, which Dan says will take into account best value, quality, customer service and suitable accreditations. Emmaus gets quotes from several suppliers for most new specs or jobs, and regularly reviews its suppliers. For a garment decoration business to really impress the charity, he says it would need to offer detailed account management, samples where necessary, and a design portal where feedback and notes can be added. The Charity Clothing Company provides the garments for them at the moment, he explains: “They have always given us great account management and a quick turnaround on orders.” Charities may be lumped under one umbrella term, but the reality is their needs are incredibly diverse. Those who take the time to understand what a charity wants to achieve with its branded garments, investigate who their supporters are, and offer proper guidance to eliminate the pain of sifting through hundreds of T-shirt suggestions, will stand out from the crowd in this popular sector. www.buildingheroes.org.uk www.bloodwise.org.uk www.emmaus.org.uk www.wordforest.org Building Heroes provides T-shirts, combat trousers, hoodie and boots for the participants on its courses The Word Forest Organisation’s T-shirt, described as a “win-win, planet-pleasing, ethical-fashion statement”