How NEPA Nonprofits and Sports Leagues Use Custom T-Shirts to Raise Money This Summer

Summer doesn’t wait. If your nonprofit, sports league, or booster club is planning a fundraiser in NEPA this year, the organizations that start early are the ones with shirts in hand before the event, not scrambling after.

Custom t-shirts work for fundraisers because people actually wear them. A clean shirt gets worn to the grocery store, to the next game, around the neighborhood. It’s free advertising long after the event ends. The trick is picking the right blank and setting up the campaign the right way.

Pick a Shirt Your People Will Want to Wear

Not all t-shirts are equal, and your choice of blank matters more than most people realize.

Gildan’s heavy cotton tee is the standard for high-volume fundraiser orders. It’s durable, takes ink well, and keeps your per-shirt cost low enough to leave real margin. If your audience skews younger or you want something with more retail appeal, Next Level Apparel’s ring-spun tees have a softer feel and a fitted cut that people will wear off-event. Comfort Colors has become the go-to for organizations that want a vintage look. The garment-dyed tees sell themselves.

For youth sports leagues, offer a full size run from toddler through adult. Families buy for everyone, and you want to be ready for that.

How to Set Up Your Campaign

The cleanest approach: open a pre-sale window for two to three weeks, collect payment upfront, then place a single bulk order. You only print what’s sold. No leftover inventory. No financial risk.

Want to go bigger? A custom online team store lets supporters browse styles, pick their size, and pay on their own time. It’s become the standard for booster clubs and PTAs who want to sell more than just t-shirts. Hoodies, hats, performance gear, all in one place, without anyone managing orders by hand. For a more detailed walkthrough of the logistics, see our guide on running a summer t-shirt fundraiser in NEPA without the headaches.

Screen Print or DTF?

For a bold logo or a one-color graphic, screen printing is the right call for large quantities. It’s cost-effective at volume and the result lasts.

If your design has full-color artwork, gradients, or fine detail, direct-to-film (DTF) printing handles that without a big cost jump. DTF also works well for smaller add-on runs.

Start Earlier Than You Think You Need To

Two to three weeks is a standard production window, once artwork is approved. Rush jobs cost more and cut into your fundraising margin. For a summer event in the Wilkes-Barre or Scranton area, starting the conversation now means starting on time.

Request a free quote at 570creative.com and tell us about your event. We work with nonprofits, sports leagues, booster clubs, and schools across NEPA. Give us your date and your idea and we’ll tell you exactly what’s possible.