Fundraising order from a Pinetown school group
This project came from a local school fundraising committee in Pinetown, working with a parent-led team that needed apparel blanks for a youth campaign. The order was built around easy resale, clear size splits, and consistent fabric quality so the printed garments would look right under event lighting and after repeated washing.
The group needed tees for learners, a smaller run of hoodies for older pupils and volunteers, plus a few extra pieces for sample approval. Because the drive was tied to a specific school calendar and collection date, the supply plan had to be tight and practical, with no room for stock surprises or last minute swaps.
What the brief asked us to get right
The main ask was simple, but exacting: supply polyester apparel blanks suited to sublimation printing, pack them by size, and keep the colours and finish uniform across the full order. The school wanted garments that could take bright artwork for the fundraiser, while still feeling suitable for regular wear by learners and supporters.
- Youth t-shirts in mixed sizes for learners and junior volunteers
- Hoodies for cooler mornings and after-school selling points
- Size breakdown packs for easier counting at the handover
- Sample pieces for final print sign-off before full issue
- Clear labelling for quick distribution on collection day
There were also practical constraints. The order had to fit a modest fundraising budget, and the team wanted no confusion between youth and adult sizing. We also had to factor in Durban humidity and the need to keep packed stock clean and dry while it moved through our Pinetown base.
Stock supplied and prep work completed
We supplied polyester tees and hoodies from our blanks range, selected for smooth print transfer and steady colour retention. The garments were checked for consistency across seams, necklines, cuffs and hem lines, then sorted into the required size mix. Where needed, we added sample pack assembly so the committee could see the finish before the full issue went out.
Our warehouse team handled bulk order picking, size breakdown packs and event order kitting, which meant the school received boxes that were ready to move straight to their print partner or selling team. Morne van Wyk oversaw the warehouse release, while Zanele Mokoena completed the quality check on sizing and finish before dispatch. It saved the school from having to unpack and sort everything themselves, which is a big help when you are juggling parents, teachers and learners all at once.
- Polyester tees suitable for sublimation printing
- Hoodies prepared for youth fundraising wear
- Separate packs by size and garment type
- Quality check on finish, stitching and count
- Nationwide dispatch option if the order needed to move beyond Pinetown
Timeline and handling in weeks
The full job ran over two weeks from order confirmation to handover. Week one covered stock confirmation, allocation and sample checking. Week two covered packing, size breakdown, final count verification and collection scheduling. Calvin Petersen handled the logistics planning so the delivery timing matched the school’s internal sign-off dates and fundraiser setup.
This kind of project sounds straightforward, but the timing matters. If the shirts arrive too early, they can disappear into admin. If they arrive too late, volunteers are left waiting and the printing schedule slips. We kept the process tight, and the school had stock in hand in time for the first production run.
Local conditions that shaped the supply plan
Working from Pinetown means we know how quickly conditions can change, especially with coastal humidity, load-shedding and transport delays around Durban and the surrounding routes. That matters with apparel blanks, because stock has to stay clean, dry and correctly counted from the warehouse to collection. For this order, the committee was collecting through a school contact, so we scheduled around their available hours and the road traffic that builds up toward Westville and Hillcrest.
We also kept the packaging simple so the garments could be checked quickly on arrival. A school fundraiser can be busy, and no one wants to spend time opening mixed boxes to find sizes. A neat pack-out saves time, and it reduces errors at the point of issue.
Results and what we would repeat
The school received a clean, count-checked order that was ready for printing and distribution. The fundraising team could split the stock between sales tables, learner orders and volunteer wear without extra sorting. That helped them keep the campaign moving and kept the focus on raising funds rather than chasing missing sizes.
If we were doing this again, we would use the same structure: sample first, then size breakdown, then dispatch or collection. For school and youth orders, that sequence works well because it cuts confusion and makes the handover faster. Ayanda Naidoo, Lerato Khumalo and Nomvula Sithole all played their parts in keeping the client updated, which made the process feel steady from start to finish.
- Cleaner handover with less manual sorting
- Better size control for youth and adult wear
- Faster progress from order to print stage
- More usable stock for a time-bound fundraiser
Key facts
| Project type | Youth tee and hoodie supply for a school fundraising drive |
|---|---|
| Town | Pinetown, Durban |
| Product range | Polyester t-shirts, hoodies and sample pieces |
| Turnaround | 2 weeks from confirmation to handover |
| Key services used | Bulk Order Picking, Size Breakdown Packs, Event Order Kitting, Collection Scheduling |
| Outcome | Count-checked stock ready for printing and fundraiser distribution |
