Custom hoodies are one of the best school fundraisers going. They're practical, they get worn, and when they're done well, students actually want them. But getting from "we should do hoodies" to a box of finished product landing at the school office takes more coordination than most coordinators expect the first time.

Here's how to do it properly — from the first conversation to in-hand delivery.

Step 1: Lock in your numbers before you do anything else

The biggest mistake in school fundraiser merch is starting with a product decision before you know your numbers. The quantity you're ordering determines which decoration methods are available, what your per-unit cost will be, and what your sell price needs to be to make a margin.

Run a pre-order first. Send a simple form (a Google Form is fine) to parents and students asking: do you want a hoodie, and what size? Give it a week. The responses you get will tell you exactly how many to order and in what sizes.

Don't guess at a number. Don't order "a few extra just in case" before you've confirmed demand. Collect the orders first.

Step 2: Choose your blank

The hoodie you choose matters a lot. It's the thing students will either love wearing or avoid. A quality fleece with a good fit, in a colour they actually want, will sell out. A thin, boxy hoodie in an institutional colour nobody chose will sit in the storeroom.

For school fundraiser hoodies in Australia, a midweight cotton-blend fleece — 280–350gsm — is the standard. It's warm without being too heavy, holds its shape after washing, and takes decoration well.

Give students a real say in the colour. Run a quick vote if you have time. The more ownership they feel over the product, the more enthusiastically they'll order one.

Step 3: Get your artwork sorted early

This is where most orders slow down. The artwork needs to be finalised and approved before production can start, and getting artwork approved through a school involves more people than most coordinators account for.

Start the artwork conversation with your decorator at least four weeks before you need the hoodies in hand. That leaves time for design drafts, school administration sign-off, and any revisions before production begins.

For screen printing — the most common method for school hoodies at volume — you need clean vector artwork. If your school logo exists only as a JPEG on the website, talk to your decorator early. They may be able to redraw it, but that takes time and may incur a fee.

Keep the design simple. A chest print with the school name or year group, and optionally a back print with individual names or a group design, is the classic formula. It works because it's legible, durable, and looks good.

Step 4: Decide on personalisation

Year 12 fundraiser hoodies often include individual student names or nicknames on the back — it's part of what makes them collectible and guarantees every student wants one. This is achievable, but it adds complexity.

If you're adding names, you need a confirmed, final name list before production starts. No changes after sign-off. Make this clear to students and parents from the beginning. A name that gets spelled wrong because someone submitted it incorrectly is a difficult conversation.

Names are typically added via screen printing (if there's a fixed set of names in a set font) or vinyl heat press (for fully individualised text). Your decorator will advise on which is more practical for your run size.

Step 5: Build your sell price

A school fundraiser hoodie needs to cover the cost of the product and make money for the school. Here's a simple framework:

• Get a quote from your decorator for your confirmed quantity
• Add 10–15% for a small buffer order
• Divide total cost by number of units to get your cost per unit
• Add your fundraising margin on top — typically $10–$20 per unit depending on the quality of the product and what the market will bear

A well-executed hoodie on a quality blank can comfortably sell for $55–$75 at a school. Students will pay a fair price for something they genuinely want.

Step 6: Manage the collection process

Once the hoodies arrive, you need a plan for distribution. Organise by size, then by class or year group. If you've done individual names, sort alphabetically. Have a list on hand so you can tick off each student as they collect.

Build in a float for your buffer stock. Invariably, someone will want one after the order closes or will need to swap a size. Having 5–10 units in hand makes this manageable.

Timeline summary

• 6 weeks out: Open pre-order, choose blank and colour
• 5 weeks out: Close pre-order, submit artwork to decorator
• 4 weeks out: Approve digital proof, confirm final order quantity
• 2–3 weeks out: Production underway
• 1 week out: Delivery and QC check
• Day of: Distribution to students

That timeline is achievable and comfortable. Try to compress it and you'll be managing a rush job with less margin for error.

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