PPB November 2020

can opt to purchase blank cards in smaller quantities. Along with greeting cards, Shelter Swag also started offering custom t-shirts, adding unique designs to draw attention to a shelter. “A t-shirt, for example, gets seen an average of 3,400 times in its lifetime,” says Bak. “It’s some of the cheapest advertising there is. We’ve been to so many events where the shirts nonprofits give out as a ‘thanks for participating’ are low quality and don’t reflect well on the organization, so the shirt ends up being a rag rather than a way to promote the nonprofit. Our goal is to make sure our clients understand the importance of buying quality shirts with good designs that their supporters actually want to wear again and again, and really get some ROI. Our tagline, ‘Saving Animals One Good Design at a Time’ is based on that concept.” Shelter Swag also exclusively sources its t-shirts from factories that are certified by Worldwide Responsible Accredited Production, a factory-based certification program for manufacturers of clothing, footwear and sewn products that ensures factories are following its 12 principles of fair labor and environmental practices, including prohibition of forced and child labor, and discrimination. And t-shirts decorated with silk screening are done so using only water- based inks, rather than plastisol ink, which contains plastic with toxins like phthalates that are harmful to the environment. As Shelter Swag grew, Bak and Lesniak felt it only made sense to broaden the range of branded products they offered. “Rather than being a one- or two-trick pony, we want Shelter Swag to help animal nonprofits with whatever they need, and promotional items can help achieve the same goal of raising visibility in the community. But we also want to balance all that and not overwhelm. Sometimes too many choices are just as bad as too few.” During the pandemic, Shelter Swag helped with producing virtual fundraisers, providing its clients with designs for t-shirts and other branded goods, along with production and fulfillment. “The fact that Sharie and I understand how animal nonprofits work, really matters. Our biggest Above, left, are items from Shelter Swag's greeting card line, which is made specially for animal groups to use in their marketing campaigns and communications with clients. Above, right, is one of Shelter Swag's "employees," Lil' Roo, the newest addition to the company. At right is an an example of a pandemic-related campaign created for Friends of Strays, an animal shelter in St. Petersburg, Florida. “The fact that Sharie and I understandhow animal nonprofits work, really matters. Our biggest value-add is coaching them onhow tohelp themselves.” — Linda Bak | NOVEMBER 2020 | 73 THINK