How a T-Shirt Helped Support Canadian Libraries
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👉 www.locallaundry-custom.ca
At Local Laundry, we’ve spent years working alongside nonprofit organizations and public institutions across Canada. One thing has always been clear: when communities rally around a shared purpose, meaningful impact follows.
At the same time, we’ve seen firsthand how challenging traditional fundraising and merchandise programs can be. Rising costs, limited resources, and operational pressure are realities for many organizations today. Public libraries, in particular, are feeling that strain more than ever.
This reality pushed us to rethink how fundraising apparel could work. That rethink led to one of our most successful community partnerships to date: the Edmonton Public Library pre-sale campaign.
From Custom Merch to a Better Model
Before this initiative, our work with libraries followed a familiar path. We created custom merchandise for staff, events, or retail programs. These projects were successful, but they required libraries to place bulk orders upfront, use their own budgets, store inventory, manage fulfillment, and carry the risk of unsold product.
The model worked, but it placed unnecessary pressure on teams whose focus should be community service, not logistics.
Libraries exist to support learning, access, and connection. Managing inventory, customer service, and storage takes time and resources away from that mission.
We knew there had to be a better way.
The Shift: A Risk-Free Pre-Sale Partnership
That opportunity came through our first library-focused pre-sale partnership with the Calgary Public Library Foundation. While we had previously run pre-sale campaigns with other nonprofit organizations, this marked a new chapter specifically for libraries.
The idea was simple: remove the risk entirely.
Instead of purchasing inventory upfront, the library partnered with us on a limited pre-sale campaign:
• No upfront costs
• No inventory commitments
• No fulfillment or customer service required
• No financial risk
The library shared the campaign with its community. We handled everything else, from production to shipping to customer support.
The response confirmed what we suspected: when barriers disappear, communities show up.
Thinking about custom clothing for your organization or fundraiser?
👉 www.locallaundry-custom.ca
Edmonton Public Library: Real Results, Real Impact
Building on the success in Calgary, we partnered with Edmonton Public Library to launch a refined version of the pre-sale model.
The results exceeded expectations.
So far, the Edmonton Public Library campaign has delivered:
• 700 t-shirts sold
• $7,000 raised
Every shirt sold translated into direct support for literacy, access, and lifelong learning. Most importantly, this impact was achieved without pulling staff away from their core work or requiring budget allocations upfront.
For the library team, that meant less time managing logistics and more time serving their community.
Why This Model Works
This pre-sale approach succeeds because it removes friction on all sides.
For libraries and public institutions:
No financial risk
• No inventory or storage
• No operational burden
For supporters:
• A simple, meaningful way to contribute
• A tangible item tied directly to impact
• Confidence that their purchase makes a difference
For us, it reinforces a belief we’ve held from the beginning: community fundraising works best when it’s intentional, accessible, and thoughtfully designed.
Powered by Our New Custom Platform
This campaign also marked an important milestone for Local Laundry.
The Edmonton Public Library pre-sale was powered by our newly renovated Custom by Local Laundry platform. This system allows organizations to run fully managed pre-sale campaigns without inventory, overproduction, or operational complexity.
For this project, we selected a thoughtfully sourced, non–Canadian-made garment to keep the retail price accessible at $35. This decision helped maximize participation while maintaining quality and ensuring the fundraiser remained inclusive.
The result was a flexible, scalable fundraising system that prioritizes impact over excess.
Looking Ahead: A Scalable Path for Libraries Across Canada
With successful pre-sale partnerships now completed with both Calgary Public Library Foundation and Edmonton Public Library, this model has proven its value.
It is transparent, adaptable, and designed specifically for public institutions that want to raise funds without added complexity.
At a time when libraries are navigating rising costs and growing demand, partnerships like these offer a practical way to support essential work, one thoughtful initiative at a time.
If you’re part of a library, nonprofit, or public organization interested in custom clothing or a risk-free fundraising pre-sale, we’d love to connect:
Because when community meets purpose, even something as simple as a t-shirt can help keep shelves full and missions moving forward.
