Swag

[TrowelTalk]

Swag; otherwise known as promotional items, i.e., hats, jackets, shirts, coffee cups, etc. Does your Lodge or GL promote itself using customized accessories?

We never have, but are considering it for the first time in nearly 125 years. So I thought I'd throw the subject out for discussion.

Has it been readily accepted and purchased by your members?

Have you used it to raise money for special events or to offset Lodge expenses?

What kind of swag is more popular with your Lodge Brothers?

Here is the embroidery we've designed for our first effort w/ shirts and jackets.

Who do you use for purchasing? I really want to buy USA Made products and have identified a company in Baltimore that offers nice quality stuff, but always open for suggestions.

 

[Ashlar2006]

We have lodge polo shirts .

 

[Brother Liberty]

I have mentioned this in a previous post. Swag is a fantastic thing!!! We have created a bit of it in recent years with smashing success.

We had quite a debate about what to have made. The older members wanted embroidered golf shirts while the younger members wanted t shirts or hooded sweatshirts. Ultimately the lodge purchased t shirts simply because it was cheaper and everyone wears t shirts, even if it is just to work in the yard or something like that. We paid around 8 dollars a piece and sold them for 12. The money went into our charity funds. We opted to sell them on the cheaper side because we wanted to sell them all, and felt getting out name on people's backs was worth it.

Those of us who wanted hooded sweatshirts collected the money ahead of time and attached it to the t shirt order so that they could get the discount for a bulk order. About ten of us got them last year. This year we expected to order about 15 more of the sweatshirts as many people are asking for them. Also, we have had several brothers from other lodges ask to buy one, even though it has our lodge name on it.

I have attached a picture of my daughter and I at the beach last spring. I happened to be in my t shirt:

I need to track down a pic of the sweatshirt...

 

[jason]

Our Lodge has the S&C with Lodge info embroidered on Golf Shirts. I bought a S&C hat on ebay, and had/having my mother embroider some shirts for me.

 

[Gary]

Our Lodge "had" polo style shirts with the SC on them. Apparently the brother who was involved with getting them ordered etc,. is not doing so well. He and his wife will be moving north to be closer to family. The shirts he was getting were expensive, so I'd be interested in knowing if anyone had a resource for these as well.

Swag is good!

 

[Brother Liberty]

the price breaks come in the amount and frequency in which you order. Almost all places that do this type of thing have one time charges to make screens or to program embroidery. After that the more shirts or hats or whatever you buy, the cheaper they get. Thats why we tend to wait and make large orders of several items. They have the same image, but that tends to not be an issue.

I really encourage you all to think beyond polo shirts. Many of the lodges in my district are making things, and the polos are the least popular item. We are doing embroidered winter caps and are getting a lot of interest.

 

[Gary]

Good point Liberty. While the winter hats may not be popular in Florida, there is always wind breakers, Jackets, baseball caps, all sorts of things.

 

[Brother Liberty]

Your in FL, why not beach towels?

 

[Gary]

Now there is a interesting idea!

 

[Brother Liberty]

A blue towel with a giant white square and compass....I can picture it now! Let me know if you make them, I will buy one.

 

[TrowelTalk]

Well I circulated the image of just the embroidery and I've already been hit up by a bunch of our Lodge Brothers w/ requests for whatever we're putting out. So it seems like this may be a really good idea.