The Night Watch, A Tribute to the Working Cat
Say Hello to Your New Favorite Shirt
What makes a shirt your favorite choice when going through your closet? Is it the message that it conveys or the cause it supported? Or is it the way it feels when you wear it?
We think it’s ‘all of the above’. And to show you exactly what we mean, we put together a fundraiser t-shirt that breaks all the rules. No stock artwork. No cheap, scratchy t-shirt that’s just going to sit in your closet. The Night Watch is the perfect storm of comfort, design, and compassionate cause.
I’m a firm believer in equitable exchange. So, if you’re going to support our fundraiser, then you should feel like you got something of equal value in return. That’s why I feel design and quality materials are so important. It’s a reflection of who we are, and an opportunity for us to convey our gratitude to our supporters. Quite frankly, how you feel when you wear one of our shirts matters to us.
For years, you’ve seen us promote and fundraise for others within the community. Now, I present Hotel Bravo’s first official fundraiser, The Night Watch!
What Are We Fundraising For?
One of the challenges for many organizations is, of course, operating expenses. Especially for an organization like ours that doesn’t generate profit from carrying out its primary mission. This is why fundraising is so important to us. It allows us to operate and focus on doing what we do best; helping our feline friends in need.
We currently have three residents in our care, including Mr. Grant. We also have big visions for the future (Mr. Grant is pushing for a catio too). So, proceeds generated from this project will fund:
veterinary care
the basics like food, litter, and enrichment
environmental upgrades and feline real estate
“That all boils down to you getting a quality shirt with a kick ass design. And, at the same time, you’re supporting a community cause.”
Introductions Are In Order
Along with our first fundraiser, we’re also introducing a new initiative and online store called Even Hand. Our intent is to offer high quality, unique goods and clothing designed with the compassionate person in mind. Even Hand will execute our short-term t-shirt fundraisers, and will also be uploading fresh new shirt designs as part of our permanent store. All merchandise created and sold by Even Hand will directly support Hotel Bravo’s mission.
Even Hand works directly with our printing partner rather than using a more traditional fundraising service like Bonfire or Custom Ink. This allows us to offer premium quality shirts at a fair price, and do it in a fraction of the time. When you order a shirt from us, it goes into production with most orders being delivered to your door within 7-10 days. This partnership also gives us more flexibility in terms of design creativity and finished product. That all boils down to you getting a quality shirt with a kick ass design. And, at the same time, you’re supporting a community cause.
More Than Just Soft, It’s the Perfect Canvas
When it comes to any type of printing, the printing surface itself is critical to the finished piece. A smoother printing surface will yield cleaner lines and increased detail. We print on shirts which are made from combed, ring-spun cotton. Here’s the scoop straight from the manufacturer:
“Ring spun cotton is smoother and longer than open end yarn. The term “ring spun” means that the yarn goes through an innovative spinning process that’s designed to thoroughly soften and straighten each fiber. The result? Softer, more refined fibers (aka pieces you want to wear). Want something even softer? Combed and ring-spun cotton, the kind that BELLA+CANVAS uses on all our tees means that cotton fibers are spun then combed through to remove impurities while ensuring it stays soft to the touch. Fewer impurities mean a smoother surface to print on.”
The Night Watch design printed our shirts is also slightly distressed, which allows the color of the shirt to show through in places. Each shirt color adds a unique flavor to the design, allowing you to choose your favorite look.
So go ahead, customize your new shirt. And let us know how it turned out!
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About the Author . . .
Andrew Tribby
