If you ask a room full of PTA volunteers which school fundraising product sells itself, tea towels made from children’s artwork come up again and again. They’re affordable, practical, and turn a child’s drawing into something a parent or grandparent will actually use for years. Here’s why they consistently perform well, and how to run a successful campaign. For the full round-up of ideas, see our main school fundraising ideas guide.
Why Tea Towel Fundraisers Work So Well
- Every family has a reason to buy at least one. Unlike a raffle ticket or a one-off event, a tea towel with your own child’s drawing on it is something parents want to keep, not just donate towards.
- Grandparents love them. Personalised keepsake fundraisers often see a second wave of orders once grandparents are shown the design, effectively doubling the potential audience per family.
- Low price point, low barrier. At under £10 per item, a tea towel is an easy yes for most families, which drives higher participation than more expensive fundraising products.
- Practical, not clutter. Unlike some novelty fundraising items, a tea towel gets used in the kitchen, so it stays visible and appreciated long after the campaign ends.
How a Tea Towel Fundraiser Usually Works
- The school registers with a fundraising provider and receives artwork templates for each child.
- Children draw during a class session, usually taking no more than 20 to 30 minutes.
- Artwork is collected and sent to the production team, either by post or through a collection service.
- Families order online using a unique code for their child’s design, choosing how many tea towels or other products they’d like.
- Products are printed and delivered to the school, usually within a few weeks, with the school’s commission paid shortly after.
Tips for Getting the Most From a Tea Towel Fundraiser
- Register early. Most providers offer their highest commission rate to schools that sign up before a set deadline, so don’t leave it until the last minute.
- Time it around a gifting occasion. Christmas, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day all see a natural spike in orders, since the tea towel doubles as a ready-made gift. See our Christmas fundraising guide for timing and deadlines.
- Show a sample design. Sharing what the finished product looks like in the newsletter or on the school app noticeably increases how many families order.
- Encourage more than one order. Many families order two or three tea towels once they realise how good a gift they make for grandparents, aunts and uncles.
- Keep the drawing brief simple. A simple prompt like “draw your favourite thing” or “draw a self portrait” tends to produce the most charming and giftable designs.
Tea Towels vs Other Personalised Fundraising Products
Tea towels sit alongside tote bags, coasters, mugs, keyrings and greeting cards as some of the most popular PTA fundraising products in the UK. Many schools choose to offer a small range rather than a single item, since some families prefer a tote bag for school runs while others prefer a mug or a set of coasters. Offering a short list of options, rather than an overwhelming catalogue, tends to keep ordering simple while still giving families a genuine choice. See our children’s artwork school gifts page to explore the current range.
Run a Tea Towel Fundraiser at Your School
At Good Dream Design, we turn children’s drawings into 100% cotton kitchen tea towels, along with tote bags, coasters, mugs, keyrings and greeting cards, all produced in-house in the UK. Schools earn up to 30% commission on every order, with no cash handling and no stock to manage.
Register your school to start a fundraising project or see how it works from start to finish.