Supporting the “Scouts Helping Scouts” Effort!
November 15, 2012
Hurricane Sandy and the storm that followed recently left devastation and destruction in its path and we feel deeply for the millions of people who were affected.
As you may know, many of our customers are Boy Scouts. It has come to our attention that several of the local Scout camps across the Northeast region of the U.S. suffered severe damage as a result of these storms and have been closed until assessments and repairs can be made.
The Boy Scouts of America’s national honors society, the Order of the Arrow, Northeast Region, has thoughtfully organized a fundraising effort called Scouts Helping Scouts, establishing a goal to raise at least $20,000 to contribute to service projects that will fund the rebuilding of the camps affected!
We actively support this campaign and would like to pass along the opportunity to assist your fellow Scouts in the rebuild! :)
To learn more about how you can contribute, please click here!
“Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success.” – Henry Ford
Please note: We are not the manufacturer of the patches indicated; we simply want to pass along this opportunity.
Congratulations to Ryan Wilson for achieving Eagle rank
December 22, 2011
Last week Ryan Wilson, 29, achieved Eagle rank. Not only did he achieve this distinguished honor, but he earned almost double the merit badges required – a total of 38. Only 5% of the scouting population reaches Eagle and only a few scouts with Down syndrome have achieved this honor.
Ryan, who has Down syndrome and a heart condition, is not only an inspiring role model for other special needs children but he’s an example to us all reminding us that with determination and dedication, anything is possible. He’s an example of everything that the scouting program stands for – developing character through skill development, doing good deeds, and living his life in accordance with the Scout Law.
We’re proud of our local Pasco County hero. Congratulations to Ryan Wilson for a job well done!
Boy Scout Troop 545 in Hudson, Florida is a troop that focuses on scouts with special needs. If you’d like more information click here. If you know a scout with a disability that has overcome obstacles and would like to share their story, please share your comments below. We’d like to hear from you.
Photos provided by the St. Petersburg Times – December 18,2011
BSA® Licensing Insider features ClassB®
November 29, 2011
ClassB® is honored to be the featured licensee in this year’s October issue of BSA® Licensing Insider. BSA® Licensing Insider is a monthly newsletter that provides new information from the Licensing Department of Boy Scouts of America®.Topics include: new products, featured vendors, program updates and events.
In this issue, they interviewed Eric Hilferding and Gregg Hilferding our President and Vice President regarding how ClassB®‘s business values stem from the Scout Law they both learned from growing up in the Scouting® program: —
Click here to read the full article.
- “We’re Scouters first,” explained Gregg Hilferding, vice president of marketing we do our best to run ClassB® by our Scouting values. For example, our customer service reps strive to be Helpful and Friendly. We’ll replace an order we made an error on to be Trustworthy. We try to keep costs down by being Thrifty. We reduce our environmental impact to be Clean. While we don’t call our departments “patrols” or our CEO an “SPL,” the values of Scouting permeate everything we do. We’re pretty sure our customers can tell the difference that makes in our personal interaction, and in our products.
We’d like to hear from you. Which values from the Scout Law do you feel are most important for a company to have?
NEW! ClassB Catalogs Available!
September 20, 2011
If only there was some sort of printed version of the ClassB website so that you could bring it to your next unit meeting. Boy, that would be helpful, wouldn’t it? Look no further! ClassB Troop and Pack Catalogs are now available! One of them can be all yours for FREE! Inside you’ll find all the information you and your group will need to make this year’s custom t-shirt order a total success.
When ordering t-shirts, questions like these can come up:
- What do I need to do to prepare my order?
- When should I place my order?
- What shirt and ink colors are available?
- Which one of these awesome designs will my group find to be the Most Awesomest?
Click here to order a printed catalog of your very own. Within the next 5-7 business days you can expect your shiny new catalog to arrive.
If you want your catalog NOW and simply can’t wait any longer, you can download the pdf versions here : )
If you’re a council leader and would like multiple copies of council specific materials, or bulk catalogs to provide to your units, contact us. We’d love to work with you.
ClassB Goes to Camp La-No-Che!
July 21, 2011
This summer, ClassB had the pleasure of spending a day at impressive Camp La-No-Che, located on the North shore of Lake Norris in Paisley, Florida.
Our morning started out with a guided tour of the 1,480 acre camp. Highlights included a trip down to the beautiful lakefront to check out all of the options for Scouts looking to get out on the water. Camp La-No-Che is an approved site for the B.S.A.’s National P.W.C. pilot program. P.W.C. stands for “Personal Water Craft,” commonly called jet skis.
One of things that stands out about La-No-Che is the experience of the Aquatics program staff. Scouts can learn how to sail small crafts, practice open water rescues in kayaks, go canoeing, enjoy wake-boarding or drive the P.W.C.’s along the lake’s new boat traffic lane that La-No-Che staff installed this year.
La-No-Che is one of only a few camps in the entire country that is used as a testing ground for BSA National pilot programs and is the only camp this year to adopt both new pilot programs. That means that in addition to jet skis, Scouts at La-No-Che are getting the chance to drive A.T.V.’s for the first time ever at a Scout camp!
Another popular site at camp is the Native American Area. Resident instructor Jim Sawgrass is a Southeastern Creek. He impressed our group by lighting a fire using the friction bow method in a matter of seconds. Sawgrass and his fellow native american educators like Little Big Mountain (a descendant of Comanche and Mohawk), teach Scouts native american weaponry, early American history, Indian lore, archeology, wilderness survival, and primitive cooking. One of our staff members commented, “I appreciate the fact that camp La-No-Che teaches young boys how to use and conserve our nation’s natural resources.”
After lunch with the troops, Sawgrass promised to let our group try hatchet throwing, blowguns, and the atlatl (an ancient method of throwing long spears). The weaponry activity was an experience our group will never forget. The challenge of learning how to use ancient weapons was part of the fun. As one member of our group mentioned, “if we depended on our skills with the atlatl, we would all go hungry!”
The trip gave us all a greater appreciation for the huge amount of work that goes into running and maintaining a camp like La-No-Che and the camp staff there have the resources, knowledge, and experience to really get the job done. We all wished our visit could have lasted even longer. A member of our IT department pretty much summed up our feelings when he said, “Camp La-no-che kinda makes me wish I was a kid again.”
Camp La-No-Che is an amazing place for Scouts to safely work on merit badges, experience new activities, and learn valuable life skills.
For more pictures of ClassB’s day at Camp La-No-Che, check out our flickr album.
Have you been to this camp? Leave us a comment about your experience!
Our morning started out with a guided tour of the 1,480 acre camp. Highlights included a trip down to the beautiful lakefront to check out all of the options for Scouts looking to get out on the water. Camp La-No-Che is an approved site for the B.S.A.’s National P.W.C. pilot program. P.W.C. stands for “Personal Water Craft,” commonly called jet skis.
A beautiful day for some watersports
One of things that stands out about La-No-Che is the experience of the Aquatics program staff. Scouts can learn how to sail small crafts, practice open water rescues in kayaks, go canoeing, enjoy wake-boarding or drive the P.W.C.’s along the lake’s new boat traffic lane that La-No-Che staff installed this year.
La-No-Che is one of only a few camps in the entire country that is used as a testing ground for BSA National pilot programs and is the only camp this year to adopt both new pilot programs. That means that in addition to jet skis, Scouts at La-No-Che are getting the chance to drive A.T.V.’s for the first time ever at a Scout camp!
Another popular site at camp is the Native American Area. Resident instructor Jim Sawgrass is a Southeastern Creek. He impressed our group by lighting a fire using the friction bow method in a matter of seconds. Sawgrass and his fellow native american educators like Little Big Mountain (a descendant of Comanche and Mohawk), teach Scouts native american weaponry, early American history, Indian lore, archeology, wilderness survival, and primitive cooking. One of our staff members commented, “I appreciate the fact that camp La-No-Che teaches young boys how to use and conserve our nation’s natural resources.”
Sawgrass starts a fire using only friction
Atlatl action, aiming for hay bales.
After lunch with the troops, Sawgrass promised to let our group try hatchet throwing, blowguns, and the atlatl (an ancient method of throwing long spears). The weaponry activity was an experience our group will never forget. The challenge of learning how to use ancient weapons was part of the fun. As one member of our group mentioned, “if we depended on our skills with the atlatl, we would all go hungry!”
The trip gave us all a greater appreciation for the huge amount of work that goes into running and maintaining a camp like La-No-Che and the camp staff there have the resources, knowledge, and experience to really get the job done. We all wished our visit could have lasted even longer. A member of our IT department pretty much summed up our feelings when he said, “Camp La-no-che kinda makes me wish I was a kid again.”
Everyone enjoyed trying to hit targets with a blowgun.
Camp La-No-Che is an amazing place for Scouts to safely work on merit badges, experience new activities, and learn valuable life skills.
For more pictures of ClassB’s day at Camp La-No-Che, check out our flickr album.
Have you been to this camp? Leave us a comment about your experience!
Last Month’s Conservation Grant Winner Announced!
May 12, 2011
For Earth Day, ClassB decided to award one camp with a grant to help them complete a planned conservation project. There were many wonderful proposals submitted, and while we hope that all of them get completed this year, the one that ClassB decided to sponsor was Cherokee Scout Reservation’s “Life Cycle Environmental Impact Project.”
The camp submitted the step-by-step plans of their composting project, whereby the trash going into dumpsters will be reduced by 20%, while everything able to be composted will be incorporated back into the camp’s two large vegetable gardens.
This project will provide a leadership role for Scouts interested in soil and water conservation management and environmental science. They may even be able to earn additional merit badges not usually acquired at camp.
The grant from ClassB will supply the necessary tools, materials, and resources required to establish and operate this project continously.
Cherokee Scout Reservation realized they were spending over 3,000 dollars a year in waste removal. With this project in place, these operating costs should be drastically reduced.
ClassB salutes Cherokee Scout Reservation and all of the Scout camps across the country who have made ecology and conservation a top priority.
By Normanack (via flickr)
The camp submitted the step-by-step plans of their composting project, whereby the trash going into dumpsters will be reduced by 20%, while everything able to be composted will be incorporated back into the camp’s two large vegetable gardens.
This project will provide a leadership role for Scouts interested in soil and water conservation management and environmental science. They may even be able to earn additional merit badges not usually acquired at camp.
The grant from ClassB will supply the necessary tools, materials, and resources required to establish and operate this project continously.
Cherokee Scout Reservation realized they were spending over 3,000 dollars a year in waste removal. With this project in place, these operating costs should be drastically reduced.
ClassB salutes Cherokee Scout Reservation and all of the Scout camps across the country who have made ecology and conservation a top priority.
ClassB® at the Honda Grand Prix with BSA® Motorsports.
March 31, 2011
Last weekend, ClassB had the honor of being guests of Dale Coyne Motorsports and the #19 BSA Indy Car for the Honda Grand Prix of St. Petersburg, Florida.
The event marked a lot of firsts for everyone involved. It was the first Grand Prix of the season for the IZOD Indy Car Series drivers. It was also the first Indy race for four-time Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais, who drives the BSA car for Dale Coyne and BSA® Motorsports.
Unfortunately, Bourdais wrecked in warm ups and was unable to go come race time, but it wasn’t a total disappointment for the team as they were able to pull off a miracle and get their other car, driven by rookie James Jakes, ready to go just before the race began. Jakes performed admirably in his first ever Indy race, finishing 15th after starting the race in the very last poll position.
The Dale Coyne Team looked sharp in their BSA branded team shirts and were more than happy to provide us with behind-the-scenes access right up until the race started. We hung out with the drivers in the team bus, watched the team mechanics work on the cars, and walked pit row complete with a demonstration of how cars are refueled and tires are changed.
It was a special day at the track for ClassB and the Scouts from the local council who showed up for the excitement. Check out this year’s
race schedule to see if a Grand Prix will be taking place near your council. Scouts with an interest in automotive technology will love the opportunity to meet this talented team and see the Indy cars in action.
The event marked a lot of firsts for everyone involved. It was the first Grand Prix of the season for the IZOD Indy Car Series drivers. It was also the first Indy race for four-time Champ Car Champion Sebastien Bourdais, who drives the BSA car for Dale Coyne and BSA® Motorsports.
Unfortunately, Bourdais wrecked in warm ups and was unable to go come race time, but it wasn’t a total disappointment for the team as they were able to pull off a miracle and get their other car, driven by rookie James Jakes, ready to go just before the race began. Jakes performed admirably in his first ever Indy race, finishing 15th after starting the race in the very last poll position.
The Dale Coyne Team looked sharp in their BSA branded team shirts and were more than happy to provide us with behind-the-scenes access right up until the race started. We hung out with the drivers in the team bus, watched the team mechanics work on the cars, and walked pit row complete with a demonstration of how cars are refueled and tires are changed.
It was a special day at the track for ClassB and the Scouts from the local council who showed up for the excitement. Check out this year’s
race schedule to see if a Grand Prix will be taking place near your council. Scouts with an interest in automotive technology will love the opportunity to meet this talented team and see the Indy cars in action.
ClassB’s 2011 Pinewood Derby Competition
February 7, 2011
ClassB® celebrated Pinewood Derby® season this year by launching our own Pinewood Derby event last week. All staff were invited to design and build their own car, with prizes being awarded for “best design” and “fastest.” Cars were built using official Pinewood Derby kits and had to weigh in at 5 oz. or less.
On Friday, we determined the fastest car, by pitting them against each other on a regulation Pinewood Derby track set up at our corporate headquarters and production facility.
After the elimination rounds, the speed winner turned out to be a sleek, metallic silver bullet of a car made by April.
The design competition heats up this week on our Custom BSA® T-Shirts facebook page, where we will be posting pictures of each car and anyone can vote on which one they think has the best design. The votes will be tallied this Friday at 5pm and the winner will be announced right here and on facebook.
See more pictures on Flickr and check out our facebook wall throughout the week for even more pictures and video from this fun event!
North Carolina Boy Scout Lodge Back In Business
December 21, 2010
The rebuilding of the Boy Scout Lodge for Troop 98 in North Carolina, one of the oldest Troops in the country, was recently completed by Scouts, their families, firefighters, local officials and an 
unselfish outpouring of community member support.
In August of 2009, just as the Lodge was nearing its “first” completion, an arsonist deliberately set fire to the lodge and it quickly burned to the ground, along with the rest of the materials that would have been used to complete the structure. The only thing left standing when all was said and done was the fractured stone fireplace made from stones collected over the years by the Scouts. The fire burned so hot and for so long that stones in the fireplace and chimney had cracked. Hopes and dreams, along with years of planning and hard work were gone.
It was a total loss.
But this was a lodge for Scouts and, not surprising, the Scouts didn’t give up hope. Instead, they rallied together in the face of bad luck and difficulty. Dwayne Parsons, a Scout and Scoutmaster for the Troop for more than 10 years said that the fire was a bitter disappointment, but it was just an interruption, not an end. “We are going to carry on,” Parsons said. “We are going to build it back. No doubt about it, we are putting it back.”
And as we also see so many times, the community that the Scouts have been supporting for decades didn’t hesitate to give back. Donations came pouring in, as did the physical help of hundreds of community members.
Work began almost immediately on the rebuilding of the lodge. As mentioned above, the help came in the form of money and building material donations along with the hard work of hundreds of local adults and children. They even had food donated to feed the volunteers! What a great way for a community to pull together. According to Parsons, the speed at which the new lodge was rebuilt was astonishing as well.
Completion of the lodge rebuilding was marked by a formal ceremony last week. Cub Scouts raised the flag, Parsons gave a formal speech, and the lodge was officially named the West End Scout Lodge at Johnson Park.
Much to his surprise, Parsons was also presented with two awards for his participation in the rebuilding. He received the Award of Merit from the Occonneechee Council and the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. He quickly turned the attention to the communtiy and volunteers who made it all possible and thanked them for their hard work and dedication.
Around 700 attended the event and their attention was called to a single, special stone in the fireplace that had survived the fire and been recovered and placed there. It was a touching moment and one that brought a community and their Scouts even closer together in North Carolina.
Read about why that one fireplace stone was so special and discover more details about the lodge here – Community Celebrates Rebuilt Scout Lodge. Congratulations and enjoy your new Scout Lodge!
unselfish outpouring of community member support.
In August of 2009, just as the Lodge was nearing its “first” completion, an arsonist deliberately set fire to the lodge and it quickly burned to the ground, along with the rest of the materials that would have been used to complete the structure. The only thing left standing when all was said and done was the fractured stone fireplace made from stones collected over the years by the Scouts. The fire burned so hot and for so long that stones in the fireplace and chimney had cracked. Hopes and dreams, along with years of planning and hard work were gone.
It was a total loss.
But this was a lodge for Scouts and, not surprising, the Scouts didn’t give up hope. Instead, they rallied together in the face of bad luck and difficulty. Dwayne Parsons, a Scout and Scoutmaster for the Troop for more than 10 years said that the fire was a bitter disappointment, but it was just an interruption, not an end. “We are going to carry on,” Parsons said. “We are going to build it back. No doubt about it, we are putting it back.”
And as we also see so many times, the community that the Scouts have been supporting for decades didn’t hesitate to give back. Donations came pouring in, as did the physical help of hundreds of community members.
Work began almost immediately on the rebuilding of the lodge. As mentioned above, the help came in the form of money and building material donations along with the hard work of hundreds of local adults and children. They even had food donated to feed the volunteers! What a great way for a community to pull together. According to Parsons, the speed at which the new lodge was rebuilt was astonishing as well.
Completion of the lodge rebuilding was marked by a formal ceremony last week. Cub Scouts raised the flag, Parsons gave a formal speech, and the lodge was officially named the West End Scout Lodge at Johnson Park.
Much to his surprise, Parsons was also presented with two awards for his participation in the rebuilding. He received the Award of Merit from the Occonneechee Council and the Presidential Volunteer Service Award from President’s Council on Service and Civic Participation. He quickly turned the attention to the communtiy and volunteers who made it all possible and thanked them for their hard work and dedication.
Around 700 attended the event and their attention was called to a single, special stone in the fireplace that had survived the fire and been recovered and placed there. It was a touching moment and one that brought a community and their Scouts even closer together in North Carolina.
Read about why that one fireplace stone was so special and discover more details about the lodge here – Community Celebrates Rebuilt Scout Lodge. Congratulations and enjoy your new Scout Lodge!
Scouting News – Selecting A New Troop T-shirt
December 21, 2010
It almost goes without saying that any Venturing Crew, Cub Scout or Boy Scout Troop should have their own, customized T-shirt for each Scout to wear during non-formal events. But what design should you use? What colors and styles should you put on it? What type of shirt should you print the design on?
Most people think that purchasing a T-shirt for a Scout or Troop is as simple as picking a design from a list of pictures and clicking the “Buy Now” button. But there is a lot more to it, and educating yourself on exactly what you should be looking for will save you plenty of future headaches.
Read on and you’ll be confident in choosing the perfect T-shirt design for your Scouts and, more importantly, you and your Scouts be satisfied with the outcome.
What Type of Shirt Should You Choose?
One thing that is often ignored, or simply forgotten, when purchasing a Troop T-shirt is what kind of shirt your design should be printed on. There are generally two types of shirts that will be offered. They are the 100% cotton T-shirt and the 50/50 Cotton and Polyester Blend. You may also be given the choice of which T-shirt manufacturer to use, such as Hanes, Gildan or Anvil.
Remember that the price of each T-shirt will be affected by which brand you choose. But you will usually get what you pay for, so going for a better brand will be a bit more expensive now, but will pay off in the long run in comfort and durability.
Then it comes down to whether 100% cotton or a 50/50 blend would be better for your Troop. The main difference that you will notice right away is how the shirt feels against your skin. 100% cotton t-shirts are much more comfortable to most people, and are generally softer to the touch than 50/50 T-shirts. They also seem to “breathe” a little better, giving them an advantage in hot and humid environments.
On the other hand, 50/50 Cotton and Polyester T-shirts are more durable than their all-cotton counterparts. They are not as heavy and they tend not to wrinkle as much. So you need to put a little thought into which type of T-shirt to print your Troop design on. It makes a difference, so don’t just blindly choose one or the other to speed up the purchasing process.
What Type Of Design Should You Choose?
The type of design you choose for your Troop really depends on what your Troop wants! Think about their personalities, their pride and their sense of style.
Put together a list of designs that you think your Troop would like and present it to them in your next meeting. Talk about what they like or don’t like about your examples and simply make a choice. If you don’t find a perfect design, use their feedback to create a new list of designs for your next meeting. you can find hundreds of customizable stock designs at most B.S.A. officially licensed T-shirt company websites.
One thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want your t-shirt color and your design colors to clash. You also want to make sure that your design colors are going to be easily seen. It’s kind of hard to see bright yellow on a white shirt, or navy blue on a black or dark blue shirt, so keep that in mind.
Some online T-shirt companies have a T-shirt designer on their website where you can drop your design on top of a colored t-shirt. This will allow you to see the design against the t-shirt color and assure that it is pleasing to the eye.
Once you have chosen your design, the t-shirt color and what type of t-shirt to print the design on, it’s finally time to go shopping! But you need to make sure you purchase your shirts from a reliable and well-established company.
Where Should You Purchase Your Custom T-shirts?
There are a few different things to consider when deciding where to purchase your new Troop T-shirts. The most important of these factors is to make sure to get them from an officially licensed, Boy Scouts of America Licensee. This assures that you will not only get a top-quality product, but that any and all B.S.A. logos, images and text are official. Any licensee will have the official BSA Licensee Seal displayed on their home page.
The B.S.A. does not hand out licenses on a whim. In fact, a license from the B.S.A. is a highly coveted item. Licensed companies spend a great deal of effort in obtaining and maintaining their licensed status. So you can rest assured that any licensed company is serious about their product and their customer service.
After finding an officially licensed T-shirt company, make sure to look for any customer testimonials or feedback – the more, the better. If you only find a few testimonials on a website, you may only be seeing the few good ones that the company wants to publish. Look for a page on the site with hundreds or even thousands of testimonials. Sometimes you can see the Troop number and state, or county that the testimonial comes from. Take the time and send them an email to ask them about their experience with the company. It’s never a bad thing to be thorough.
Then you want to see what kind of customer support the company offers. Do they have a phone number or email address on every page? Do they hide their contact information or do they encourage you to contact them with any questions you have? Obviously, you want to deal with a company that will provide excellent customer support and who realize that you’re not a professional graphic artist or an apparel industry expert. If they have a contact page, call them or send them an email. The response you get, and the time it takes to get it, is usually a great identifier as to how well they treat their customers.
You can also look for a company who will help you if your design skills are, shall we say, less than standard. Some companies have a staff of graphic artists who are there for you and will take what you have done and make it a hundred times better. Some will even do this at no charge!
As far as price goes, most online custom T-shirt companies maintain about the same pricing structure. But if you do your due diligence and take everything into consideration, you can find official licensees who will give you everything we discussed above at a surprisingly reasonable price – usually less than most non-licensed companies.
Hopefully this article has given you the knowledge and confidence you need to go out and find the perfect Troop T-shirts for your Scouts. Just take things slowly, remember all of the things we discussed above, and you’ll be the hero of your Troop when you hold up that first shirt for all of them to see. And remember, whatever design you choose or what company you decide to produce your custom Troop t-shirts, the look in the kids’ eyes and the smiles on their faces will make all of your effort well worthwhile.
Good luck and enjoy your new T-shirts!
Enjoy your custom t-shirts and wear them with pride.
Our Page about Boy Scout Troop T-shirts
Most people think that purchasing a T-shirt for a Scout or Troop is as simple as picking a design from a list of pictures and clicking the “Buy Now” button. But there is a lot more to it, and educating yourself on exactly what you should be looking for will save you plenty of future headaches.
Read on and you’ll be confident in choosing the perfect T-shirt design for your Scouts and, more importantly, you and your Scouts be satisfied with the outcome.
What Type of Shirt Should You Choose?
One thing that is often ignored, or simply forgotten, when purchasing a Troop T-shirt is what kind of shirt your design should be printed on. There are generally two types of shirts that will be offered. They are the 100% cotton T-shirt and the 50/50 Cotton and Polyester Blend. You may also be given the choice of which T-shirt manufacturer to use, such as Hanes, Gildan or Anvil.
Remember that the price of each T-shirt will be affected by which brand you choose. But you will usually get what you pay for, so going for a better brand will be a bit more expensive now, but will pay off in the long run in comfort and durability.
Then it comes down to whether 100% cotton or a 50/50 blend would be better for your Troop. The main difference that you will notice right away is how the shirt feels against your skin. 100% cotton t-shirts are much more comfortable to most people, and are generally softer to the touch than 50/50 T-shirts. They also seem to “breathe” a little better, giving them an advantage in hot and humid environments.
On the other hand, 50/50 Cotton and Polyester T-shirts are more durable than their all-cotton counterparts. They are not as heavy and they tend not to wrinkle as much. So you need to put a little thought into which type of T-shirt to print your Troop design on. It makes a difference, so don’t just blindly choose one or the other to speed up the purchasing process.
What Type Of Design Should You Choose?
The type of design you choose for your Troop really depends on what your Troop wants! Think about their personalities, their pride and their sense of style.
Put together a list of designs that you think your Troop would like and present it to them in your next meeting. Talk about what they like or don’t like about your examples and simply make a choice. If you don’t find a perfect design, use their feedback to create a new list of designs for your next meeting. you can find hundreds of customizable stock designs at most B.S.A. officially licensed T-shirt company websites.
One thing to keep in mind is that you don’t want your t-shirt color and your design colors to clash. You also want to make sure that your design colors are going to be easily seen. It’s kind of hard to see bright yellow on a white shirt, or navy blue on a black or dark blue shirt, so keep that in mind.
Some online T-shirt companies have a T-shirt designer on their website where you can drop your design on top of a colored t-shirt. This will allow you to see the design against the t-shirt color and assure that it is pleasing to the eye.
Once you have chosen your design, the t-shirt color and what type of t-shirt to print the design on, it’s finally time to go shopping! But you need to make sure you purchase your shirts from a reliable and well-established company.
Where Should You Purchase Your Custom T-shirts?
There are a few different things to consider when deciding where to purchase your new Troop T-shirts. The most important of these factors is to make sure to get them from an officially licensed, Boy Scouts of America Licensee. This assures that you will not only get a top-quality product, but that any and all B.S.A. logos, images and text are official. Any licensee will have the official BSA Licensee Seal displayed on their home page.
The B.S.A. does not hand out licenses on a whim. In fact, a license from the B.S.A. is a highly coveted item. Licensed companies spend a great deal of effort in obtaining and maintaining their licensed status. So you can rest assured that any licensed company is serious about their product and their customer service.
After finding an officially licensed T-shirt company, make sure to look for any customer testimonials or feedback – the more, the better. If you only find a few testimonials on a website, you may only be seeing the few good ones that the company wants to publish. Look for a page on the site with hundreds or even thousands of testimonials. Sometimes you can see the Troop number and state, or county that the testimonial comes from. Take the time and send them an email to ask them about their experience with the company. It’s never a bad thing to be thorough.
Then you want to see what kind of customer support the company offers. Do they have a phone number or email address on every page? Do they hide their contact information or do they encourage you to contact them with any questions you have? Obviously, you want to deal with a company that will provide excellent customer support and who realize that you’re not a professional graphic artist or an apparel industry expert. If they have a contact page, call them or send them an email. The response you get, and the time it takes to get it, is usually a great identifier as to how well they treat their customers.
You can also look for a company who will help you if your design skills are, shall we say, less than standard. Some companies have a staff of graphic artists who are there for you and will take what you have done and make it a hundred times better. Some will even do this at no charge!
As far as price goes, most online custom T-shirt companies maintain about the same pricing structure. But if you do your due diligence and take everything into consideration, you can find official licensees who will give you everything we discussed above at a surprisingly reasonable price – usually less than most non-licensed companies.
Hopefully this article has given you the knowledge and confidence you need to go out and find the perfect Troop T-shirts for your Scouts. Just take things slowly, remember all of the things we discussed above, and you’ll be the hero of your Troop when you hold up that first shirt for all of them to see. And remember, whatever design you choose or what company you decide to produce your custom Troop t-shirts, the look in the kids’ eyes and the smiles on their faces will make all of your effort well worthwhile.
Good luck and enjoy your new T-shirts!
Enjoy your custom t-shirts and wear them with pride.
Our Page about Boy Scout Troop T-shirts