Frequently Asked Questions
Everything you need to know about your Expressions fundraiser
Planning a fundraiser naturally comes with questions.
We've brought together the answers to the things coordinators ask us most, from getting started and preparing artwork to pricing, ordering and delivery.
Choose a category below to find what you need. If you can't find the answer you're looking for, our friendly team is always happy to help.
Getting Started
As a general guide, allow around 4 to 6 weeks from sending your artwork through to delivery.
How long you spend collecting the children’s drawings is completely up to you. Some groups complete them in a day, while others take a few weeks.
For custom designs, your final layout will generally be ready to review and approve within two weeks of us receiving your artwork. Once approved, allow approximately another two weeks for printing and shipping.
We recommend allowing extra time during our busy Term 4 period when processing and delivery times can be longer.
You can run an Expressions fundraiser at any time of year, but our historical fundraising data shows that Terms 1, 2 and 3 can be particularly successful.
Compared with December fundraisers, our data shows sales can be up to:
- 87.7% higher in March
- 89.9% higher in June
- 67.4% higher in August
- 59.7% higher in September
Starting earlier also helps you avoid the busy Term 4 period.
Not at all. Many schools and childcare centres create Expressions products simply as keepsakes, graduation gifts or mementos for their community.
If you’re not fundraising, just make sure your product and shipping costs are covered when setting your selling price.
Artwork & Design
There are several ways to bring your artwork to life.
Screen Print
Our classic and most popular option. Children’s drawings are brought together into one collaborative design and screen printed onto your chosen product.
Full-Colour Digital
Ideal when you want to retain the colours in children’s original artwork. Drawings are brought together into a group design and printed in full colour.
Individual Artwork
Each child’s artwork becomes its own full-colour design rather than being combined into one group layout.
DIY Saver
You prepare the finished layout yourself, either physically or digitally, ready for us to print.
You can choose a portrait or landscape layout.
Our team carefully prepares and arranges the drawings, then adds your chosen school or group details such as your logo, text and border.
If you’re using DIY Saver, you’ll prepare the artwork layout yourself and we’ll add your selected border.
It depends on the product.
Tea towels: Up to 450 portraits per design. If you have more than 200 drawings, we ask children to draw faces only. Please contact us if you need to include more than 450.
Aprons: Up to 300 portraits.
Tote bags: Up to 150 portraits on one side. Double-sided printing allows up to 300 portraits in total and incurs an additional charge.
Absolutely.
Your design could include school crests, logos, signatures, handprints, school songs, murals, commemorative artwork or something completely different.
If you have an idea but aren’t sure how to make it work, talk to our team and we’ll help you find the best approach.
You’ll find a selection of borders in our Coordinator’s Guide, or you can create your own at no extra cost.
You can also personalise your design with details such as your school name, motto or teachers’ names.
Products & Printing
Our extra-large tea towels measure 50 x 70cm and are available in 100% organic cotton or an organic cotton and linen blend.
They’re designed for clean, crisp printing and everyday use, turning your community’s artwork into a keepsake families can enjoy for years.
Our tote bags are made from sturdy 100% organic cotton drill, with plenty of room for books, groceries and everyday essentials.
They’re a practical way to turn your group’s artwork into something families can use again and again.
Our adult-sized aprons are made from 100% organic cotton and available in a range of colours.
They can be screen printed or digitally printed and are particularly popular for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and gifting projects.
We offer 13 standard screen print colours, something to suit every school theme and design. If you’d like a specific shade outside our standard range, we can print using PMS (Pantone Matching System) colours on request.
For those wanting vibrant, photo-quality designs, we also offer Full Colour Digital printing.
Pricing for additional print options:
- 2-colour screen print: add $2.00 per item
- 3-colour screen print: add $3.00 per item
- Double-sided tote bag printing: add $4 per item
Yes. You can choose from tea towels, tote bags and aprons.
Minimum order requirements apply separately to each product and design, so for smaller groups we generally recommend focusing on one product to make reaching your minimum quantity easier.
Pricing, Orders & Payment
For group designs containing up to 249 drawings, the minimum order is 40 products per design.
For designs containing 250 or more drawings, the minimum increases to 100 products per design.
For Individual Artwork, the minimum order is 25 products in any mix.
If you’re creating more than one unique design, such as separate Junior and Senior designs, each design is treated individually for pricing and minimum order requirements.
That’s entirely up to you.
You choose your selling price, which means you’re in control of how much profit your fundraiser can make.
Our regular fundraisers commonly sell tea towels for around $18 to $30 each, with bags and aprons often selling for $25 to $30 each.
Some groups also encourage larger orders by offering a multi-buy price.
Once your artwork is ready, coordinators approve the final design and confirm quantities via email.
If your fundraiser has Online Family Ordering available, parents and carers can place their orders online. Otherwise, families can order directly through their fundraising coordinator.
Yes. Reorders have a minimum quantity of 30 items.
We’ll email your invoice when your fundraising order is dispatched.
Payment is due within 7 days of receiving your order.
You can pay by:
- Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), using the banking details on your invoice
- Credit card
- Cheque, if EFT or credit card isn’t available
Cheques should be made payable to Expressions Australia Pty Ltd and posted to:
Expressions Australia Pty Ltd
PO Box 195
Forestville NSW 2087
When making payment, please include your organisation name or invoice number so we can identify your payment.
Delivery & Product Care
Allow 4-6 weeks from the time you post your artwork to delivery.
The length of time it takes to complete the drawings or designs at your end is up to you - some groups are finished drawing in one day and others take a few weeks.
For ‘custom designs’ the final layout will be ready for you to check and approve within 2 weeks from receipt of your artwork. Once approved, your order will be printed and shipped within 2 weeks. Allow some additional time during our Term 4 peak period, as processing and shipping times are extended.
To help keep your printed products looking their best:
- Unfold before washing
- Wash in cold water
- Dry in the shade
- Iron on the reverse
Some fading may occur naturally over time.
Sustainability
Sustainability has been important to Expressions from the beginning.
Our products are made exclusively for us using 100% organic cotton and are ethically grown and manufactured in a GOTS-certified factory we’ve worked with for many years.
We choose premium, heavyweight fabrics designed to be used and kept, rather than treated as disposable fundraising products.
Our screen printing inks are solvent-free, PVC-free and phthalate-free and meet Soil Association requirements for organic textile processing.
Our full-colour digital inks are Oeko-Tex Standard 100 certified.
Across our business, we:
- Use a paperless internal system
- Choose local suppliers where possible
- Recycle and reuse marketing materials, shipping boxes and cartridges
- Send free Coordinator Kits in recycled mailers
- Provide recycled parent order bags for distributing finished products
We also give back through monthly donations to The Smith Family and take part in community tree planting and beach clean-ups.
For us, creating products designed to last and running our business responsibly go hand in hand.
Still Have a Question?
If you can't find what you're looking for, our friendly Australian team is here to help.
Or call us on 1300 855 509