Friendship bracelets, the easiest Fundraising choice?

It is just about accepted that throughout our lives we will have to spend some time raising money. Whether that is for a school trip for the kids, or the local sports club needs a little bit extra for the playing fields or you have a burning desire to help a cause. There seems to be no way to escape it.

making fundraising braceletsThere are those out there that actually thrive by fundraising. I’ve heard them say that they love watching the money grow. Or they get a thrill when they talk about their latest cause. To me I think that must be the natural salesperson in them. 

If however you are more like me, the thought of fundraising raises a cold sweat. In some respects it can be a thankless job. It is mostly something that is in addition to our daily activities so it cuts into leisure time. And you may have to work with a group that are disinterested, adding to your pressure. I know that for me, each time I fundraise, I end up with boxes of chocolates sitting in my cupboard, which slowly disappear. Finding a profitable and easy fundraising campaign is the dream of every PTA.

Well in the last few years, amongst the emergence of new fundraising ideas, selling fundraising bracelets have stood out as a great alternative to chocolate and pie drives. Although typically made from silicon, fundraising bracelets are relatively inexpensive, come in many colours, are durable and can be easily customised with branding. But the popularity of these has also waned in recent times. The initial “fad” factor has gone, making them a little more difficult to sell than even two years ago.

Enter the humble friendship bracelet. This style of fundraising wristband is enormously popular. Over the last forty years, friendship bracelets have grown to become a part of everyday lives. So much so that there are lots of tutorials out there that show you how to make them and a huge range of styles and colours. In fact the range seems to be almost limitless, which adds to the appeal. Each piece is a unique master piece that reflects the creativity of its maker. 

So fundraising is the obvious evolution for friendship bands. A message of friendship and unity can so easily be woven into the cause of a fundraiser. With a growing interest in awareness fundraising or cause related fundraising, friendship bracelets make perfect sense. Add to this that they are often made by women in developing communities, it is easy to weave in a message about our global communities and how "fair trade" is making a difference. These messages are a perfect balance with a fundraising campaign for schools, youth groups, churches; just about any cause.

So, why not I say? Here is an idea that typically has great profits, supports a great "fair trade" message and broadens our awareness of global communities. This in turn gives more credence to our own fundraising campaign - no matter the reason and adds up to one thing. Fundraising with friendship bracelets is the easiest fundraising choice.

If you would like to know more about how fundraising bracelets are changing communities, visit 1hope fundraising.