School Staff Apparel: A Custom Ink Alternative for PTOs and Admin

Custom Ink is the default reference point for most school apparel orders. Bear Grips Pro Shops takes a different approach: no minimum order, year-round shop link, and PTO margin that flows month over month instead of campaign over campaign. Here is the side-by-side for PTOs and admin teams comparing the two.

How Each Platform Actually Runs

Custom Ink: Open a campaign, set a deadline (usually 7 to 14 days), families order during the window, the order ships in batch after the window closes. If the campaign hits the minimum, it produces. If not, it cancels.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Open a shop link, no deadline, no minimum. Families and staff order whenever (back-to-school night, October hoodie weather, January refresh). Each order produces and ships independently in about a week.

What No Minimum Changes

The minimum order is the line that determines whether a small school can run a program at all.

• A 22-staff small elementary cannot hit a 48-piece minimum on a staff-only order. With no minimum, they can.
• A 6-chaperone field trip cannot hit a 24-piece minimum. With no minimum, they can.
• A new principal hire midway through the year cannot order one polo on a fundraiser link. With no minimum, they can.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

Per-Piece Cost Comparison

At standard quantities (50+ pieces per design), the per-piece cost lands similar across both platforms. Custom Ink advertises lower per-piece on large campaigns; Bear Grips advertises consistent per-piece regardless of size.

Item	Custom Ink approximate	Bear Grips VIP base
Cotton spirit tee (24-piece order)	$15 to $20	$19.88
Cotton spirit tee (100-piece order)	$10 to $14	$19.88
Embroidered polo (24-piece order)	$26 to $34	$34.88
Hoodie (24-piece order)	$32 to $40	$36.88

The honest read: Custom Ink wins on per-piece cost at very large orders. Bear Grips wins on flexibility, no-minimum access, and year-round availability.

How PTO Margin Compares

• Custom Ink Fundraising: Each campaign earns a fundraising margin. Margin closes when the campaign ends.
• Bear Grips: Margin accrues every time a piece sells, year-round. No campaign deadline.

For a school with steady year-round demand, the Bear Grips model returns more annually because the shop never closes. See school staff shop revenue math for the annual numbers.

When Each Platform Wins

• Pick Custom Ink when: One-time event, single design, large quantity (200+), tight delivery window with a strong campaign deadline.
• Pick Bear Grips Pro Shops when: Year-round shop, multiple designs across the year, small school or single role (front office, athletics, counseling), no-minimum flexibility for new hires and growing programs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Bear Grips cheaper than Custom Ink per piece?

At 200+ piece orders Custom Ink is often cheaper per piece. At sub-50 piece orders or no-minimum scenarios Bear Grips comes out ahead.

Can a school run both platforms?

Yes. Many schools use Custom Ink for one-shot large events and Bear Grips for year-round shop runs.

How long does Bear Grips ship after an order?

About a week from order to delivery. Each order ships independently.

Does the PTO get a fundraising link on Bear Grips?

The whole shop functions as a year-round fundraising link. Margin flows on every order to the PTO account.