TYSONS, Va., April 21, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Custom Ink, the online leader in custom products and apparel for businesses, groups, and organizations, today released findings from its 2026 School Spirit Gap Survey, a study of 447 PTA coordinators, booster club leads, athletic directors, teachers, and school administrators across the United States. The research reveals a measurable, quantifiable gap in community outcomes between schools that approach spirit wear with consistency and those that don’t.
Key Findings from the 2026 School Spirit Gap Survey:
- Recurring Programs Double Event Turnout: Schools with an organized, recurring spirit wear program are more than twice as likely to report higher-than-expected turnout at major community events compared to those with no program (33% vs. 14%).
- The Inconsistent Middle is 43%: Nearly half (43%) of K–12 organizers are inconsistent, running spirit wear programs some years but not others, resulting in significantly lower school pride and turnout outcomes.
- Spirit Wear Drives Pride: 61% of recurring-program schools strongly agree that spirit wear meaningfully contributes to engagement and school pride, compared to only 16% of schools with no program.
- Spirit Wear is the Primary Fundraiser: 87% of respondents have used custom gear to raise money, and 48% call it their primary fundraiser, often outperforming traditional methods.
- Vendor Juggling is Widespread: 72% of K–12 organizers use two or more vendors, creating major friction points in managing orders, invoices, and design consistency.
The Custom Ink research names the hidden cost of inconsistency the “Turnout Tax.” Among the 210 organizers who run a recurring, organized spirit wear program, 33% report higher-than-expected turnout at their school’s most recent major community event. Among those with no program at all, that number drops to 14%, a more than two-to-one gap driven not by the products themselves, but by whether the school approaches spirit wear with intention.
The pride data is even sharper: 61% of recurring-program schools strongly agree that spirit wear has meaningfully contributed to engagement and school pride, compared to just 16% of schools with no program.
The most significant finding may be the 43% of organizers caught in the “Inconsistent Middle”, doing spirit wear some years but not others. Their outcomes sit squarely between the two extremes: 22% higher-than-expected turnout and only 27% strong-pride agreement. The data shows clearly that it is the structure of a recurring program, versus better products or bigger budgets, that separates schools that see the best outcomes from those that don’t.
The survey also documents a significant shift in K–12 fundraising. Spirit wear has become the most widely adopted school fundraiser: 87% of respondents have used custom gear to raise money, 48% call it their primary fundraiser, and 73% say it outperforms traditional methods such as candy sales and coupon books. Organizers who fundraise with spirit wear are three times more likely to run a recurring program, evidence that fundraising and consistent programming reinforce each other.
The research also surfaces a widespread operational challenge: 72% of K–12 organizers currently use two or more vendors to fulfill their school’s custom apparel and merchandise needs. Among those juggling multiple vendors, the top friction points are managing multiple orders, invoices, and billing contacts (47%); keeping logos and designs consistent across vendors (42%); and coordinating timelines and delivery (41%). Organizers using three or more vendors are 45% more likely to call distribution their biggest headache compared to those working with a single vendor.
Distribution and fulfillment compound the challenge: 67% of K–12 organizers describe getting gear into students’ hands as at least somewhat challenging, and 26% call it one of their biggest operational headaches. The most common hurdles include getting gear to families who can’t attend a pickup event (31%), distributing across multiple locations (30%), and coordinating pickup events that not everyone attends (28%).
Despite persistent assumptions about constrained K–12 budgets, 48% of respondents say their school’s custom gear spending has increased compared to last year. The investment is moving toward quality: premium hoodies and fleece (42%), fundraising-oriented spirit wear (41%), and high-quality drinkware such as tumblers and water bottles (36%) are among the top categories capturing that growth.
“The Turnout Tax is real, but the good news is, it’s also actionable,” said Phil Auerbach, CMO at Custom Ink. “It tells organizers something concrete: building a recurring spirit wear program – same process, same timeline, every year – is one of the biggest levers they have for improving community outcomes. And, as a PTA parent myself, I’ve seen this firsthand. It’s not just about which shirt or tumbler you pick. It’s about showing up consistently, and our job is to make that as easy as possible.”
Custom Ink’s group order feature allows every family to order, size, and pay individually with gear shipped directly to the home, eliminating pickup events and unclaimed inventory. The company’s Design Lab enables students, staff, and committees to collaborate on designs before an order is placed. Full survey findings and methodology are available at blog.customink.com.
The School Spirit Gap Survey was conducted in April 2026 among 447 K–12 organizers — including PTA/PTO coordinators, booster club leads, athletic directors, teachers, and school administrators — who have purchased custom apparel or merchandise within the past 12 months.
About Custom Ink
Custom Ink is the online leader in custom products and apparel for businesses, groups, and organizations. The company helps bring colleagues, communities, teammates, and friends together with inspired custom products they are proud to use and wear. Custom Ink makes getting custom gear smooth and seamless with innovative design tools, caring customer service, creative design inspiration, and a broad range of high-quality merchandise. For more information, visit www.customink.com.
Media Contact:
Hani Durzy
Head of Communications, Custom Ink
hani.durzy@customink.com
