Kindness Collective – Pre-order for Good

The Wear Kindness campaign by the Kindness Collective Foundation goes beyond creating beautiful t-shirts—it’s about making a real difference. This year’s campaign operated through a pre-order store powered by Print Room, allowing supporters to secure limited-edition garments while contributing to a meaningful cause. The pre-order model not only provided a platform for people to connect with the designs of five renowned New Zealand artists but also ensured that every dollar raised went directly to helping families in need during the Christmas season.

Print Room’s pre-order stores are designed to streamline custom merchandise sales. Customers can browse a curated collection, order online, and wait for their made-to-order items to be produced and shipped. This approach reduces waste, eliminates excess stock, and reflects our commitment to sustainability. For campaigns like Wear Kindness, the pre-order model is particularly effective, as it collects orders upfront, simplifying production and allowing organisations like the Kindness Collective to focus on their mission.

For the 2024 Wear Kindness campaign, five artists—Juliette Hogan, FLOX, Ruby Jones, LucidLuca, and Kiri Nathan—created unique t-shirt designs, each reflecting their interpretation of kindness. Proceeds from the campaign supported the Kindness Collective’s efforts to assist families facing poverty or hardship through their nationwide programmes. Founded in 2013, the Kindness Collective fosters a culture of kindness across Aotearoa, working alongside social services, Māori organisations, schools, and healthcare providers to ensure equitable access to essential resources.

Our role was to bring the artists’ designs to life using a combination of screen printing and Supacolour heat transfer techniques, ensuring each piece captured the artists' vision and upheld the campaign’s quality and purpose.

Juliette Hogan’s design draws inspiration from the innocence and optimism of her five-year-old daughter, Daisie, who wrote the word kind in her own handwriting. Juliette reflected, “My hope for my girls is that they grow up being kind. Kind to themselves, to each other, to their friends, to their community, and to people they do not even know. It’s my role as a parent to teach them kindness, and kindness is what this world needs more of.”

Kiri Nathan’s design, back by popular demand after selling out in 2022, embodies the spirit of kindness and unity. A leading Aotearoa designer, Kiri (Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hine, Ngāti Maru, Ngāti Hauā) seamlessly integrates te ao Māori with contemporary design. Her label champions indigenous fashion and inclusivity, earning her numerous accolades, including a New Zealand Order of Merit and a finalist position for New Zealander of the Year 2024.

Both Juliette Hogan and Kiri Nathan’s designs were screen printed in-house using water-based inks, a sustainable choice that delivers soft, durable prints with clean lines. Juliette Hogan’s design was printed in two colourways: white on black and black on white, emphasising its clean, minimalist aesthetic. Kiri Nathan’s design featured metallic ink on black and white tees, adding an elegant, reflective quality. The precision of this method perfectly complemented their impactful artwork.

FLOX’s design celebrates New Zealand’s collective spirit, depicting two Kōtare birds crossing beaks in unity, surrounded by native flora like Pōhutukawa and Puawananga. Her vibrant, nature-inspired stencil art style brings energy and life to the campaign, highlighting themes of solidarity and kindness.

Ruby Jones’ design offers a heartfelt reminder to treat everyone with unconditional kindness. Inspired by the idea that “we all carry different hearts—full, curious, aching, or messy,” Ruby encourages compassion through her art, which often explores themes of love, mental health, and shared humanity. Her work includes the widely recognised illustration created after the 2019 Christchurch terror attacks, which resonated with audiences worldwide.

LucidLuca’s design honours the strength and healing power of friendship, portraying kindness as both powerful and quietly resilient. A queer Tongan artist based in Tāmaki Makaurau, Luca draws inspiration from the resilient women of Moana Oceania who have shaped his life. His work is deeply rooted in cultural heritage and celebrates connection and support in the face of adversity.

For the intricate, multi-colour designs by FLOX, Ruby Jones, and LucidLuca, we used Supacolour heat transfers. This method captures fine details, gradients, and vibrant colours with exceptional clarity, making it the ideal choice for these complex artworks. Supacolour printing ensures durability, allowing the t-shirts to retain their vibrancy even after repeated use, ensuring wearers can proudly display the message of kindness for years to come.

Working on the Wear Kindness campaign has been a privilege for the Print Room team. Each artist’s unique perspective on kindness was thoughtfully translated into garments that not only look beautiful but also carry a deeper meaning. It’s inspiring to see how art and fashion can come together to make a tangible difference, supporting families and spreading kindness across Aotearoa.

If you’d like to know more about how Print Room’s pre-order stores can help your organisation or cause, get in touch—we’d love to help you create something meaningful.