Help Save Cotton Basics: A Bay Area Legacy

Help Save Cotton Basics – A Bay Area Legacy Brand

We’ve been doing everything we can to stay afloat. But with rising costs and an uncertain economy in the years since the pandemic, we’ve had to make the heartbreaking decision to close two of our stores. And now, unless things change quickly, we’re at risk of closing more.

We’re doing everything we can to adapt and survive. But we need your help.

Story:

Cotton Basics has been a proud part of the Bay Area community for over 40 years. Since 1982, we’ve designed and manufactured clothing made from natural fibers, all domestically produced and community-rooted.

Brick & Mortar:

Cotton Basics has thrived for 40 years with nothing but word of mouth — no advertising, no marketing. But the world has changed. With so many people shopping online, our brick-and-mortar model can’t survive on local foot traffic alone.

How will the GoFundMe campaign Help?

By Expanding Our Customer Base:

We need to grow our online presence and reach a broader audience to help sustain our costs. One way to do this is by building out our e-commerce site, updating our systems, and launching our first-ever marketing efforts to expand our customer base.

Ways You Can Help:

1. Donate

Every donation helps big or small and makes a direct and immediate impact.

GoFundMe allows us to access funds in as little as 7 days. We are month to month; what happens in the next 30 days will determine our future.

2. Volunteer & Share

Even if you can’t donate, you can help by sharing — our story, our campaign, or contributing to our email subscriber list.

Help us spread the word! Here are some ways to pitch in:

Share this campaign on social media or tell your friends and family about Cotton Basics. Also, sharing our campaign with your email list would make a huge impact.

We welcome anyone who wants to join our grassroots marketing efforts on this campaign and thereafter. Whether you have expertise in branding or e-commerce, fresh ideas to share, or just want to help out, we’d love to connect and can use the help.

Email Rebecca Workshop @ shop cotton basics .com

https://www.shopcottonbasics.com

How will donations sustain the business?

Our leases are up at the end of the year, which means we have a little over 6 months to get ourselves to a healthy position, renew our leases, and keep our stores open.

In other words, if we do not take action, we will not be able to stay open after this year. Our GoFundMe Campaign is part of our big picture plan to sustain the business, which is detailed below.

We ask if Cotton Basics has ever meant something to you — whether it’s a favorite tee, a shared memory, or the feeling of buying something made local with care — that you consider supporting us in any way you can. We believe in the brand, our products, and our amazing community, and want to stay in business as long as customers want us around.

Support local. Wear natural. Save Cotton Basics.

Special thanks to all those customers who suggested & encouraged us to reach out to our community for help.

With sincere gratitude,

The Cotton Basics Team

Our 60-day plan:

Over the next 60 days, we’re taking bold, strategic steps to grow smarter, serve better, and scale faster.

Here’s what we’re focused on:

Launch a GoFundMe Campaign

To help cover immediate overhead and operating costs.

Start a Kickstarter Campaign

Dedicated to funding the restock of essential fabrics.

Restock Popular Items

Use new fabric to bring back customer favorites like our cotton joggers and slub tops, which are currently sold out.

Upgrade Our Website and Online Store

Laying the groundwork for stronger digital marketing opportunities and a better shopping experience.

Implement a UPC Inventory System

Enhances product tracking, streamlines operations, and improves the overall customer shopping experience and retention.

Migrate to Shopify POS System

Integrates online and in-store inventory, allowing customers to easily track purchases, reorders, and exchanges.

Expand Into Wholesale Partnerships

To build new, consistent, and reliable revenue streams that will support the long-term sustainability of the business.

Hire a Marketing Assistant & Launch Digital Marketing

To grow brand visibility, drive traffic, and increase engagement online.

The Impact

Our plan will directly improve our customer experience, increase operational efficiency, reduce long-term costs, and ultimately support long-term business growth and sustainability. It’s a 60-day sprint with long-term impact—and it’s just the beginning.

Let’s save this local legacy together! :)