Fairware: B2B Email Marketing for Sustainable Branded Merchandise
Our work for Fairware
Fairware is a Vancouver B Corp supplying ethically sourced branded merchandise to companies, schools and events. Since January 2026, we have managed its email copy, design, builds, testing and automated flows. The programme includes seasonal offers, product launches, a customer survey and a shoreline cleanup invitation. Fairware added further campaigns to the plan in October 2026.
56 Email Tasks by September 2026
The relationship began in January 2026. By September, we had tracked 56 pieces of work and delivered 47, including 39 campaigns and eight rounds of flow improvements, with onboarding and account management also in the scope. October brought a request for additional campaigns.
Six Emails for October
Corporate holiday buying starts early. Fairware’s October 2026 plan included six emails: “Your logo isn’t the gift this year”, Ethical Sourcing 101, team gifts, two product features and high-end corporate gifting. Each followed the copy, approval, design, build and test process.
Clear Updates Alongside the Work
We send short video walkthroughs with written notes on completed and upcoming work. Reports explain the figures in plain language. Scheduled flow reviews and attention to reporting data give Fairware a regular basis for discussing what to improve next.
B2B Email Marketing and Automation for Fairware
Fairware’s merchandise is sourced against ethical and environmental standards. Marketing, HR and sustainability teams need to choose products people will want and explain why those purchases meet their organisation’s requirements. The emails have to serve both needs: show useful merchandise and make the sourcing standards clear enough for a buyer to assess.
Setting Up the Process Before the Campaigns
We began with list growth, tested sign-up routing and lifecycle flows named so their performance could be tracked. Campaigns then followed a regular process: brief, copy approval, design, build, QA and a test send to Fairware’s team. Scheduling comes after those checks, with the client able to see the finished email first.
Fairware can bring a theme, a few links and a direction to the team. We develop the copy and layout, then build and test the email. The writing stays warm, clear and concise, reflecting Fairware’s voice while respecting readers who are fitting a purchase decision into a busy working day.
Planning Around the Buying Calendar
Campaigns follow the seasons when merchandise is ordered: convocation gear in June, summer events, back-to-school products and campus sweaters in July and August, then holiday planning from September. Emails such as “Keepsakes, not just giveaways” and “Merch that travels light” focus on the products. “Why we buy from fellow B Corps” and Ethical Sourcing 101 explain sourcing choices and link to Fairware’s free ethical sourcing guide.
Invitations and Feedback Alongside Offers
The programme also makes room for Fairware’s community. In May and June, we ran a customer survey with a Theragun Mini prize draw and final reminders. In July, we invited the list to the Reeve x Fairware Shoreline Cleanup in Vancouver, supporting Ocean Wise. Those emails asked customers to contribute feedback and take part, giving them reasons to engage beyond a product purchase.
The Work We Handle
- Campaigns covering seasons, products and sourcing values, written, designed and built in Mailchimp.
- Automation through lifecycle flows with scheduled reviews and improvements.
- List growth, sign-up routing and lead magnets such as the ethical sourcing guide.
- Reporting with checked dashboard data and explanations of the figures.
- Account updates through video walkthroughs, written notes and planning calls.
From an Idea to a Finished Email
Fairware brings its knowledge of products and sourcing; our team handles the production steps needed to turn that into regular sends. Read about our email marketing, the larger programme for Harmonic Arts, our work on B Lab’s events in the B Corporation case study, or more of our work.
Project FAQs
What does Setsail do for Fairware?
We handle campaign copy, design, builds and testing, plus automated flows, list growth and reporting. Regular written and video updates show Fairware what has been delivered and what is coming next, alongside planning calls for the ongoing email programme.
How do you market sustainable or ethically sourced products?
Show the product and explain the standards behind it. Fairware’s seasonal merchandise emails sit alongside topics such as Ethical Sourcing 101 and its decision to buy from fellow B Corps. The emails also point buyers to the free ethical sourcing guide for more detail.
How often should a B2B company send marketing emails?
The schedule should reflect when buyers plan and place orders. Fairware’s October 2026 plan included six emails because corporate holiday gifts are ordered early. That calendar gives the campaigns a reason to arrive, rather than setting a frequency without reference to how customers buy.
How do you keep an email client informed?
We use short video walkthroughs with written notes to explain completed work and next steps. Fairware also receives reports that interpret the figures in plain language and regular planning calls, so the client can review both production and priorities.
Do you only send promotional emails?
No. The Fairware programme has included a customer survey with a Theragun Mini prize draw, educational emails and an invitation to a Vancouver shoreline cleanup supporting Ocean Wise. Those sends give the audience ways to respond and participate beyond buying merchandise.
