The Angel Gowns Project: Frequently Asked Questions

We are humbled and pleasantly overwhelmed by the incredible response we’ve received for our Angel Gowns Project! We are so excited for you to join us in this great cause! These dresses have melted our hearts and brought tears to our eyes multiple times. There just aren’t words that describe it. When we first read the “Imprinted in My Heart” poem that Erin Schmutz sent to us to include with the gowns, tears fell. It’s been such a sweet and tender project for us.

At Real Imprints, our goal is to leave imprints of love, faith, hope, and healing on hearts and souls around the world, and The Angel Gowns Project is doing just that! We are grateful you are here and hope you’ll join our movement!

Burial Dresses

Our email,  Real Imprints and The Angel Gowns Project pages on Facebook have been flooded with questions about the cost and details of this project so we wanted to answer the most frequently asked questions here (clicking on the question will take you to the answer):

How can I donate my dress?

Please fill out and submit this form to be put on our dress donations waiting list. We will sew the gowns on a first come first served basis. Our team will contact you when we are ready for your dress.

Or, if you are interested in donating your dress now without a wait, you can check out our new International Program!

Can I send my dress in now?

Yes! If you are interested in sending your dress in now, and would like to make a lasting impact on families around the world, check out our NEW International Program. All other programs currently have a lengthy waitlist.

What is the cost?

There is no cost for the families receiving the gowns. If you are donating your dress and would like us to deliver them to our local hospitals, we request a minimum donation of $25 for us to clean, prepare, cut, sew, and embellish the gowns. If you would like the Angel Gowns shipped back to you, we request a minimum donation of $35, this added cost helps us cover the cost to ship the gowns back to you. Please note, the waiting list for having gowns returned to you is currently full. However, you can still join the list to have us donate the finished gowns for you.

Real Imprints is run by volunteers and 100% of the proceeds from this project go directly to the cost of making the dresses and spreading hope to those locally and around the world in seemingly hopeless situations. A couple of our most recent projects have been Operation You Are Loved and Our Medical/Educational Humanitarian Trip to Haiti (scroll down to see the video from our Haiti trip). Our passion is to help those dealing with great loss, tragedy, disabilities, and poor health. All the proceeds made from the Angel Gowns and other generous donations we receive allow us to spread love, faith, hope, and healing locally and around the world. We couldn’t do what we do without the support and help from people like you. We believe that when everyone participates and helps a little, we can accomplish great things together!

Where do I give my donation for The Angel Gowns Project?

The easiest and best way to donate is to click here to donate electronically. If you’re not able to pay online, you can also mail a check or money order to PO Box 1742, Eagle, ID 83616. Please do not mail your dress to that address, only monetary donations.

Are my donations tax deductible?

Real Imprints is in the legal process of going from a LLC to a nonprofit. Our hope is that all of the donations made for this project and Real Imprints will be deductible, but we can’t make any promises until it’s official. We’ve been told they offer retro deduction for new nonprofit organizations, so we are optimistic and anticipate that option when tax time rolls around.

Where do I send my dress?

When we are ready for your dress, we will provide with a mailing address. We have seamstresses located throughout the United State. With the HUGE response we’ve received for this project, we are continually building our team of volunteer seamstresses. If you are an experienced seamstress and would like to find out more about joining our team, please visit our Volunteer Seamstress page.

Do I have to clean my dress before I send it?

You do not have to pay to get your dress dry cleaned prior to sending it if it is in decent condition (without multiple stains and smoke free). We will take care of that for you. We just ask that when we receive it, it is smoke free and in good condition.

Does my dress have to be packaged a certain way?

The packaging and shipping of the dress is up to you. It does not have to be done a certain way. If you’d like to cut down on the shipping cost, you are welcome to remove the tulle from your dress before you ship it. This is completely optional.

Can I have the finished gowns returned to me?

We have three programs:
1. Gowns are returned to the donor so the donor can take them to the hospital or place of their choice. (Currently, this program is full. You cannot add your name to the waitlist for this program at this time.)
2. The donor has The Angel Gowns Project donate the finished angel gowns.
3. Our new International Program! There is currently no wait for this amazing program. 

If I want it shipped back to me, how long should I expect to wait?

It typically takes 8-10 weeks to finish sewing a dress into angel gowns, but that can vary with each seamstress. Some seamstresses will take longer than that 8-10 week time frame. We try not to rush the seamstresses to do a hurried job. Each gown is handmade with love and donated time and talent. We try to keep the cost down and hope that you will be patient as our volunteers work hard to create quality dresses in a timely manner.

Do you make outfits for boys too?

We have found that gowns work best with how fragile the angel babies are, so we try to embellish the gowns differently; some are geared towards boys, some towards girls, and some unisex.

Does the dress have to be white?

White is preferred, but ivory is also very welcomed. We are open to dresses that will make a quality burial gown.

Can I send in more than one dress?

There is a one dress limit per person. This allows more brides to be involved in the incredible project.

Can I send in a dress that has already been cut and partly repurposed?

Yes! These dresses often have the most beautiful stories to go with them. We will do our best to get as many angel gowns out of what is left.

Can I share my personal story, and if so, how and where?

Yes! We are passionate about sharing stories of love, faith, hope, and healing! We believe it’s a healing tool for both the reader and the writer. You can find out more information about publishing your story on Real Imprints here.

Does the story have to be about losing a child?

No. We share all stories of love, faith, hope, and healing on Real Imprints.

Baby Burial Gown

Thank you Imprinters for walking with us on this journey to leave imprints of love, faith, hope, and healing in the hearts of those dealing with such profound loss. This is a project that keeps giving.

If you haven’t already joined our weekly email list, we’d love to have you as part as our Imprinter family! Once a week  you’ll receive news of new projects, posts, and you will receive exclusive freebie offers!

Thanks Angel Gowns Imprinters! We love and appreciate you!