Did Taylor Swift’s otter t-shirt spark a $2.3M fundraiser for sea animals? Details explored

Taylor Swift's outfit choice inspired a multi-million-dollar donation to sea animals. For the unversed, the popstar wore a vintage sea otter T-shirt while filming The Official Release Party of a Showgirl, and the same shirt appeared in the film's final cut, prompting Swifties to donate to the California aquarium that issued the shirt, Monterey Bay Aquarium.

There was an uptick of $13 donations to the aquarium, according to KSBW, but besides that, the Monterey Bay Aquarium also reissued the vintage otter T-shirt design that Swift wore. They also started a fundraiser with the aim of reaching $1.3 million, referencing the Opalite singer's lucky number. The shirt went live on October 16 at around 9:40 local time.

And per Monterey Bay Aquarium, the $1.3 million goal was met in just seven hours, and by the following day, the fundraiser had already reached over $2.3 million.

The aquarium shared their appreciation with a message on their website, writing:

"We never thought we'd hit our goal in 7 hours. Because of you we reached New Heights—your support means more than words can say, and the impact will ripple far beyond this moment. Truly, this community is The 1!"

At the time of writing, the aquarium had already raised $2.37 million and counting. They are asking fans to donate $65.13, another play on Taylor Swift's lucky number, to get a re-issue of the vintage otter tee.

Read more: Internet reacts to Taylor Swift's The Fate of Ophelia breaking Spotify's single-day record

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Production of Taylor Swift's vintage otter T-shirt is on pause, but fans can still donate

Per the Monterey Bay Aquarium's official website, they only have limited supplies of the reissue of the sea otter T-shirt that Taylor Swift wore in their campaign. It turns out that the supplies have lasted, and the aquarium and its supplier are now catching up on orders after donations and orders exceeded their goal.

Taylor Swift | The Eras Tour (Image via Aldara Zarraoa/Getty Images)

As of Friday, October 17, 9:20 am local time, however, it appears that the initial supply of the re-issued shirt has run out, which is unsurprising as donations have gone nearly twice their goal. However, at the time, fans could still get the sea otter shirt via their official website for $65.13, but any donation will be treated as a back order, per the aquarium.

"Due to high demand and limited production capacity, if you place a donation now, it will be treated as a back order and delivery will be delayed. We strongly recommend placing your order as soon as possible to secure your place in the queue—lead times may extend furrrrrther."

However, only a few hours after their first update, the aquarium shared on their website that their T-shirt campaign is "on pause for now." Fans of The Life of a Showgirl singer can still donate, and they are also encouraging people to stay in touch for future updates.

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According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, per People, the original shirt was an "anti-fast-fashion statement," sturdy enough to last for over three decades. For the reissue, they partnered with Liberty Graphics, which reportedly has ties to the original shirt producer, to create a 100% cotton shirt printed using PVC-free, water-based ink to minimize pollution.

Edited by Kinette Sumadia