I’ve been wanting to make my own t-shirt designs for a long time. Now that Spawn is here, I really want to make some for her, too.
I dug around to see which websites offered this type of service. Many have the same features, and I’m hardpressed to find the “right one” to start with.
- You can design and sell your wares or just make them for yourself.
- Each site will let you make a commission off your sales; you mark it up. OR there is flat %. (Read the fine print.)
- You can either throw your design up on their main website or create your own storefront.
- Quality of the t-shirts depends on what brand they are using – many use American Apparel which is good because it’s a known quality and you know sizing is going to be the same across the board. It’s also a bad thing because I don’t believe American Apparel goes up to plus-size.
Five Design Your Own / Custom T-Shirt Services
In no particular order…
5. Cafepress – This is one of the oldest custom design sites I’ve known. You set the retail price of your product and throw it up on your custom storefront. They sell t-shirts, onesies, totes, mugs, buttons and even cutting boards.
4. Spreadshirt – Another site that offers a ton of different products like hoodies, iPhone cases, flip flops and even a sportsbra. (Eh. It’s an American Apparel sportsbra – ’nuff said.) Like the others, they do sell in bulk. So if you need 50+ t-shirts, you get a bulk discount. (This could be a good option for those who volunteer/work with school groups and nonprofits.)
3. Zazzle – There are three ways to make money on Zazzle: designer, maker or affiliate. To do your regular selling, it’s the “designer” mode. Zazzle and Cafepress seem to be very popular, what with all the variety of vendors and small businesses using them. They boast big brands are using them like Disney, Hallmark, Marvel and Grumpy Cat.
2. Print Aura – Now this is a white label app that you can integrate with an app like Shopify for your website. It’s a new one to me and I’m currently checking out how everything works. Currently it looks like they only sell t-shirts. (The others all sell other products.)
1. Printful – This looks like a new-ish startup like Print Aura. It does not sell a lot of products like the first three, and I assume it is because they’re a young company. I did notice that they offer embroidery! Bonus – this is a local company based in SoCal!
So help me out, readers. Which company should I futz with my t-shirt designs for Spawn and me? Which site have you ordered from?
Disclosure: Post contains some affiliate links.
Printful has no US support. The company is based on latvia and support is via ‘chat’. I have been very unhappy with the lack of information and the form of typing for support. I have spoken to folks who did not have answers, said they would email the answers after the chat and took 5 hours to do so.
I am now going to try Print Aura. I have not even gotten to the point of ordering a shirt. Print Aura does have phone support but they are in NY so I will need to call before they close which means a lot earlier than I usually work.
Thanks for the update. I’ll need to publish a new update post with new POD sites! Looking forward to hearing what you think of Print Aura. Have you thought about Teepublic or good ol’ Zazzle?
I’ve used Zazzle, Custom Ink, and Cafe Press. I’d recommend any of them. What kind of designs are you going to make?
Same as Raquel – I’ve used both of those and liked them. I can’t find a 3X on any of ’em ever though.
I love Zazzle and Cafe Press and have ordered from both. Now to decide what to put on it….