Guest Blog Post by:
Michelle Berry of Fiddles & Fern
Follow Michelle on Instagram!

Hello UPP community! My name is Michelle, a digital artist and the passionate mind behind Fiddles & Fern. My journey began in the world of print-on-demand (POD) four years ago with just an iPad, Apple Pencil and a desire to get my own shop up and running from home. With Fiddles & Fern, I’ve combined my love for digital art and my experience in POD to create a platform where I can educate others to do the same! Creating mug and shirt designs from the couch with my sweatpants on?! Count me in!

In today’s digital age, print-on-demand (POD) services have become a popular choice for artists and entrepreneurs. With the ability to create and sell personalized and unique products without worrying about inventory management or shipping, POD has become very popular (and for good reason). But with so many POD companies available, it can be challenging to decide which one is the best choice for your needs and the best quality for your customers. In this blog post, we will explore the top print-on-demand companies, discuss their pros and cons, and share some insights on how POD works for digital artists.

And if you stick around until the end, I will be showing some of my top-selling print-on-demand products for some inspiration!

3 top print-on-demand companies + their pros/cons

There are numerous POD companies available, but the three most popular (and my favorites) are Printful, Printify, and Printed Mint.

Printed Mint

Let’s talk about Printed Mint. Printed Mint (my absolute fave) is a favorite among many due to its specialization in trendy, high-quality products, particularly in the home decor and stationery categories. The platform prides itself on its eco-friendly manufacturing and innovative product offerings. They also offer a seamless integration with major eCommerce platforms, making it convenient for the artist-entrepreneurs among us. However, Printed Mint’s product catalog is not as extensive as Printful and Printify, and their processing times can be a bit longer. But if you prioritize quality, trendiness, and eco-consciousness, Printed Mint might just be your ideal partner in the POD realm! Don’t sleep on their custom packaging! It is included (for FREE) in every order!

Printful

Printful is known for its quality, consistency, and excellent customer service. The platform provides a wide variety of products, including apparel, home decor, and accessories, and offers a high level of customization. However, some customers have reported that Printful can be more expensive than other POD services which will eat into your profit margin.

Printify

Finally, moving on to Printify, this POD service stands out with its affordability and extensive product catalog. By partnering with a network of print providers, Printify offers artists the flexibility to choose the provider that best fits their needs, from quality to delivery times. The platform is user-friendly, easy to integrate with eCommerce platforms, and provides a mockup generator to visualize your designs on the products. However, as the quality can vary based on the print provider, it’s important to test a few before you decide. On the flip side, the customer service at Printify has room for improvement, so keep this in mind when considering your options.

How POD works for digital artists (Canva, Procreate, Illustrator, etc.)

POD services work similarly for digital artists as they do for entrepreneurs who have their own physical products to sell. By creating your designs and uploading them to a POD platform, you can choose to sell your designs on various products, from t-shirts to phone cases. As a digital artist, you can create your designs using platforms such as Canva, Procreate, Illustrator, or Photoshop, and then upload them to a POD platform.

When uploading your designs to a POD platform, it’s essential to ensure that they are of high quality and resolution. The higher the quality of the image, the better it will look on the product. You can also choose to adjust the placement, size, and color of your designs to fit each product differently.

The beauty of POD is that you can use your design on so many different products that you might not have the capacity to do at your home. POD also allows for quantities of just one, making it super easy to create personalized designs for your customers.

Sites to use to create mock-up photos

One downside to POD is that you don’t physically have the product to showcase/ create content around to market it. Mockups are a great tool for showcasing your designed products without physically producing them. Several mockup sites let you place your designs on different products to show how they would look in real life. These mockups are useful for creating product pages and social media posts that can help increase sales.

One of the most popular sites to use for mockups is Placeit. The platform offers a wide selection of mockups, including print-on-demand products. Another great option is Canva, which provides a variety of templates and drag-and-drop tools to make mockup creation quick and easy.

Tips for creating good quality POD products

Creating high-quality POD products requires more than just designing great artwork. It’s essential to choose the right products, select the correct colors and sizes, and ensure that all designs are of superior quality and properly aligned. This can take some time as you determine which POD company to work with, what your profit margins will look like, and what the best-selling POD products are for your shop.

Additionally, it’s vital to consider your target audience and create designs that will appeal to them. Knowing your potential customers can help you stand out in a crowded market. As I said before, POD is great for personalized products, so think about creating custom mugs, shirts, notebooks, etc. during the holiday season to boost your shop sales!

Wrap it Up!

Print-on-demand services offer a great opportunity for digital artists to create and sell their designs without the expenses that come with traditional print runs. However, it’s essential to choose the right POD service that fits your needs and goals. Understanding how POD works, using high-quality images and mockups, and designing products with your target audience in mind can help you create successful and profitable products. By leveraging the benefits and potential that POD providers offer, digital artists and product-based business owners can increase their reach, develop new markets, and grow their sales.

If you want to learn more about Print-on-Demand and how to go step by step from design to product, to setting up your shop, check out my course, Procreate to Product. This course is for ANY digital artist who wants to create products with their designs on them and sell through Etsy. 

Thanks so much for taking the time to learn about POD and I can’t wait to see what you design this year! Come find me over at Fiddles & Fern and follow along in my POD journey.

You can also join my email list here to stay up to date on all the latest POD information, events, and more!

As promised, take a look below for my top-selling POD products that you can create too!