Grow a

fashion brand
in 2021
Learn about the business model that’s changing the fashion
industry, the top-selling products, and customization
techniques that’ll make your design ideas pop.
Hello!
Whether you’ve been playing the ecommerce
game for a while or are planning your first move,
this guide will help you on your path to growing
a successful fashion brand.

Learn about the best product choices and

production techniques, and get some backing for
your next decision: you’ve got 8 years of print-
on-demand experience at your fingertips, straight
from the experts at Printful.

With on-demand production, items are made

only when a customer places an order. That way,
there’s no leftover stock that would otherwise
end up in landfills. At Printful, we’re in control of
production A–Z, from picking the best printing
tech and suppliers to fulfilling the production.

Choose less waste and more flexibility—choose

on-demand.
Tops
Wardrobe essentials like shirts, hoodies, and
sweatshirts can be styled with pretty much
anything. That’s what makes them so important
for any fashion brand. Build your collection
with tops in various fits, colors, and decoration
techniques to attract customers of all tastes.

Tell a story with your design, show the world what

you believe in, and your community will follow.

Unisex Crew Neck Sweatshirt | Gildan 18000

 T-shirts
T-shirts are staple pieces people buy and sell
every day. They’re so popular that in spring 2020,
Printful customers were selling more than 11 tees
every minute*.

Fast forward to Black Friday Cyber

Monday that year, and the tally was
over 75 t-shirts a minute*.

Since the t-shirt market is so saturated, selling

tees will be a success only if you find a unique
niche, so focus on your brand and who you’re
trying to reach. Eco-friendly products, exclusive
colors, trendy fits and materials are all elements to
play around with. Your design plays a major role
too.

Unisex Premium T-Shirt | Bella + Canvas 3001 *Average based on item count sold that day, divided by minutes in a day.
 “A good t-shirt is a must-have
for everyone. They’re the
ultimate styling pieces that
go with everything. You need
at least one in your store.”
– Ieva, Senior DTG Merchandiser

Unisex Organic Cotton T-Shirt | Stanley/Stella STTU755

Unisex Organic Cotton T-Shirt
Hoodies &
sweatshirts
Your design + our premium products = a win.
Customize hoodies and sweatshirts with direct-to-
garment printing, embroidery, or all-over print.
Pick the technique that will best bring out your
idea.

Going for multiple print placements? Go with

direct-to-garment printing and design the front,
back, and sleeves of the garment. To amp up the
branding of your products, you can also customize
the inside and outside labels.

If you want to enhance your shirt design with a

bit of texture, go for embroidery. It works best for
simple, clean, and embroidery-friendly designs
and will serve your customer for a long time.

Unisex Sueded Fleece Hoodie | Bella + Canvas 3329

Unisex Fleece Sweatpants | Cotton Heritage M7580
 “On-demand embroidery is still
relatively unexplored, so use
this to your advantage. Don’t be
afraid to be bold, unique, and
noticeable. Since embroidered
designs are so durable, they
work great with our eco
products and go hand-in-hand
with the sustainable fashion
movement.”
– Krista, Embroidery Merchandiser

Unisex Champion Tie-Dye Hoodie

Create a collection showstopper using all-over
print, and create a hoodie or sweatshirt design
that goes from seam to seam. With all-over print,
each item can be fully customized and is cut
and sewn on demand.

In 2020, printed and embroidered

sweatshirt popularity at Printful grew
by 230%, while the demand for all-
over printed sweatshirts grew by a
whopping 824%

Unisex Long Sleeve Tee | Bella + Canvas 3501

5 Panel Cap | Yupoong 7005
Jackets
A good jacket can embellish any outfit and can be
a great high-margin addition to your store.

On platforms like Etsy, jackets range

from $40 to $500.

Turn our jacket blanks into statement pieces.

Try a fully customizable all-over print jacket, or a
more minimalist option like an embroidered denim
jacket. For the full premium experience, give
your customers the chance to personalize their
embroidered jackets with text designs of their
own.

Unisex Denim Jacket | Threadfast Apparel 370J

Printed,
embroidered, or
all-over-printed?
Direct-to-garment printing is the most widely used
fulfillment technique at Printful. This method uses
ink to print directly onto the fabric. You can print
different graphics and text.

Embroidery is a fast-growing decoration

technique that’s used on apparel and accessories.
Embroidery adds depth to the design, gives the
item a premium look, and is more durable than
prints.

Embroidered Champion Packable Jacket

 For all-over print products, we use the cut &
sew technique. We source materials from our
suppliers and take care of the designing, sizing,
and fit in-house. For each item your customers
order, we print a block of fabric with your design,
cut it in parts, and sew it together to make the
perfect piece.

All-Over Print Unisex Bomber Jacket

Bottoms
We can’t ignore what spending so much time
at home has done to our taste for pants—the
booming loungewear trend has made comfort
and utility the ultimate criteria. And with people
returning to gyms and fitness classes, customized
joggers and leggings are more topical than ever.

Play around with designs and create beautiful mix

and match clothing sets, like a printed hobodie
with matching joggers. Or, our most popular
product combination—leggings and a sports bra,
an essential for any activewear store.

Classic Snapback | Yupoong 6089M

Unisex Premium Hoodie | Cotton Heritage M2580
Unisex Fleece Sweatpants | Cotton Heritage M7580
 “The fabrics for our all-over
print products are carefully
sourced, and each product is
designed, cut, and sewn in-
house at our facilities. Every
item is a work of art created
by our expert team. Their
craftsmanship is worth the
wait.”
– Alise, Senior New Product Development Specialist

All-Over Print Yoga Leggings

All-Over Print Kids Leggings
Accessories
A good accessory is the final touch, the icing on
the cake, the cherry on top that makes an outfit
put together and unforgettable. So go ahead—
add some extra pizzazz to your collection!

And when it comes to accessories, there’s

nowhere better to start than with hats and bags.

Pastel Baseball Hat | Beechfield B653

Unisex Heavy Blend Hoodie | Gildan 18500
 Hats
Our catalog has a hat for almost all occasions:
from snapbacks and trucker hats to our fastest
growing trio of dad hats, bucket hats, and beanies.

In 2020, the popularity of the classic dad hat

grew by 86%. Unsurprisingly, during the US
presidential election, the top selling colors were
red, white, and blue. In 2021, the hottest trends
call for pastels, tie-dye, and yellow hues.

Bucket Hat | Big Accessories BX003

Sustainability
matters
People are becoming more conscious of their
buying habits, making room in their closets for
timeless garments. With on-demand products
you’ll have it all—a more sustainable business
model and premium items the buyer will want to
invest in.

Let your customers know they’re buying from a

brand that cares about quality and its footprint, so
mention the benefits of on-demand manufacturing
in your marketing efforts.

The interest in sustainability is not

dying down. A staggering 84% of
shoppers are now willing to pay
more for eco-friendly products, up
from only 3% in 2016.

Organic Ribbed Beanie | Beechfield B50

Wide Brim Bucket Hat | Adams Sea Breeze SL101 Tie Dye Hat | Sportsman SP400
Bags
The modern buyer wants a bag that is both
fashionable and reliable, so duffle bags, tote bags,
fanny packs, and backpacks are very much in.

At Printful, 71% of all bags sold are designed

in-house and cut and sewn on demand. Market
them as the premium products that they are and
spread the word how ordering on demand is a
more sustainable option than buying pre-made.

All-Over Print Duffle Bag

 When planning a product launch, look for
seasonal sales opportunities. For bags, a big
one is back-to-school, which is the second
largest shopping season after Black Friday Cyber
Monday.

Did you know that backpack sales

start going up as early as June?

All-Over Print Minimalist Backpack

Diversify your
catalog
“By diversifying your product offering,
you’ll make sure your customers don’t
have to turn to other brands for products
they need. Pick products that make
sense for your brand’s vision and don’t
limit yourself to single-category items to
capture a bigger audience.

People may love your designs but not

want to wear them on a tee, for example.
But they might enjoy looking at them
each day on their coffee mug. Become
a go-to brand for all kinds of goods
and increase your profitability in the
meantime.”
– Elina, Head of New Product Development &
Merchandising

All-Over Print Men’s Joggers

All-Over Print Unisex Sweatshirt
Black Foot Sublimated Socks
All-Over Print Plus Size Leggings All-Over Print Beanie
All-Over Print Longline Sports Bra All-Over Print Kids Beanie
Home
& living
Products like wall art, stationery, blankets, and
phone cases are great for adding more life to
your catalog. That way, customers who already
love your apparel designs can keep enjoying
your brand through other product categories.

Home & living offers lots of variety in products

and printing techniques, and each item can be
made truly unique.

All-Over Print Premium Pillow

 Popular products
and trends
The end-of-the-year gifting season is huge for
home & living products. Last year, the category’s
sales grew by 71% in one quarter. The best-
selling (most gift-worthy) products during the
holiday season are mugs, posters, blankets, and
postcards.

While spending more time at home, people are

also looking for ways to improve their living
spaces, giving products, like wall art, pillows, and
blankets quite a bit of sales potential.

In just one month at the end of

2020, blanket sales grew by 723%.

Throw Blanket
Enhanced Matte Paper Framed Poster White Ceramic Mug with Color Inside
 Branding
A personal touch is especially important to
buyers. That’s where branding comes in. Use
products, like stickers and postcards to increase
your brand’s discoverability (and up your order
value). You can also add branded thank-you notes
or stickers to your orders as pack-ins and let your
customers spread the word about the brand they
love. Plus, who doesn’t love a freebie?

We eat with our eyes and packaging is the first

thing your buyers see when receiving their
purchase. It’s a big part of your brand’s image and
recognition. Create a unique unboxing experience
by adding custom packaging to your orders.

Standard Postcard
Build your own unicorn. Pick products and designs
you know will speak to your audience and use our
tips to take your brand to the next level. You’ve
got this!

This guidebook was made by our talented

in-house team of designers, visual
merchandisers, and photographers. If you
need help making your dream into a state of the
art reality as well, reach out to our Design and
Photography Services team.

Fulfilling your ideas on demand

© 2021 Printful® Inc. All Rights reserved.