You’ve probably been looking for ways to make extra income online. Other than affiliate marketing, blogging and social media influencing, you can make money online by designing marketable t-shirts. Quite revealing, right? If you know how to use graphic tools like Canva, Illustrator and so on, you can get your designs printed on T-shirts and put them on sale on certain websites.
There are companies that provide platforms for creative minds in the fashion world to showcase and sell unique designs. A major advantage of using these platforms is that it eliminates the need to create your own online store to sell your designs.
If you make one design, it’s probably not going to sell. In order to earn well, you need to be able to come up with various designs to give your customers room to make their choices.
T-Shirt Design Software Options for Custom Prints
It is easy to make your own unique T-shirt design because of the various software that are available to make this work. There are tools/software that help you upload your own image or choose from several templates, change theme colour, add text and make your clothes look professional.
While some of the tools are easy to work with, others are very advanced. See below some of the best design software options for T-shirts.
1. Adobe Illustrator
2. Adobe Photoshop
3. CorelDRAW
4. GIMP
5. Inkscape
6. Canva
7. PlaceIt
8. Printify
9. Printful
10. GraffixPro Studio
15 companies that pay you to sell T-shirts online
TeePublic
TeePublic is one of the most reliable platforms for selling customised T-shirt designs.
You must first create an account that will enable you to open a store. And then you proceed to design and upload your graphics and display them for sale in your online store.
The commission varies for shirts, tank tops, and hoodies but the range is between $3-$5 per sale.
You can also join the platform as a partner. All those who sign up can earn an additional 11% on all current TeePublic patterns. They have both kids and adult clothing.
Designhill
Currently, there are various printing options but only the most popular printing methods are used on Designhill – Screen printing and direct-to-garment printing.
Designhill is among the leading platforms for making money from T-shirt designs. It is an e-commerce platform that allows users to upload their designs in their stores. These designs can include shirts for men, women and children.
However, Designhill is unique because there’s usually a contest that awards the best designers with more cash.
Spread Group
Spread Group is a more conventional marketplace for selling designers T-shirt. Customers and partners can easily design, produce, and market fashion and customized lifestyle products people love.
SG allow users to decide the commission to charge and what is more interesting is that you can sell your designs to other artists. The minimum commission you can earn on this platform is $1.50 and most of the shirts cost up to $14 to make. So, you can make a lot of profit since you are allowed to add any amount you like.
It is free to open an account on SpreadGroup.
CafePress
CafePress is also one of the few reliable marketplaces for selling artistic designed T-shirts at no cost.
This platform allows users to create their own branded stores to sell their products. However, they charge a fee of $5 to $10 a month for this service. Despite the charges, you find brands like ABC, Paramount, Sprout, and National Geographic constantly patronising CafePress to make sales.
Design and text are the two factors that affect the prices of the shirt, however, the minimum fee for a shirt is up to $20.
CafePress offer a 5% commission for the sale of any product, this excludes shipping and handling charges, discounts, rebates, refunds, returns, third-party licensor royalties (for Fan Art), platform fees, transaction fees and taxes.
Blue Cotton
Blue Cotton focuses mainly on customer experience, which is one of the reasons they have retained a huge chunk of their customer base.
They typically screen print on orders for 6 or more products, with exceptions for more complex designs. This means as an individual, you can get the T-shirt of your choice and order in commercial quantity.
It is impossible to open a storefront on this platform but you can run campaigns in order to generate sales. Your best bet is to design your T-shirt and then run social media campaigns to generate sales.
Zazzle
Zazzle is an automated marketplace that connects designers to their customers. Customers are allowed to customise products to their tastes.
You can create an account on Zazzle and become a sales associate. There are various categories of designers on Zazzle for individuals and brands which include: Inspiring Creators, Mighty MAKERS, Legendary Brands and Renowned Partners.
In terms of commission, they allow you to set the percentage you want. For example, if you design your Shirt for $20 and set your royalty at 20%, the shirt will sell for $24.
Society 6
Society 6 is a marketplace primarily made for art prints – however, T-shirt designers are also allowed to upload their products for sale on the website.
Society 6 commission for designers is based on a base price that they set. You can sign up for free and there are no minimums set.
Gelato
Gelato is a print-on-demand marketplace that is used for the creation of any type of print product. While they sell various products, T-shirts are their most sellable items because of the quality of shirts on the platform.
To be able to sell products on Gelato, you have to subscribe to one of their four plans, which include the free, Gelato+, Gold and Platinum plans. Subscribing to any plan other than free attracts a fee of at least $14 per month.
Gelato allows you to set your commission but you must set it up your store on Shopify, Etsy, WooCommerce, Wix, or Squarespace online store or marketplace in order to make sales.
TeePublic
TeePublic is a platform for the sale of custom apparel and designs owned by Redbubble. Like other platforms, TeePublic offers a set commission for the sales of products.
Customers who have a merchandise store are given the opportunity to become partners, which means more commission on sales.
Printify
Printify is the largest global print network. On this platform, you can design T-shirts, leggings, accessories and home decor. It is 100% free to use and the products found on this platform are high-quality.
The price range is dependent on the printer used but the minimum starting price is about $8. Printify is integrated with Etsy, Shopify, Walmart, eBay and other big e-commerce stores.
In terms of commission, you are at liberty to set the margin and enjoy the profits while Printify delivers sales for you.
Spreadshirt
Are you ready to showcase your t-shirt designs to the world? Look no further than Spreadshirt! Spreadshirt is the best platform to unleash your creativity for free. This incredible platform allows you to upload your t-shirt designs free of charge. Moreover, you can establish your online store on Spreadshirt without any upfront costs. Meaning you can sell your creations directly to your target market.
One of the outstanding features of Spreadshirt is the ability to set your commissions. As a result, you have complete control over your profit margins. As a result, regularly selling your t-shirts can earn a significant income and establish a booming online business.
Printful
If you’re searching for a hassle-free experience in running your t-shirt store, Printful is the platform for you. It allows you to run your store seamlessly. In addition, unlike many other platforms, Printful does not require a monthly fee, allowing you to start your store without any financial barriers.
One of the significant advantages of Printful is its seamless incorporation with popular e-commerce platforms such as Amazon, Woo Commerce, Shopify, and Storenvy. With Printful, you can price your t-shirts competitively and earn reasonable profits.
Threadless
Threadless is your gateway to customization. This platform allows you to open and run your artist shop without any upfront costs. You can set the prices for your custom t-shirts, enabling you to maximize your earnings.
Unlike some platforms, Threadless imposes no limitations on the number of t-shirts you can sell. Additionally, there are no shopping fees for your customers. Threadless takes care of inventory management and customer care, allowing you to focus solely on creating and selling your unique designs.
NeatoShop
If you’re looking for an outstanding substitute to sell your t-shirts and high-quality artwork, NeatoShop is a fantastic option. It is a platform where creativity meets profit. As a designer, you can create your portfolio to showcase your talents to potential buyers. However, even if you’re not a designer, NeatoShop offers an affiliate program where you can earn commissions through referrals.
With NeatoShop, your earning potential is enormous. You can earn commissions based on sales from your store and additional commissions on design. Furthermore, the platform handles production, shipping, and customer service, ensuring a seamless selling experience.
Skreened
Are you ready to turn your t-shirt designs into a lucrative business? You can unlock your earning potential with Skreened. Skreened provides an easy-to-use platform for selling your t-shirts and generating income. Opening and running your online store on Skreened is a breeze, and you can set attractive commissions that entice customers.
Skreened offers a unique opportunity to earn commissions based on store sales and design royalties. This dual commission structure amplifies your earning potential. Moreover, the platform handles production, shipping, and customer service on your behalf, freeing up your time to focus on creating and expanding your t-shirt business.
Conclusion
If you are interested in creating unique designs, you will easily make money online selling T-shirts. To make the most of these platforms, ensure your designs are unique and professional. You may also need to do a bit of digital marketing to get your products on the faces of your would-be customers.
