Best Print-on-Demand Product Ideas in 2024

Unleashing creative visions through print-on-demand need not overwhelm thanks to today’s production innovations. Whether launching a small shop from home or injecting personalization into handmade gifts, this guide shares proven insights for simplifying POD across top categories like apparel, home goods, accessories and more. Readers gain actionable advice, trend perspectives, platform overviews, and memorable project inspirations to confidently build custom collections celebrating cherished themes.

Quick Answer: 12 print-on-demand product categories offer creative business opportunities: apparel like t-shirts and leggings; phone cases; wall art including posters and canvas prints; calendars and greeting cards; face masks; baby clothes; home goods like pillows and tapestries; sublimated drinkware and water bottles; stickers and decals for multiple uses; and customized jewelry.

Summary of Key Print-on-Demand Products:

1. T-Shirts

T-shirts are one of the most popular print-on-demand products. Major platforms like Merch by Amazon, Teespring, and Printful make it easy for anyone to design and sell custom t-shirt designs without any upfront costs or inventory.

When creating t-shirt designs, it's important to use eye-catching graphics and themes that connect with target audiences. Trending pop culture quotes, relatable sayings, and visual puns tend to resonate well. Simple text-based designs also allow for mass appeal.

Platforms and Providers

Merch by Amazon and Teespring are two leading print-on-demand marketplaces specifically for t-shirts. Both handle printing, shipping, and payments for sellers. Merch by Amazon connects to Amazon's customer base while Teespring allows selling across various channels. Printful serves as a popular t-shirt fulfillment provider, integrating with ecommerce platforms like Shopify.

When evaluating print-on-demand t-shirt platforms, key capabilities to compare include:

• Integrations and sales channels
• Customization options
• Quality of printing and materials
• Order processing times
• Pricing and profits

Design and Trends

Focus on creating original graphic designs optimized for t-shirt printing. Trending themes involve pop culture, entertainment, motivational phrases, and visual puns.

Consider inclusive sizing and materials in design process. Standard t-shirt styles like crew neck and v-neck varieties allow for mass appeal. Tri-blend materials involve soft cotton, modal, and polyester blends.

Some tips for compelling t-shirt graphics:

• Leverage trending memes and quotes
• Create visual puns and smart sayings
• Simple, textual expressions
• Thematic imagery and icons

Visualization and Mockups

An important part of t-shirt design involves visualizing the artwork on realistic models. Mockup generators like Placeit and SmartMockups apply apparel visualizers to showcase designs on various t-shirt styles. This allows customers to see how a design would look when worn.

T-shirt mockups provide a powerful sales tool for print-on-demand products. Make sure to preview designs on both male and female models across diverse sizes and ethnicities. High-quality lifestyle mockup scenes also help products stand out.

2. Phone Cases

Phone cases represent a hot print-on-demand opportunity. Leading marketplace platforms like Redbubble, Society6, and Casetify make it simple to design and sell custom phone cases without handling production or inventory.

Vibrant original designs and leveraging pop culture trends allows creators to produce phone cases that appeal to target audiences. Durable materials and precision printing ensures quality products that customers enjoy.

Major Platforms

Redbubble and Society6 operate robust marketplaces connecting independent creators with buyers seeking unique phone cases. Both handle fulfillment and payouts. Casetify involves a more curated designer platform for trendy options.

When evaluating phone case print-on-demand platforms, compare:

• Device models supported
• Customization capabilities
• Material choices like soft TPU or hardshell
• Commission structures
• Integration with other sales channels

Design Considerations

Focus designs on leaving edges and button areas clear for ease of use. Trending themes involve anime, musicians, celebrities and other pop culture icons that phone owners admire.

Consider glossy or matte finishes and effects like glitter or glow-in-the-dark. Enable cases to stretch across device edges or incorporate wallet functionality.

Tips for great phone case designs:

• High-resolution, layered images
• Thematic patterns or artistic visions
• Clear borders and protected functional areas
• Visual puns and graphical text

Showcasing and Selling

An important aspect of selling phone cases involves showcasing designs on mock phone models. Platforms like SmartMockups and Placeit offer phone mockup generators with various device types. This provides customers with visualization for how their cases would look.

Effective phone case marketing relies on social media and influencer promotions. Hashtags like #CasetifyThis connect potential buyers. Phone case giveaways also raise awareness of print-on-demand products.

3. Wall Art

Wall art represents a thriving print-on-demand niche involving posters, canvas prints, acrylics, metal prints and more. Interior design remains highly popular and personalized wall art allows creators to tap into home decor demand.

When designing wall art, focus on visually striking designs formatted for discerning homeowners. Leverage capabilities of specific print technologies during creation process.

Types of Wall Art

Major wall art print-on-demand products include:

• Posters: Most affordable option printed on semi-gloss paper or vinyl
• Canvas Prints: Involve stretching artwork across a wooden frame for texture
• Acrylic Prints: Graphics sealed between Plexiglas for vivid colors and durability
• Metal Prints: Leverage dye-sublimation for stunning, sleek results
• Wood Prints: Direct printing onto wood backings for natural material finish
  

Wall tapestries, custom murals, and framed options also gain traction for interior design. Effectively visualize during design process to pick ideal output.

Design and Sales Strategies

Interior design trends point to minimalist styles and cohesive collections promoting calmness. Neutral palettes with pops of color and clean lines achieve this aesthetic.

Visualizers from platforms like Printful allow previewing wall art designs on mock living spaces. This enables adjusting items to flow within home arrangements.

Tips for compelling wall art designs:

• High-resolution, print-ready digital creations
• Limited text and clean compositions
• Shared color schemes and thematic collections
• Sizing for typical frame dimensions and wall spaces

Platforms and Capabilities

Leading wall art print-on-demand marketplaces include Printful, Photobox, and Great Big Canvas. Key capability comparisons when evaluating providers:

• Material printing options
• Processing mediums like latex, UV, and eco-solvent
• Color matching and reproduction quality
• Print sizes and custom framing
• Order fulfilment and shipping speeds
• Pricing thresholds and profit margins
  

Thoughtful designs tailored to wall spaces helps wall art creations shine as personalized home accents.

4. Calendars

Custom printed calendars allow for highly personalized products. Leading print-on-demand platforms like Printful, Zazzle and CafePress enable easy customization with themes, photos, special dates, and more.

Syncing connected calendars with apps provides dynamic updating. This automation keeps printed calendars relevant regardless of shifting plans.

Customization

Major print-on-demand calendar providers offer myriad personalization options:

• Custom cover themes and decorative backgrounds *Uploaded photos, children's artwork
• Font choices and text color options
• Highlighting birthdays, anniversaries
• Choosing start days and dates
  

Templates streamline designing but customization makes each calendar unique. Some platforms enable tweaking layouts and number of months displayed.

Platforms

Printful, Zazzle and CafePress lead for calendar print-on-demand. All handle printing, shipping and order fulfillment.

When comparing calendar platforms, assess:

• Quality of materials like papers and bindings
• Customization capabilities
• Processing and shipment speeds
• Size options from pocket to posters
• Pricing thresholds and profit payouts

App Integrations

Connecting calendars to apps like Google Calendar or Apple Calendar enables automatically displaying personalized events and schedules.

Platforms like Zazzle allow syncing calendars with apps to dynamically update activities, appointments, trips and more. This keeps printed calendar content current regardless of shifting plans.

Some solutions feature QR codes for scanning wall calendars to instantly view digital versions. This bridges both manual and automated tracking.

Automation through app integration saves manually updating printed calendars while still providing the visual appeal of physical wall or desk versions.

5. Greeting Cards

Greeting cards enable personalized messages for all occasions. Major print-on-demand platforms like Printful, Zazzle and CafePress simplify designing and selling custom greeting cards.

Cards remain popular for celebrating holidays, birthdays, weddings and more. Tailored occasions with thoughtful designs crafted for specific recipients increases impact.

Types of Cards

Christmas and holiday cards see massive demand alongside birthday cards. Focusing on seasonal or milestone events that call for celebration allows honing designs accordingly.

Other major print-on-demand greeting card opportunities include:

• Thank you and congratulations
• Wedding and anniversary
• Valentines and friendship
• Sympathy and get well soon

Design and Materials

Use high quality imagery, illustrations, frames and typography within card designs to make meaningful impressions. Holiday themes, recipient hobbies and milestone interests further personalize cards.

Many providers offer luxury paper stocks and envelopes as well as finishing options like foil stamping. These elevated materials and touches help custom cards stand apart from mass offerings.

Platforms

Leading print-on-demand greeting card providers include Printful, Zazzle and CafePress. All handle printing, order fulfillment and payments but vary across factors like:

• Paper quality and stocks
• Envelope color selection
• Additional finishing and packaging
• Collection of card sizes from mini to oversized
• Integration capabilities with other sales channels
• Order processing speed and scalability
  

Greeting cards retain popularity for adding personal touches to celebrations and milestones. Print-on-demand enables creatives to design cards tailored to any recipient or special occasion.

6. Face Masks

Face masks represent a new print-on-demand opportunity. As reusable fabric face coverings gain traction, customized prints enable creatives to design trendy masks showcasing personal style.

Focus on fabric material breathability and clearly visible prints balancing fashion and function. Leverage seasonal events and pop culture trends for engaging themes.

Design Considerations

Emphasize readable graphics, symbols and text when designing custom prints. Bold shapes and legible fonts ensure masks effectively convey messages while making statements.

Use inspiring imagery and eye-catching colors to drive visual impact. Enable adequate white space around perimeter for visibility against skin tones. Feature central focal points for cohesive layouts.

Materials and Platforms

Choose soft, breathable cotton fabrics ideally with moisture-wicking properties for quality reusable masks. Some platforms like Printful offer product kits for creating masks alongside other print-on-demand items.

Top fabric face mask platforms include Merch by Amazon, Etsy and Printful. Each enables selling customized mask designs on robust marketplaces while handling fulfillment.

Trends

Mask designs increasingly align with seasons, holidays and events. Halloween themes showcase bright colors and spooky imagery. Christmas options involve red, green and white with holiday symbols.

Pop culture drives mass appeal. Media franchises, celebrities, brands and iconic imagery make masks conversastion pieces. Humorous or inspirational text also proves popular.

Leverage timely themes aligned with audiences while ensuring custom prints remain clearly visible. Vibrant colors and defined lines helps despite small fabric canvases.

7. Leggings

Leggings production enables creatives to design completely custom legwear. As athleisure and boutique fitness apparel expands, leggings represent a prime print-on-demand opportunity.

Focus on stretch materials, trending prints, and proper fit to craft flattering leggings people love wearing for lifestyle or high intensity activities.

Materials and Fit

Choose at least 20% spandex blends for enough stretch and compression with cotton and polyester material mixes. Prioritize sweat-wicking and breathable fabrics conducive for athletic endeavors.

Aim for mid to high-rise fits depending on body type. Typically 25 to 28 inch inseams work well for average heights but evaluate torso lengths. Flare, taper or straight leg openings provide style variety.

Styles and Trends

Ombre fading, geometric shapes, floral designs and abstract patterns make compelling prints. Textured detailing like mesh or faux leather panels also arises for visual interest.

Workout-centric prints feature inspiration imagery of locations, quotes or activities. Casual lifestyle options display food, nature, pop culture and pets for mass appeal. Consider targeted recipient preferences during thematic design process.

Platforms

Top leggings print-on-demand providers include Printify, Syncee and Merchboxes. Evaluate supplier specialties across factors like:

• Material offerings from luxe workout to casual varieties
• Range of printing techniques from sublimation to screen transfers
• Catalog sizes for body inclusivity
• Order processing times and scalability
• Integration with ecommerce channels
• Pricing thresholds and profit payouts
  

As athleisurewear continues gaining traction, custom leggings enable creators to capitalize on demand for stylish, personalized legwear options.

8. Baby & Kids Apparel

Print-on-demand enables endless customization potential for baby and kids clothing. Cute motifs, storybook characters, seasonal themes and complete matching outfit bundles resonate well with recipients.

Focus on soft, breathable fabrics conducive for sensitive young skin. Bright colors and defined prints craft apparel babies love wearing while making parents smile.

Themes and Motifs

Trending baby motifs feature woodland creatures, dinosaurs and safari animals. Farm themes and zoo creature prints also see demand alongside floral or polka dot patterns.

Leverage storybooks like Hungry Caterpillar alongside nursery decor inspirations. Holiday and seasonal designs provide variety across occasions and milestones.

Materials

Choose ultra-soft 100% cotton, bamboo, or modal fabric blends ideal for baby skin sensitivity. Ensure adequate stretch for flexibility alongside breathability to prevent overheating.

Some children’s apparel platforms like Printify offer product kits containing materials tested for quality and safety. Certifications like Oeko-Tex Standard 100 provides assurance.

Complete Outfits

Bundle matching print-on-demand pieces for capsulating precious moments as complete looks. For example, create complementary sets featuring tops and bottoms with similar woodland creature themes.

Matching holiday pajamas also sell well alongside sibling and family coordinated apparel. Build cohesive collections for baby showers, birthdays and holidays to drive gift potential.

Compelling recommendations:

• Complementary colors and unified motifs
• Consistent style across pieces
• Grouping onesies with pants, bottoms
• Offering size variety within sets
  

Build coordinated children’s pod apparel that parents proudly dress little ones in while capturing lifelong memories.

9. Home Décor

Print-on-demand enables creatives to design completely custom home furnishings. As interior design trends toward personalized spaces, products like throw pillows, wall hangings, bedding and more represent promising opportunities.

Cohesive collections with unified designs and complementary color palettes makes home goods POP within thoughtfully decorated rooms for visual harmony.

Trending Home Goods

Hot print-on-demand home décor categories include:

• Throw Pillows: Showcase artwork, seasonal themes, inspirational quotes
• Wall Hangings: Canvas prints, macrame, woven wall tapestries
• Blankets & Quilts: Super soft throws and custom bedding sets
• Doormats: Welcome guests with personalized durable outdoor mats
  

Leverage home organization tools like mood boards during design process to build cohesive rooms layering custom pieces.

Design Considerations

Maintain consistent artistic styles, color schemes and motifs across home good collections. For example, floral designs spanning nature-inspired pillows, tapestries and quilts for botanical bedrooms.

Use home interior mockup visualizers to preview pieces across decor setups. This enables adjusting sizing ratios and layouts for visual flow.

Materials

Evaluate materials suited for specific home pieces. Select ultra soft, breathable cottons and velvety fabrics for blankets and pillows. Compare durable medium-weight canvas for wall hangings alongside weather-resistant polyester outdoor doormat materials.

Finishing also factors from faux fur trims, zipper enclosures and embroidered personalization to reinforce high-end quality.

Thoughtful home decor collections enable purposeful individualization of living spaces showcasing personal style.

10. Drinkware

Sublimation printing empowers full customization for drinkware like tumblers, mugs, water bottles, and more. This advanced production technique applies graphics and artwork directly into specially-coated stainless steel, aluminum, or plastic materials using heat and pressure for durable, vibrant results.

Sublimation handles complete personalization with photos, logos, texts, and elaborate full-wrap designs not achievable through traditional screen printing or vinyl application methods. This makes it perfect for crafting trendy stainless steel tumblers or durable plastic water bottles fully infused with artistic visions or inspired messaging tailored to recipients.

Materials

Comparing stainless steel vs plastic drinkware materials provides pros and cons for both pod production avenues. Sleek stainless and aluminum metals make ideal canvases for sublimation technique. Rigid and shatterproof builds handle daily use alongside dishwasher durability for lifelong intact graphics within metal . The brushmetal steel even mirrors artwork undersides.

Plastic materials like polypropylene prove more budget-friendly using BPA-free plastic. This lightweight option also allows some flexibility for squeezing unlike metal. Just note less durability for rough handling compared to stainless steel.

So choose brushed stainless for a posh yet personalized gift or affordable BPA-free plastic for cost-conscious shoppers. Just ensure proper hard coatings to enable sublimation application.

Trends

Trending drinkware customization leverages sublimation for complete artistic freedom. Current motifs include floral patterns and boho chic styles for nature lovers. Watercolor painting effects also gain traction for abstract visions wrapped around tumbler and bottle canvases.

Humorous visual puns and funny sayings resonate for conversational pieces sure to get laughs. Even favorite photos or inspiration quotes make great personalized elements for special gifts.

Leverage trending themes but focus personal touches on recipients. For instance, feature sports team insignia and memorable pics for devout fans or showcase superhero logos for pop culture buffs. Sublimation printing handles any design thrown its way!

Platforms

Top drinkware print-on-demand platforms include Printful, Zazzle and CafePress alongside niche decor sites like Etsy. Printful offers robust ecommerce integration for self-managed shops while Zazzle and CafePress provide their own marketplaces.

All platforms handle order processing and fulfillment for creators to focus solely on design. Just upload artwork and product listings then ensure quality output through sample orders. Sites also provide templating to simplify personalizing pieces fast like holiday or birthday water bottles.

When reviewing suppliers, compare material choices, processing times, integration capabilities, pricing thresholds, and potential monthly order volumes to assess scalability for budding shop ambitions.

With expansive decor demand spanning drinkware like tumblers and durable water bottles, sublimation printing empowers complete artistic license for imaginative creators.

11. Stickers & Decals

Stickers enable immense personalization potential for both DIY creators and professional designers. Leading print-on-demand providers like Printify simplify production of vinyl die cut stickers alongside weatherproof decals for custom visuals applicable across endless surfaces.

Material innovations expand applications from scrapbooking and journals to decor pieces, branding assets, and remarkable keepsakes. Strategic packaging in curated sheets and thematic bundles helps shop offerings resonate with audiences for memorable impact.

Materials

Comparing materials, vinyl proves the most popular for flexible durability able to adhere smoothly across paper, wood, glass, metal and more. Gloss, matte and transparent varieties add further dimension. Vinyl handles indoor and outdoor exposure for 2-5 years pending conditions.

Alternatively, polyester offers a waterproof and scratch-resistant material conducive for bumper stickers and demanding conditions like outdoor gear and automotive uses. Other niche materials like magnet sheets also gain traction for custom refrigerator decals.

Applications

Creative professionals transform custom stickers into planner supplies, scrapbooking elements, decor pieces, branding assets and visual puns across endless mediums. Schools order iconic mascot decals for spirit gear. Event planners spice up signage with thematic designs. Even kids craft colorful masterpieces applying custom sticker packs across DIY projects.

Home organization and labeling also thrives thanks to digitally printed, cut-to-order stickers suited for any space. Simplify pantry goods sorting with matching food icons. Identify bathroom amenities or kid toy bins using personalized motifs. Even embrace electronic device labeling for streamlined cable management!

Packaging & Sales

Bundling custom stickers in cohesive packs around specific themes helps drive buyer appeal and enables easier product marketing across channels. For example, group sticker sheets by categories like holidays, seasons, hobbies or nostalgic trends.

Multi-packs also resonate well with customers receiving a variety of designs in single orders. Consider sample packs for audiences to preview assorted concept visions for identifying personal favorites worth larger future purchases.

Appeal expands through social media and influencers flaunting custom stickers across journals or tech devices for aspirational and gift potential. Hashtags also help buyers discover beloved designs. For example #PlannerStickers connects crafters with cherished Etsy finds!

12. Jewelry

Jewelry print-on-demand unlocked new potential for independent designers and small batch creators. Leveraging advanced production techniques like 3D printing, CNC machining, and vacuum casting enables crafting stunning rings, necklaces, bracelets and more without large inventory outlays.

Strategic personalization through engraving, birthstones and custom metals/stones providesrecipients remarkable keepsakes. More trend-focused options also resonate by embracing latest stylistic innovations from wire wrapping to layering.

Jewelry Projects

Sentimental jewelry POD motivates through fingerprint keepsakes, engraved pendants featuring children’s names or birthdates alongside petite birth flower charms bedecking chain necklaces. Or showcase wanderlust through map coordinates of special moments permanently preserved within ring bands or lockets.

Beyond classic personalization, niche creators also embrace footprint metal casting, ashes crystals, or hair weaving for intimate memorial pieces sure to touch souls. Even melted vinyl record cufflinks make musical gifts.

Platforms & Capabilities

Leading jewelry POD platforms like Merchenable, JewelPop and My3DNA simplify manufacturing through online templating and integration with production partners. Creators upload designs then handle marketing and sales.

Compare production capabilities across materials like gold, silver, rose gold and platinum metals. Gemstone choices span diamonds, sapphires to silicates alongside Swarovski crystals and more. Some platforms even offer wax casting and prototyping for iterating concepts.

Trends vs Timelessness

Several current jewelry trends like layering and mixed metals pair well with personalization for added depth. Stack birthstone rings across digits or accent initial bracelets with diamond bands for multidimensional elegance.

Minimalist engravings and wire-wrapped birth flowers carry timeless appeal updated through modern fonts or styling like mismatched earrings. Really make memories last by sealing ashes or DNA into custom silhouette pendants.

Even inject trendy personality through zodiac symbols, sports team insignia or initial pendant necklaces amplified by chokers and lariats for standout signature accessories that spark conversational intrigue.