How to Monetize Your Designs with Printify and Printful

Discover how to turn your designs into income with Printify and Printful, two powerful POD platforms for surface pattern designers ready to launch product lines.

You’ve created beautiful patterns, intricate designs filled with meaning and story. But what comes next? How can you begin to turn your patterns into profit? 

One of the most accessible ways surface pattern designers earn income from their artwork is through Print-on-Demand, often called POD.  

POD offers a simple and sustainable way for artists to share and sell their work online, without the overwhelm of inventory, shipping, or startup costs. In this post, we’ll explore two beloved POD platforms, Printify and Printful, what makes each unique, and how you can begin turning your patterns into products that sell. 

What is POD? 

Print-on-Demand is a seamless path from pattern to product. Upload your design, choose the item you want to feature it on, and fine-tune it until everything feels just right. From there, the POD platform handles printing and packing, and ships your product directly to your customer.

The simplicity and accessibility of POD make it an incredible opportunity for surface pattern designers. Here’s why:

• No upfront manufacturing costs: POD requires no upfront manufacturing costs, providing a direct path to retail without carrying inventory or purchasing equipment.
  
• No shipping or fulfillment logistics: You can focus on creating patterns while the POD platform takes care of the rest.
  
• Opportunity to test and refine: POD is a wonderful testing ground before licensing. You can test your artwork—scale, color, and concept—on tangible products to visualize how your patterns translate. 
• Brand-building potential: POD can help you grow your brand visibility. Each order becomes an opportunity for someone to discover your work and remember your name.
• Residual revenue: Once your products are live, they can continue generating income again and again. Paired with licensing and client work, POD can round out a beautiful, layered income stream. 

Two of the most trusted and widely used POD platforms among surface pattern designers are Printify and Printful. Though the companies recently merged, they still operate as individual platforms, each with unique strengths. Let’s explore both so you can decide which is best for your creative vision and goals.

Printify and Printful

When it comes to turning your designs into products, Printify and Printful offer powerful tools and support for creative entrepreneurs.

What They Have in Common 

Both POD platforms offer global fulfillment, with printing partners located around the world. This means your products are printed locally and shipped quickly, often within just 2–5 business days. 

They also integrate seamlessly with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, and Squarespace, along with online marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, and Amazon, making it easy to get your shop up and running in no time. 

Each provides helpful tools to simplify the product creation process, along with resources like blog articles, trend forecasts, and webinar trainings to support your growth.

While they share many similarities, each has unique features that may make one a better fit for your goals. 

Printify at a Glance 

Printify offers a wide-ranging catalog with over 1,300 products, including apparel, home decor, shoes, art prints, and more. With lower base costs and a network of print providers across over 100 locations, it’s a great choice if you’re looking to explore a variety of products and maximize your profit margin.

Printful at a Glance 

Printful is unique because it offers in-house printing and several options for customized branding, making it a go-to choice for designers who value premium quality and a polished customer experience. Its catalog includes over 370 carefully curated products. With high-quality mockup tools and eCommerce integrations, Printful makes it easy to build a cohesive, professional storefront. It’s a perfect platform for creatives who want to focus on brand presence and long-term vision. 

8 Ways to Monetize Your Patterns with POD

Once your designs are uploaded to a POD and ready to print, there are many meaningful ways to share them with the world. Here are eight product ideas to inspire your next step: 

1. Wallpaper

From delicate florals to playful stripes, turning your patterns into wallpaper can be the perfect place to begin designing products.  

2. Wrapping Paper

Design for life’s celebrations. Seasonal or themed wrapping paper adds a thoughtful, hand-designed touch.

3. Beach Towels

Display your artwork on beach towels, perfect for sunny getaways and summer memories.

4. Notecards & Journals

Build a beautiful stationery collection; imagine your designs on journals, notecards, and recipe planners that bring intention to someone’s day.

5. Art Prints

Turn your designs into frame-worthy pieces that bring beauty and meaning to entryways and creative spaces. 

6. Aprons

Design aprons for the kitchen, garden, or studio. You could even pair it with recipe cards or herb illustrations! (Want to see one of our recent apron designs? Keep an eye on our Flowerie Summer Collection!)

7. Tech Accessories

Laptop sleeves, phone cases, and tablet covers make the perfect canvas for your art, functional and beautiful.

8. Throw Pillows

Turn your patterns into cozy throw pillows that add a touch of charm to a favorite chair or duvet.

Each of these ideas opens a door for both income and impact. Your art can become part of someone’s space and creative rhythms.

Now that you have a few product ideas in mind, let’s walk through the simple steps to getting started with Printify or Printful.

How to Get Started

Step 1. Choose your POD Platform 

Determine which POD platform best suits your business needs and serves your customers. Think about your brand, the types of products you will create, and the quality you’d like to deliver. Since Printify and Printful offer free versions, it may be helpful to explore both to see which you prefer. 

Get Started with Printify

Setting up your Printify store is simple. Printify currently offers three payment plans. The first plan is free and includes everything you need to get started: five stores, unlimited product designs, and seamless integration with your preferred platform.

The following plans are Premium and Enterprise.

Premium includes access to ten stores, product discounts, and Printify Connect for streamlined order management. Enterprise offers unlimited stores, early access to new features, custom API integration, a dedicated account manager, branded customer support, and additional discounts. 

Get Started with Printful

Printful is similarly set up, with three-tiered pricing. Printful’s free plan includes everything you need to begin, from product design to global fulfillment and shipping. The Printful Growth Plan is a monthly subscription with discounts, additional branding options, custom packaging, warehouse services, and more. 

The third plan, also called Enterprise, provides an exclusive full-range service that includes store management, custom branding, and custom integration.

Step 2. Design Your Products

Explore your POD’s product catalog, upload your designs, and use their built-in tools to finetune your product. Printful’s Design Maker and Printify’s Product Creator make this process simple and fun. 

Step 3. Connect Your Storefront

Once you’ve designed your products, you can integrate your POD account with your storefront. Printful and Printify make connecting with e-commerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, Wix, Sparespace, and others easy. They also integrate with online marketplaces like Etsy, eBay, Amazon, and TikTok. 

Step 4. Start Selling Products 

Your designs are ready, your storefront is set up…now it’s time to begin selling your products! Before you hit publish, here are three factors to consider for a successful product launch:

Your Quality 

Take care in both the design and product phases to ensure everything reflects the heart of your business. When uploading artwork, use high-resolution files—300 DPI in CMYK color is ideal for quality reproduction. Vector files are also wonderful for scalability and clarity.

Related: Why Adobe Illustrator is the Industry Standard for Surface Pattern Design

Pro tip: Order a few product samples to ensure everything meets your quality standards. It's so helpful to see your work come to life this way!

Your Brand

As you explore POD, consider your brand identity in every decision, from the products you design to the packaging you use. Look for thoughtful ways to serve your audience well, like using mockups that help them visualize your products. Printful offers over 2,500 mockup templates, and Printify offers over 1,000. 

Choose products that align with your brand aesthetic and fit your audience’s needs. It’s easy to get swept up in all the possibilities when looking through a POD catalog, so remember to stay rooted in your niche and create with intention.

Your Pricing

Be intentional and informed with your pricing. Consider all costs—production, shipping, platform fees—and research your niche. Both Printful and Printify provide tools to help you price your products in a way that honors your work and serves your audience.

Bringing It All Together

Whether you’re drawn to Printify’s expansive catalog and pricing flexibility or Printful’s polished branding and in-house quality, both POD platforms offer an excellent way to begin turning your artwork into income.

You don’t need to stock inventory, handle shipping, or invest in a warehouse to get started. You only need your artwork, a bit of intention, and a platform that helps you share your creativity. 

It’s beautiful to watch your patterns become real products and enter the hands and homes of people who love them. Hopefully, this equips you with everything you need to begin.

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