How To Make Merch Your Fans Will Love (2026)

Merchandise gives fans a way to show their support for a brand, like wearing T-shirts sold at concerts or carrying a tote bag designed by a local coffee shop. Custom merch lets people express their interests, connect with fellow fans, and back the brands and creators they care about.

The global licensed merchandise market is projected to reach $62.1 billion by 2035, growing at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5.83%, so there’s a ton of opportunity. 

This guide covers how to make merch, including how you can produce and sell merch that fans will want to buy and use. 

Why do we buy merch?

Merch connects fans to a brand and the community that forms around it. When we wear merch or show it off in our homes, we create opportunities to:

• Express our values, beliefs, and passions
• Forge connections with other fans
• Build brand awareness 
• Show support (emotionally and financially) for creators and businesses
• Embody the ethos or spirit of a brand

Take fans of Yes Theory, for example, a brand that champions personal growth: Their followers have worn the brand’s merch during significant life moments, like under suits at job interviews or during the birth of a child, because they feel it symbolizes optimism and personal development. 

Zack Honarvar, cofounder of Fan of a Fan, who collaborated with Yes Theory, remembers how the brand’s merch helped two fans bond while stranded at the airport after a canceled flight.

“They saw someone at the gate wearing a Seek Discomfort hoodie. … The two strangers ended up becoming good friends, strictly over the fact that they were mutual fans of the channel,” says Zack.

While hardcore fans might be willing to buy anything with your logo on it, Zack believes the best merch does more than increase your cash flow. It also helps increase brand awareness and recognition. Whether you’re making merch for your TikTok followers or your Twitch community, well-thought-out branded merchandise holds incredible potential.

How to design merch

The concept of merchandising is flexible. It can be a source of sustained revenue from an online store, a limited edition collaboration with another brand, or free swag offered to loyal customers.

When designing your own merch, pay close attention to typography and color to ensure your message is legible and on brand. Shopify Logo Maker lets you design a custom logo in minutes, then export it directly onto merch mockups to check the fit before production. 

One key decision you’ll face is whether to create products under your existing brand, or as a separate sub-brand.

Designing merch for your existing brand

Creators can promote themselves through merchandise that directly references their name, logo, and brand concept.

Take Atticus the poet, for example: Using his established name, he set up an online store where fans can access his books, T-shirts, hats, jewelry, and other products, all housed under his existing brand. Atticus offers his merch directly on Facebook and Instagram through his Shopify store.

Selling merch under a sub-brand

For creators without a strong brand identity, or businesses aiming for sustained monetization from merch, launching under a sub-brand can be a strategic choice.

This was the route taken by Zack and Yes Theory with the sub-brand Seek Discomfort.

“The advantage of this approach is that it can grow an audience beyond your existing customer base,” says Zack. A sub-brand can also open up opportunities for partnerships and co-branding.

Through their sub-brand, Yes Theory engaged in collaborations with major brands like Bose, Lululemon, and Timbuk2 backpacks. Zack believes these opportunities might have been missed if the products were marketed as Yes Theory merch.

A sub-brand typically shares visual elements with its parent brand, such as a color scheme, messaging, or imagery, but it distinguishes itself with a unique logo and its own range of products and services.

Occasionally, a sub-brand might evolve from a particular detail, campaign, or fan-favorite aspect of a parent brand. For example, a movie might have a minor character fans love, leading to a sub-brand specifically focused on that character’s traits and backstory.

Custom merch ideas

Whatever branding approach you take, creating great custom merch ultimately comes down to following your instincts about your brand and your fans. 

“Develop a product you’re proud of, something you’d personally use or wear,” says Zack.

Take inspiration from these popular merch items from top sellers.

Apparel

Apparel like tees, sweatshirts, and hats are a good starting point. To create standout apparel, prioritize high-quality and eco-friendly materials and fits, invest in premium print techniques, and design compelling graphics people will love, even if they aren’t familiar with your brand.

For example, Netflix created Stranger Things merch inspired by a fictional restaurant featured in the show.

Accessories

Choose products your audience will actually use. Everyday items like phone cases, bags, pins, stickers, jewelry, and plush toys let fans express their affinity for your brand no matter where they are.

Taylor Swift’s merchandise lineup includes jewelry and accessories that reference her music and branding. These pieces function as both fashion accessories and fan merchandise.

Home goods

Incorporate your brand into everyday living with functional items like mugs, pillows, and cooking utensils. These products not only serve practical uses but allow fans to decorate their personal spaces with their favorite brands.

Movie studio A24’s merch store creates distinctive and imaginative merchandise tailored for home settings. Their incense kit, inspired by Midsommar, gives fans a fun way to express love for the film. 

Digital products

Wallpapers, emotes, filters, and other digital products let fans promote your brand on their phones and social media. Fans can download and share these types of merch directly, with no physical inventory or shipping costs.

You can choose to sell digital products or offer them for free in an attempt to increase your brand’s reach. Try fun types of digital merch to create organic buzz, like NPR, which made virtual branded Zoom backgrounds for fans to use on video calls.

How to make print-on-demand merch for free in 4 steps

Creating your own merch can be as straightforward as adding your logo or designs to popular products. For a convenient method, use a print-on-demand service.

The global print-on-demand market was valued at $12.96 billion in 2025 and is projected to reach $118.85 billion by 2035. Print-on-demand is an accessible way to make and sell merchandise without needing to buy and hold large amounts of inventory.

These services are generally free to use and you’ll only pay for a product when a customer places an order. Each app features a catalog of products and design tools to help you create and sell your own merch.

Once you sell merch, your print-on-demand partner will handle the production and ship your merch directly to the customer. 

Here’s a step-by-step guide to getting started with print-on-demand merch:

1. Validate your product ideas

You may think your fans or followers will love water bottles. Before you start designing, it’s best to make sure they actually do want another water bottle in their lives.

“We always recommend that the creator or the brand ask their audience what they want, or even let them decide between several options,” says Zack. “You can ask through Instagram Stories or email or communities, or even texting: ‘Would you prefer a hat, a board game, a T-shirt, or a hoodie?’”

By polling your audience and involving them in merchandise decisions, you’ll ensure the right products resonate and make them feel part of the creative process.

Shopify, for instance, used X to gauge what types of merchandise their users and followers might be interested in.

Based on feedback, Shopify developed prototype designs for hoodies, dad hats, and tote bags decorated with popular phrases and icons as suggested by the audience.

2. Choose a print-on-demand partner and products

After refining your product ideas based on audience feedback, the next step is to select a print-on-demand partner who will produce and ship your merchandise.

Merch-maker apps that integrate with Shopify include:

• Zendrop
• Printful
• Printify
• ShineOn
• Gelato
• Apliiq
• Fuel

Choose print-on-demand services that partner with well-regarded manufacturers to help make sure the quality and durability of your products is consistent.

3. Design and mock up your products

You can outsource merch design, but Zack recommends trying to do as much as possible yourself. 

“You’re probably better off sourcing your own designs, because you’ll understand your brand far better than someone who is just learning about your brand for the first time,” he says.

If you decide to hire a designer, platforms like Upwork or Fiverr have a pool of talented freelancers. 

Consider including these key elements in your design brief:

• Provide context. Inform the designer about the types of merchandise you’re planning, who your audience is, and any brand guidelines.
• Explain expectations. Over-communicate your vision and requirements. Make sure to offer detailed feedback during the design review stages.
• Build a mood board. Compile inspiration, examples, and references to give the designer a clear starting point.

Using tools like Canva can help beginners start the graphic design journey without needing expensive software. You can use Canva’s pre-made templates to get a feel for layouts.

Check if the print-on-demand platform you’re using has a mockup generator, which speeds up the design process and lets you experiment with design placements. 

Once your design is ready, export it to match your print-on-demand platform’s technical requirements:

• File format: Use PNG or SVG for artwork, and PDF for print-ready files that include bleed marks.
• Resolution: Set your file to at least 300 dpi to keep printed designs sharp and free of pixelation.
• Color mode: Use CMYK for accurate print colors, and convert your file from RGB if your design software defaults to it.
• Background: Use a transparent PNG when your design prints directly onto a colored garment or product.

Confirm the exact specifications with your print-on-demand provider before uploading, since requirements vary by product and printing method.

4. Add products to your sales channels

Listing print-on-demand products for sale is straightforward, as most services integrate with ecommerce platforms. This allows you to sell merch while offering a convenient shopping experience for your fans.

To set up a merch store on Shopify, choose a theme from the Shopify Theme Store, add your print-on-demand app from the Shopify App Store, and sync your product catalog to your store. From there, you can organize your merch into collections, customize your storefront to match your brand, and connect a custom domain before publishing.

To expand your reach and increase the visibility of your merchandise, consider linking your merch store to online marketplaces like Amazon and eBay, which are used by millions of shoppers every day.

With platforms like Shopify, you can connect your store to social media storefronts on Instagram and Facebook, as well as TikTok and YouTube. Social storefronts have a unique advantage by letting fans browse and buy directly through the social media platforms they already use.

Finding a merch manufacturer

If print-on-demand services don’t fit your needs, try partnering with a manufacturer.

Instead of being developed from scratch, most merch is manufactured through a process known as private labeling.

Private label

Private label products are items manufactured by a company and then branded and sold under a retailer’s brand. You can work closely with private label manufacturers to develop unique products tailored to your vision.

Private label merch lets you customize materials, packaging, and product specs, but typically costs more per unit and requires minimum order quantities. If you need funding, Shopify Capital has merchant cash advances and loans.

Local printers

Consider having local screen printing shops create your merch. They can often offer personalized options and might provide more competitive pricing compared to large print-on-demand services.

Online services

Agencies like Fan of a Fan specialize in merchandising for creators and brands, offering services from design consultation to sourcing manufacturing and managing order fulfillment. It’s wise to compare different options before settling on a service provider.

Shopify Collective lets you source products from other Shopify stores and add them to your own catalog, with no upfront inventory costs. This can work as an alternative to a full-service agency if you’d rather source ready-made merch from existing Shopify brands than commission custom merch designs.

When choosing a studio or agency to make your merch, consider these factors:

• Ownership of intellectual property. Make sure you retain your brand’s intellectual property. This includes the designs on the clothing and anything new that’s created as a part of a partnership.
• Compensation structure. Revenue share models are common when working with merchandising companies.
• Commitment. Use a trial period to see if this partner meets deadlines, produces quality products, responds to emails in a timely manner, and is all-around reliable.
• Hidden costs. From the beginning to end of a product launch, go through costs that may come up, such as warehousing, picking and packing fees, shipping fees, design fees, website management, and customer service fees.

How to sell merch

Marketing merchandise is different from selling a typical product. You’re targeting existing fans who already have a connection and a positive attitude toward your brand. The challenge is not just to effectively reach and cater to these fans, but also to expand your reach to broader audiences.

Marketing and finding customers were the top first-year challenges for store owners, at 37% and 36% respectively, according to a 2025 Shopify survey of store owners. Building a promotion sequence before your merch goes live can help address both challenges.

Before launch, work through these steps:

1. Tease the drop. Post sneak peeks of designs or products on social media two to three weeks before launch, without revealing the full lineup.
2. Build an early access list. Collect emails or offer a sign-up form so fans can get notified the moment merch goes live.
3. Set a launch date and share it. Announce the exact date and time across your channels so fans know when to expect the drop.
4. Send a reminder close to launch. A short reminder 24 to 48 hours before launch keeps the date top of mind.
5. Open early access before the general launch. Give your email list or top fans a short early-purchase window ahead of the wider public launch.

Here are some strategic approaches to market and sell your merchandise:

Word of mouth

Word of mouth was the most common first-year growth strategy, cited by 53% of store owners, according to a 2025 Shopify survey of store owners. Good quality merch naturally promotes itself. When fans purchase and wear or use your merchandise, they automatically engage in word-of-mouth marketing, which can amplify your brand’s visibility.

However, the quality of the merchandise is crucial.

“Selling custom merchandise is like buying advertising space on your fans who are walking around and promoting your brand,” Zack says. “If you create something low quality, then they’re only going to wear it once or twice.”

To maximize exposure, sell custom merch that fans are proud to show off and use repeatedly.

Content marketing

The content you create is another natural place to promote your own merch. This could be as simple as wearing your merch in videos, featuring it in social media posts, or incorporating it into the creative concept of your productions.

Consider these content channels for promoting your merchandise:

• TikTok. Partner with other TikTok creators to get them to create content with your merch, which helps your brand reach a wider audience.
• Instagram. Tag your merch in your posts and stories and curate your own Instagram Shop on your profile.
• YouTube. Share links to your products in your video description or cards, with a call to action (CTA) at the end of your video itself.
• Buy button. If you have a separate website or blog outside of your merch store, you can embed your products or collections there as well using a Buy button.

Retargeting

Retargeting is a strategic form of advertising where you direct ads to people who already engage with your brand, whether they follow you on social media or have previously purchased from you.

Various advertising platforms, including Google, Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Snapchat, support retargeting campaigns. They must be set up with the necessary advertising pixel on your website.

An email list can also be an effective way to retarget content, enabling personalized promotions directly to fans’ and past customers’ inboxes.

“That’s where you’re going to have really high engagement and return on investment,” says Zack. “Whereas with prospecting, most of the time people aren’t going to buy merchandise from someone they’ve never heard of before. So that’s where the bulk of your energy from paid media spend should go.”

Pre-sell merch

Launching a presale campaign can build anticipation and demand for new online merchandise. Presales give your audience the chance to order and pay for products ahead of official release, making sure they’re among the first to secure the latest swag.

Presales also let you measure interest and demand before you fully commit to production. They allow you to cultivate a sense of urgency and scarcity, prompting fans to secure their purchase early.

“Yes Theory has done this a lot, especially earlier on when they first started,” Zack says. “We would create a couple items of clothing that were our samples. We would do photo shoots in them and hold no inventory. Then we would put the site up for 72 hours, sell for 72 hours, and shut the site down. From there we would start communicating through email with our audience, so that they knew where we were in the production process.”

There are a variety of preorder apps in the Shopify App Store to help you run your own presale. You could also run your presale using a crowdfunding site like Kickstarter.