15 Sustainable Print-On-Demand Sites (Ranked & Reviewed)

How To Start a Sustainable Print-on-demand Business

Follow these steps to start a sustainable print-on-demand business with a sustainable or eco-friendly mission.

Step 1: Decide on the Product You Want To Sell.

The journey’s first step is to decide what products you want to sell. That includes the theme, brand, and line of merchandise that you want to offer.

You should find a profitable niche with a ready and ripe market. Use keyword software tools or product research tools to find what keywords people use when searching for sustainable products.

It also helps to choose a cause or message that you’re highly passionate about. For instance, you can create a t-shirt line with beautiful sea animal illustrations if sea life conservation is a cause close to your heart.

Step 2: Choose a Sustainable Print-on-Demand Supplier.

When you have a list of products and a brand for your sustainable business, your next step will be to find a reliable print-on-demand supplier.

Consider these factors when hunting for sustainable or eco-friendly print-on-demand suppliers.

• The products you want to sell should be available.
• Check that there are sustainable packaging options.
• Choose a supplier with fast and reliable shipping.
• Make sure product prices let you make a good profit margin.
• The products you want to sell should be good quality.
• It also helps to access a customer service channel in case of any issues.

Step 3: Set Up Your Ecommerce Store.

Your ecommerce store lets people order your products online. Setting it up will make your business run smoothly and require less manual intervention.

For ecommerce store platforms, I recommend setting up your store on Shopify because it has the most user-friendly setup and maintenance.

After setting up your Shopify store, get a custom domain to appear more reputable. People would rather buy from a store with a “savethetrees.com” URL than a “savethetrees.shopify.com” one.

Step 4: Design Your Print-On-Demand Products.

You’re ready to start making your products when you have your suppliers and your store. It all starts with the designs that will go on your merchandise. Your product designs’ quality, uniqueness, and creativity will set you apart.

Use digital art software to design products if you are an artist. Many are easy to learn and implement, even if you’re not technically well-versed in design yet.

Alternatively, you can hire graphic designers to help you create the designs, increasing your business costs and slowing down the time to reach a return on investment.

Start with five to ten designs and then upload them to your print-on-demand site. Don’t start with too few designs because most customers want different options.

You also don’t want to make too many at the expense of creating designs people don’t buy. Start with a good set and evaluate which ones sell most. You can make more versions of that design later.

Step 5: Sync Your Print-on-Demand Products to Your Online Store.

Once your products are ready, you must sync or add your print-on-demand products to your Shopify online store.
Create products in your Shopify dashboard. Here’s how.

• Log in to your Shopify Admin and go to the Products tab.
• Click Add Product.
• Enter your product name, description, and images.
• Click Save.

You can also import your products in bulk through a CSV through Shopify’s bulk import and export feature.

Step 6: Create Mockups.

People will want to see a representation of your design printed on the product. So, you’ll need to create mockups of your products. Most POD sites have mockup generators to create these images.

Alternatively, you can order a few product samples and take some great photos. Although you’ll have to pay for those samples, this will look more realistic. However, it’s also a good way to check the product printing quality.

Step 7: Price Your Products.

When uploading your products, you’ll need to set a selling price. There’s no point in running a sustainable business if it can’t sustain itself, so you’ll need to price it accordingly to leave you a comfortable profit margin.

You should factor in all your costs when setting your price, including production costs, shipping, marketing, and platform costs. If you’re going to donate to a cause, that should go into the price point, too.

Choose a cheap print-on-demand site to maximize your profit.

Step 8: Evaluate and Improve.

When ready to launch, start promoting it on your channels. I recommend launching them in droves or soft launching them to a smaller audience first. Doing so will give you room to evaluate your business and products.

Here are things you should evaluate.

• Your products’ demand
• Your platform
• Your conversion rates
• Your payment options
• Your cart abandonment rate
• Shipping and delivery systems

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What Is the Most Sustainable Way To Print?

Here are some of the best ways to print sustainably.

Digital Printing

Using plateless printing methods greatly reduces ink wastage. They’re also highly versatile, so you can print single, limited-use copies without wasting resources on printing plates. It also helps printers and businesses save money.

Carbon-Balanced Paper

Carbon-balanced paper is one of the most sustainable materials available. Using this type of paper, you help offset the average carbon emissions associated with harvesting and production.

Uncoated Paper

Uncoated paper is a popular option for using recyclable or recycled materials. It’s highly fibrous, making it easy to reuse and recycle. It’s also lighter and more natural than coated paper.

Does Printful Use Eco-Friendly Packaging?

Yes. Printful has switched to using 90%–100% post-consumer recycled plastic packaging for apparel products. They also use eco-friendly products with at least 70% organic, recycled, or biodegradable materials.

What Is the Most Eco-Friendly Printing Ink?

The most eco-friendly ink available is soy-based ink. It’s also popular among printers because of its cost-effectiveness and color vibrance. Another great option would be algae inks because they have a negative carbon footprint.

Is Digital Printing Environmentally Friendly?

Digital printing has the potential to be more environmentally friendly because it can reduce ink wastage and remove the need for printing plates.

Can Print-on-Demand Be Sustainable?

It can be if you work with the sustainable print-on-demand suppliers mentioned above.

Here’s how to be a sustainable and ethical print-on-demand business.

• Use eco-friendly, recycled, and organic materials. For example, you can sell t-shirts with organic cotton or use eco-friendly materials for your packaging.
• Work with a printer that runs facilities with renewable energy.
• Use water-based inks in printing.
• Use plastic-free shipping packaging.
• Implement environmentally friendly printing techniques.
• Go for carbon-neutral operators that minimize their ecological footprint.

Should I Stick To One Print-on-Demand Niche?

Sticking to one niche for your print-on-demand business has several advantages.

For one, it creates more focus and recall for your branding. Offering too many product categories can confuse your customers and followers.

Having one niche also helps you simplify your business. Branching out too many product categories or messages can be difficult, especially if you’re a beginner.

Create seamless systems that run the business even when you’re asleep. After establishing a semi-autonomous business, you can outsource maintenance to a team and start other niches and businesses.

What Is the Cheapest Option for Shopify Print-On-Demand?

It depends on what products you plan to sell. Prices vary greatly depending on product categories, print finish, and variations. You’ll also need to consider shipping and delivery based on your customers’ location.

In my experience, Printful and Printify generally have the most affordable quality products for print-on-demand. Check other suppliers first because prices can vary based on your preferences, location, and volume.

What’s a Good Print-On-Demand Company for a Beginner?

I recommend Printful for beginners because it has a simple user experience. It also doesn’t charge a monthly subscription fee, so you can start selling with little to no capital needed.

The Bottom Line

These sustainable print-on-demand companies are some of the best eco-friendly, organic, or ethical options. Using their services will help you run a print-on-demand business seamlessly.

Nothing is wrong with making money while promoting sustainability or committing to more environmentally-friendly practices. I hope my list of eco-friendly options for print-on-demand suppliers makes achieving your sustainability goals easier.

Consider the cheapest print-on-demand companies if you want to start a business on a minimal budget.