You are great! – The winners of the Spreadshop Design Challenge 2023

Wow! What a huge achievement. With our 2023 Spreadshop Design Challenge, we put all of you in our community to the test – and you delivered!

The story: The retro trend is everywhere in 2023. So we asked you lot to come up with retro designs in the style of the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s and showcase them on your Shop products. Man, did we feel nostalgic! We ended up receiving over 100 incredible entries that turned out to be a real ‘blast from the past’. Our jury selected a shortlist of 10 finalists and we put them to a vote in our community. Shop owners, friends and family went to work voting for their favourite design.

Drumroll, please

And here are our top 3. Just like all our entries, their designs weren’t short on creativity. But these three had that little something extra. Don’t take our word for it – see for yourself:

1st place – ‘Flitzpiepe – Statement’ by Susanne | findickjut

Never heard the word ‘Flitzpiepe’? This funny little German word can mean something like ‘idiot’, or ‘clown’ – someone not to be taken seriously.

2nd place – ‘Good vibes only’ by Sarah | dreamgirldesign

Puts you in a good mood straight away, doesn’t it? The ‘Good vibes only’ design is sure to delight everyone – not just hippies. Now that’s peace and love, friends!

3rd place – ‘Octopeace’ by David | Monsieur Mouton

This octopus rocks! It’s a deeply peace-loving creature. We were especially drawn to its ink in all the colours of the rainbow.

Question time

Liking the top 3 designs? Then it’s high time we got to know the people behind them a bit better.

1st place – Susanne | findickjut

Who are you and what is your biggest passion?
I’m Susanne and I love Berlin slang and dialect. I love to hear it, and I love to talk it even more. Sadly, it’s on its way out – and I want to STOP that!

How long have you had your Spreadshop, findickjut.de?
I came upon Spreadshop in late March when I was looking for a print service.

Why did you choose Spreadshop for your merch?
I liked the idea of print on demand because items are only printed to order, which prevents waste. I went for Spreadshop because it’s unbeatable value for money. It’s easy to set up a Shop and I can fully focus on my designs.

What do you have for sale in your Shop (designs, themes, etc.)?
My shop is a place where ‘Berliner Schnauze’ makes a comeback – that is, Berlin dialect and humour. Fans of the Berlin dialect will find all kinds of cheeky sayings and popular words.

How did you come up with your retro design and what was the idea behind it?
I’m an ‘80s kid so I chose that decade. I say ‘Flitzpiepe’ a lot. It’s a funny word for a clumsy, awkward person.

Which tool did you use to create your retro design?
I used Logoist and Kittl.com

Would you take part in another challenge?
If this ‘head to head’ hasn’t given me a heart attack, I’m back in every time.

2nd place – Sarah | dreamgirldesign

Who are you and what is your biggest passion?
I’m Sarah, a German artist who grew up in Luxembourg. As a child, like many others, I dreamed of painting. But I only really found my way to art when I got back into it properly to manage the stress from my previous job. Now I make art every day. Sometimes just little sketches, sometimes bigger things for my shop. I always have my sketchbook with me when I’m out and about so I can record my experiences, like in a diary. Some of these urban sketches even make their way into my Shop as a design, like the colourful houses in Stockholm’s Old Town, Gamla Stan.

How long have you had your Spreadshop, dreamgirldesign?
I uploaded my first designs in late 2018 / early 2019. But I only started regularly uploading my art in March 2020.

Why did you choose Spreadshop for your merch?
Because it’s a good opportunity to bring your own art out into the world without production costs, arranging delivery and billing people.

What do you have for sale in your Shop (designs, themes, etc.)?
My designs are very varied, because there are all kinds of cool colours and styles out there. But watercolour is my favourite. My favourite things to draw are animals, which I approach traditionally. Now and then I’ll use digital techniques to put a hat on them or place objects in their paws.

How did you come up with your retro design and what was the idea behind it?
In search of inspiration, I soon became obsessed with the colourful motifs of the 1970s. I was directly inspired by the positive vibes these designs create. I definitely wanted to create that effect with my design, too.

Which tool did you use to create your retro design?
I drew my design with fineliners and watercolours. Then I cropped and edited it a little using Procreate.

Would you take part in another challenge?
If the theme appeals to me, I’m in.

3rd place – David | Monsieur Mouton

Who are you and what is your biggest passion?
My name is David and my biggest passion is animal photography. 

How long have you had your Spreadshop, Monsieur Mouton?
Since 2017, if I recall correctly.

Why did you choose Spreadshop for your merch?
Because it was easy to use. And Spreadshirt had my support from back in the La fraise days. I think that was at least 15 years ago…

What do you have for sale in your Shop (designs, themes, etc.)?
I draw for pleasure and I’m not much of a salesperson. I offer all kinds of products, with no specific themes or concepts. I offer what I can do – that is, animal drawings featuring sheep and birds. And jokes and puns with a strong link to nature conservation 😉.

How did you come up with your retro design and what was the idea behind it?
It’s another little play on words with animals, with a touch of the ‘60s. Very colourful, very ‘peace and love’… Love the planet.

Which tool did you use to create your retro design?
Good old HB pencils and Procreate on the iPad Air with a stylus pen.

Would you take part in another challenge?
Of course! It’s always a pleasure 😁.

We had a blast!

Our Spreadshop Design Challenge 2023 was simply incredible. And it’s all down to you: It wasn’t just the winners’ designs that impressed us – it was the passion and dedication of everyone who took part. Your creativity and commitment is what made this Challenge such an unforgettable experience.

Special thanks go out to all those who cast their vote. You didn’t just choose the winners – you made all our talented Shop owners’ efforts worthwhile. We’re looking forward to going on more creative adventures with you in future.

What should be the theme of our next Design Challenge? Let us know in the comments.