Custom T-shirt Designs: What to Sell in 2023

Plant Mom Merch

Plant moms (and papas) are the pet parents of a new generation. According to Garden Pals, 7 in 10 millennials refer to themselves as a plant parent. That’s even more reason to turn this hobby into a bonafide side hustle!

And we recommend using puns to your advantage if you want to up your merch game. We personally love this “Drown That Hoe” design from Plants With Krystal. These kind of designs are universal and will resonate with plant lovers everywhere.

Custom apparel is also a great way to raise awareness for a cause that’s close to your heart. Cayla started the Greater Orlando Plant Swap as a way to for plant people to mingle and give plants a new life. Merch has empowered her to build her brand. Logos make for a great T-shirt design and shouldn’t be overlooked when it comes to building your merch line.

Back to Basics

Putting T-shirt designs on the back of your tees is a sure fire way to stand out from the crowd. It’s a more subtle and stylish way to design your merch. It’s also a great tactic to appeal to an audience that’s looking for more when it comes to their apparel.

TomoTees is a great example of how to create merch that suits your audience. Their streamlined logo works well no matter where you place it.  Some cat or animal lovers might not want a big graphic of a cat on their T-shirt. Aesthetically-pleasing logos and standout graphics make for great designs on the back of tees.

Words Have Power

Sometimes the best way to get your messages across is to just tell it like it is. Bold text t-shirt designs have become increasingly popular in 2023 and are guaranteed to make a statement.

We’ve seen shop owners take on this trend differently. The idea of listing out niche words or phrases is fun, just like **Victoria Marie Designs **did for crafters. If you know your audience, you know what would resonate most with them. Make sure your followers are interested in these kind of designs by running a poll on your socials and ask for feedback.

You can’t go wrong with generic phrases, either. We’re really tired of living through historic times, too.

Let Me Tell You ‘Bout My Best Friend

Anyone’s pet can be a superstar thanks to merch. Your pet’s cute. You know it, and your followers know it. But how can you use that to your advantage when it comes to your t-shirt designs?

Photos of your pet just aren’t enough if you want them to be a pet influencer. Cute illustrations and graphics are where it’s at. If you’re not a designer, consider hiring a professional through a service like Fiverr.

You can pick from hundreds of artists to fulfill design requests. It’s well worth it to pay $20 or $30 for a design that’s quality and will sell. If you don’t want to go that route, catch phrases or taglines that’s popular among your content.

This category was one of the biggest sellers for merch in 2022, and we don’t see that trend slowing down. See how other shop owners are turning their pets into influencers thanks to custom apparel.

The Great Outdoors

Now that it’s finally spring, it’s time to get back outside and soak up the sun. And why not do it while wearing some custom t-shirts?

T-shirt design options are endless when it come to this niche since there are so many different subsections of interest. Certain people are into hiking, or camping, or kayaking. Each of these hobbies have their own different language you can use to your advantage.

One of our favorite outdoor shops is Junkyard Fox. They’ve curated a merch line that’s unique and authentic to their vlogging channel. They use their logo, of course, but it’s T-shirt designs like this “Coffee by the Campfire” one you can get on tees, tote bags, and much more.

Ready to start selling your own custom T-shirts? Open your shop for FREE!