9 POD Services to Help You Design an Ugly Sweater

Custom ugly sweaters are a great product to sell through your dropshipping store year-round. But especially at Christmas. That’s when a truly great ugly Christmas sweater design can help you maximize your Q4 dropshipping profits.

For any dropshipper wanting to design an ugly Christmas sweater, some print on demand services are better than others. To make your own Christmas sweater - or any custom ugly sweater for that matter - you’ll need inspiration. And that’s where access to free design tools comes in handy.

A mockup generator is a tool that many print on demand services offer. And it could be just what you need to create a custom christmas sweater your dropshipping customers will love.

So, whether you’re wanting to offer custom Christmas sweaters or just ugly sweater designs in general, here are our top picks for you to think about.

What is a mockup?

A mockup is basically a digitally generated image of a product that can be used to show how your custom christmas sweatshirts designs will appear on various products. When it comes to print-on-demand services, a mockup of models wearing your t-shirt and jumper designs is handy to have. It will show your customers how your products look on people.

Basically mockups are an essential tool for any ecommerce store looking to add print on demand services to their existing offering. They can bring your print-on-demand products to life, make them look professional, and save you a ton of money given you won’t need to do your own photoshoots. Mockups help you to display POD products in action, which is essential if you want them to sell.

Mockups of your personalized christmas sweaters help to bring the designs to life.

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Why should you use the mockup generator?

If you’re creating a custom christmas sweater with picture mockup, you’ll be able to test how different elements of the design work together. Simply put, you can see how your design would look printed on a red sweater, or a green shirt. It allows you to explore the different options you can offer your customers so that you make the right decisions about which ones to include in your dropshipping product offering. 

Mockup generators are handy for anyone wanting to design an ugly sweater for a number of reasons. These include: 

• Efficiency: Save time with a mockup generator.
• Easy last minute edits: With a mockup, you can test and adapt your visual designs before importing them to your dropshipping store.
• Mockup for customizable christmas sweaters: If you want to be able to offer your customers the option to customize sweaters, you’ll need to be able to display different examples of how the customisation will look post-printing. A mockup generator allows you to do this!
• Cost-effective: Many POD services offer a free mockup generator. This is ideal for dropshippers looking to save on upfront costs when launching a print on demand business.

And these are just some of the advantages of embracing a mockup on your print on demand dropshipping journey. Using a mockup generator allows your designs to stand out.

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Who can use the mockup generator?

In short, anyone! A mockup generator is a tool that is handy for experienced designers and novices alike.

Designers can use mockup generators to speed up their workflow. Where tools such as Photoshop and other design software programs take considerable amounts of time and skill to achieve a visual representation of your christmas sweater design, a mockup generator achieves it in just a few easy steps. 

And the simplicity of mockup generator tools means that they’re user-friendly regardless of experience or ability too.

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Top print on demand services when designing a custom ugly christmas sweater

If you’re looking to create a catalog of custom ugly christmas sweaters to add to your dropshipping offering, here are our top picks.

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1. Printify

One of the most well-known platforms when it comes to creating a personalized ugly christmas sweater is Printify. This print on demand service provider stands out from the rest thanks to it being a collection of different print on demand service providers.

With this comes access to more choice. From printing providers to the material used to create your custom holiday sweaters, pricing options and beyond, you can tailor your product offering to your customer base and business needs more accurately at Printify.

Plus, access to its mockup generator is free for Printify merchants too. This means that you won’t have to shell out for a higher subscription tier to be able to access this USP.

Here are some of the pros and cons of choosing Printify as your ugly sweater maker.

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 Printify Pros

These features make Printify a good option for dropshippers looking to design a personalized christmas sweater:

• Easy of use: Thanks to a plethora of user-friendly features, Printify keeps things simple. Choose a product from the catalog, select the fashion dropshipper you want to use, and upload the customizable ugly Christmas sweater design you want to print on it. 
• 24/7 customer service: A great USP that Printify boasts is access to live chat assistance 24/7. 

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Cons

Printify, like its competitors, does have some drawbacks that dropshippers seeking a POD partner need to be aware of. Learn more below:

• Production time inaccuracy. Printify displays an average production time when you come to place an order. But the actual time it takes can sometimes be much longer. You’ll need to manage both your customers’ expectations and your own expectations accordingly. 
• Confusion with quality ratings. If you make your own christmas sweater online - specifically in the ecommerce world - and are looking for partners who have a high product quality rating, you need to be aware that their ratings don’t necessarily relate to their sweater printing services. This is because the quality ratings are averaged based on the supplier’s entire print on demand product collection. 

2. Printful

Printful is one of the oldest print on demand companies around. And with a wealth of experience comes plenty of user-friendly features to help you create your own ugly Christmas sweater to offer your customers.

But, a downside that resonates with entrepreneurs looking to add print of demand products to their list of ventures is that Printful is an expensive service provider. And more expensive base prices automatically means lower profit margins for dropshippers. 

But, Printful’s print on demand products are generally better quality too. This allows you to work around those lower profit margins by listing the products at a higher price on your dropshipping store.

Printful can also be integrated with leading online retail platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce and more. And, given that all of these platforms also support the Spocket plug-in, you can retain your access to trusted dropshipping suppliers while exploring adding those print on demand custom xmas sweaters to your offering too.

Printful pros

There are many reasons to consider partnering with Printful as you embrace your print on demand dropshipping venture. These include:

• No startup costs associated. With no monthly or setup expenses you won’t have to worry about having start up costs when partnering with Printful. Simply pay the base price for the products as and when you need to fulfill a customer’s order. You’ll even be able to access the mockup generator tool free of charge too.
• 20% discount on product samples. Test the quality before you start selling Printful print on demand products through your dropshipping store. With a 20% discount on your first product sample, this USP is hard to ignore.
• Good customer service. Printful are a cut above the rest when it comes to customer service. When compared with similar print on demand partners, you’ll find that the overall response time and the quality of the responses are more than satisfactory at Printful.

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Printful cons

But as ever, there are some downsides we need to highlight before you secure Printful as your POD partner. These include:

• Generally higher base prices. As mentioned above, Printful’s print on demand products have a higher base price than some of its competitors. But, given that the products are usually much better in terms of quality, you’ll be able to work around the seemingly low profit margins. Mark up your personalized ugly sweater at a slightly higher price through your dropshipping store to retain your usual profitability. 
• Change of mind and accidental order refunds are not possible. As with most made-to-order products, Printful doesn’t support refunds on a change of mind basis. This also applies to orders whereby your customer has selected the wrong size or color too. And so, you need to explain this on each and every one of the custom ugly sweater with picture product pages to avoid negative feedback as a result. It’s a good idea to reiterate the importance of double checking orders before completion at checkout too.

3. Gelato

Gelato is a lesser-known POD service provider that’s worth considering on your Christmas sweater print venture. 

Gelato has production sites spread across 34 different countries. It also collaborates with more than 100 print on demand service providers. Plus, its free mockup generator will definitely make light work when it comes to marketing your customizable designs.

The key USP of Gelato is its eco-friendly practices. With its local production and shipping solutions, reducing the carbon footprint of your dropshipping store is easier. And that, in turn, gives your dropshipping platform a USP that is proving extremely important to customers all over the world right now.

Gelato pros

Gelato has plenty of pros for dropshippers to think about:

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• Enables dropshippers to follow eco-friendly practices. By facilitating eco-forward operations that mean your customers’ orders are printed and dispatched from the production site that is located closest to them, you can automatically reduce your store’s carbon footprint. This will set your brand apart from your competitors which will help you to build brand awareness fast.
• Varied product offering. Gelato does not only offer print on demand services to help you design your own christmas sweater. Your designs can also be turned into tote bags, wall art, and even custom phone cases too.

Gelato cons

As expected, there are a few downsides to partnering with Gelato that you’ll need to be aware of. These include:

• Restricted custom branding. Unfortunately, you’ll need to sign up for a paid subscription plan if you want to be able to include branded customizations like labels and packaging inserts with the products being shipped to your customers. Plus, you should also be aware that this service is only available on some of Gelato's product offerings.
• Some product restrictions. POD services such as Printful offer various different materials to consider. Gelato is comparably restrictive in this customization.

4. Tpop

Tpop is a print-on-demand provider that specializes in printing on clothing. The company is based in France, and Europe which could make it an ideal choice for dropshippers looking to offer print on demand services to global markets.

It also benefits from a free mockup tool which can be used as an ugly christmas sweater generator as and when needed too.

Tpop is another POD partner that is steadfast in its commitment to eco-friendly ecommerce solutions. 

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Tpop pros

Tpop offers some unusual USPs which will appeal to those with a focus on sustainability or global expansion. These include:

• Headquartered in Europe. For those looking to offer print on demand dropshipping products to a European customer base, Tpop is ideal. As the company is based in France, it can offer time- and cost-efficient printing and shipping services to EU addresses. 
• Environmentally-friendly print on demand company. As the desire for sustainable clothing continues to skyrocket, Tpop sets itself apart from the other print on demand services with its commitment to eco-friendly practices. 

Tpop cons

Here are the downsides to Tpop that dropshippers will need to be aware of too:

• Expensive base prices. Eco-friendly products generally come at a premium. This is true of Tpop’s products too. But, generally people do expect to pay more for sustainable fashion. And so this shouldn’t hinder your ability to make a healthy profit on your ugly Christmas sweater designs.
• Restrictive access for free subscriptions. All members can access the free mockup generator tool. But, if you want unlimited access to this, you’ll need to opt for a paid subscription instead.

5. Printy6

Printy6 offers a mockup generation feature that is both easy to use and extremely handy during the startup process too. You can even use it to design your very own custom branding if you desire. 

And with free shipping worldwide, product profitability is really easy to achieve too.

This print on demand partner can be easily integrated with BigCommerce, WooCommerce, and Shopify as well as market-leading platforms like eBay and Amazon too.

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Printy6 pros

Here are a couple of perks partners of Printy6 will benefit from:

• Intuitive user interface. The user interface at Printy6 boasts plenty of user-friendly features. Use the mockup generator to create designs and get them uploaded to your ecommerce store in next to no time.
• Inexpensive products. At Printy6 you’ll benefit from low prices across its entire product collection. And for dropshippers, lower base prices means maximum profitability.

Printy6 cons

There are (as always) a few things that anyone considering partnering with Printy6 needs to be aware of. These include:

• Long shipping times for US customers. Printy6 might not be your first choice if your customer base is primarily in the US. It can take 7-20 working days for orders to arrive after being dispatched. ‍
• Minimal customer service. Customer service at Printy6 isn’t great. Some people have reported having to wait long periods to receive answers to their queries. This can have a knock-on effect on your own ability to provide consistently excellent customer service which isn’t great for business.

6. SPOD

SPOD is a print-on-demand fulfillment service with a focus on sustainability. Plus, SPOD benefits from speedy shipping which helps to set it apart from other eco competitors.

SPOD also has a free mockup generator that can be handy when it comes to marketing your ugly Christmas sweater print on demand designs too.

SPOD pros

And if its eco-friendly approach and easy to use mockup generator haven’t sold you on SPOD just yet, these additional pros might:

• Efficient production times. SPOD aims to both process and print your order within 48 working hours of receipt. A speedy turn around such as this will help you both build and retain your customer base effectively too.‍
• High rating on Shopify. SPOD has a very respectable score of 4.1 out of 5 on Shopify based on more than 700 reviews. Considering that we live in a world where we are more likely to leave a negative review than a positive one, that’s a decent score.

Spod cons

There’s plenty to like about the print on demand services offered by SPOD. Here are a few of the downsides you should know about before committing your POD partnership to it though:

• Delivery destination restrictions. SPOD only ships to delivery addresses based in the US and Europe. So, if you’ve long been dreaming of dominating the global market, an alternative print on demand partner will be necessary.
• Maximum file upload applies. When uploading your designs, you’ll need to be mindful of the 10MB limit. But, this is easy to work around with so many free image compressor software providers around.

7. CustomCat

CustomCat is a print-on-demand service that boasts an intuitive mockup generator tool. Plus, with 20+ years of experience in order printing fulfillment, you can rest assured you’re in safe hands. 

CustomCat is based in Detroit, US. And as a US-based print on demand dropshipping provider, you can trust that its products will align with US standards.

This print on demand service integrates easily with dropshipping stores on Shopify, WooCommerce, and BigCommerce platforms.

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CustomCat pros

Here are some of the unique selling points CustomCat partners will benefit from:

• 24/7 production and customer support. The CustomCat team works round the clock producing and shipping orders. What’s more, the customer support team is also available 24/7 to provide solutions for any queries that arise too.
• Variety of high quality printing methods. CustomCat offers a range of customized printing services from high-quality photographic prints to custom embroidery.

CustomCat cons

But, as with the other providers in this list, there’s a downside to choosing CustomCat as your POD supplier:

‍Shipping times. Expected shipping times are anywhere between 1 and 4 weeks. As CustomCat is US-based, it’s the deliveries outside of the US you should be wary of as these are likely to take closer to the 4-week mark. For dropshippers striving for a global customer base, an alternative print on demand service with faster non-US shipping times might be a better choice.

8. Teelaunch

Teelaunch is a great choice for entrepreneurs looking to design and print on demand high-quality ugly Christmas sweaters at competitive prices. 

By utilizing the direct-to-garment printing process, Teelaunch’s printing services are generally better quality overall.

Teelaunch pros

As well as access to the free mockup generator and design tools, Teelaunch partners will also benefit from:

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• Automated profit calculator. Calculate your profits before importing products and designs to your dropshipping store.‍
• Access to branded products. Teelaunch offers printing on demand service on branded products too. If there’s a brand you trust in that list, you’re far more likely to build trust with your customer base too.

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Teelaunch cons

When choosing a POD supplier, it’s important to look at all the evidence. Here are the cons to partnering with Teelaunch:

• Limited availability. Currently, Teelaunch only integrates with Shopify and Etsy. If you’re not planning on switching, an alternative print on demand service provider will be necessary.‍
• Limited branding opportunities. If you’re looking to expand your business, brand reputation and awareness is everything. And that’s why being able to stamp yours everywhere possible is a big pro. At Teelaunch, branding opportunities are quite limited. But, you will be able to add your store’s logo to the individual packing slips. And you can also insert your own business cards (or fliers) in the package before it’s shipped to your customer too.

9. AOP+

AOP+ is becoming a popular choice among retailers wanting to offer print on demand products to their customers. With it being free to access and easy to navigate, the AOP+ user interface is well-liked among pro dropshippers and newbies alike. 

AOP+ also offers consistently cheap products, making higher profit margins more accessible too. 

Another selling point for the AOP+ POD service is that it easily integrates with your existing Shopify, WooCommerce, BigCommerce, or Amazon ecommerce dropshipping store. And it’s mockup generator brings your product offering to life.

AOP+ pros

Here are some of the USPs that AOP+ dropshipping partners can enjoy:

• High quality products. In general, AOP+ print on demand products and services are regarded as high quality.
• Great customer service. AOP+ has made customer service a top priority. And many independent customer reviews indicate that this POD provider genuinely cares about your business and its success. 

AOP+ cons

Alas, AOP+ isn’t without its own downsides. To truly discover whether this POD supplier is the right choice to you, it’s best to have all the info:

• Confusing app. AOP+ users have attested that the app is a little tricky to navigate. That said, AOP+ is actively investing time and money into improving its services all the time.‍
• Shipping costs. Shipping costs need to be considered as part of the cost price as it can impact profitability. As the AOP+ warehouse is headquartered in London, UK, delivery fees for orders being shipped to the US can be substantially higher.

Our conclusion

In conclusion, each of these print on demand partners come with their own pros and cons. The right choice for you depends on the needs of your dropshipping business. Whether it’s eco-friendly customized Christmas sweaters or ones with speedy shipping that will appeal to your customers more, there’s a POD service provider listed above that could tick all your boxes.