What is merch?

What is merch, you ask? It's your opportunity to transform ideas into tangible products that connect with your audience. In this guide, we’ll walk you through how to create and sell merchandise online, especially using powerful print-on-demand (POD) services. 

Let's bring your brand to life.

Key takeaways

• Merch is a fantastic way to deepen your connection with fans or customers and build a strong brand identity.

• Print-on-Demand (POD) makes launching your own merch line incredibly easy, with no upfront costs or inventory.

• Sell various custom products, from popular t-shirts and hoodies to mugs and tote bags.

• Promoting your merchandise through social media and other channels is key to amping up your revenue.

What is merchandise, and why does it matter?

Merch, short for merchandise, is any branded product you can buy, wear, or use that represents a person, company, cause, or idea. From a band’s logo on a hoodie to a tech company’s branded pens, merch is everywhere – woven into fan culture, corporate strategies, and personal branding alike.

But what makes it so popular?

• Because it builds brand recognition, creates community, and turns supporters into walking billboards. 
  
  

And it's not just about t-shirts or sticker sheets – it’s about connection. When someone buys merch, they’re not just purchasing products – they’re buying into something they believe in. That could be your message, your art, your values, or your business.

• Large corporations use branded products to amp up visibility and reward loyal employees. 

• Influencers release merch to connect with fans and monetize their audience. 

• Nonprofits sell items to raise funds or awareness. 

• Even schools and local clubs tap into swag to rally their community.
  
  

And here’s the best part: selling merchandise isn’t just for big names. Thanks to print-on-demand platforms like Printful, anyone – from a YouTube channel owner to a small business – can create and sell branded items without inventory, upfront costs, equipment, or fulfillment headaches.

It’s affordable, personal, and powerful. 

Types of merch you can sell

There’s no one-size-fits-all when it comes to merch. Depending on your goals and audience, your merch strategy can include anything from clothing to digital products and practical branded items. Let’s break down the most popular types.

Event merch

Events come and go, but merch lives on. Branded products like t-shirts and tote bags let fans wear the memory – literally. From screaming at concerts to networking at trade shows, selling merchandise is an excellent way to keep your brand in their hands (and selfies) long after the confetti’s gone.

• Concerts & music festivals

• Sports events

• Conferences & trade shows

• Charity events & fundraisers

• Local fairs & pop-ups
  
  

Corporate merch

Corporate doesn’t have to be boring. Branded swag can turn your employees into fans and your clients into friends. Whether it’s for holiday gifting or recruitment fairs, selling merchandise (or just giving it away) gets your company name into homes, offices, and probably someone’s group chat.

• Employee swag (onboarding kits)

• Client gifts & branded giveaways

• Internal team events & retreats

• Holiday gifting

• Recruitment fairs
  
  

Digital merch

Zero shipping, zero storage, and pure profit. Digital merchandise is perfect for creators, designers, and businesses that want to release merch without manufacturing a single thing. Think pixel-perfect, downloadable assets that fans or customers can use, print, or enjoy immediately.

• Digital art prints

• Wallpapers and phone backgrounds

• Printable planners and journals

• E-books and brand kits

• Courses and educational materials

• Subscriptions

• Custom emojis or icons for social media
  
  

Creator and influencer merch

For content creators, merch is more than a revenue stream – it’s an extension of their identity and a direct line to their audience. Fans want to wear what they love, and creators can release merch that reflects their style, values, or catchphrases.

• YouTubers, streamers, podcasters

• Personal brands & lifestyle content creators

• Fanbase-focused drops

• Limited-edition collabs
  
  

School and university merch

From campus spirit to graduation day, merch turns school pride into something you can wear, carry, or gift. Educational institutions have embraced merchandise as a fun, profitable, and community-driven way to engage students, alumni, and parents.

• Clubs & student orgs

• Graduation & alumni collections

• Sports teams & spirit wear

• Orientation kits
  
  

Cause-based nonprofit merch

Cause-based merch transforms advocacy into something tangible. It helps nonprofits raise money, increase visibility, and inspire conversation – all while giving supporters something to proudly wear or share.

• Awareness campaigns

• Nonprofit fundraising

• Political or activist statements

• Eco-conscious or sustainability movements

Popular product categories for custom merchandise

Now that you’ve got the merch types down, let’s dive into some trending products that customers love to buy, wear, and post pictures of. From classic clothing to quirky hobby gear, these are the stars of most merch shops today.

Apparel and accessories

If merch had a main character, it would be clothing and accessories. Tees, hoodies, joggers, tote bags, socks, and hats are merch royalty because they’re wearable, shareable, and seriously versatile. 

They give your brand instant visibility every time someone walks down the street, hops on a stream, or shows up to events in your gear.

Apparel works for everyone – from a band on tour to a startup doing giveaways. Add your logo, match your color scheme, and boom – you’ve got swag that people actually want to wear.

Home and living

Want your brand to live rent-free in someone’s home? This is how you do it. Mugs, candles, posters, and pillows turn ordinary spaces into tiny merch museums.

These products work great as gifts, giveaways, or lifestyle merch drops. They’re fun to customize, fit any vibe or message, and customers love them because they use them daily. That’s not just branding, it’s long-term advertising – right on someone’s couch or coffee table.

Hobby items and niche-specific products

This category is where your merch gets personal. Got a gaming audience? Sell mousepads or controller skins. A pet brand? Try dog bandanas or custom bowls. Into wellness? Go for yoga mats. The point is: if they love it, you can create merch around it.

These products work wonders for connecting with smaller, passionate communities. They’re also a great way to stand out from bigger businesses and create valuable, thoughtful, and perfectly on-brand swag.

Pro tip: Merch that matches your niche equals higher profit and happier customers.

Why is selling merch with Print-on-Demand smart?

Let’s be real: the present day moves fast. Tastes change, trends flip, and your audience wants fresh merch that means something. That’s where print-on-demand (POD) comes in – a smarter way to sell merchandise without stress, waste, or piles of unsold water bottles in your garage.

Here’s why POD is an excellent way to grow your merch game:

1. No inventory – no waste

Traditional merchandise models rely on mass production, meaning you’re guessing how much to manufacture. POD lets you create products only when a customer orders – cutting down on waste, costs, and the environmental footprint. It’s a win for your brand and the planet.

2. Customization without chaos

Want a tote in your exact color scheme, or a hoodie with three logo options? POD platforms like Printful make creating merch super flexible. Tailor designs to your audience and keep your brand recognition strong without wrangling with multiple manufacturers.

3. Test, expand, repeat

POD is made for experimentation. Try mugs one month, water bottles the next, and maybe dog bandanas after that. If something flops – no worries. You haven’t spent upfront money or stocked a warehouse.

4. Global reach, no extra effort

Printful handles fulfillment and delivery worldwide, so your customers can use your merch from Tokyo to Toronto. That’s serious reach, no logistics degree required.

5. More time for what matters

Since Printful manages production, shipping, and even website integrations, you can focus on design, content, and connecting with your community. Less admin, more creativity – and more profit.

Bonus stat: POD is projected to grow to $103 billion by 2034. That’s not just a trend – it’s a movement.

How to start selling merch online in 4 steps with Printful

Ready to go from idea to income? Creating and selling merch online doesn’t require a warehouse, team of manufacturers, or piles of blank hoodies. With Printful, build your brand, launch your shop, and deliver high-quality merch to your audience in just a few clicks.

1. Choose your niche

Before designing, you need to know who you’re selling to – and what they want to buy. Your niche is your merchandise’s personality. It could be chaotic cat moms, retro gaming fans, mental health advocates, or urban gardeners who love snarky mugs.

If you already have a community – like a podcast audience or small business – you’re halfway there. But you can still zoom in.

• What topics do they care about? 

• What’s their aesthetic? 

• Which part of your brand, cause, or content do they like the most? Is it catchphrases, logos, or other elements?
  
  

Use tools like Google Trends, Semrush, or Instagram hashtags to see what’s trending and refine your focus.

2. Decide what merch to sell

Printful offers hundreds of customizable products. What you pick should match your niche and brand identity.

If you’re designing for artists, think notebooks or posters. For outdoor lovers? Water bottles or hiking hats. Want to build a color scheme-driven fashion line? Start with blank tees, hoodies, and socks in your palette.

Explore our:

• Bestsellers for what’s trending

• Eco-conscious collection if sustainability matters to your brand

• Embroidery options for a premium, tactile feel
  
  

Brainstorm different merch ideas, pick what resonates with most people in your niche, and enjoy the benefits of POD, scaling merchandise for a community.

3. Design your merch

This is where your brand comes alive. You don’t need to be a designer to make something people want to buy – just have a clear idea and a little creativity.

Use inside jokes, funny slogans, or bold logos to connect with your audience. Think of merch as visual storytelling. Most people don’t buy a mug – they buy a vibe, a message, a laugh they’ll share with friends.

Not sure where to start?

• Use Canva or Adobe Express for easy design mockups

• Hire a freelancer via Fiverr or Upwork

• Use Printful’s Merch Maker (free, intuitive, loaded with features and fonts)
  
  

Mix your logo, colors, and message to create merch that screams YOU. Bonus tip: Add pictures of your audience using it for instant social proof.

Valuable read: 11 Things You Didn’t Know Printful’s Design Maker Could Do

4. Sell online

Once your designs look amazing, it’s go time. Choose where to sell merch – your own website, Etsy, Shopify, or even TikTok Shop. Then connect it to Printful, set your prices, and let the magic happen.

You don’t need to handle inventory, pack orders, or deal with shipping. Printful does all that for you while you focus on promotion, creating content, and building relationships with your community.

The best part? You keep the difference between your cost and the retail price. That’s pure profit – without ever touching a box.

Valuable read: How to make merch that sells, with practical steps, examples, and ways to bump up brand recognition.

To summarize

Merch is more than swag – it’s a creative, profitable way to grow your brand, connect with your community, and offer something people want to buy and share. Whether you're a creator or a company, selling merchandise with Printful is an excellent way to make money without stress. Ready to launch? Create merch today!