If you’re in the market for a unique, one-of-a-kind gift, you should consider a print on demand (POD) product. POD products are created fresh and new just for you, so you can be sure you’re getting something truly special.
What Is Print on Demand?
Print on demand is a simple idea. An artist creates a design and offers it on products like mugs, cards, shirts, binders, keepsake boxes, and wall art. Nothing is printed ahead of time. When you place your order, your item is printed, finished, and shipped just for you. You choose the product, the size, and often the colors and wording, and the printer does the rest.
That means one person can buy a single greeting card, and another can order fifty matching shirts for a family reunion, all from the same design. There are no minimums and no leftover boxes sitting in a back room.
Better for the Environment
But POD products aren’t just special – they’re also environmentally friendly. Because they’re not produced in mass quantities, there is less waste generated in the manufacturing process. And because POD products are only produced when they’re ordered, there’s no need for warehousing, which saves on electricity and storage costs.
Think about how many store-bought gifts end up on clearance racks, or worse, in the trash because nobody wanted them. Made-to-order products skip that cycle. Every item has a buyer before it is ever made.
Personalized Gifts That Mean Something
Supporting POD artists is a great way to discover new, up-and-coming talent and help them succeed. Plus, because POD products are made to order, you can often request customizations or personalizations to make the gift even more special.
Adding a name, a date, a photo, or a few heartfelt words turns an ordinary item into a keepsake. A few ideas:
- Memorial and sympathy gifts with a loved one’s name and dates, to comfort a grieving family.
- Birthday cards with the recipient’s name and age, funny or sweet.
- Recipe binders that gather family recipes into one book to pass down.
- Estate and planning binders that help someone get important papers organized.
- Wedding, anniversary, and new baby items marked with the date that matters.
Gifts like these are hard to find on a store shelf, because they were never meant for everyone. They were meant for one person.
Supporting Independent Artists
When you buy a print on demand product, part of what you pay goes to the artist who created the design. Many POD designers are small, independent creators working from home: retirees, parents, teachers, and lifelong artists who finally have a way to share their work without opening a shop or buying inventory.
Amelia Carrie has been designing print on demand products for about fifteen years. Every design in her shops started as an idea, a sketch, or a feeling she wanted to put into something you could hold. Buying directly from an artist’s shop keeps that kind of creative work going.
A Huge Range of Products
One design can appear on dozens of products. If you love a particular design, you might find it on a card, a mug, a tote bag, a pillow, a phone case, and a framed print. That makes it easy to put together a matching gift set, or to find the right item for someone who already has everything.
Tips for Ordering Print on Demand Gifts
- Order a little early. Because each item is made after you order, it takes a few extra days to produce before it ships. Plan ahead for birthdays and holidays.
- Proofread carefully. Check spelling of names and dates before you check out. Your item will be printed exactly as you entered it.
- Look at the preview. Most shops show you a live preview of your customized product. Take a moment to make sure everything fits and looks the way you want.
- Ask for help if you need it. If you want something a little different, many artists are happy to adjust a design or create a custom one.
Give Something Unique
So next time you’re in need of a gift, consider a print on demand product. Not only will you be getting something unique and special, you’ll also be supporting independent artists and doing your part for the environment.
Browse Amelia Carrie’s collections, including memorial gifts at MemorialGiftShop.com and funny and heartfelt cards at Perfect Paperie, or reach out about a custom design made just for the person you have in mind.