Make Festival Merch Fans Will Love (And Buy!)
Festival season brings a huge demand for custom fashion. Learn how to make your own merch and turn a profit.
Festival season brings a huge demand for custom apparel and accessories: band tees, re-usable water bottles, baseball caps.
Hundreds of thousands will attend festivals this spring/summer, and they’re going to looking for fun and functional apparel.
Tap into this huge market by making and selling your own print-on-demand merch! With print-on-demand, you can make your own custom t-shirts and other merch for all kinds of festival goers: techno fans, ravers, pop lovers.
Music fans enjoy merchandise that enhances and improves the experience. This is true for both large music festivals and local all-day events.
So, how do you create high-quality festival merch that actually sells?
This guide will show you how to make merch that fans will love and buy!
Meet Demand for Festival Merch with Print-On-Demand
Picture this: You’re at your favorite festival, the bass is thumping, the crowd is electric, and you’re dancing in the sunshine. You’re living in the moment, but how do you hold onto those memories?
Custom festival merch allows you to turn fleeting memories into something tangible. Festival t-shirts and other apparel are an important part of the experience for a lot of attendees. Rocking a vintage-style graphic tee, tie-dye pieces and fun stickers are a way to connect with others.
But great festival merch goes beyond aesthetic - it creates a deeper connection between fans and the event itself. With custom merch you can give festival goers the opportunity to be themselves.
And since traditional event or band merch can be overpriced ($60 for a t-shirt?!) this gives you a great opportunity. Using print-on-demand services like Spreadshop allows you to maximize your profits. We start with a base price for each product, like $10 for a t-shirt.
Any amount you set above that goes directly to you!
Sell tees, hoodies and more for reasonable prices that will appeal to your niche market AND help you earn extra cash.
Make it Easy to Get Festival Must-Haves
With print-on-demand, you have the freedom and flexibility to make and sell 300+ products. No limit on how many designs you can upload, either. We take care of all the hassle so you don’t have to.
The purpose of festival merch comes down to wearing the experience. Fans want to wear products that are both trendy and comfortable for long days spent under the blistering sun.
Here are some must-haves products for music festivals:
Breezy Tees & Tanks – Classic, comfortable, and versatile. Oversized vintage tees or cropped tanks with bold graphics are always in demand.
Cropped Hoodies – The sun may be out to play during the day, but music-filled nights can get chilly. Cropped hoodies are a trendy take on a classic that makes for perfect post-festival lounging.
Totes – Music festivals = carrying a lot of stuff. A well-designed tote bag is practical for hauling essentials like water bottles and snacks. Use it as a reusable shopping bag post-festival season!
Stickers – Perfect for personalizing water bottles and phone cases. Limited-edition stickers with festival-inspired graphics and quotes are a small but mighty merch item.
Reusable Water Bottles – Hydration is key at festivals, and reusable bottles with fun graphics are essential and fashionable.
How to Design Festival Apparel That Actually Sells
Festival merch is more than slapping a logo on a t-shirt and calling it a day. You want to create trendy apparel that festival-goers will actually want to buy and wear.
The best designs capture the energy, vibe, and aesthetic of the event. Here’s how to design merch that grabs audience attention and makes “add to cart” easy.
Bold, Eye-Catching Designs Stand Out in the Crowd
Think bold graphics, high-contrast colors, and striking typography that pop from across the festival grounds. Loud, bold designs attract festival-goers. Something that feels like an extension of the experience itself.
Design Tips:
Use large, visible graphics that can be recognized from a distance.
Play with oversized typography - chunky letters and artistic fonts make a statement.
Avoid overly complicated details - simple yet striking is the way to go.
Trending Designs: What Attendees will be Wearing
Some hot design elements that are dominating festival style right now:
Tie-Dye & Gradient Blends – The ultimate festival fashion staple. Tie-dye hoodies, gradient t-shirts, and ombré-effect bandanas bring that groovy vibe.
Minimalist Logos & Typography – Sometimes, less is more. Simple yet bold branding, clean fonts, and subtle icons appeal to a modern, high-fashion crowd.
Hand-Drawn & Doodle Art – Quirky, illustrated designs with a DIY, sketchbook feel are huge, especially for indie festivals. Custom artwork makes pieces feel one-of-a-kind.
Best Practices for Print-Ready Merch
Creating an incredible design is only half the battle. You need to ensure they print well on actual products. Here’s how:
✔️ Use High-Resolution Graphics – Make sure your designs are at least 300 DPI for crisp, clean prints.
✔️ Stay Within Safe Print Areas – Avoid placing key elements near seams or folds where they could be cut off.
✔️ Consider Fabric Colors – Light-colored fabrics work best for detailed designs, while dark fabrics need bold, high-contrast graphics.
Need Design Help?
Use innovative and easy design tools like Canva to make your festival merch. They have a huge library of trendy graphics and text options that make the merch design process seamless.
Design products instantly with our easy-to-use customization tool.
Promote Your Festival Merch on Socials
You’ve designed the perfect festival apparel, now it’s time to be your own promoter.
The right marketing strategy can turn your merch into a must-have item. Generate hype long before the festival even starts and keeping sales rolling after the weekend wraps up.
Here’s how to use socials, limited drops, and exclusive promos to build buzz around your merch and boost sales.
Instagram & TikTok: Be Visual
Create short, high-energy videos showcasing your merch in action. Use unique transitions, bold text overlays, and trending music/audio. Need help making visuals? Use Capcut for desktop to create your high-quality content.
Film behind-the-scenes content (show the design process, unbox samples, show first reactions).
Limited-Edition Drops
Offer exclusive designs that are only available for a short time.
Use drop countdowns on social media (Instagram stories, TikTok posts, email campaigns) to create FOMO.
Make it clear: “When it’s gone, it’s gone!”
Flash Sales
Run 24- to 48-hour flash sales before or after the festival.
Offer discounts to early buyers or attendees who tag your merch in their festival photos.
Use a timer on your website or social posts to count down the hours left in the sale.
Spreadshop runs exclusive promotions every month for shop owners to take advantage of. Use these to drive sales.
Making and selling your own festival merch isn’t a hassle when you have the power of print-on-demand.