The main researches show how European Print On Demand companies have soared in recent years and their growth is expected to continue in the future.
The best ones, right now, are Pixartprinting (Italy), Inkthreadable (UK), T-Pop (France), and OPT OnDemand (Czech).
We’re going to examine them as follows but, first, let’s talk about some numbers.
E-commerce hit €620 billion in 2019, a rise of 12% relative to last year. 35% of all online shopping in Europe is for clothes and athletic products and 87% of UK people are currently purchasing through online channels.
So we’re talking about a rich and profitable sector that most likely is going to expand in 2021 and in future years.
However, it’s even true that it’s a highly competitive environment where many people, professionals or not, try every day to jump on and secure their piece of the pie.
But the trend is clear. Today, the main purpose of a millennial entrepreneur is to open an online store (or an art store, check our great guide), no matter with dropshipping or through print-on-demand services.
And this is something you should take seriously into consideration in your analysis.
Pixartprinting
Pixartprinting is a pioneer of Italian online typography and one of European’s bigger realities.
Its platform provides all kinds of web-to-print services commonly used by skilled designers, printer manufacturers, graphic studios, companies, and institutional clients. It was founded in 1994 in Quarto D’altino, Veneto.
Pixartprinting boasts a network of 900 employees producing and distributing over 12,000 items every day. Over the years, they have progressed in developing a refined machine, which helps consumers to deliver a high-quality service in just 24 hours!
Every product can be personalized following your tastes, due to their unlimited customization options.
Inkthreadable
Uk-based POD fulfillment, Inkthreadable integrates with and fulfills orders for e-commerce businesses worldwide. With their industry-leading Kornit technology, they offer bulk digital printing at highly competitive prices!
For more information about printing digital art, please refer to this article!
Inkthreadable can print all designs created straight onto t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, phone cases, and many other products! The printing process is followed in each step by qualified professionals to make sure each customer is 100% satisfied with the order.
User experience and customer service are prioritized among the team. They do reply to emails within the hour although it’s possible to contact them instantly through their Live Chat service or through the online comment form.
Inkthreadable was founded in January 2013 by Alex and Amy Cunliffe, and with a team of 30 people, they are established in Blackburn, UK.
T-Pop
T-Pop is a french print-on-demand company founded by Marie Boulogne and Julien Bernard in 2015 and based in Nîmes.
They offer fully automated printing (mainly organic clothing and goodies) and shipping (custom parcels) services for online shops.
They’re enthusiasts to affirm that everything is done in-house: storage, printing, shipping, and application development!
Their commitment is to do their best to produce “ethical” products and to ship them cleanly, without using plastic! Passion and quality are granted in every part of the process.
For every issue, they are well available to answer you through the contact form in the app.
While other POD fulfillments order the custom product (check the 10 Best White Label Products to Customize!) from the manufacturer or wholesaler after the customer order, in T-Pop all the goods are actually in stock, allowing them to dispatch the parcels way quicker!
OPT OnDemand
OPT OnDemand is a Czech printing company, leader of ecological printing in Europe.
Due to their efforts in making their manufacturing ethical and sustainable, they have achieved Europe’s strictest and well-known “Global Organic Textile Quality” certification.
OPT OnDemand has a lot of experience in all available printing techniques: DTG (Direct to Garment), Screen Printing, Paper&Wall Art, Flex/flock, Dye-Sublimation, and Embroidery.
With more than two hundred employees they can ensure you the best customer experience, including fast delivery times and high-quality materials.
They offer three shipping options: Tracked (1–5 days), Untracked (2–7 days), and Express (next day delivery).
OPT OnDemands’ major customers belong to the fields of E-Commerce, advertising agencies, entertainment industries, plus over two dozen global partners (from the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, and the Czech Republic).
Their service is fully integrated with Printify, a worldwide famous POD platform.
With their latest updates of product categories (tote bags, mugs, stickers, greeting cards, and even mousepads!), they are set to become the best print-on-demand fulfillment in Europe.
The company was founded in 1992 and it’s located in Prague (Czech Republic).
Other European POD providers
Still not convinced? Here are other companies you should look at during your brainstorming process.
ESources
ESources is among the top European suppliers. It boasts over 170,000 wholesale and suppliers in many countries of Europe, which are shown in their platforms along with many printed t-shirts available.
FashionTIY
FashionTIY is a popular marketplace for wholesale and direct sales; right now, they ship to more than 200 countries worldwide. Their platforms provide clothing for men and women, home decor (check our guide about Home Decor & Zazzle), and other products. Fast delivery times and a user-friendly interface is guaranteed through their service (in certain countries shipping fees are free too!).
BigBuy
BigBuy has a worldwide network of couriers, such as UPS, DHL, GLS, NT, FedEx, Correos, Seur DPD, which allow them to deliver and ship goods quickly throughout the world. This makes them a key partner for each company that is looking for a solid and reliable B2B wholesale in Europe.
Zentrada
With over 400,000 goods and a network of several suppliers, Zentrada is one of Europe’s main procurement services available. You can boost your sales and achieve greater results through their procurement plans and promotion strategies.
Style Flow
Style Flow is a UK wholesale which products are targeted for a specific niche: women.
Their platform provides different sections related to apparel categories, like bottoms, tops, dresses, swimwear, shoes, and underwear. It’s a valid choice if you’re willing to expand your catalog including women’s clothing.
Which Are The Main Advantages Of Shipping Within The EU?
First of all a larger customer base. In 2019, 60% of people within the European Union shopped online for a total of 621 Billion Euros (Eurostat source).
Second the custom duties. Most products can be imported within EU countries without paying the normal customs duty, which is compulsory if you ship from outside Europe.
Third: faster shipping times and better rates. High shipping rates and cross-border obstacles on parcel delivery have been the major obstacles for print-on-demand in Europe. But how is the situation elsewhere? According to recent researches, delivery prices charged by international services are almost 5 times higher than domestic ones. These rates are way reduced if you ship through the EU, so be aware of this.
Can I Make Money With Print On Demand?
As we have already explained in this article, t-shirt trends have increased recently, due to social restrictions and the versatility of usage. Due to its low start-up costs, a business model centered on print on demand could be profitable in a short time, if you follow the right steps, as explained before.
With dropshipping, you won’t ever have problems with space and inventory. You just need to collect the orders from the customers and manage to ship them correctly in the shortest time. Shopify with its great integrations will do the rest.
Be aware that customer experience it’s important, such as a correct remarketing and retargeting process. By the time you will reach a more passionate audience, that will be loyal to you.
No matter which niche you will choose, it’s going to be challenging and you need to fight to get your spot before others.
Quick Tips That Help You To Make Money With Print On Demand
If somebody asks us for easy-to-use recommendations on how to have success with Print On Demand, we would likely reply this:
- Uniqueness. Creating your own style takes time and practice, day after day, year after year. You must be unique and always updated to the newest trends and technologies of the moment.
- Mindset. Don’t take it too personally: if somebody doesn’t appreciate your artwork, it doesn’t necessarily mean it’s wrong. Could be a matter of time for your art to be accepted by the great public. Many newcomers fail at this: they don’t have patience and perseverance, and they haven’t developed a certain detachment towards the outside judgment.
- Discipline. To achieve your goals, you need discipline and organization. You have to manage properly your time, doing even what you don’t really want to do. It’s fine if you let your creativity and talent flair out, but it won’t necessarily lead you to success. Without discipline, you won’t progress in what you’re willing to do.
- Branding. As long as you deal with artworks, you have to make them visible to the great public. Develop your presence on social platforms is extremely important. You can post your artworks every time you make one and create engagement. Even participating in art exhibitions and events can help with this purpose. In a competitive industry like this, it’s crucial to develop a clear identity and convey it to others.
- Networking. If you collaborate with other artists you can get their support and ask for opinions on your artworks. Plus, they can introduce you to their personal network of colleagues and clients, and that’s extremely important to get more visibility and therefore intercept an increasing number of potential customers.
