Have you ever found it challenging to choose the right print-on-demand company for your eCommerce business in the UK?
Well, with us having your back, you don’t need to worry anymore!
We are listing here the five best print-on-demand (POD) companies in the UK which you can look upon as your perfect business partners:
But first, let us briefly explain what print-on-demand is and its prospects in the UK market before going into the depths of our analysis.
Sounds good?
Well then, let us dive in!
What is Print On Demand?
Print-on-demand manufacturing uses the latest printing technologies to print products on-demand, whether in small batches or bulk.
Print-on-demand companies offer various products in which you can upload an image. After receiving an order, these services prints the customer’s design on the white-label product selected and then ship it to them. The seller will earn a margin from the sale, while the POD provider will keep the rest.
Due to its uniqueness and ease of implementation, print-on-demand has gained popularity during the last decade.
It has proven to be an ideal opportunity for digital entrepreneurs looking for a low-risk and high returns business model, especially if you have just a tight budget to spend.
Its spread has coincided with the fall of the retail industry in recent years, which cause a major surge in its demand. Social distancing played an important role in this decline, and it also contributed to the rapid growth of online sales worldwide due to their flexibility.
Is Print on Demand Still Profitable in the UK?
Absolutely! There’s no doubt that the print-on-demand industry is going to skyrocket in the next years.
Recent estimates reveal that 93% of the UK’s internet users usually make online purchases (the highest rate among other European countries). Also, the dropshipping industry is estimated to reach a market value of almost £115 billion by the next year (currently, the UK e-commerce market is the fourth in the world).
Another survey - source: Statista - states that 40% of the sample have recently opened an online shopping due to the pandemic we have been through.
And lastly, 20% of the respondents revealed their intention to pay way more for receiving custom products or services at home.
These estimates clearly explain how the print-on-demand industry has rapidly developed in the UK in the last few years.
If you’re wondering whether it’s convenient or not to launch a POD business in the UK in 2021, you should consider different factors, including personal needs and availabilities.
Certainly, if this is the starting point, there could not have been a better time!
Best Print On Demand Companies in the UK
1. Inkthreadable
One of the most popular print-on-demand companies in the UK, Inkthreadable offers a wide range of products that you can customize as per like. You can rely on Inkthreadable for any dropshipping issues and ensure that they will fulfill your orders on time. All you have to do is to ride your creativity and providing the best designs for your products. Inkthreadable will do the rest: it prints your custom t-shirts according to the given requirements and ships them to the final customers. What you get in return are great earnings and a loyal customer base.
- Product type offered: T-shirts, Hoodies, Sweatshirts, Mugs, Tote Bags, Home Decor, Towels, and more.
- Printing methods: DTG (Direct To Garment) and Dye Sublimation
- Turnaround Time: on average, it takes 5 working days to ship all products except mugs and posters delivered within 3 working days.
- Integrate with: Shopify, Woocommerce, Etsy, Squarespace, and Big Cartel. You can also exploit the Inkthreadable API for custom integration.
- Dropshipping: Inkthreadable offers top-notch dropshipping services and personalized parcels, free of charge (its shipping partner is Royal Mail). Shipping costs are determined by the product ordered and its features.
- Characteristics: Inkthreadable provides high-quality printing techniques and supportive customer service, the two main ingredients when choosing the best business partner. It also offers a full range of customized products and discounts for bulk ordering (product samples come with a 10% off).
2. Prodigi
Prodigi is a leading print-on-demand company in the UK with over 50 modern facilities, providing impressive product quality and attentive customer service. Due to its global presence, Prodigi aims to print and ship products closer to its customer base. You can set up an online store within a few clicks and integrate it with Shopify, Etsy, BigCommerce, and Wayfair. Prodigi also offers a vast range of eco-friendly materials for more sustainable production.
- Product type offered: canvas, prints and posters, stickers, stationery, device cases, photo gifts, men’s and women’s clothing, kids’ clothing, accessories, and others.
- Printing methods: Digital Printing Technology
- Turnaround time: Prodigi claims to provide the fastest delivery time in the current market within 24-48 hours from ordering. It also offers online tracking for a better shopping experience.
- Integrate with: Shopify, BigCommerce, and Etsy.
- Dropshipping: Prodigi provides a full range of dropshipping services and covers the entire fulfillment process, including manufacturing and logistics. It means that you can spend your time doing what you like most: customizing your products!
- Unique features: Prodigi boasts eco-friendly packaging solutions and reliable shipping service (your order will be delivered in the best condition possible). It also offers cost-effective shipping rates to each country. Their catalog is widely broad, among the largest online. Furthermore, unlike many other POD providers, they offer a free sample of the product if you want to try it before purchasing it.
3. Two Fifteen
Two Fifteen (215) is a print-on-demand platform specifically designed for independent artists. Their commitment is to provide a full range of in-house printing and dropshipping solutions along with unmatched parcel times. This means they produce everything inside their facilities in the UK and do not outsource to other companies worldwide. Their focus is on creating artists’ conditions to develop their artworks and apply their brand to many white-label products. Well-known for its efficient production and fast delivery times, 215 has quickly become one of the top print-on-demand firms in the UK.
- Product type offered: 6 major product categories and more than 200 products, including t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, sportswear, children’s clothing, coffee months, water bottles, and home decor.
- Printing methods: Direct-To-Garment (DTG).
- Turnaround time: pretty fast, around 3 to 5 working days
- Integrate with: Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, Squarespace, and Big Cartel.
- Dropshipping: great customization options and dropshipping features. Two Fifteen ships orders from its manufacturing facility in the UK through the Royal Mail service (shipping fees are determined by product type and final destination).
- Unique features: Two Fifteen offers low-cost shipping options and customizable packaging with your brand on it. Their platform is completely free for sellers, with no monthly fees or upfront costs.
4. Contrado
Launched in 2002, Contrado is another UK-based great print-on-demand company. Their Product Mock-up Generator lets you create different variants of products with creative designs. Contrado aims to offer one of the largest product catalogs in the market (over 450 items), which is great for both wholesalers and retailer sellers. Even if you do not want to design your products, their in-house designers are willing to do it for you. Like Two Fifteen, their fulfillment time as fast as the production is entirely managed in-house.
- Product type offered: high-quality and handmade products including Clothing Items for men and women, Homeware, Accessories, Phone Cases, Stationery, Travel Accessories, and more!
- Printing methods: Digital Printing Technology
- Turnaround time: Contrado claims to deliver most of the products within 24 hours from receiving the order. On average, from 2 to 4 days is the most reasonable time.
- Integrates with: currently, Contrado integrates only with Shopify, but they will soon include other platforms.
- Dropshipping: Contrado dropships its 450+ products worldwide with no minimum quantity order. They have established a strong presence in the USA, Europe, UK, Canada, Australia, and Japan. Their deliveries take a maximum of 2-4 days and include the order tracking.
- Unique features: What is unique in Contrado is that its print-to-order services not limit to fabrics only. It offers a wide array of homeware and accessories and customizes them with any type of material you want. Also, Contrado’s label service lets you personalize your products with tags and labels under your brand name.
5. Printsome
Launched in 2013, Printsome developed modern DTG printing services using top-notch printers. Printsome mainly focuses on providing high-quality garments and bags for customization purposes. Their app interface is easy-to-use and to install, as you’re guided throughout the whole store set up by their great customer service. Flaunting their status as an award-winning company, Printsome boasts five years of international experience in the fashion market, working with big brands of the caliber of Amazon, IKEA, Facebook, Visa, Virgin Atlantic, and more.
- Product type offered: T-shirts, Hoodies, Sweatshirts, Vests, Tops, and Bags.
- Printing methods: DTG (Direct To Garment)
- Turnaround time: 3-5 working days within the UK, 6-9 days within Europe, and 8-14 days for the rest of the world.
- Integrates with: Shopify, WooCommerce, Etsy, Big Cartel.
- Dropshipping: Printsome dropships hundreds of products every day within the UK and around the globe! An intuitive interface allows customers to track their orders and check their product status with ease.
- Unique features: Printsome is an award-winning print-on-demand company in the UK for its outstanding and reliable customer service. Additionally, they introduced modern and sustainable printing techniques in their supply chain, following the recent “eco-friendly” production standards.
Conclusion
As more and more people purchase products online, the eCommerce industry in the UK will keep growing at a fast pace.
Print-on-demand will continue to scale the market as more and more designers, artists, and content creators adopt this business model.
We hope this article helped guide you through choosing the best POD service for your business, among the ones mentioned above.
If you plan to start your Print-on-demand business or are already running one, we would like to hear your voice!
Write down your comment below or contact us via email.
Let your print-on-demand journey begins!
