Design Trends of 2024 [Update]: What to Choose to Make Your POD Products More Attractive to Customers?

It’s always essential for a print on demand entrepreneur to stay one step ahead of the competition. Therefore, to get the most out of your business, you need to stay abreast of the latest product design trends and implement something the market doesn't have. Risky pioneers are often lucky because their talent to predict generates modern tendencies. This article will inspire you by talking about the most popular print on demand design trends in 2024. We've updated this article with new additions, though some things from 2021 will still remain relevant.

A successful brand is primarily a valuable product or service for a broad audience. Of course, to draw attention, you need to work hard to develop awareness and authority on the network, optimize the store so that the user sees it first in the SERP, but also reproduce the newest things that can set the tone for the season, events, and even generations. Well, for example, a few seasons earlier, satin pajama-type dresses conquered all fashion shows, and today, their improved versions with prints continue to explore the market. The same goes for other goods that consumers can personalize and create for their own needs. That is what’s made print on demand so famous, especially during the quarantine period when e-commerce took off. The ordinary, monotonous things receded, giving way to the development of individuality and uniqueness of each unit. So, let's talk about how to find designs for print on demand in 2024.

Table of contents 

The hottest trends in merch design for 2024
Environmental friendliness
Sustainability
Uniqueness
Cats and dogs
Anime and graphics
Love, hearts
Unicorns
Games
Patterns and ornament
Vintage
Family
Music
Tourism
Mysticism
Social causes
Graphic design trends for 2024
Incorporating Peach Fuzz
AI assistance
Glassmorphism
Tactile design
Use of video content
Conclusion

The hottest trends in merch design for 2024

The formation of brand perception largely depends on its positioning in the market. Your audience segmentation helps you understand your goals and thereby creates demand for your products. Let's look at three principal directions at the beginning of the journey to develop a niche idea and turn it into an incredible product design.

Environmental friendliness 

During self-isolation, climate change was observed worldwide - flora and fauna of the Earth began to regenerate after intensified anthropogenic interference over the past several million years! Of course, this gave rise to reflection and a change in demand for products that could maintain a harmonious relationship between humans and the planet - that is how the sustainability of solutions won its place in the market. Many print on demand designers choose recycled plastic products, technologically advanced and environmentally friendly printing equipment, and reduce their carbon footprint by shortening transportation to the customer.

Sustainability

Sustainability involves the responsible utilization of human and natural resources. This movement has become especially popular among a broad audience. Some print on demand sites have already established themselves as sustainable: they sell DIY cotton items without using any chemicals and, most importantly, maintain decent working conditions for each of their employees. After all, many well-known brands sin with slave working conditions. The public is outraged: it's easier to abandon a brand than wait until it decides on sustainability.

Uniqueness

The uniqueness of the products is personalized print on demand designs, which is a promising solution in terms of profitability. Knowing your audience, you will not go wrong with its preferences. Experiment, be daring, and be confident - this will come in handy in the struggle for uniqueness with your competitors. 
Uniqueness is an ensuing aspect of our subsequent discussion: how do you understand that your design is doomed to success? Here, it’d be best if you relied on Google Trends and expert forecasts. If a few seasons earlier, the fennec fox exploded in ratings, now the intriguing 90s - 2000s returned and began a journey through the new history of the best print on demand designs.

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Cats and dogs

You'd think everyone was fed up with this design a long time ago, but the truth is that it'll remain a profitable niche, probably because there is an eternal insoluble dispute between cat and dog lovers. By the way, earlier in the article, we already wrote about one unique brand that made dogs its ambassadors and, at the same time, is drowning in popularity and orders. The beauty of this idea lies in its uniqueness: all you need to do is modify an established trend and start making money from it. Utilize any concept and complete it with a drawing of cats and dogs - for example, mandalas with these animals, patterns, graphics, etc.

Anime and graphics

Anime drawings and graphics have become very popular among millennials this year. So after the release of the second season of the series "LOVE, DEATH & ROBOTS", where each episode is filled with incredibly colorful and impressive graphics, things with such prints continue exploding the Internet. If you haven’t yet decided on implementing products with anime and graphic designs, we suggest looking at the Google Trends data.

Let the popularity graph over the past five years be proof that anime is currently at its peak. Therefore, don’t be afraid to create breakthrough POD designs - they aren’t just cartoons for infantile people; this is a global trend.

Love, hearts

Love always wins, so the love-inspired print applies to a wide variety of occasions and seasons. To honestly and efficiently use this theme in your merchandise, dig deeper: sort out the age groups of your audience and choose something unique for each one. For example, if your clients are millennials, the topic of love is hot for them - at this age, most people usually start a family, unlike teenagers who need to confess their feelings. The easiest way for them to do this is through the beautiful gestures expressed in beautiful things! Therefore, when developing print on demand design templates for products, consider the needs of potential customers and market trends.

Unicorns

That is a super popular product design trend that works great for kids and adults. The character of a unicorn is often used as a comedic character; nevertheless, it’s not deprived of drama! In general, there is a field for creativity full of possibilities, so experiment with shapes, sizes, colors, and concepts.

Games

With the popularity of cybersports, prints with characters and lettering from games have come to print on demand business. Look at Gambit Esports who play CS:GO - with the title of the best team, they conquered the fans with their logo. Well, it's worth mentioning that game design plays a big role in developing your online store's assortment. After trying it, you’ll understand how profitable it is!

Patterns and ornament

Decorative patterns on bags and clothes become the best summer print on demand designs. It’s exquisite, engaging, and, at the same time, unusual. You can place any drawing in the form of a repeating pattern, and it’ll look very expressive! Moreover, the designs adapt to any style: the same boho, with its oriental motives, won a particular attitude of buyers. Just imagine a lightly ornamented dress made in rich, warm colors from a sustainable, eco-friendly brand! It sounds like a fairy tale that can be quickly brought to life.

Vintage

Fashion is back, and retro design is popular today among pensioners and Gen Z. Firstly, it’s unrealistically stylish. Secondly, anything in the retro style is a unique gift. Thirdly, this design will never go out of fashion.

Turn a plain cotton T-shirt into an old-school one with creative fonts and vibrant colors. Find your modern retro style in 2024!

Predictions for print on demand industry

Family

Relationships of any type can provide thousands of new print on demand design ideas. This topic evokes deep feelings in customers and can be used for building brand loyalty. If your POD service can satisfy clients’ needs and find the keys to touch their hearts, you’ll gain a positive reputation on the market. 

Along with traditional family images made on pillows, blankets, or sweatshirts, you may also consider single parents, same-sex marriage, or childfree couples to embrace the diversity of this important segment. 

Music

This lucrative niche can attract millions of buyers and is not limited to music lovers only. Of course, you may offer printings with classic rock musicians on caps, t-shirts, mugs, or bags, create posters of retro albums, and embroider other trending accessories that will find their end consumer. But there are other available options. Beginning performers often use reliable merch to increase their profits and gain more popularity at concerts and other public events. You may as well receive a large order to prepare decorations for grandiose festive days. The possibilities are as diverse as the topic itself.

Tourism

Not all travel fans leave their countries to discover new places and sights or simply enjoy nature devoid of city noise. Some adventures find cheaper ways to diversify their leisure activity and move to the nearest village to ride horses, surf along the coast, or join cozy camping. But what unites this audience is a desire to buy items that make their trip unforgettable and convenient. Bags, water bottles, travel notebooks, posters, stickers, pillows, and cases are just a few examples of trendy products to dropship.

When you think of printing custom designs for this niche, consider there are various types of journeys. And you’ll hardly attract all layers of the audience by targeting it with one type of advertising. That's why, to begin with, try focusing on a specific buyer interested in your offer. As you progress, expand your tags.

Mysticism

Modern youth express themselves through products associated with faith and mysticism. They use various items to create outfits for everyday usage or make content for social media profiles. This growing market is your chance to scale the POD business, rearrange the assortment, and explore new traffic sources. Custom fabric designs featuring spiritual artwork, astrology symbols, or tarot predictions may help entrepreneurs connect with potential buyers and assert themselves as unique printing services for a specific niche.

Social causes

As Edelman's research shows, around 70% of Gen Z customers are involved in political or social movements expressing support for such topics as child well-being, global warming, human rights, gender equality, veganism, etc. By finding winning designs for print on demand stores  that advocate for specific causes, you’ll establish a deep connection with followers and become a conduit for expressing their values. Do it through impactful slogans, provoking illustrations, or unity signs, and you’ll encourage visitors to become your loyal clients.

Graphic design trends for 2024

As businesses battle to thrive and get competitive advantages in the POD market in 2024, good graphics will help them stand out visually, connect to potential consumers, and build brand awareness. Discover how the latest tendencies can create endless possibilities for your business improvement and growth.  

Incorporating Peach Fuzz 

At the beginning of 2024, Pantone (an American limited liability company well-known for its standardized color-matching system) revealed one of the latest product design trends. Gentle Peach Fuzz pattern came to replace last year's bold Magenta and will become a new inspiration for producers employed in fashion, graphics, and product design.

The new trendy color reflects warmth, style, comfort, and sweetness, bringing modern elegance into every item it covers.

Lying at the core of creativity, color allows POD providers to speak without words, touch souls, and leave a memorable mark on customers’ experiences. Peach Fuzz is not only about making your product visually appealing but also about storytelling and evoking emotions.

Leatrice Eiseman, the Executive Director of Pantone LLC, highlights the significant role of Peach color in promoting relaxation and bridging the abyss between youth and timelessness. Print on demand design companies can apply a new palette for creating romantic and charming personalized apparel as well as adding coziness and joy into home decor, like candles, towels, kitchen stuff, or bed linen. This trendy 2024 color may become your main accent in designing user interfaces and developing client-centric marketing campaigns.

AI assistance 

Artificial intelligence assistance in designing is evolving in 2024, allowing POD businesses to gain more creativity, streamline routine tasks, and free up time for more vital functions like developing promotions or exploring new concepts. AI-powered tools can support entrepreneurs in generating printing ideas based on detailed input prompts, diversifying brand slogans, or testing marketing ads. 

While Open AI tools like Dall-E enhance efficiency and originality, some designers think they lack an emotional component vital for consumer-centered products. That’s why entrepreneurs can’t fully rely on software insights. Virtual assistants complement human work but don’t replace it. Nowadays, AI is good at sketching, patterns brainstorming, building a basic logo and can be widely used to collect web design ideas. But it still requires improvements in such fields as environmental and motion design, visual identity, or high-definition arts.

Glassmorphism 

As its name says, the design style makes illustrations look like they’re made of frosted glass. Remaining one of the print on demand trends in 2024, this effect is achieved using light, shadows, and transparency adjustments. UI developers apply glassmorphism for such elements as buttons, cards, or panels. Blurred shapes float over the background, giving a unique 3D look to designs and making them deep and immersive. Such a style differs from the traditional one with its futuristic and minimalistic look.

Many apps like Instagram, Spotify, and WhatsApp adopted this method, creating modern, clean, and user-friendly interfaces to enhance users’ satisfaction. You also can keep up with the times and apply glassmorphism to your digital store or dedicated app. Read more about dropshipping app development here.

Tactile design 

Entrepreneurs questioning how to find print on demand designs that trend may pay attention to materials that invite customers for touch and interactions. Tactile products aren’t only visually appealing but provide their users with diverse physical and sensory experiences. The approach implies mixing various textures, fabrics, patterns, and colors, empowering engagement.

Tactile designs may feature rock, brick, shell-like, or botanique patterns with a variety of shapes and sizes that evoke the perception of how the item may feel like.

The Gro bench, inspired by the topic of mushrooms, is an example of a sensory product that allows customers to create their own expression by mixing soft removable dots with cold metal construction.

Rubber Rest by Isabella Bergstrom was designed to revolutionize customers’ experience with its tactility and elasticity. This handmade hammock, adjusted to the body shape and weight, was created to make users comfortable and relaxed in their daily routines.

Use of video content 

Innovations in design 2024 concern not only the products themselves but also the ways of advertising them. Creating video content remains one of the easiest and most efficient ways to reach your potential buyers. Let’s figure out several ways you can do it to get wide coverage:

• Short clips. Mainly used in popular social media like TikTok or Instagram, bite-sized content requiring several seconds to watch has a high potential for driving brand awareness and growing sales in your online POD store. Such duration seems quite enough to boost viewers' attention, engage them, and raise interest in your offerings.
• AI generation. If you are searching for how to make print on demand designs recognizable worldwide, don’t miss a chance to use ChatGPT or Adobe to create outstanding ads for your products. With minimal manual effort, you’ll make a highly-qualitative virus video that is cost-effective and pleasant.
• Influencer’s review. With a large target audience on the board, famous online bloggers can make the best promotion for your print on demand item, explain its advantages, and reveal practical usage. Their followers may potentially become your loyal clients after a successful campaign.
• Interactive content. Videos that allow customers to engage with the material directly enable entrepreneurs to keep clients’ interest in their brand. Such clips can be widely used for introducing new products or describing updated website features.
• Behind-the-scene (BTS). One proven way to build trust and strong relationships with your target audience is by showing non-promotional videos about your company. The content may include the following information: the brand’s history, the process of creating customized goods, users’ testimonials, and much more. Such clips open the curtain on your company's work, allowing clients to ensure your transparency and fairness. 

Entrepreneurs focused on more interactive, dynamic, and personalized video content in 2024 will explore new ways to connect with customers and broadcast their values.

Conclusion

While most of all, the current product design trends of 2024 above are highly competitive, they can become very profitable if used with the right strategy. Of course, in this case, we’re talking about an SEO-optimized website, filling pages with highly relevant keywords that will positively affect product conversions.

Choose a print on demand product design based on your age group, and focus on positioning your brand - this way, you’ll attract new potential customers and remind old ones of your existence. If you've already implemented any of these brands, share it! Tell us about your successes.

Understanding the latest trends and predictions for the print on demand industry may help businesses connect with the audience on deeper levels, make powerful statements, and build a solid online presence for the brand. Explore new POD design ideas, innovate, and express your vision in a fresh, client-centered product.

Analyze your customers' behavior through website interactions and browser searches, collect reviews, and define which approach may help win your users' hearts and souls. 2024 has many valuable insights to incorporate into your product appearance and features. Along with the production, you should focus on your website's visuals and methods of delivering brand values to the customer.