New Trends and Predictions for Print on Demand in 2024

Anna Navolokova, Marketing Manager in Multi-Programming Solutions  •  13 min read

A new year is arriving, revealing fresh opportunities for POD business development. The latest innovations in manufacturing, marketing, and data analytics provide an excellent chance to boost efficiency, maximize profit, and expand the brand's popularity to foreign locations. To help you get a clear vision of the upcoming changes, MPS will suggest the hottest printing industry trends in 2024. Let’s follow the article to pick a worthy production method, stunning design, promotional ideas, and reliable business tips to run successful sales and scale business.

Table of Contents

Revolutionizing the Print on Demand Industry in 2024

Connected TV: A New Channel for Digital Direct Marketing

Leveraging AI for Streamlined Creative Content

Data modeling for a better understanding of your audience

Conclusion

Revolutionizing the Print on Demand Industry in 2024

Print on demand trends are constantly changing in the face of arriving 2024. No, we can’t say that t-shirts, wall decor, or water bottles are not popular anymore. Instead, the industry is facing new approaches to custom goods production, characterized by increased creativity, durability, new marketing studies, and ways to optimize the business processes. We’ve prepared a list of the most transformative tendencies that will shape the future of print on demand companies.

3D Printing 

Three-dimensional technology goes beyond simple prototyping in 2024, allowing POD entrepreneurs to develop fantastic designs and splendid illusionary effects on garments, footwear, accessories, and other goods. First, 3D printers were used mainly for creating art and decor, but now, manufacturing has become more affordable and accessible. It gives more freedom to the custom-made fashion clothing industry. Designers can produce personalized regular clothes faster and cheaper. 

Moreover, 3D printing allows print on demand businesses to meet the requirements of sustainability and eco-friendliness. For instance, it solves problems caused by mismanagement of waste because manufacturers use only the amount of material they need to finish the project. It is also a way to establish a recycling production. For instance, to differentiate itself in the market, Adidas uses plastic found in the ocean while engineering midsoles for their running shoes. The giant in footwear production combined new technologies with sustainable fashion and melted the hearts of millions of sports fans.

Eco-Friendly Printing 

Customers have become more concerned about their impact on the planet. Thus, searching for top print on demand products in 2024, they will prefer eco-friendly streetwear over those clothing customized with toxic inks. As a result, companies prioritize their green production, opting for energy-efficient equipment and sustainable supplies. 

Making environmentally saving decisions in the POD process can help reduce carbon pollution and remove health risks from toxic materials protecting natural resources and wildlife. This can include choosing the right printer equipment, inks, garments, paper stocks, or other safe materials used in the manufacture. They can be Bisphenol A (BPA)- and phenol-free, bio-based, or post-consumer-recycled (PCR).

Decreasing product volume and making suitable packaging is also crucial when it comes to the sustainable printing industry trend. Often, entrepreneurs choose to work with wholesalers to save costs on supplies. Parcels from their partners arrive in high volumes and bigger boxes. Sometimes, the last ones have larger sizes than the content requires. 

Additionally, some materials may risk not being used at all, turning into insoluble. This can negatively impact the environment and lead to wasted costs for your company. For example, many countries have legislative directives that regulate emissions and waste during the production cycle. They confirm the “polluter-pays principle,” whereby the original waste manufacturer must pay for the costs of waste management. Instead, recycling, reducing unnecessary bulk purchases, and getting appropriately sized packaging will result in less fuel consumption and save storage space.

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Augmented Reality (AR) Printing 

Using AR in any type of POD production will open new horizons for business development in 2024. Fresh opportunities include interactive marketing, entertainment, and educational content. All entrepreneurs will have to do is put a printed image and connect it with appropriate digital materials (through a QR code, for example). Consumers will scan the document with their smartphones or other AR devices and enter promotional or entertaining information. 

This way, you can make your static photos and designs live or start translating educational videos for your clients. For instance, if you print books, you can add several interactive pages where readers can communicate with the main characters via a dedicated app. Or, if you follow animal or floral print trends, add a stunning animation your buyers will enjoy with their phones. Also, you may add QR codes to the labels and showcase information about your brand history and philosophy or provide product instructions. The content is all up to you.

The purpose of AR printing lies in creating an innovative and meaningful customer experience through increased engagement and interactions.

Nanographic Printing 

Developed by Landa Digital Printing, this cutting-edge technology uses nano pigments with diameters no larger than 100 nm to create high-quality and durable illustrations on the most popular fabric types and even those that were not intended for heat transferring. It's no wonder it will become one of the 2024 print on demand trends. 

The manufacturing process, based on the nanographic method, allows print on demand companies to use almost any material as a substrate. It doesn’t matter if the surface is ready for customization. The printout occurs at a low temperature, so the material resistance also doesn’t play a vital role in this type of production.

Ready-made products are distinguished by their perfect surface structure, vivid colors, and high print flexibility. Nanography is non-toxic and uses 2-4 times less ink than classic POD methods, making it an excellent choice for an eco-friendly and cost-effective production line.

Cloud-Based Printing 

With the rising popularity of cloud services, it’s not surprising the technology has expanded and become one of the latest trends in print on demand. It allows the creation of custom products by routing orders between computers, tablets, or smartphones and sending them to the cloud-connected equipment. Such type of printing helps businesses avoid traditional challenges like software driver issues, incompatibility, and device connectivity problems. Among the main benefits of cloud printing are:

• Lower operational costs and lack of need for buying and maintaining hardware and software.
• Reduced carbon emissions and the volume of generated wastes.
• Real-time software updates that ensure the availability of the latest features.  
• Enhanced collaboration among employees and improved printing experience.

Now you know the latest tendencies in the printing world. So, it’s time to say a few words about paid promotions you can use in addition to social media.

Connected TV: A New Channel for Digital Direct Marketing

Technological innovations and changing customers’ preferences impact the way entrepreneurs promote their products. Direct marketing, which internet users face in everyday life, is conquering television. Now, unlike traditional advertisements shown on TV channels, POD sellers can showcase their branded fashion print trends in 2024 to a tailored audience with Connected TV. Specific algorithms and data-driven strategies help to reach the customers who may be interested in your offerings. Such marketing usually results in better engagement and increased ROI.

Here are several reasons why you should utilize promotions through Connected TV.

Accurate targeting

Direct TV platforms allow brands to tailor their content to the right customer, which ensures the best result and increases the campaign's efficiency. Now, spectators see an advertisement appropriate to their geographical location, demographics, behavior, and interests. With Connected TV, it’s possible to generate more traffic and boost your POD products sales on Amazon, Shopify, or Etsy faster.

Coverage through all the stations and applications

POD stores and services don’t have to choose among channels or buy air-time anymore. Connected TV marketing can cover all the stations and apps a customer uses. Regardless of which device and program they watch, advertisements can appear at any moment. If consumers search for Shopify print on demand trends through their browsers and your online store can offer dedicated products, they will see an ad while watching a favorite TV show.

Extended reach

Streaming services became very popular among internet users. So, they remain a perfect source of potential clients for printing companies. Direct TV promotions can reach viewers who are difficult to attract through traditional broadcasting. That’s why your marketing efforts can involve local customers and even go global.

Improved engagement

People can not interact with ads shown on classic television. They may only remember your brand’s name or write contact information. But things go differently when it comes to connected TV. Here, users can discover clothing design POD trends in 2024 and buy products directly. This way, online stores may increase the number of website visitors, which will result in sales growth.

Real-time analytics

Measuring marketing results is another thing you won’t be able to do on traditional TV. However, with direct advertising, entrepreneurs can receive in-depth analysis of ad performance, the number of viewings, conversion rate, and much more. These reports will help marketers make timely changes and content optimizations.

To run connected TV ads, you should create a 15 or 30-second video showcasing the main idea of your product or brand (like trending t-shirt niches 2024), choose your customers, determine terms, and make payments. The procedure of creating a Connected TV Marketing campaign is similar to those you may launch on Facebook. Besides, you may use the same video and translate your advertisements on both promotional channels. The vital thing you should remember is that direct TV marketing has a fixed minimum period of broadcasting. So you can’t just buy advertisements for a single or couple of days.

Leveraging AI for Streamlined Creative Content

Making a brand appealing to customers requires creativity from entrepreneurs in developing the identity, website design, and storytelling. Traditional approaches to these jobs in the printing industry also bring some challenges, like the necessity of finding perfect visual elements that will cater to customers. AI-driven tools provide an excellent opportunity for creators to generate visually outstanding narratives and campaigns that enhance customer engagement. They accelerate the creative process in a less time-consuming and expensive way, leading to resource-saving and more efficient results.

AI technologies can analyze large amounts of data on different topics, consider new trends in digital printing, and represent custom solutions (be it an image or a piece of unique product description) that align with the brand’s philosophy. These tools allow creative directors to experiment with various styles or concepts and find the suitable one that will resonate with the majority of the company’s audience.

With rapidly growing digital marketing, every POD company receives a perfect chance to warm up customers’ interest and make their interactions with the brand more engaging. While many clients follow their favorite online stores on social media, uploading fresh, high-quality content on a daily basis is crucial for keeping them attached and driving business growth. AI tools take on the task of automating the writing process, from generating topics to creating complete human-like texts. Let’s learn how AI revolutionizes the way content is made below.

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Research and topic generation

Content creation starts with evaluating compelling topics that may interest the target audience. It may be pretty challenging for creators to come up with a new appealing idea every day. AI tools simplify this process by analyzing vast amounts of data from multiple resources, including news, print trends 2024, and social media posts. They collect relevant information and define a popular theme to write about.

Writing assistance

As soon as the topic is ready, AI technology can generate the entire text that meets the determined requirements. Creators can guide the process by adding essential information like essential keywords (for SEO optimization), word count, and the tone of the article (formal, friendly, conversational, humorous, strict, etc). AI-powered tools apply natural language processing to compile the most coherent, up-to-date text and deliver positive impressions to readers.

Content checks

AI technology also works as a digital editor, suggesting corrections for grammatical mistakes, punctuation errors, and style inconsistencies. Creators can achieve high-quality results, reduce human factors risks, and upload more engaging content in shorter periods of time. For example, you may post attractive print on demand industry statistics and news two times a day without significant effort.

Data personalization

AI tools help select the most relevant information based on customers' demographics, preferences, their virtual behavior, and browser histories. Thus, marketers can ensure their potential clients receive the most attractive content that reflects their interest, improves engagement, and brings better outcomes for the entire marketing campaign.

To sum up the impact of leveraging AI, let's figure out its primary benefits for e-commerce entrepreneurs:

• Improved efficiency. Now, marketers require less effort to create unique content regularly. AI algorithms allow for automating and streamlining routine tasks, saving time for more crucial activities like business development planning or learning Etsy print on demand predictions.
• Excellent quality. AI written texts are well-structured, and have no grammatical or style errors, which helps to deliver an improved customer experience.
• Time management. AI tools can quickly generate as many texts as you need per day, so you need not worry about meeting deadlines or maintaining a work schedule. New texts are created in seconds, and the only thing you should do is check them and add your own thoughts if necessary.
• Audience-oriented content. AI analyzes customers' behavior and creates hyper-relevant articles that can solve their pain points and suggest the most reliable answers to their questions.

Tips for applying AI-powered technology in content creation

To achieve the best possible outcomes and maximize effectiveness, a human should work together with the virtual tool following best practices:

• Understanding the target audience is the first step you should take before generating content of any type. Without transparent data about your customers' location, lifestyle, or frequent browser searches, you won't be able to create the most relevant texts and design visual elements. For instance, if users look for textile print trends, they will hardly be interested in customized phone cases.
• Figure out your business goals. You must clearly understand why you need to upload new content. Do you wish to raise brand awareness or increase traffic to your online store? Once you know the answer, you'll pick the suitable content type and easily measure your results.
• Choose a trustworthy AI software. There are dozens of tools capable of solving your business tasks. Evaluate the best one by analyzing its built-in features, compatibility with already existing workflows, and consumers’ reviews. Your tool should be easily used, customizable, and precise in creating content.
• Provide clear guidance. To ensure AI-generated texts perfectly reflect your brand style and tone, give the tool detailed instructions on what keywords, length, and voice the content should have. For example, print trends 2023, 500 words, and a friendly tone.
• Work in collaboration. Don't generate content entirely on the AI engine. It can't completely replace human creativity, but it can assist in everyday routine, provide valuable insights, and tailor your content to users. 
• Check and edit. Ensure AI-generated articles look natural and are compatible with your brand's standards. Read the content before publishing and add your unique thoughts if required to make the text more live.
• Measure the outcomes. Use different analytical tools to monitor the performance of ready-made content. This will help you understand whether the article catches your readers' attention and allow you to optimize it in time based on their responses.

Attractive content is just another way to keep your clients engaged and loyal to your brand. But let’s see how you can optimize your business flow and make the company work like a clock. Systematization will help you to cope with the task.

Data modeling for a better understanding of your audience

Data modeling is a method of defining all the types of information your POD company operates, explaining their relationships, formats, structures, and analyzing how they impact your business. Texts, symbols, diagrams, and tables help to make a visual representation of how data is captured, stored, and used within your workflow. Three possible types of models play specific roles in organizing and representing data:

• The conceptual model determines the overall structure of your business information without going into detail. For instance, POD enterprises can have such entities as employees, customers, and products. All the blocks are connected and have their own attributes.
• The logical model shows how conceptual entities relate to each other. It also includes rules and structures of attributes within a single block and their relationships. For example, such a technical model will specify Titles, Colors, and Categories (e.g., hoodie, red, Amazon print on demand trends) for each Product. It also may show that Customer 1 purchases Product 2 from Channel 3.
• The physical model shows how data is implemented and stored in your corporate system. It includes tables, columns, indexes, and relationships between entities. In the described purchasing example, this model will show how information about the sold product and customer is added and saved in the database.

Data modeling uses specific schemas that help to standardize and manage data resources. Thus, entrepreneurs can develop graphical representations of entities and their relationships, organize information in tables, where columns will show the record attributes, or build a tree-like hierarchical model. 

Benefits of data modeling

By modeling your business data, you can better understand what types of information you may operate, how to use it, and what management requirements you should meet to make it work for your growth:

• It provides a transparent view of entities, their structures, and relationships. Stakeholders can quickly identify the data’s nature and its overall impact on business operations.
• Ensures data integrity and helps to avoid errors during updates and obtained transactions.
• Allows to organize well-structured databases, which are easy to manage, edit, and analyze.
• It helps to set and track key performance indicators of your business.
• Reveals hidden opportunities for improving operational processes, reducing costs, and increasing productivity. 

Using all the benefits wisely, entrepreneurs can find valuable insights crucial for future decision-making and business intelligence.

Conclusion

In this article, we’ve described top print on demand trends that will revolutionize the industry in 2024. We’ve figured out the leading technologies that will boost sales in the upcoming year, including 3D printing, Augmented Reality images, nanography, and cloud-based services. Innovative approaches are aimed not only at producing high-quality and durable print designs but also at opening new opportunities in marketing and optimization of business processes. 

Connected TV advertisements bring promotional campaigns to the next level, allowing you to reach a broader audience and tailor your stuff to the right customer. Using AI-powered tools for generating content helps to streamline routine operations and create a perfect image or article that will represent your product and make brand recognizable worldwide. 

And data modeling is one more effective way to help your print on demand service grow in 2024. When you learn what information you have and how to use it, you’ll reveal valuable insights on business management and scaling.