u/Fun-Estimate1094

I keep seeing the same design tools recommended for POD (Canva, Kittl, Creative Fabrica, Midjourney, etc.), but I’m more interested in the underrated ones people actually use.

What lesser-known design programs have you used that are:

- Easy to learn

- Good for POD (especially apparel / merch)

- Not overly template-reliant

I’m trying to avoid wasting time learning tools that look important but don’t really improve design quality or workflow.

Curious what’s flown under the radar for you and why.

Hi, I’m looking into starting a print-on-demand t-shirt shop and want to avoid wasting time on things that don’t matter.

I’ve dabbled in POD before (sold desk mats, made a few sales early on) but didn’t stick with it. I didn’t enjoy the product, my shop didn’t suit adding shirts, and I lost interest using AI designs. I prefer creating my own designs and have been doing that consistently since.

I already run a handmade business, so I understand how slow building a brand can be. I’m not aiming for huge money, just something that could grow into part-time income alongside my existing business. Of course, I have 'tried' it stepped away for a year to have a child and do more research and feel in a position to treat it as a business than hobby. My other business took a year as I had absolutely no idea what I was doing, but 5 years in and its still scaling steadily.

For those running POD shirt shops:

- What does your workflow actually look like?

- Which POD suppliers and shirt brands have you had good/bad experiences with?

- How long did it take to get consistent sales?

- What made the biggest difference in getting sales?

- What would you do differently starting again?

- Do most of your sales come from one “winning” design or a range?

Planning to start on Etsy (already familiar) and expand to my own site later.

Appreciate any real-world insights.