How To Make And Sell Custom Merch In 2024

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January 22, 2024
how to make merch

It’s been shown that promotional merchandise can increase sales by up to 15%. If you’re a business owner, trendy and functional merch is paramount to your company’s success. And, as we enter 2024, now is the time to amplify your branded offerings!

At a glance

  • Merch are goods or products, often adorned with a custom logo or branded design that are sold by business owners or individuals.
  • Selling your own merch helps to increase brand recognition, boost sales, and build a supportive community.
  • People often buy merch in order to show support for a creator or brand or simply to wear some trendy and comfy apparel.
  • To start selling custom merch, begin by refining and enhancing your brand identity.
  • When curating your store, select merch items that your customers will love. If you’re curious about what to invest in, custom hats make for practical and trendy merchandise.
  • Use Double Portion Supply as your wholesale hat provider when creating merch for your store.

Whether your company is newly launched or has been well-established for years, comfortable and contemporary custom caps make for the perfect merchandise. This is truly the best way to build a loyal fanbase and promote your brand.

Keep reading, and we’ll share everything you should know about making and selling your own merch in 2024.

See Related: 4 Ways To Repurpose Your Used Or Old Hats

What is merch?

Merchandise are products or goods that are sold by companies or individuals, often branded with their own design or logo. Anyone from business owners to shopkeepers to content creators can make and sell merch in order to promote their brand.

If you have customers, clients, or a fanbase, you could benefit greatly by selling merchandise. 2024 is the year to enhance your brand identity, promote your business, and grow your client base.

And that’s only possible when you fill your corner with trendy snapback hats and custom screen-printed T-shirts.

What are the benefits of selling merch?

There is truly no downside to selling and creating merch. Whether you sell online or display your high-quality merch at an in-person store, custom merchandise allows you to physically showcase the sleek and creative side of your brand.

When you start selling custom merch, your brand will instantly benefit. So, let’s take a deeper look at a few of these clear-cut advantages!

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The Roller Hat from Double Portion Supply

#1. Selling your own merch helps you to increase brand recognition

Oftentimes, the success of your brand depends on visibility and recognition. An easily recognizable logo and design helps to solidify your business in the minds of your target audience.

On average, it takes five to seven impressions before someone will remember your brand. You can’t just rely on occasional social media posts and organic sales for your business to grow. Your logo is an integral part of your image, and you need to do your due diligence in promoting it!

That’s one of the many reasons why having a merch store is essential. Selling T-shirts, decals, or custom hats with your own designs helps to make your brand easily recognizable for new and existing customers alike.

#2. Custom merch helps you boost sales and make more money

As a business owner or content creator, you know the immense and undeniable importance of making sales. That much should be obvious! And if you’re not taking advantage of all the sales channels at your disposal, you’re doing it wrong.

A study by the Advertising Specialty Institute has suggested that promotional merchandise has a higher return on investment (ROI) than many other forms of advertising. And if you truly want to maximize earnings and minimize costs, you need to be sure that you buy your custom caps in bulk.

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The ANXD Sacred Ties Mana Hat from Double Portion Supply

The best way to make the most of your custom merch

Cost can often play a big part in the merchandise you can offer your customers and fans. Whether you’re planning on lining your store’s shelves with hundreds of items or selling a small handful to an online fanbase, buying in bulk will save you both money and time.

From blank dad caps to intricately embroidered snapback hats, all your merch needs can be fulfilled by Double Portion Supply. Not only do we carry countless hat styles, from neon foam trucker hats to modern bucket hats, but we also do custom T-shirt screen printing.

We understand the importance of putting your best foot forward with stylish and comfortable merch and swag.

Even though we operate from the remote island of Maui, we boast record shipping times and always dispatch all orders the very next business day. We pride ourselves on our exceptional customer service and use our inspirational story to motivate our clients in their own business ventures.

#3. Branded swag helps you build and give back to your community

From loyal customers to existing fans, the heart of your business is the people who buy from you. And the least you can do is sell them classy and modern swag!

Your customers and fans are your support system. Branded merch unites the community you’ve spent so long building. It enhances everything you stand for.

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The Moss Palms Bucket Hat from Double Portion Supply

Merch can help anyone, from content creators selling custom merchandise through an Instagram shop to well-established business owners looking to unlock a new revenue stream.

Why do people buy merch?

There are countless reasons why someone might buy branded merch from their favorite shop or celebrity. It’s often done as a genuine show of support and allows fans or customers to feel better connected to a modern mission.

When you sell merch, it generates organic word-of-mouth advertising, circulates on social media platforms, and creates new opportunities for partnerships or giveaways. Whether you’re making merch for your café regulars or for your TikTok channel, there are major benefits and huge possibilities in store for you.

How to make merch for your brand

There are a few things to keep in mind when making and selling your own merch. Custom merch can promote your brand, build a strong community, and boost sales. It’s important to construct an effective merch strategy around these three pillars.

#1. Start with refining and enhancing your brand identity

Merch is all about promoting and marketing your brand. But to do that, you need to have a clear and well-established identity. Spend time considering your creative vision and what you want for an overall aesthetic. Be sure that it completely reflects your brand and mission.

#2. Take into consideration what your audience wants

Your potential customers deserve to buy merch that is trendy, modern, and practical. No one wants little odds and ends that serve no real purpose. Instead, give your audience something they will both love and use!

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The Koi Hat from Double Portion Supply

The best option when it comes to branded merch and apparel is custom caps. To start with, it’s relatively easy to customize hats, as the large front panel makes an excellent canvas for logos and designs.

In addition, hats are extremely practical in 2024. Anyone and everyone can wear a low-profile dad hat or vibrant bucket hat, and look good doing it. High-quality headwear is a closet staple and can make any fit look sleek and stylish!

#3. Find a wholesale provider that will create custom merch for you

Now that you are ready to outfit your merch store with branded swag, you need to find the right wholesale hat company to satisfy your needs and be your supplier. For a vibrant and vast selection of hats to choose from, you can rely on Double Portion Supply.

If you come to us with a clear design in mind, we’ll work to make your creative vision a reality. For over twenty years, we’ve fashioned custom caps for business owners and individuals across the United States, all coming from our corner of Hawaii.

Even if you’re unsure about the path you want to take for your custom merch designs, we also sell blank hats in bulk. When you hear the word “blank,” you may simply think of meager grayscale hats with no personality. Though we do offer plenty of hats in solid colors, we also offer blank caps adorned with attractive designs and engaging patterns.

the 2 tone tribal raiders snapback hat from double portion supply selling merch free merch maker print on demand partner make merch make merch cool merch ideas
The 2 Tone Tribal Raiders Hat from Double Portion Supply

Take, for example, our 2 Tone Tribal Raiders hat. Like many of our other snapbacks, this hat has an adjustable snapback closure and comes dressed with our iconic golden bill sticker. Its flat-bill visor and back panel are covered in a captivating black-and-white tribal pattern, which is the perfect backdrop for your brand’s logo on the front.

#4. Sell merchandise online or in your in-person store

When it’s time to start selling merchandise, you need to set up a store. If you’re planning on selling your branded merch in a physical store, you don’t need to do much except set up a few shelves and promote your merch on social media.

If you’re a content creator or you’re planning to sell your swag online, you’ll need to integrate it into your content. Plug your merch in your YouTube videos, show it to your social media followers, and list it on your Shopify store in just a few clicks. Don’t forget to remarket your high-quality merchandise to your existing audience, and get people excited to wear it!

Bonus: Hat Etiquette: Your Guide To Properly Wearing Your Hat

Final thoughts

At the heart of any successful endeavor is branded merch. By selling and marketing custom products to loyal clients and new customers alike, you can better promote your brand and business.

Keep Reading: A Brief History Of Hats

Double Portion Supply is the largest snapback superstore in Hawaii. Since 2001, we’ve helped clients across the United States make their creative vision a reality. From low-profile dad hats to ANXD brand apparel, we carry everything you need to keep your own brand stocked. Plus, our custom services extend to T-shirt printing, so you stay fresh from head to toe. Get all the latest information by following us on TwitterFacebookInstagram, and Pinterest.

Aaron Graziano