The print on demand (POD) industry continues to grow in popularity among entrepreneurs and small business owners. And for good reason – it allows you to sell customized products without needing to hold any inventory.
But finding the right print on demand company for your needs isn‘t always straightforward. You want reliable quality, good support, sustainable practices, affordable pricing and ideally, fast shipping times for your UK customers.
That‘s why I‘ve put together this guide on the top print on demand companies with UK fulfillment centres in 2024. I‘ll give you the key details on pricing, product range, quality and more so you can choose the best option for your business.
How to Choose the Best UK Print on Demand Company
When assessing your options, here are some of the key factors to consider:
Product Range – The wider the product selection, the more design opportunities you‘ll have. Look for a good mix of evergreen best-sellers like t-shirts, mugs and phone cases.
Print Quality – This can vary a lot between POD companies. Be sure to check out product samples and read recent customer reviews.
Costs – Compare base product costs and weigh up any monthly fees. Don‘t forget to factor in potential shipping discounts too.
Sustainability – Look for ethical credentials like organic cotton, recycled materials and carbon neutral facilities.
Support – The quality of customer service can make or break your experience. Ensure there are multiple ways to get help.
Shipping Times – Local UK facilities means faster delivery for British customers. But international reach is handy too.
Keeping these factors in mind, let‘s dive into the top contenders for 2024:
1. Printful
Printful has established itself as one of the leading print on demand dropshipping providers.
It integrates with all the major ecommerce platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce and Etsy. So you can add POD products to your existing online store with just a few clicks.
UK Presence
Printful has a dedicated UK facility located in Leicester. So orders from British customers can be fulfilled locally.
They also have a UK-based customer support team and accept payments in GBP.
Product Range
With over 300 products, Printful offers one of the most extensive catalogs in the industry. You‘ll find all the classics like t-shirts, hoodies, hats and canvases. But also unique offerings such as leggings, socks and face masks.
There are frequent new additions too – like sustainable bamboo hoodies added in late 2023.
Print Quality
As Printful handles printing in-house across all its facilities, quality control is excellent. Garments feature vivid colors, crisp definition around logos and zero wash-out.
Expect professional results – especially for printed apparel and posters.
Costs
Printful‘s base product costs are very reasonable – a standard short sleeve t-shirt starts at just £9.50.
And unlike some competitors, Printful doesn‘t charge monthly subscription fees. You only pay when you make a sale.
There are also regular discounts and incentives for high-volume sellers.
Sustainability
Printful introduced a recycled polyester fabric line in 2024. These products use materials made from recycled plastic bottles.
The company is also ISO14001 certified for eco-friendly operations and packaging.
2. Printify
Next up is Printify – one of Printful‘s biggest rivals.
Like Printful, Printify integrates with your online store to handle fulfillment whenever you make a sale.
There are some key differences between the two companies though.
UK Presence
Printify uses a network model, partnering with independent suppliers around the world. They work with several UK-based printing facilities.
So British customers can still benefit from fast domestic order fulfillment.
Product Range
With 200+ products, Printify‘s catalog isn‘t quite as extensive as Printful‘s. But there‘s still plenty to choose from.
You‘ll find all the classic apparel and accessories as well as home decor like wall tapestries and pillows. There are also semi-custom options like coloring books.
New products are added regularly based on customer demand.
Print Quality
As Printify uses independent suppliers, print quality can be less consistent than Printful‘s in-house production.
But choose a 5-star rated Printify Partner for positive results – especially for apparel and phone cases. Design mockups help manage expectations too.
Costs
Thanks to those third-party suppliers competing for your business, Printify‘s base costs edge out Printful‘s in most product categories.
For example, a standard t-shirt starts at £7.85 with Printify compared to £9.50 with Printful.
And Printify offers monthly pricing plans to suit different business sizes – starting from just $29/month.
Sustainability
Eco-friendly credentials aren‘t as strong as Printful‘s. But some suppliers do use recycled materials.
Printify encourages customers to purchase carbon offsets with each order for added sustainability.
3. Gelato
Gelato takes a different approach to print on demand.
Rather than sitting between you and the supplier, Gelato operates as a marketplace – connecting you directly with printing facilities around the world.
UK Presence
Gelato partners with a wide network of printing facilities across Europe.
In the UK alone, they work with over 15 suppliers – mostly small independents. So Gelato offers fantastic domestic coverage.
Product Range
With 48 categories spanning apparel, home decor, stationery and electronics, Gelato ticks a lot of boxes.
They possibly have the widest variety of wall art and photo gift products among these print providers. Ideal if unique customization is key for you.
Print Quality
Quality can vary more with Gelato‘s model compared to fully centralized production.
But reviews are largely excellent – especially for apparel and paper prints produced in the UK.
Order samples from partners first if print quality is paramount.
Costs
As you order directly from printing partners, you can compare base costs in detail on the Gelato site.
Standard t-shirts start at £12. There are no monthly fees with the free plan.
And paid subscriptions provide up to 50% off shipping – helpful for high order volumes.
Sustainability
Several UK partners focus specifically on sustainable production through recyclable materials and carbon neutral facilities.
Gelato‘s marketplace setup makes it easy to filter for eco-conscious suppliers.
4. Amazon Merch
If you want to reach the masses with your designs, Amazon Merch is worth considering.
It allows you to add your designs to a wide range of popular Amazon products. Then whenever one of those items sells, Amazon handles production and shipping automatically.
UK Presence
As one of the largest global retailers, Amazon has extensive infrastructure across the UK for quick domestic delivery.
Product Range
You‘re limited to certain pre-approved designs, mostly for apparel and home items carry the Amazon brand.
But best-sellers like t-shirts and pops sockets remain top choices for sellers.
Print Quality
You have no control over manufacturing as Amazon handles this in-house. But their state-of-the-art facilities ensure flawless quality control.
Costs
With Amazon Merch, you set your own royalty rate between 0-100% to determine potential profits.
There are no monthly fees. You only receive payouts when your designed products sell on Amazon.
Sustainability
As part of Amazon‘s Climate Pledge Friendly program, many products are marked as sustainable featuring recycled materials.
5. Teespring
Teespring operates both as a print on demand dropshipper and marketplace for sellers.
You can connect your Teespring store to your Shopify or Wix site to fulfill orders automatically. Or you can list products directly on the Teespring marketplace.
UK Presence
Teespring relies on integrations with third-party suppliers for production and shipping. So they work with trusted UK-based facilities and carriers locally.
Product Range
True to its name, Teespring started out focused specifically on t-shirts featuring user-generated designs.
They‘ve now expanded into other apparel like hoodies and hats. But the custom t-shirt remains central to their model.
Print Quality
As an Amazon company, Teespring ensures reliable print results – especially on apparel.
User reviews frequently praise colors and definition. Just be sure to submit high-quality image files.
Costs
Base costs on Teespring are competitive, with custom t-shirts starting at £9.99.
Selling on their marketplace means no monthly fees – Teespring takes a commission on sales instead.
Sustainability
Many apparel items are now produced using recycled polyester materials.
Ethical credentials like fair wages and safe working conditions are less transparent however.
6. DeviantArt
DeviantArt is an online community popular among artists, graphic designers and photographers.
As well as sharing their portfolio pieces, the platform allows members to sell their designs on print on demand products.
UK Presence
For production and shipping, DeviantArt relies on partnerships with major marketplaces like Redbubble and Printful.
So UK facilities are covered through those extensive supply chains.
Product Range
You‘re mostly limited to apparel like t-shirts, device cases and art prints.
But DeviantArt‘s core focus on original art and photography means you can stand out from standard POD offerings.
Print Quality
With production outsourced to third parties, print quality varies. Redbubble items reliably impress based on user reviews.
Upload the highest resolution versions of your designs to maximize quality.
Costs
Base product costs align with third-party partner pricing. So custom t-shirts start around £12.
To maximize earnings, you want your art to sell at scale on this high-traffic platform.
Sustainability
No eco-friendly products or facilities specifically advertised. But partners like Redbubble use recycled materials.
7. Your Print On Demand Store
If you value creative freedom above all else, Your Print On Demand Store is worth considering.
With this niche player, you enjoy full customization over store design, branding, prices and margins.
UK Presence
Your Print On Demand Store production and shipping is all outsourced.
So they leverage supplier relationships in the UK for domestic order fulfillment where required.
Product Range
The product catalog includes over 150 items across popular categories like apparel, phone cases, wall art and journals.
There‘s an emphasis on gifts and keepsakes vs high-volume commodities. Great if you have a specialized niche.
Print Quality
As an aggregator of third-party suppliers, consistency in print quality varies.
But focus your designs on products with multiple 5-star customer reviews for best results.
Costs
With full pricing control, you can set your own margins across all products.
But base production costs are higher than larger marketplaces.
A robust free plan is offered alongside paid tiers up to $99/month with more features.
Sustainability
No eco-friendly product ranges are advertised. Though some partners may use recycled materials.
8. Gooten
Gooten offers a print on demand model similar to Gelato.
But with a stronger focus on connecting you to North American suppliers.
UK Presence
Despite its US-centric infrastructure, Gooten facilitates global order fulfillment.
So UK and European production partners are integrated into its marketplace too.
Product Range
With 45 categories spanning home decor, apparel, and lifestyle accessories, Gooten covers lots of popular printables.
The wall art category stands out in particular – from posters and canvases to aluminum prints.
Print Quality
Print quality is largely determined by the capabilities of individual suppliers.
So be sure to vet UK partners carefully based on product samples, reviews and transparency around facilities.
Costs
Using partners means Gooten isn‘t as price competitive on base costs as the bigger players above.
But discounts are offered for bulk order volumes – helpful as your business scales.
Sustainability
Several partner facilities promote sustainability practices like solar power and recycled paper.
But eco-friendly qualifications aren‘t as clearly highlighted here as other brands above.
9. Printed Mint
Printed Mint is a British-based print provider aiming to expand into wider European and US markets in 2024.
Founded in 2021, the company focuses on home decor printables – especially wall art and canvas prints.
UK Presence
As a London-based startup, Printed Mint handles all production and order fulfillment in-house locally.
Product Range
The product range is currently limited to around 30 home decor items. This includes posters, acrylic prints, photo panels and textile wall hangings.
So Printed Mint is ideal if you specifically want to offer customized wall art or nursery decorations rather than apparel. Expect wider product expansions this year.
Print Quality
Early customer feedback praises Printed Mint‘s color accuracy and print definition – especially on canvas and textile wall hangings.
Their niche focus with in-house production allows them to offer specialist quality in wall decor.
Costs
With small-scale in-house manufacturing, base costs are higher than mass-market competitors above.
Though monthly pricing plans help balance this based on order volumes.
As a startup seeking growth in 2024, expanded product ranges and cost savings are expected.
Sustainability
While sustainably sourced material options are currently limited, these small-batch production runs have inherent eco-benefits.
And Printed Mint uses fully recyclable paper packaging.
As manufacturing scales up this year, a recycled fabric product line looks set to launch.
10. Woopius
Finally, we have relative newcomer Woopius – launched in 2021 as an eco-friendly print service with UK facilities.
UK Presence
As a British company, Woopius handles all production and shipping in-house across two UK facilities.
Product Range
The current range includes around 20 categories – so covering all the apparel, phone case and mug basics along with some unique finds like skateboards.
Expect wider expansions this year as manufacturing capabilities grow.
Print Quality
Early reviews praise Woopius‘s print vibrancy and durability across t-shirts and other apparel.
Their niche as an eco-brand means quality oversight across facilities is strict.
Costs
Launch offers mean t-shirts currently start at just £6.50 with free shipping. Hard to beat on price right now.
And there are no monthly subscription fees – you pay only per product sold.
As a young business seeking to scale, even lower costs due from bulk capabilities down the line.
Sustainability
As a B Corp focused on ethical production standards, Woopius uses responsibly sourced, organic and/or recycled materials wherever possible.
They also invest in multiple carbon offset projects globally.
So if your brand values green credentials, Woopius is a great choice to align with.
Key Takeaways – Choosing Your Print on Demand Service
I hope this guide has helped summarize the key players providing print on demand services with UK order fulfillment in 2024.
To recap the stand-out options:
- Printful offers unmatched quality and product selection.
- Printify balances affordability and customization capabilities.
- Gelato makes it easy to filter UK print facilities specifically.
- Teespring allows you to sell into the Amazon ecosystem.
- Woopius leads on eco-conscious production credentials.
The choice for your business comes down to your niche, priorities around margins, desired order volumes and sustainability impact.
Just keep the pros and cons around product range, costs and shipping times weighed up as you evaluate each print brand.
And for any sellers just dipping their toes into print on demand this year, I‘d advise starting out with Printful or Printify first. They require very little financial risk yet provide fantastic reach across popular ecommerce channels.
