Struggling to create designs, come up with new t-shirt design ideas and keep up with t-shirt design trends?
Outsourcing your design may be the solution.
By outsourcing, you can improve your product design, save time and focus on your business. It’s cost-effective because you don’t need to hire full-time employees or invest in expensive software. And you’ll discover talented artists from around the world to help you create imaginative designs for your products.
Get ready to take your business to new heights with design outsourcing. Read on to learn 8 ways to find and hire the best designers to create your t-shirt designs.
1. Discover designers and agencies with Dribbble
Source: Dribble
Dribbble is a discovery platform for designers and creative agencies. You can browse their portfolios and get to know their personal style. The best way to find what you’re looking for is under the Designers for Hire tab. There you can filter freelancers, designers or creative agencies by adding keywords, experience, hourly rate and location. If you find something that interests you, contact the agency or designer and ask them if they would like to work with you.
2. Find a freelance designer with a specific style on Fiverr
Source: Fiverr:
Fiverr is a freelance platform where designers offer custom design projects based on their style. The platform is user-friendly and has a convenient hiring process. You can browse a wide variety of categories and there is even a dedicated section for cover design.
Fiverr has a strong reputation system that allows you to see the ratings and reviews of freelancers you are considering hiring. This way you know you are working with trusted creators.
Best of all, the platform has a clear and transparent pricing structure, so you can plan your budget ahead of time and filter offers based on price.
3. Hire a designer or start a contest on 99 designs
Source: 99 designs
99designs is a great option if you are looking for high quality design work at an affordable price. You can choose from thousands of designers worldwide to find the perfect fit for your project. 99designs offers a simple design process and a money-back guarantee. That way you feel confident in your investment and be sure you are getting the best value for your money.
You can also create a contest. Start by filling out a brief so designers know what you’re looking for. Then the designers will present their works. Finally, you will be able to choose your favorite from many designs. Remember that the quantity and quality of designs depends on the reward you offer.
4. Browse freelance sites like Upwork
Source: Upwork:
Freelance platforms like Upwork are a great way to discover talented professionals around the world. To hire someone, create a clear and detailed job listing that outlines your project, budget, and expectations. Be sure to provide as much information as possible so designers can tell if they are a good fit for your project. After you publish your job listing, you’ll start receiving offers from designers who are interested in working with you.
Another way you can do this is through talent scouting. Talent Scout is where you meet with a recruiter and share your design needs. The Upwork platform will then provide you with a list of freelancers who are the best fit for your project.
There are other similar platforms like Upwork for you to try. Some of the most popular ones are Freelancer and Guru.


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5. Sell existing designs

Source: Startup Vitamins
There are many great designs that are not for sale. If you’ve spotted a design online that you think would look great on a cover or poster, why not reach out to the artist? Offer to put it on your store and share the revenue.
That’s what Startup Vitamins did with one of their coolest banners, “This is a no-brainer.” Originally designed by London-based Sell!Sell! by a creative agency, they agreed to share the design for a portion of the profits.
Another option is to purchase t-shirt design packages for commercial use. Visit Thefancydeal to find vintage inspired, cartoon, grunge and other design packs.
6. Use your brand logo
Your logo is one of the most important elements of your brand identity, and it’s a great way to spread brand awareness. By including your logo in a custom cover design, you can turn it into a walking advertisement.
Consider using elements of your logo to create a more interesting design. If your logo is fairly simple, add your tagline or something that mentions your product or what you do as a brand.
7. Find a designer in real life
If online design platforms aren’t for you and you prefer to meet in person, then try meetings. A great way to connect with professionals is to use Meetup. Go to Meetup.com and search for “design”. It will give you the nearest design related events. And voilà ! You have yourself a room full of designers. You can also filter events by date, type, and distance to find an event that fits your schedule.
8. Collaborate with the artist
One of the most effective and interesting ways to create your cover design is to collaborate with an artist. Collabs are an effective way to increase brand awareness and gain customer trust. A professional artist has the skills and experience to create eye-catching graphics, bold typography and eye-catching illustrations to help your cover design stand out.
With the help of an artist, you can brainstorm and create a design that is both unique and visually appealing. Additionally, an artist’s imagination can help bring new and fresh ideas to the table. Note that the best collaborations share a similar set of values, visions, and visual tastes.
How to work with a designer
We’ve now covered the best websites for freelancers, designers, and agency jobs. Plus some creative ways to get the perfect t-shirt design.
Whichever you choose, developing a positive and productive relationship is imperative to any successful partnership. So here are 5 tips on how to work with a designer.
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Prepare all the information that the designer can use to create the best work for you. Think from brand guidelines, links, inspiration and your target customer or marketing strategy.
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Set clear expectations and deadlines. Set a timeline for the design process and make sure you’re both on the same page and know what’s expected and when.
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Keep communication open. Be sure to be open and address any concerns or questions as they arise.
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Respect the person you work with. Designers bring their skills, creativity and experience to the table. They have invested time and energy into becoming experts at what they do. By treating the designer with respect, your first project can turn into a long-term winning partnership.
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Be prepared to make revisions. Design is a collaborative process and may require several rounds of revisions before the final product is satisfactory. Be open to compromise and making changes to achieve the best result.


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Become a designer with Prinftul’s Design Maker
Source: Printful’s Design Maker
If you can’t afford to hire a designer or want to create simple t-shirt designs yourself, try Printful’s Design Maker.
There are 712 fonts, 20400+ clipart graphics, 3100+ quick designs and 550+ background graphics to choose from. Plus, Design Maker helps and guides you with gridlines and tips. That way you can make sure your designs on the final product will look the same as they did in Design Maker.
Create your own t-shirt designs
Finding and hiring the best designers to create your custom t-shirt designs has never been easier. Working with a professional will save you time and hassle. Most importantly, you’ll be able to focus on what’s really important: growing your business. Whether you go to freelancers, agencies, or design platforms, you can find a solution that works for you.
So why wait? Let’s give your T-shirt business a boost with some expert design help.
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