A designer’s review of Cotton Bureau’s print-on-demand product.

Purchasing a product from a print-on-demand (POD) company can be a shot in the dark if you’re unfamiliar with the company’s quality and customer service. Unfortunately, you won’t know what it’s like until you make that purchase - or know someone who has.

I’m no stranger to selling on, and purchasing from, POD sites. And I’ve learned the hard way that some are better than others.

Print-on-Demand Items are Tricky

I find most print-on-demand items are poor quality printing on poor quality product. This is such a disappointing experience as a consumer. To get excited about finding an illustration or artwork you love, only to have it arrive looking faded, feeling flimsy, or lasting only a few months.

I’m not a fan of fast fashion or selling something crappy just to earn a quick buck. I always want my art to look good on an item that will last, so people feel good sporting it for many years to come. This is why it’s important that my manufacturers hold quality to the same standard. Quality & ethics matter.

My Experience with Cotton Bureau

I’ve been selling my designs on Cotton Bureau for some time now. When I first learned of them, I heard their apparel quality was excellent and they used screen-printing so I knew it would look sharp.

They used to run pre-sale campaigns for approved designs. If after 2 weeks, you sold 12 or more, your design went to print! Luckily, I had a few designs get funded which allowed me to snap up a couple of t-shirts for free.

In doing this, I could assess whether I could really get behind their product and feel good about promoting it to my customers.

When I received my t-shirts, they were soft and the quality of the screen print was great - just like I had hoped.

What is Cotton Bureau’s print-on-demand quality like?

Since they made a switch from the pre-sale campaigns (screen-printing) to on-demand (digital) printing, I was a little nervous they would fall into the same quality category as all the others I’ve had poor experiences with.

Given their standards of quality were always high, I was really hoping this hadn’t changed. But of course, things can change when production technique or order volume changes so it was time to get a look at their print-on-demand product.

A couple of weeks ago I ordered a pullover hoodie sweater with one of my newest designs on it. When I received it, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

It looks and feels like ink but it’s actually a digital print! The colours are vibrant, the texture is really nice, and the sweater is really comfortable; Fits well too (always refer to those sizing charts!).

The Verdict on Cotton Bureau

All in all, I’m 100% happy with the product, the print quality, and service so if you’ve been on the fence about buying something from them, rest assured you’ll really like their product.

And if you happen to have issues, the team there are quick to respond and are dedicated to delivering a great product so don’t be shy about contacting them.

To view a selection of my tees, head over to the shop!

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