Discover 5 Easy Steps to Start a Print on Demand Tshirt Business and Earn From Home

When Amara was 2 and obsessed with Peppa Pig, I had two hours every afternoon to myself. I could either scroll Instagram, or try something new. That’s when I stumbled upon the idea of starting a print on demand tshirt business.

Honestly, I didn’t even know what POD meant. But the idea felt exciting. No inventory, no shipping drama, and all I needed was my laptop. It felt manageable, even with a toddler in the background.

Fast forward to today, my little print on demand tshirt side hustle now covers our utility bills. Some months it even pays for Amara’s pre-school activities.

What is POD?

Print on Demand (POD) is a business model that lets you sell custom-designed products without managing inventory.

You upload a design (like a slogan or artwork) to a POD platform. When someone buys that item, whether it’s a tshirt, hoodie, or tote bag, the platform prints it and ships it directly to the customer. You don’t need to buy stock, print in bulk, or handle deliveries.

The best part? You only pay the platform when a sale happens. So it’s a low-risk, beginner-friendly way to test ideas and build income from home.

How Print on Demand Works

Create your design – Use tools like Canva or Photopea.
Upload it to a POD platform – like Printrove, Blinkstore, or Qikink.
Set your price – Decide how much profit you want to earn per sale.
Share your product links – Via Instagram, WhatsApp, or email.
When someone orders – The platform prints and ships it.

You get paid your profit margin, and the customer gets their order without delays. Simple!

Why Start a Print on Demand Tshirt Business?

The beauty of this model is freedom. You design from anywhere, upload your art to a POD platform, and they handle the rest. No minimum order quantity, no bulk investment.

For Indian women especially, the print on demand tshirt business is a goldmine. You can sell to NRIs, local shoppers, or theme-based niches (mom quotes, zodiac, desi memes).

For inspiration, you can check out our POD store at Womanitee, a women-led tshirt brand that uses the print on demand model to create bold, relatable designs for the Indian market.

5 Simple Steps to Get Started

Step	What You Need	Free Tools You Can Use
1	Choose a niche	Pinterest, Etsy
2	Create 3–5 simple designs	Canva, Photopea
3	Set up your store	Shopify, Amazon Seller
4	Upload and price items	Printrove, Blinkstore
5	Share on social media	Instagram, WhatsApp, Facebook

How to Start a Tshirt Business from Home (Even with 1 Hour a Day)

Start simple. Pick one niche and create 3–5 basic t shirt designs. Use free Canva templates if you’re not a designer.

Then, upload to a POD platform like Printrove or Blinkstore (great for Indian sellers), set your pricing, and share your store link on WhatsApp groups or IG stories.

You don’t need fancy packaging or a GST number to test this out.

In fact, the best print on demand tshirt companies let you start with zero upfront cost. Just your time and consistency matter.

What Worked for Me

Designs around parenting quotes (very shareable)
Black tees with bold white text (low return rate)
Starting with relatable themes before scaling to broader niches

If you’re curious about more flexible gigs, check out my post on Freelance Jobs for Women

FAQs

Q1: Do I need to know design to start a print on demand tshirt business?
Nope! Canva has tons of editable templates. Just tweak text, use your language or humor.

Q2: What if no one buys my t shirts?
That’s okay. Tweak your designs, change your niche, and keep testing. Even slow stores get visibility with regular posts.

Q3: Is this legal without GST?
For low-volume side income, yes. But if you start earning consistently, register for GST for credibility.

Takeaway

You don’t need perfect designs or big capital. You need one hour, one idea, and the courage to click publish. Start your print on demand tshirt journey one design at a time.

It won’t be perfect. You might fumble. But that one order? That one DM from a happy customer? It changes something inside you.

It reminds you that you’re allowed to earn, create, and grow, even from your living room, even in between school pickups. Start where you are. Your time SIP starts today.

Anam Syed

Meet Anam Syed — a freelance writer, side hustle strategist, and full-time mom to little Amara. Based in Pune, Anam started freelancing during her pregnancy and never looked back. With over 5 years of experience in blogging, podcasting, and digital work, she now helps women like you turn their spare time into something powerful. Her mantra? Do one thing every day that builds your “time SIP” — a side project that grows into freedom.