TL;DR
- Provider: Printful (consistent quality — visible on a big print), Printify (most types + lowest cost), Gelato (international — blankets ship heavy).
- Types: fleece (value), sherpa (premium plush), woven (heritage, bold designs not photos).
- Method: sublimation for photo blankets; woven blankets weave the design (limited colors).
- Resolution is critical — biggest print area in POD; validate customer uploads per size.
- Margins ~50% (watch heavy shipping); personalized photo/name blankets command premiums.
Choosing the provider
| Provider | Best for blankets when you value… |
|---|---|
| Printful | Consistent quality — uneven/faded sublimation is very visible across a blanket |
| Printify | Widest type/size range & lowest cost — pick a well-reviewed provider |
| Gelato | International — blankets are bulky & heavy, so local production cuts cost & time |
Compare in Printful vs Printify and Printify vs Gelato, and see best print on demand sites. Always order a sample — a blanket's softness, weight, and print quality are best judged in person.
Blanket types to offer
- Fleece — everyday, affordable, soft, lightweight; printed one side. The value hero.
- Sherpa — plush fuzzy backing, premium cozy feel, higher price.
- Woven (jacquard/tapestry) — design woven from yarns for a heritage, textured look; suits bold, limited-color designs, not photos.
- Mink/plush — extra softness.
- Baby blankets & swaddles — the popular new-baby gift market.
For most stores, a fleece for value and a sherpa for premium covers the range, with a woven option if your designs suit it. Build the customizer with the blanket designer tutorial.
Method & resolution (the make-or-break)
Most printed photo blankets use dye sublimation — full-color, edge-to-edge designs embedded into polyester fleece or a sherpa's printed face; permanent and vivid. Woven blankets are different: the design is woven from colored yarns, suiting bold, limited-color designs more than photographs. Because blankets are the largest print area in POD, they're very resolution-demanding — a customer photo must be high-resolution to print sharp at blanket size, so if you accept uploads, validate resolution against the chosen size. Supply files in sRGB at the template size with any required bleed. The huge print area plus photo content is exactly why resolution validation and an accurate preview matter so much here.
Pricing & margin
| Item | Typical retail |
|---|---|
| Small fleece blanket | $38-55 |
| Medium/large fleece | $50-70 |
| Sherpa (premium) | $60-90+ |
| Woven / heritage | $60-100+ |
Base costs are higher than apparel but retail is higher still, supporting ~50% margins. The main cost factor is shipping (bulky and heavy), so build it into your retail price. Personalized photo and name blankets command a clear premium over generic designs because they're emotional keepsakes — personalization lifts margin and differentiates. See profit margins & pricing and shipping & fulfillment.
Sell custom photo blankets customers design
Print It My Way adds photo/collage upload with per-size resolution validation, name/message fields, and type/size options with a live preview — works with Printful, Printify, or Gelato. A top photo-gift, made unique and higher-margin. No code, free plan for your first product.
Install Print It My Way — Free See the pillow & cushion designer →Frequently asked questions
What is the best print on demand company for blankets?
It depends on your priority, with shipping weight mattering a lot. Printful offers consistent quality from its own facilities — important because uneven or faded sublimation is very visible across a large blanket. Printify's network gives the widest choice of blanket types (fleece, sherpa, woven) and sizes and lowest cost, if you choose a well-reviewed provider. Gelato is strong for international stores because blankets are bulky and heavy, so local production cuts shipping cost and time on cross-border orders. For most stores: Printful for reliable quality, Printify for type/size variety, Gelato for international reach. Always sample — softness, weight, and print quality are best judged in person.
What types of blankets can you sell with print on demand?
A few main types, each with a different feel and price. Fleece blankets are the everyday, affordable option — soft, lightweight, printed one side. Sherpa blankets have a plush fuzzy backing for a premium, cozy feel and higher price. Woven (jacquard/tapestry) blankets weave the design into the fabric for a heritage, textured look rather than a surface print. Mink and plush variants add softness, and baby blankets/swaddles serve the new-baby gift market. For most stores, a fleece for value and a sherpa for premium covers the range, with a woven option if your designs suit it. Each type has its own sizes, print method, and care instructions, so check the provider's specs.
What print method and resolution do custom blankets need?
Most printed photo blankets use dye sublimation, embedding full-color, edge-to-edge designs into polyester fleece or a sherpa's printed face — permanent, vivid, and won't crack. Woven blankets are different: the design is woven from colored yarns, suiting bold, limited-color designs more than photographs. Because blankets are the largest print area in POD, they're very resolution-demanding — a customer photo must be high-resolution to print sharp at blanket size, so if you accept uploads, validate resolution against the chosen size. Supply files in sRGB at the template size with any required bleed. The huge print area plus photo content is why resolution validation and an accurate preview matter so much.
How much do print on demand blankets cost and what can I charge?
Blankets are high-margin and high-perceived-value, among the more profitable POD items per order. Base costs are higher than apparel but retail is higher still — typically high-thirties for a small fleece up to seventies or more for large sherpa, premium/woven higher — supporting ~50% margins. The main cost factor is shipping, because blankets are bulky and heavy, so build it into your retail price and margin. Personalized photo and name blankets command a clear premium over generic designs because they're emotional keepsakes and gifts, so personalization lifts margin and differentiates. Price from your target margin using your provider's actual costs.
Can I let customers personalize blankets in print on demand?
Yes — blankets are one of the best products to personalize because they're a top photo-gift and keepsake. With Print It My Way on your product page, customers upload a photo (or collage), add a name or message, choose a type and size, and see a live preview before buying — with the upload validated against the chosen size, essential on the large blanket print area. Choices save to the order for your provider to print — works with Printful, Printify, or Gelato via line item properties. Personalized photo blankets, name blankets, collage blankets, and memorial blankets have no generic competitor and sell strongly for new babies, couples, memorials, and the holidays, so a personalizable blanket far outperforms a fixed-design one.
Are blankets a good print on demand product to sell?
Yes — one of the strongest home and gift products in POD. They have high perceived value and strong margins, they're deeply giftable (new babies, couples, memorials, housewarmings, holidays), and they personalize beautifully with photos and names, giving them no generic competitor when customized. The two things to manage are print quality on a large area — making provider consistency, photo resolution, and an accurate preview important — and shipping, since blankets are bulky and heavy, so factor shipping into pricing. Blankets pair naturally with pillows, mugs, canvas, and ornaments, so they're an excellent anchor product for a personalized-gift store rather than a standalone novelty.