A couple of years ago I started doing sublimation. I wanted a way to add my art onto products without having to order them from a third company, or at least not the finished product. I still have to order the blanks. Little did I know that would lead to a new, great business opportunity.

I started out sublimating onto products for myself, but as my daughter and I started reaching out in our community to do personalized mugs, cups, metal signs, puzzles, etc. for individuals, a few of the local small businesses took note and asked if I could make some merch for them.

That started a great new, small business for me. My daughter has since moved, but I continue to make merch for other people for their small businesses. This has been a fun process, and I am grateful for the business owner’s patience as I have learned about products, learned about processes, and tried new things.

I am not sure how competitive the pricing is as the business owners purchase the items and then I just charge to put their image on the item, but for Willow, Alaska, I feel like it’s not a bad deal. I love it because I can do something somewhat creative, I can use the equipment I bought for more than just my items, and I can do it in my spare time.

A few things about the products I use. They have to be sublimation products, which means they have a polyester coating. That polyester coating is what the ink bonds to to make it permanent. But because it’s becoming a big thing, there are quite a lot of different “blanks” to choose from, from mugs and tumblers, to towels and puzzles. There’s shirts and Christmas ornaments, key chains, luggage tags, earrings, and so much more!

If you’re a local business owner and have always wanted to get some merch but didn’t want to go to the big box stores, send me a message, I’d love to see what you’re thinking and help you make a high quality product that you can give to customers, sell or whatever, and feel confident that it’s done well, with customer service by me, not an automated system.

You can check out my shop to see some of the products I put my art on, but they are just a small portion of what is out there for sublimating. Business merch is a great way to advertise, and also a great way for customers to support your business while doing a little bit of free advertising for you along they way.

Featured Artwork: