How to start the hustle and bustle of clothing brands on Etsy at zero upfront cost

adminSeptember 17, 2025

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How to start the hustle and bustle of clothing brands on Etsy at zero upfront cost

Have you ever thought about opening your own clothing brand but you’re frustrated by the cost? Maybe you think you need thousands of dollars to invest in inventory, rent space, or buy equipment before you make extra income this way. With printing platforms such as Printify and Printful, and markets like…

Have you ever thought about opening your own clothing brand but you’re shocked by the cost?

Maybe you think you need thousands of dollars to invest in inventory, rent space, or buy equipment before you make extra income this way.

With on-demand printing platforms like Printify and Printful, as well as markets like Etsy, you can now start your own apparel business with a $0 upfront.

Yes, really.

You don’t need to hold stock, you don’t need to ship anything yourself, or you don’t even need to become a designer.

This guide will take you through how to create clothing brands or side hustle on Etsy using on-demand printable, even if you don’t have experience or budget.

What is printing on demand and why it is suitable for clothing brands

Before I start, I want to talk about why I think if you want to start a clothing business that doesn’t have money, I think printing on demand is a good option.

Print on Demand (POD) is a way to sell products such as T-shirts, hoodies and sweatshirts without having to buy stock or ship anything yourself.

Here is how it works:

You create a design (even just a fun quote or simple word art).
You upload the design to a POD platform such as Printify or Printful.
When customers purchase items (such as shirts with designs), the platform prints them and sends them directly.

You don’t have to keep stock, pack a box, or go to the post office. Pod Company handles all this behind the scenes.

It would be great if you ever dreamed of creating a clothing brand but were overwhelmed by the cost or logistics. It eliminates all hard parts – no bulk orders, no inventory, and no upfront investment required.

You can start today, even if you have no experience and no money.

If you don’t sell anything? Don’t worry – you’re not wasting money to order stocks. Just try a new design and keep moving forward.

How to start the hustle and bustle of your clothing brand without money

Here’s how you can start your own clothing branding aspect on Etsy for $0.

Recommended reading:

1. Choose your clothing niche

Before you start designing anything, choosing a niche is helpful.

Your niche is where your clothes will cater to your specific group or theme. It can help you stand out and attract buyers who are looking for something specific.

Here are some popular dot-print wall segments:

Pet lovers (dog mom, cat dad, etc.)
teacher
Interesting mom quotes
Bachelor Party Shirt
Fitness and fitness clothing
Inspirational quotes
Local Pride (city or state theme)

You can expand at any time, but choosing a niche can help you stay focused and consistent in design.

hint: To simplify it, you may need to choose a niche that you are personally interested in! For example, if you are a teacher, start with a fun teacher shirt. If you are a dog mom, please design it for dog mom.

2. Register for Etsy

Etsy is one of the best places to start selling click-and-click clothing.

It already has millions of shoppers looking for custom clothing.
This is beginner friendly.
You do not need a website or technical skill.

I personally have purchased many different prints on Etsy over the years, all with fun and creative designs, which really makes me happy to find (you usually don’t find anything in the store!).

start:

Go to Etsy and click “Sell Etsy”.
Create a seller account.
Select your store name (you can change it later!).
Add your payment and tax information.

That’s it! Your store is open.

Note: Etsy fee list and transaction fees.

Here is an example on the Printful website you can design and sell.

3. Select your print compliant partner

You need an on-demand printing platform to automatically print and ship clothes orders.

Two popular and beginner-friendly options are:

printify:

There are over 1,300 product options such as T-shirts, baby clothing, hoodies, jackets, long-sleeved, swimsuits, pants, etc.
Reduce the base price
Allows you to compare suppliers by location, price and rating

Please click here to try Printify.

print:

Handle all achievements of all internal implementations (so the quality is usually higher because they do everything themselves)
Custom brands can be added, such as labels and packaging

Please click here to try printing.

Both platforms are free to join and integrate directly with Etsy.

If you are unsure, you can test both of which product is best for you.

4. Design your first product

You don’t have to be a designer to create a sales product. In fact, some of the best-selling items on Etsy are just simple text designs.

You can use tools like Canva to create a design for wearing clothes, which is easy to use for beginners. Or, if you have a little money to spend, you can find ready-made design templates in the creative market.

Some beginners’ design ideas may be:

Interesting quotes (“Dog hair, don’t care”)
Match family shirts (vacation theme, holiday)
Minimalist design (simple word or icon)
Local Pride (“Colorado Girls” or “Made in Brooklyn”)

Once the design is created, upload it to print or print, and then automatically place it on a product model like a T-shirt, hoodie, or sweatshirt so you can see what your prospect looks like.

You don’t even need to take photos of your own product!

5. Connect your POD platform to Etsy

Once the design is ready and a product is selected for sale, it’s time to connect your Pod platform to Etsy.

Printify and Printful can both integrate with Etsy with one-click.

Once connected, you can push the product directly to the Etsy store.

You just need to fill in the details, for example:

Product title: Include clear keywords (for example: “Funny dog mom t-shirt”).
describe: Tell the buyer what they get (fit, fabric, who it is).
Label: Use the Etsy tag to search for visibility better (this is to make it easier for potential buyers to find your Etsy list).
price: Calculate how much you want to price your clothing items based on your basic cost, Etsy fees and how much you want to make.

Example pricing:

Basic Cost (Printify): $10.50
Etsy Fee: $1.50
Your sales price: $20.00
profit: $8.00 per shirt (no advance payment)

6. Share your Etsy store for free

Once your list is in real time, it’s time to get traffic!

If you don’t want to, you don’t have to run ads. There are many free ways to promote your Etsy store, such as:

1. Pinterest

Create pins using product models.
Link each pin to your Etsy list.
Make sure you write high-quality and keyword-based Pinterest descriptions.

2. instagram or tiktok

Show your design peek.
Record opening your own store.
Post interesting or related content.

3. Facebook Group

Join the group related to your niche.
Share your store or design (if group rules are allowed).

4. EtsySEO

Use powerful keywords in product titles, tags, and descriptions.
Think like a buyer: What would they type in the search bar to find my clothes?

7. How fulfillment works (and how to get payment)

Here’s what happens when someone places an order:

Customers buy your shirt on Etsy.
Your POD platform (Printify or Printful) will automatically receive orders.
They print, pack and ship the product to your customers.
You will be paid (after Etsy charges its fees).

You don’t have to touch inventory, ship bags, or even send tracking numbers. Everything is automated.

This is one of the easiest ways to start the side hustle and bustle.

Why it works (even if you don’t have experience)

This business model is perfect for beginners because:

You don’t need any money to start.
You don’t have to be a designer.
You can do this in your spare time.
You don’t need technical skills.
You don’t have to own stock or ship anything.

All you need is the internet, a computer and time!

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are the answers to frequently asked questions on how to start clothing on Etsy without money.

How to start a clothing production line without money and experience?

Use Etsy and on-demand printing platforms such as Printify or Printful. You can design and sell with Canva for free without storing any inventory or prepayment.

Do you sell clothes on Etsy’s profitable clothes?

Yes! Many sellers make hundreds or even thousands of dollars a month using simple designs. Profit margins are around $5 to $15 depending on your pricing and supplier.

Do I need a business license to start?

No, Etsy doesn’t need one to start selling. As your business grows, make sure to ensure the local laws in your area.

How much money can I actually make by printing commercial clothes on demand?

Some sellers make hundreds of dollars a month, while others make thousands of dollars. It depends on your niche, how many lists you have (more, the better!) and how much you promote.