Custom-designed t-shirts help to add a bit of personality to a range of different events. Whether you’re looking to promote your business or band, or you’re going on a hen do, AI can help add some flair to your t-shirt design skills.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to creating striking t-shirt designs, and generative AI tools can help to make the process even simpler. In this guide, we’ll explore how to use AI for t-shirt design, and include some tips on useful Adobe Express tools.

Why use AI for your t-shirt designs?

AI can help you every step of the way when designing t-shirts. Whether you’re just looking for some inspiration or want to mass produce merch for your brand, the right tools are out there. Here are some reasons to consider using AI for your t-shirt design needs:

Speed and efficiency.

AI image generators just need a simple text prompt to create designs in seconds.

Creative inspiration.

You might not want AI to create something from scratch, but you can use it to generate design ideas to help you get started.

Scalability.

If you want to create business or band merch, you can generate a library of design assets to use across your t-shirt line.

Customisation.

Once you generate a design, you’re not stuck with it. You can then go on to edit and customise your creation until you’re happy. You can even use other AI tools like background removers to perfect your design before you add it to a t-shirt.

How to create your AI t-shirt design using Adobe Express.

Adobe Express offers a range of AI tools to help you create your t-shirt design. Start by generating your image, tweak, edit and, finally, print your t-shirt. Here’s a breakdown of each step.

1. Use the AI Image Generator to find t-shirt design inspiration.

It starts with the fun bit – it takes a simple text prompt to transform your ideas into unique imagery. Simply create a prompt in our text-to-image generator, hit the Generate with AI button and start experimenting. How about a psychedelic 60s pattern or a futuristic geometric design?

The possibilities of t-shirt design with AI tools are unlimited. Our text-to-image tool is also powered by Adobe Firefly, giving you stunning results with each prompt.

2. Experiment with different styles using the AI Art Generator.

Want to go bold with a graphic tee inspired by a favourite artist? Or perhaps you’re preparing for a festival and want to add a splash of colour? The AI art generator helps you bring your ideas to life in the style of your favourite artwork.

The tool takes your prompt and art style and turns it into something totally unique – perfect if you have a specific vision in mind but can’t find ways to put pen to paper yourself.

3. Generate text effects for your t-shirt.

Finesse your AI t-shirt design with the right text. Customise your copy and individual lettering using generative AI to realise your ideas. From a soft neon aesthetic to a retro pixelated design, experiment with countless text effects to bring your typographic t-shirt to life.

Perhaps opt for something a little retro for a vintage-looking tee, or pick something simple and sleek for your business’ uniform.

4. Customise and resize your AI t-shirt design.

AI tools make personalisation simple – add extra graphical elements, icons and text. Planning a film festival or charity event? Include your event logo on your t-shirt or make limited edition designs to wow your following.

It’s also quick and easy to resize your design for different formats. The AI image resize tool can make your design bigger or smaller, filling in missing edges in seconds. No need to worry about creating a whole new idea if it doesn’t fit!

5. Print your AI design on a t-shirt with Adobe Express.

Now that your AI t-shirt design has been customised to your liking, why not print it out? Easily print out t-shirt designs made in Adobe Express and see how your designs look in the real world.

You can also save your designs to customise later or share with your friends and creative team, or even add them to your brand kit for easy access in the future.

AI t-shirt design examples.

Top tips for creating a t-shirt design with AI.

While you may be jumping to get started with your first merch line, there are a few quick things to consider before using AI in your t-shirt designs. For example:

Create mock-ups.

While you can enter a prompt straightaway, it might be a good idea to create some quick mock-ups so you know what you’re aiming for.

Experiment with your prompts.

While designs will appear in seconds, it’s a good idea to draft and take your time when writing prompts. You want to make sure they’re clear and concise, and you’ve considered every aspect.

Use branded assets for consistency.

You can create other brand assets like logos and colour palettes and add them to your brand kit. You can then re-use these assets across all your Adobe Express designs.

Don’t be afraid to edit.

Whether you need to re-enter your prompt a few times, tweak or re-size, it’s important to use your own ideas and creativity when perfecting your product.

Generate t-shirt design ideas with the AI Template Generator.

Whether you’re looking for design inspiration or want to create a unique t-shirt line from scratch, the Adobe Express AI template generator can help bring your ideas to life. Add in your prompt and watch as fully customisable design templates are created in seconds.

Tweak, edit and add to your templates to create your designs, experimenting with text and image effects, branded assets and a range of editing tools. Whether for a personal or professional project, the AI-generated templates are commercially safe, so you can safely print and sell your t-shirts, knowing your designs are totally unique.

Try Adobe Express for free now

Good to know.

Can I use AI to design t-shirts?

Yes, you can use Adobe Express AI tools – such as text-to-image and template generators – and experiment with prompts and different editing tools. Create multiple designs in seconds, then have fun perfecting your products by adding different effects and branded assets like logos.

Can I sell AI-generated art on t-shirts?

Yes, provided that your design is completely unique and doesn’t infringe on any copyright laws, you can sell your AI t-shirt designs. This makes it a great option for merchandise.

Is Adobe Express free?

Yes, our free plan offers many core features including thousands of templates, photo editing and effects, animation, and 5 GB of storage. See our pricing page for details and to compare plans.