Have you ever been to a concert and bought something to remember the gig? That’s merch. Short for merchandise, it’s something you buy to show your support for a band or artist. Band merchandise can include anything from t-shirts and hoodies, to posters, keyrings and pin badges.

If you’re interested in making your own band merchandise, we have a range of ideas and templates for you to use. Read on to find out how to make custom band merch your UK fans will love.

Why do people buy band merch?

According to a study by the MIDiA research group, merchandise sales are expected to hit £12.5 billion by 2030. This highlights how much fans love to support their favourite artists and plan to invest in band merchandise over the next few years.

What’s more, merch can be another vital stream of income for up-and-coming bands who might not see many returns from streaming, record sales or ticket stubs.

People buy band merch for all sorts of reasons:

• To show support. Fans want to support their favourite bands as much as they can. If they can’t get tickets, they’ll buy merch. And even if they’re attending your gig, they’ll still want the merch to wear and take away as a memento.
• To express their individuality. What music you listen to can tell a person a lot about what you like and what your interests are. Band merch can help your fans express themselves outside of listening to your music.
• To feel part of a community. When people come together to wear custom band merch, they feel part of something bigger – part of a community that shares a common passion.
• Limited edition must-haves. Selling limited edition merch exclusive to album launches and tours can encourage fans to purchase it. They’ll wear it with pride knowing that only people who attended that specific gig or event have it.

How to make your own custom band merch in the UK.

Fans often expect your band to offer some form of merch. Whether it’s online or at a concert, they’ll be looking to get their hands on a memento.

Below, we detail how to make band merch fans will love.

1. Come up with your ideas. The first step is deciding what merch to make. T-shirts, hoodies, and keyrings are all very popular, while posters and prints are also good options to offer.
2. Design your merch. Once you know what you want to make, it’s time to design your merch ideas for your band. You can choose to design the items yourself, using free tools like Adobe Express.
3. Print your designs. Once your designs are complete, you can now start the band merch printing process. Adobe Express offers easy-to-use, printable templates for t-shirts, posters, tour and gig programmes and many more.
4. Choose how to advertise. Now you have the products, it’s time to advertise and market them. You can choose digital ads on social, or you can opt for more traditional forms of advertising such as flyers and leaflets at your concerts.
5. Sell and distribute your merch. When it’s time to sell and distribute your band merch you can do this through social media, your website and at events and gigs. If you’re planning to sell online, you’ll need to find a distributor that works best for your band.

What to consider when making band merch.

When it comes to creating your designs and coming up with your band merchandise ideas, there are a few things to consider. You want to make sure you create the best designs and products that interest fans and customers.

Read on to explore some areas you need to think about.

Think about what your band represents.

Consider the message you want to portray. You can create band merch that features popular song lyrics and titles. You can even use album artwork or your band logo to ensure fans are representing you wherever they go.

Decide on your band’s image.

Crafting your band image or aesthetic is important. It shapes how fans interact and perceive your music and group. One of the easiest ways to establish your band’s image is to find a style that represents the genre of music you play. Images, fonts and styles should all tie in with the genre.

Consider your fans.

Ultimately, when it comes to creating band merch for your fans, designing items that they will love should be at the forefront. They’ll be the ones buying it, so listening to them will allow you to create products that are in demand. You can find out what they want from online comments, polls and reviews.

5 band merchandise ideas for you to try.

Wondering what to start making? There are a range of custom band merch items that fans in the UK and elsewhere will love. Here are some things you can try:

1. Custom band t-shirts. A really popular merch item is the classic band tee. With space on the front and back, there are plenty of designs you can get to fit on a t-shirt. Try a typographic design with your band name and an image of the band, or stick your band logo on the front with the tour schedule on the back. Song lyrics and album artwork are also a popular option.
2. Band posters. Posters have been popular with fans for many years and are a great way to show off a range of designs and include more band information. Posters can include things like band images, behind the scenes snaps, tour dates and album covers.
3. Personalised hoodies. Similar to band tees, a hoodie is another apparel option fans love. You can even think about adding designs down the sleeves.
4. Personalised tote bags. Tote bags are a fun, perhaps more practical item to design. You can add a different image on each side so fans can switch it up each time they wear it.
5. Pin badges and keyrings. Key rings and pin badges are a great merch item to offer as they can be used every day with any outfit. They’re also a handy, portable memento people can take away if they don’t want to buy an item of clothing.

How can Adobe Express help you create your custom band merch?

Adobe Express has a range of tools that can help you when it comes to designing band merchandise and printing it. For example:

1. Use free printable t-shirt design templates.

Design and print your band t-shirts by using one of our free templates. With many to choose from, you’re sure to find a style that suits your band.

2. Redesign your logo.

Need a logo or want a redesign? You can create a new eye-catching icon that captures your band’s essence perfectly. Whether it’s a logo for the whole band, or something for a new album, you can use free templates from Adobe Express to find inspiration.

3. Edit your band images.

Edit your band images and behind-the-scenes snaps to share on your website and social media or add to your merch. You can also add striking designs and text to your images with the easy-to-use image editor.

4. Upload your band merch to a custom website.

Adobe Express can help you create your own website and upload your band merch there. You can even update your fans on your band’s latest news and upcoming merch launches.

5. Launch your new designs on social media.

Share your latest band merch on social media. This allows fans to interact with your products and updates so you can get feedback for the next launch. Use our tools to create posts your followers will love, and schedule them to be shared at a time that suits you.

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Good to know.

How much does it cost to make band merch?

The cost of band merch varies in price depending on what you want to make. Badges, posters and prints cost a lot less to make than higher-ticket prices like t-shirts and hoodies.

Is it okay to make your own band merch?

Designing your own band merch is a great way to express your creativity and make something truly personal to you and your fans. You can curate the designs yourself and have someone make the product, or you can do it all yourself if you choose to invest in the tools to make the finished item.

What merch sells best for bands?

Band tees are one of the most popular merch items. Not only are they easy to design, but they are easy to transport to events and to post (if selling online). They’re a great, everyday keepsake item that fans love to take away and keep.

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.