The Best White Label Products for 2023
What’s a white label, and why should you care? “White label” is a term that describes an unbranded product. It allows you to make your own brand or merch. A reliable manufacturer creates something that other people want to buy, then you customize it and sell it as your brand’s product. Sounds easy? It sure is! But how is it different from a private label? Keep reading to find all the answers.
The global print on demand market is expected to grow by 26.1% from 2022 to 2030. As it’s already a huge market, this is the perfect time to join. Why? Because people are buying white labeled products in the billions without even realizing that their favorite retailer is selling them a white or a private label product. You may even have a closet full of white label products without realizing it.
With a market this big, the potential of white label product sales for small and independent brands is seemingly infinite. You can start a brand and sell your products in just a few clicks.
Let’s talk more about the products you can use to create branded products and get your white label business up and running with the help of Printify.
- What Are White Label Products?
- What’s the Advantage of White Labeling?
- Choosing Your Products
- What About Labels and Branding on the Product?
- The Best White Label Products to Sell in 2023
- Where to Sell Your White Label Products
- What About Shipping Labels and Packaging?
- Pros and Cons of White Label Products
- Start Your White Label Journey Today
What Are White Label Products?
A white label product is produced by one company and then customized by another that adds branding.
Most major retailers and brands use white label products. Many sports teams, actors, shows, and artists also choose white label products to bring you various customized items with their name and branding.
Print on demand companies like Printify offer you access to high-quality products sold by some of the biggest names.
Example of White Labeling
- Company TeeShirts makes blank t-shirts and sells them to a print provider, BigPrinter. The print provider puts designs and custom graphics on these tees. BigPrinter provides printing services to companies all over the country.
- YourStore works with BigPrinter to print white label products for their customers. YourStore operates a clothing line that adds custom designs on white label tees and greeting cards.
- BigPrinter produces and ships YourStore’s products directly to YourStore’s customers.
Remember that anything from t-shirts and shower curtains to custom coffee mugs and mouse pads can be white label products. The main thing they have in common is that none of these products are unique before they get your one of a kind designs placed on them.
What’s the Advantage of White Labeling?
White label producers have seemingly developed a harmonious relationship with resellers. Access to vast networks of resellers makes it easier for white label producers to sell their products and expand their product offers. In turn, gaining access to a wide variety of white label products allows resellers to offer and sell even more products.
On top of that, print on demand services offer additional convenience by enabling you to sell products produced on demand. This means you will get charged for product fulfillment only after an order for a white label product is placed, even if it’s just for a single product.
Choosing Your Products
When you conduct market research and look at white label product fulfillment, you might come across several different terms describing white labeling. Be careful because the following terms mean very different things. Let’s take a closer look at the differences in these product options.
White Label Products vs. Private Label Products vs. Wholesale Products
These may seem like synonyms, but they aren’t. There are notable differences between white labeling, private labeling, and wholesaling.
White label products are unbranded products produced by a manufacturer to be used by retailers. Retailers can add their own branding to these products. You can check out the Printify Product Catalog to see great examples of white-label products.
Private label products are unbranded white label products made for a specific retailer and sold exclusively under that retailer’s brand. The retailer can adjust everything about these unbranded, private label products, from how they look to how they’re packaged. “Generic” products that you can only find at certain large retailers and grocery chains are an excellent example of private label products.
Wholesale products are products that are sold and purchased in bulk. Wholesaling is buying goods in bulk from a manufacturer at a wholesale price and then selling them to customers or retailers for a higher retail price. Resellers rarely have a say in the qualities and branding of wholesale products.
| Type | Available everywhere | Reseller involved in creating the product | Reseller branding on the product |
|---|---|---|---|
| White label | - | - | X |
| Private label | - | X | - |
| Wholesale | X | - | - |
| Available everywhere | |
|---|---|
| White label | - |
| Private label | - |
| Wholesale | X |
| Reseller involved in creating the product | |
| White label | - |
| Private label | X |
| Wholesale | - |
| Reseller branding on the product | |
| White label | X |
| Private label | - |
| Wholesale | - |
What About Labels and Branding on the Product?
Merchants often ask us about garment labels and tags. These are manufacturer labels that sometimes come with white label products. Let’s take a look at a few types of labels that you will come across when using Printify’s print providers.
Sewn-in Label
A sewn-in label is just what it sounds like – it is sewn right into the garment. This label resembles a patch, as is the case for the Unisex Heavy Blend™ Crewneck Sweatshirt. The provider’s label will be visible to your customer, which is very common for white label products.
Tear Away Label
The tear-away label is a thin, paper-like slip, which you can easily tear away from the product without damaging it. The manufacturer won’t remove the tear-away label unless that is offered as an additional service along with a custom printed label. In most cases, it will be up to your customer to remove a tear-away label, as is the case for the Baby Short Sleeve Bodysuit. There won’t be any other branding from the manufacturer.
Custom Print Label
Resellers that want to add branding to product labels should look for products that offer the option to add a custom label. It is usually printed on the inside collar of a garment. This is not a standard feature for white label products as it requires more customization, which comes at an additional cost.
Tagless
This is an excellent option for anyone looking to avoid the hassle of a product label. Tagless products usually have a care label printed directly on the garment. This helps you avoid the necessity of garment tags and labels. Our Women’s Cut & Sew Casual Leggings are a great example of a tagless product. Our print providers will print your designs and then ship them to your customers directly without any added branding.
Learn more about print on demand and starting a print-on-demand business.
Create Your Own Merch for Free!
The Best White Label Products to Sell in 2023
Let’s look at some of the best white label products to add to your store in 2023. We’ve found trustworthy white label manufacturers offering a wide selection of products for merchants like you.
Custom T-shirts are always popular among merchants who want to start selling white label products. You can add your own custom designs to various T-shirt models and showcase fantastic images, expressing an idea, a feeling, or even a joke. Whether it’s 3D art or a drawing, t-shirts will be a reliable canvas for your creativity.
Checking out our t-shirt offers in the Printify Product Catalog will take you one step closer to finding your next bestsellers.
These are, essentially, just different varieties of shirts made for chillier and colder environments, which places these products in a close second right after t-shirts.
Custom sweatshirts and hoodies offer a perfect combination of comfort and style. These cotton and polyester blends are soft, comfy, and durable, making them ideal for a chilly afternoon in early spring and late fall.
A mug is a staple product for anyone who drinks hot liquids and doesn’t like burning their hands. Mugs are useful and functional and can express your moods, ideas, and feelings just as well, if not better than t-shirts.
Printify mugs come in various styles, colors, and sizes that fit any brand, purpose, or person.
You can print any interest you have that you’re not wearing on a t-shirt on a poster. Or maybe you want a t-shirt and a poster with the same message? The good news is that you have no creative limitations. As the owner of your brand, you will be the one who makes these decisions.
Poster prints come in various sizes, paper types, and with or without frames.
Many parents don’t hold back when spending money on clothing for their smallest family members, typically buying new items monthly, if not weekly. This is part of what makes baby and toddler clothing a multi-billion dollar industry. Coincidentally, it also heavily relies on white label products.
We hope this motivates you to produce fun, sweet, cute designs that expertly cater to your niche market.
You can select different printing techniques for white label product customization, but nothing comes close to all-over prints. All-over-print leggings are a perfect example of the fantastic things that can be achieved with the help of a good quality all-over-print. You’ll only need to come up with a design that other people would want to wrap themselves in.
You can wear all-over-print leggings as a comfortable alternative to pants at your gym, the grocery store, or on your couch. They’re all made from stretchy fabric and offer a silhouette-complimenting fit.
One thing is obvious – tote bags are here to stay. Totes are not only the product of choice for most social and environmental activists but also a great way to add character to neutral everyday clothes and boring work attire.
Reusable bags are the perfect white label product to customize. With the right design, a catchy slogan, or a stunning pattern, you can have your customers looking great while also helping the planet.
Tank tops are in high demand during the hotter months of the year. As temperatures rise, it is safe to say that more and more people will want to get tank tops. They are light, breathable, easy, and casual. Tank tops are perfect for vivid and eye-catching designs.
On top of that, you can also add a matching design for your pet. Maybe it’s time to widen your target market.
White label phone cases are some of the best phone accessories to add to your store. As newer phones get more expensive, there is a higher need to protect them with sturdy and great-looking phone cases. As proper white label products, they all come unbranded and ready for your customization.
From snap to impact-resistant cases – we’ll have most of what you’re looking for. With so many phone models on the market, Printify has made things easier by selecting the most popular ones for you.
Canvas prints are still popular for anyone sprucing up their living room interior. As the fancier cousin to poster prints, they can serve as a solid and sturdy addition to any room. We offer various types of canvas prints, along with framed options.
These products allow you to start reproducing your art and selling it globally.
Just like your phone, your laptop can also get scratched. You can add your designs on protective laptop sleeves as another way to bring your brand into your customers’ daily lives. These sleeves are soft and protect your laptop from scratches and minor impact.
Carry your laptop in style and sell products your niche market will want to buy.
Shoes are an excellent opportunity for white labeling and starting new trends. It’s not only comfortable footwear but also a fashion statement. Shoes can help you bring an outfit together and express a mood, idea, or feeling while keeping your feet cozy during a hike or a night out.
With so many different options and types of shoes, the white labeling of these products is a good fit for any brand. From elegant to outrageous, shoe designs seem to have no limitations. Add custom shoes to your store and enjoy walking in style!
Despite living in an increasingly digital world, there is still a need for a place to journal and keep notes. Notebooks and journals were some of the first customized items offering a personal touch to a collection of stories and ideas.
You may have already noticed that searching for either of these products brings up the same results. Although there is significant overlap, the biggest difference between these two products is their use – notebooks are for note-keeping, and journals are for journaling. Journals usually come with a strap, whereas notebooks are often spiral-bound so that you can tear out pages.
The world is currently trying to reduce the amount of plastic waste produced yearly. This is why many of us turn to eco-friendly alternatives that allow us to carry liquid on the go. Adding a customized white-label water bottle to your store will show your customer base that you care about our planet.
Our water bottles come in various styles and features based on your needs.
The great news is that there are limitless design options for this type of product.
The backpack is one of the greatest human inventions, allowing you to carry a larger inventory wherever you go. It can serve as a clear-cut expression of the personality of its owner. Backpacks come in a variety of styles fit for anyone.
Give your customers expressive and confident designs they can show off to everyone around them. They might even reward you with some sales.
Where to Sell Your White Label Products?
Suppose that you’re already running your own eCommerce business. Using popular eCommerce platforms, you can easily integrate your online store with Printify and start selling white label products.
But what if you’re not operating a website right now? That’s alright because you can set one up in just a few minutes.
Open a store on any integrated platform or use our API to create a custom connection. This will give you an easy way to market and test your designs. Don’t forget to place sample orders to check out your products because nothing beats seeing your prints in person.
What About Shipping Labels and Packaging?
Printify is a white-label service, meaning we don’t rebrand or place our branding on your products, packaging, or labels.
But it’s not like there won’t be any branding! You can add your own. Customize your shipping labels by adding your store name and shipping addre
Pros and Cons of White Label Products
While it’s easy for us to sit here and tell you that white label products are unique, the truth is that there are both pros and cons to selling them. Fortunately, the pros significantly outweigh the cons. That said, it would only be fair for us to address the cons so that you, as a merchant, have all the information you need.
As we have spent all this time telling you just how great white label products are, we will start with the cons and only then bring up the pros.
- No Control Over the Manufacturing Process
This is the biggest drawback to using white label products for many merchants. Merchants are at the manufacturer’s mercy regarding the quality and supply of their products.
Imagine a scenario where you have 50 orders to fulfill and the print provider suddenly discontinues the ordered products. Although this is rare, it can cause serious problems for your brand. With that in mind, we try to give you access to only the most reliable manufacturers available. As an additional safeguard, we recommend checking in with the manufacturer’s ranking, which is based on product reprints and delayed production time within the past 30 days. You can see this ranking on each product’s page in the Printify Product Catalog. It will look like a tag next to the print provider’s name.
- No Brand Equity
Using white label products does not help your brand to build any equity as a business. Because you don’t own anything other than a website, it’s harder to scale your store and build up capital in the industry.
Although this might not be a problem for most merchants, it’s something to think about when you start getting more orders.
- Slightly More Expensive Than Private Labels
This might seem a little backward, but buying a white label product can be more expensive in the long run. The reason for this is negotiation. When you go for private labeling, you purchase directly from the manufacturer, allowing you to negotiate better rates and terms of the deal.
Private label products take a larger investment, but it’s the most obvious way forward for successful brands that want more control over their products.
- Products Are Tested
If a product is white-labeled, there is a very good chance that it’s already been tried and tested by some of the industry’s most prominent players. This is good news for you as a merchant. It means that the product is ready to enter the market and that most supply chain issues have already been resolved. If a t-shirt brand is white labeling their product, in most cases, that means they have carried out quality control, the fit and colors are right, and it’s otherwise expected to be a popular choice.
Think of white label products as items that the industry has already approved. The big brands are already using these products and selling them to their customers. All that you need to do is join in.
- It’s Speedy
Everyone loves quick delivery. Due to the nature of white label products, the supply and production processes are fast. This means that getting your products to your customers is also fast.
With Printify, your products are shipped by the print provider directly to your customer, which means production and shipping speeds are as fast as possible. You can check the average production time on each product’s page in the Printify Product Catalog.
- Boosts Visibility of Your Brand
All merchants love to see their brand grow, and white label products can help. How? Well, for starters, you will use the same blanks in the same quality as some of the industry’s leading players. This means you can be confident in the product you are selling and maybe even offer a better deal, new colors, fits, shapes, and products as you learn more about the industry.
Start Your White Label Journey Today
Printify has all the tools you need to customize white-label products and add them to your store and brand. From our online tutorials to product mock-ups, you can get your store up and running in just a few clicks.
Make It Happen Today!
Written by
Vita Stevens
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3 comments
Hello Vita – Thanks for the article! In it you mention white label mugs but when I search Printify I can’t find any. Can you please let me know which of the Printify mug options–listed across three pages–allows for white label branding. Thanks!
Hi there!
In this case all the mugs in our catalog are considered as white label, because you can make your own designs and brand them. Anything from t-shirts and shower curtains to custom coffee mugs and mouse pads can be white label products – none of these products are unique before they get your one of a kind designs placed on them. 🙂
I will love to Quote the author
“white label products can be anything from t-shirts to coffee cups, the only thing they have in common is the fact that the product is not unique until you add your designs. Which is why Printify is such a great platform for anyone looking to build their brand online.”
Thanks am really pleased to know these.