12 Political Merchandise Ideas for 2024
Political merchandise is a huge part of the US election campaign season. It’s an excellent opportunity to profit from political trends and the demand for merch that reflects voters’ values.
From t-shirts to water bottles, these accessories and gifts will be in everyone’s carts this fall. Add this merch to your store and profit from shoppers’ desires to make a statement in style while supporting their preferred political party.
We’ll give you some awesome political merchandise ideas and show you how to successfully sell them online for a pretty penny.
Why Sell Political Merchandise?
There are several reasons to jump on the American political merch bandwagon this autumn.
Huge Demand
People are hyped up to vote and ready to sport politics-related merch as election cycles, political movements, and awareness campaigns move into the spotlight.
A whopping 72% of people who’ve purchased political merchandise say they’ll keep it even if their candidate loses, proving how much people love these t-shirts, flags, and other gifts.
High Profits
The high demand for political merch presents a unique opportunity for eCommerce sellers, political party candidates, and social organizations to turn a massive profit.
Candidates frequently use merch to increase visibility, engage supporters, and raise funds for their campaigns, showing just how profitable a witty t-shirt, mug, or yard sign can be for your business.
Increased Recognition
You don’t need to go far to see the impact of effective merchandise, highlighted by iconic products like Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” hat or Joe Biden’s “Cup of Joe” coffee mug.
Kamala Harris’s campaign promotional items, including t-shirts featuring impactful phrases like “Yes, she can” and popular products like friendship bracelets, have also taken the internet by storm.
From increasing brand recognition to growing sales, political merch can be a game-changer for your online store, even if you’re not part of a political party.
Many sellers use political-themed merchandise to tap into other people’s passions and interests, blending them with other popular trends or references.
Disclaimer
Designs featuring political content can be a powerful form of expression but may involve the use of intellectual property (IP) protected by law. Unauthorized use of such IP can lead to legal consequences. We strongly recommend consulting legal counsel before finalizing any design to ensure compliance with copyright, trademark, and right of publicity laws. By using these designs, you assume full responsibility for their legality and any resulting consequences.
12 Political Merch Ideas to Sell Online
From political apparel to novelty items, the right merch can turn the growing political engagement into a money-making machine.
Political Apparel
Custom clothing is one of the most popular categories for campaign merchandise since it effectively engages supporters.
1. T-Shirts
Whether for political party rallies or daily wear, t-shirts are an excellent choice if you want to appeal to the masses.
Political t-shirts are easy to design, low-cost to produce, and offer high profit margins. Plus, shirts are a year-round favorite, making them a reliable option for any political campaign or eCommerce store.
Check out our t-shirt design ideas for some inspo.
2. Hoodies
Hoodies are another fantastic political apparel option for your online store, especially during the colder months.
Customize hoodies with catchy slogans, vibrant graphics, or logos your target audience will love.
Like the classic graphic t-shirt, hoodies are easy to create and offer great profit margins.
3. Sweatshirts
This is yet another excellent addition to your online store’s political apparel lineup, providing a cozy and stylish option for your customers.
Sweatshirts are ideal for layering and perfect for any weather, ensuring year-round sales.
Cater to different customers by selling various styles, from classic crewnecks to stylish cropped versions.
4. Tank Tops
These lightweight and breathable tops are perfect for summer rallies, outdoor events, and casual outings all over America.
Tank tops are lightweight, easy to design, and have high profit margins. They’re perfect for displaying bold political slogans and eye-catching logos.
Whether it’s a protest or a political fundraiser, tank tops keep supporters cool while spreading their message and encouraging others to vote.
Make It Happen Today!
Political Promotional Items
Although all the products in this article serve as promotional merch, some are extra effective at spreading messages far and wide.
5. Pins
They’re small yet impactful promotional products that let supporters express their political beliefs in a very subtle way. People of all ages attach pins to everything – t-shirts, bags, hats, jackets, and other garments, making them a great addition to your online store.
6. Hats
As practical as they are fashionable, hats are a great way to spread political messages all across America.
From baseball caps to beanies, custom hats are a practical way to support a political party while staying comfortable in all weather conditions.
As supporters wear your branded headwear in public spaces, they act as walking billboards for their favorite candidate and your store, potentially bringing you more customers.
7. Stickers
Stickers are fun and flexible promotional products that can transform everyday objects, like laptops, water bottles, and notebooks, into platforms for political expression.
They come in a variety of shapes, sizes, and finishes, allowing you to create custom designs your audience will be obsessed with.
Their low production costs and ease of distribution make stickers ideal for political campaigns, events, and online sales.
Include custom stickers as gifts with larger purchases or sell them individually.
8. Tote Bags
Custom tote bags are practical, eco-friendly promotional products that combine functionality with powerful messaging. They’re especially great for environmentally friendly candidates and policies.
These reusable bags can feature bold slogans, eye-catching graphics, or campaign logos that align with your brand and your audience’s beliefs.
Their versatility makes them great for grocery shopping and carrying everyday essentials, ensuring your message spreads far and wide.
Political Drinkware
Nothing says, “I’m passionate about my political beliefs and registered to vote,” like sipping your morning coffee from a cup that shouts your opinions louder than a megaphone.
Check out these popular drinkware options that let people raise a glass to election victory.
9. Mugs
Unlike other promotional products that may only be used occasionally, mugs are a staple in everyday life and an ideal choice for political merchandise.
They’re a practical canvas for powerful political messages, allowing supporters to showcase their beliefs with every sip.
Custom mugs offer plenty of space for slogans, logos, and vivid artwork, perfect for morning coffee routines.
10. Tumblers
Whether for hot coffee during morning commutes or cold beverages at outdoor events, these products are a great way for customers to show people which political party they plan to vote for.
Tumblers are super popular these days and the perfect canvas for slogans, logos, and other graphics, making them a standout choice for political merchandise.
As supporters carry their tumblers around America, they become walking advertisements for their candidate and your business.
11. Can Coolers
Can coolers, aka koozies, are perfect for keeping drinks cold or hot at outdoor events, rallies, or parties.
They’re also relatively cheap to produce, letting you set high profit margins.
With their vibrant designs and eye-catching slogans, can coolers are sure to grab your target audience’s attention, spread political messages, and drive traffic to your store.
12. Water Bottles
Custom water bottles are practical and promote an eco-friendly lifestyle, which aligns with the values of many voters who prioritize sustainability.
Water bottles also offer a great canvas for political messaging, whether it be a logo, slogans, or artwork.
By designing and selling water bottles, you’ll create impactful promotional items that will spread awareness, engage your audience, and bring in the cash.
How to Make and Sell Political Campaign Merch
It’s simple – use Printify! We make it easy to create and sell custom merchandise without holding inventory, whether for a political party or your cat’s mayoral campaign.
Creating merch just takes a few steps.
1. Sign Up
Create a free account on Printify. It only takes a few minutes, and you’ll get instant access to all the tools you need to create awesome custom political merchandise.
2. Choose Your Products
Our Product Catalog is home to over 900 popular items, including all the products mentioned in this blog. Browse and pick the ones that best fit your brand and target audience.
3. Design Your Merch
Use our Product Creator to upload your own graphics or create new ones on the spot with our text editor, AI Image Generator, and pattern tool.
Tweak and perfect your designs until they’re just right, and generate product mockups to add to your store.
FAQ
Is it legal to sell political merchandise?
Yes, selling political merchandise is legal as long as you comply with intellectual property laws and other local regulations.
Avoid trademarked phrases and images, and create designs that don’t promote hate speech and misinformation.
Can you sell political merchandise on Etsy?
Absolutely! It’s a popular eCommerce marketplace for selling custom merchandise, including political apparel, sweatshirts, flags, stickers, and drinkware.
It’s easy to become a seller and create product listings through our Etsy integration.
The site has a built-in audience of over 90 million active buyers, which is great for new sellers looking to reach new people with their merch.
What do people wear to a political fundraiser?
Fundraiser attendees typically choose apparel that matches the event’s tone – casual attire for grassroots fundraisers and more formal wear for high-profile events.
Political merchandise like custom t-shirts or hats can also be appropriate in most settings, letting people show support while contributing to the cause.
Summary
We’ve reviewed 12 top-selling political merch products, from apparel to drinkware, to help your customers shout their beliefs from the rooftops.
Printify makes it easy to create and sell merch like flags, t-shirts, sweatshirts, and more within minutes. It’s the perfect tool for political campaigns looking to raise money or supporters just looking to have fun with designs.
Start now, and let your store make a statement this election season.
Make It Happen Today!
Written by
Anita Njoki
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7 comments
You people who have commented make me sad. Nobody cares what colour skin you have, or anything about you – we’re here to make money. When there’s a war on, you can pick a side and fight – or you can sell the guns. As for the guy who said “people get too defensive and abusive?” DUDE – that’s the POINT! Things that people are passionate about and things that are divisive are the best content for shirts & goodies. Elections are perfect for that, this one more than ever.
Are you dumb enough to care about politics, or smart enough to make money off people who do?
As a black, queer small business owner, seeing your platform happily gloat about how much money a racist man made off of hats that represent a version of America that likes to see my people murdered by police, I have decided to pull my entire company from your platform.
Whoever decided to write this blog post clearly is completely tone deaf to our current political situation. To start a blog about how much money the Trump campaign made when they are using federal agents to assault protesters who just want to see black people stop being murdered, indicates a 2 things:
1. That the person writing this blog post is completely tone deaf and doesn’t have any empathy for people of color.
2. That no one, in the list of people who had to approve this blog post going out, stopped to think of how that entire intro to this blog post would look.
That tells me everything I need to know. I will make sure I scrub my company of your platform by tomorrow evening.
I myself am staying far away from anything political. As I read in another post above, many people are being very defensive and abusive for my taste and feel they may take it out on me and my store for having whichever side they don’t like or do like being presented. I will stick to getting products out for the school season and on to the holidays. Much safer that way in many ways for my brand.
Be afraid to get political. Even as a joke. People get too defensive and abusive from either side of the aisle.
Hello,
Thank you very much for reading the post. We would like to clarify that Printify as a company does not in any way endorse or affiliate with any political views, personas, and/or representatives participating in any elections, current, or passed. We are aware of how polarising political views can be, that is why as a measure to remain as neutral as possible, we chose to show examples of 2020 election merchandise featuring both real and fictional election candidates without bias. We are NOT in any way endorsing or declaring our support for any politician running for the 2020 elections, or any other in the future. We hope you for your understanding as you read this article. Thank you.
Trump sucks, are you trying to lose business?
Hi Dang, Thank you for reading the post. We would like to clarify that Printify as a company does not in any way endorse or affiliate with any political views, personas, and/or representatives participating in any elections, current, or passed. We are aware of how polarising political views can be, that is why as a measure to remain as neutral as possible, we chose to show examples of 2020 election merchandise featuring both real and fictional 2020 election candidates without bias. We are NOT in any way endorsing or declaring our support for any politician running for the 2020 elections, or any other in the future.