Creative Fabrica is a fantastic place, with over 5,000,000 graphics and fonts ready to use for print-on-demand, and this is my go-to marketplace when I make designs.
And I’m sure, I’m not alone.
Many designers are using it for their projects.
Creative Fabrica has many benefits, but there are also some things you should be aware of when using graphics from this website.
And in this article, I want to share with you the number one mistake most people make when using Creative Fabrica.
You can also watch my video, which sums up this article.
In fact, it is a reaction to many comments I get on my YouTube channel, where people think that all you need to be successful with print-on-demand is to download a nice graphic and upload it to any POD marketplace.
This mindset is wrong, more than you think.
Let me explain it.
The Biggest Mistake People Are Making on Creative Fabrica
Whenever I visit Creative Fabrica, I can see graphics in one category combined in a bundle. Because I have a subscription, you won’t see it, but most of these bundles come with a discount.
You can say, “Wow, this is a great deal!” Let’s download this bundle of graphics with tens of designs, of course, make sure I buy it with a commercial license, this way I’m covered about copyright and put all of these on Redbubble.
This mindset is completely wrong.
Take a look at this Fall SVG Design Bundle.
This graphics pack contains 16 well-designed elements and comes with a POD license. Even in the description, the creator says “Perfect for a multitude of creative projects – frame artwork, cards, scrapbooks, t-shirts, pillows, bags, mugs, stickers, and much more.”
So, there is no issue with this bundle, at least when I talk about licensing.
However, there is another issue.
Take a look at how many people have added this design to their Favorites.
There are over 1,000 people who like this bundle and many more people have already downloaded it.
And now think about how many of these people upload any of these designs on places like Redbubble, TeePublic, Spreadshirt, or Zazzle.
On the one hand, there’s nothing wrong with that. On the other hand, most print-on-demand marketplaces are working on similar principles, that I will now describe.
Reporting Content on Redbubble
On Redbubble, when you open any design, and then you scroll down to the bottom of the listing, you will see two exciting links – Report Content, and Copyright Infringement.
This is how people are reporting other people’s content.
Let’s say multiple people are using the same design and uploading it to Redbubble. If you are one of them, there will be a high chance that your design will get reported and deleted from your store.
It will happen unexpectedly, and the only way you’ll know is through an email from Redbubble.
And this is not only about Redbubble. I got closed down my entire store, because of one problematic design. And there was no feedback from the TeePublic.
This is a reason why I don’t sell on TeePublic anymore because I don’t like companies where nobody talks to me.
Redbubble is a little bit better with communication, but they are also actively fighting copyright infringements, at least, they are trying.
If multiple people are uploading the same design, even if they have the same commercial rights to use it, the first one who uploads it to Redbubble has the right to report other people who are using the same design.
I know that sounds a little unfair, but that’s just the way it works.
Do This Instead
I understand that it is tempting to use graphics from a bundle and just upload it elsewhere and make money on it.
But you need to play safe. You don’t want to get your account banned. What is worse, at least on Redbubble, when one of your accounts gets banned, they will try to close all of your accounts.
So, play safe and every time you download any graphics or any element, always remember that there are other people who already have these graphics.
I don’t say, don’t use it, I say, if you want to use it, just make significant changes to it. Change colors, add some background, add some text, simply make it unique, make it your own.
This is a way you can combine already-made graphics and still use them without the fear of getting your designs taken down.
Here Are Some of My Favorite Tools For Print-on-demand
As a graphic designer and POD seller, I’ve had the opportunity to discover different helpful products and tools that can be time-saving and make the process of creating your designs a bit smoother.
DESIGNS:Kittl (best for t-shirt designs), Vexels (for professional designs), Placeit (for unique product mockups)
Disclosure: Some of the links above may contain affiliate partnerships, meaning, at no additional cost to you, NechEmpire may earn a commission if you click through to make a purchase.
I'm Miroslav, a passionate graphic designer, Etsy seller and AI enthusiast. At NechEmpire, I'm here to share my knowledge and skills. I want to turn your design passion into a successful online business.
