Can You Dropship Embroidered Apparel? How Print-on-Demand Actually Works

Dropshipping and print-on-demand solve the same core problem, no inventory to buy or store, but they work differently. Dropshipping typically resells someone else's pre-made products. Print-on-demand makes a product to order with your own logo the moment a customer buys it. For embroidered and printed apparel specifically, here is how the Bear Grips model actually works end to end.

How Print-on-Demand Embroidered Apparel Actually Works

1. You set up a shop and upload your logo once.
2. You choose products: embroidered hats, printed tees, hoodies, polos, joggers, or any combination from the 63-product catalog.
3. You set your own retail price on each product.
4. A customer orders through your shop link.
5. The item is made (embroidered or printed) and shipped free directly to the customer.
6. You keep the difference between your retail price and the base cost.

What Can Actually Be "Dropshipped" This Way

Category	Method	Examples
3 hat styles	Embroidered	Flat bill snapback, cuffed winter hat, youth baseball cap
Tees, tanks, hoodies, polos, joggers, leggings	Printed	60 additional products across the catalog

Nothing in either category is pre-made stock. Every single item, embroidered or printed, is produced only after a customer orders it.

Bear Grips Pro Shops: Custom Apparel for Your Team. No Minimums. Free Shipping.

No Inventory, No Minimum, No Handling

• No upfront inventory purchase. Nothing is bought or stored before a sale happens.
• No minimum order. A single hat or shirt prices the same as a large order.
• No packing or shipping by the vendor. Orders ship directly to the customer, USA printed, free shipping, about a week to arrive.

Plans, Pricing, and Margin

The free plan is $0/mo for 3 live products at a slightly higher base price. Self-Service VIP is $59/mo for 200 products at the lowest base prices in the catalog. Done-For-You VIP at $105/mo adds a personal advisor who builds the shop, picks products and colors, and sets pricing based on real sales data. The suggested default profit across the catalog is $10 per item, though vendors set their own price with no restriction.

The Built-In Affiliate Program

Every signup, free or paid, gets a shop and an affiliate link at the same time. Referring another vendor pays 10% of their subscription plus $1 per unit they sell, both forever, paid out bi-weekly. For a deeper look at turning embroidered hats and printed apparel into a standalone side business, see the embroidery side hustle guide.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I dropship embroidered hats without holding inventory?

Yes. Every embroidered hat is made to order after a customer buys it. Nothing is held in stock.

Does the same no-inventory model apply to shirts and hoodies?

Yes. Every printed piece in the catalog, including tees, hoodies, and polos, works the same way: made to order, no inventory.

How do I get paid on a print-on-demand order?

You set your own retail price. The customer pays that price, and you keep the difference between retail and the base cost.

Is there a cost to start a shop?

The free plan is $0/mo for 3 live products. Paid VIP plans start at $59/mo and unlock the full 200-product catalog at lower base prices.