Affordable Merch That Doesn’t Suck: A Real Talk Guide for Artists & Bands on a Budget

At Slick Designs & Apparel (SD&A), we’ve talked to a lot of independent bands, local artists, and small labels. And whether you’re on your first tour or still jamming in your buddy’s garage, we've heard the same story.

“We’re trying to grow. We want quality merch. But we don’t have a label’s budget—and we’re stuck doing everything ourselves.”

We get it. You’re writing, recording, promoting, booking, designing, editing videos, handling social media, organizing rehearsals, printing flyers... and merch? That’s just one more spinning plate.

This post is for artists grinding to grow. We’ll lay out realistic strategies to help you make custom merch that looks good, sells well, and doesn’t eat your entire budget. And yes—we’ll also tell you what SD&A can and can’t do to help. 

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The Reality: DIY Isn’t Optional—It’s the Starting Line

Burned out from handling every band responsibility? When it comes to merch, most bands are in the same boat: they want cool gear, but they’re also booking their own gigs and cutting their own promos. And merchandise ends up being the one thing you really can't not have but the one thing that cost something that doesn't give you a return immediately.

That’s why the key to affordable merch starts with this mindset:

Smart bands and artists go lean early, and invest smart.

Ironic we're saying do you it yourself when we make money doing it for you. But merch really gives great returns when you find the 2-3 designs that really sell, and then get bulk sales going. 

Here’s how we've seen it work:

💡 Merch Ideas That Stretch Your Budget

1. Start Simple, Start Small

Instead of overcommitting, start with a modest batch of 25–50 shirts. It keeps risk low and lets you test what fans actually want. For around $200, you can get going with making this initial set. And for single units you can get them done for around $25.

Here's a good video showcasing how (All credit belongs to John Santos and team).

• Recommended Size Split for First Run:
  5 Small / 10 Medium / 15 Large / 10 XL / 5 XXL

2. Think Beyond T-Shirts

Not everything needs to be a $25 tee.
Some creative low-cost items fans love:

• Stickers
  
  
• Iron-on patches
  
  
• Buttons
  
  
• Guitar Picks
  
  
• Tour-exclusive singles (USBs, mini-CDs, or cassettes)
  
  
• Bandannas or koozies

3. DIY & Handmade Options

Several musicians suggested using iron-on transfers, vinyl cutters, or even screen printing kits to make merch at home.
While that’s not scalable for everyone, it is a cool way to make one-of-a-kind gear for small runs or fan club exclusives.

Don't worry about making a mistake either, if you're new to making merch, starting out sucks and we sucked at the start as well.

But. . . . . a potential benefit from making it yourself, even when their is some mistakes, is that if feels extra personal. And if you or your team's identity is scrappy, take-on-the-world kinda look. It works double in your favor.

🔧 Where SD&A Comes In (and Where We Don’t)

We won’t pretend we can solve every challenge you’re facing—especially if you’re juggling three jobs, managing your own band, and coordinating tours out of a beat-up van. But here’s what we can do really well:

✅ What We Can Help With:

• Affordable Custom Merch Runs
  We help bands source and print high-quality shirts, hoodies, patches, hats, and more—with flexible size breakdowns and order volumes.

• Design That Connects
  Our in-house design team (yes, real humans) works with your aesthetic to create visuals that actually resonate with your fan base. And to be fair, we can absolutely use AI to get a concept down, or to experiment with getting something to you that might connect. It's a way to do fast redo of design ideas without charging you an arm and a leg, while also being extremely quick. 

• No Cheap Crap—Ever
  Just because it's affordable doesn’t mean it should feel like a boxy, scratchy throwaway, sandpaper tee. We source soft, durable blanks and finish with quality prints that last through countless washes. 

• One-on-One Support
  You’re not just another order number. We guide you through material choices, sizing decisions, and pricing strategies that fit your band’s unique vibe and audience.
  
  

❌ What We Don’t Do:

• We don’t manage your social media.

• We don’t book your shows.

• We don’t run your e-commerce.

• We don’t do sketchy bulk discounts that compromise quality. Although, we absolutely pass over discounts to you if you do order in bulk. 
  
  

🚀 Bands Are Making It Work. So Can You.

“You’ll always have leftovers.” And that’s part of the journey. The point isn’t to avoid every misstep—it’s to get in the game and learn what works for your fans. At the end of the day, the merchandise and apparel we make and you give to your fans, is for them. 

People don’t buy merch because it’s cheap.
They buy it because it means something to them.
If it’s designed with care and aligned with your story, merch becomes emotionally charged material—and that’s what makes it valuable. 

And we’re here to help you do that.
Whether you need a small first run of shirts or want to finally offer that killer patch your fans keep asking for, Slick Designs & Apparel can make it happen—with pro quality and budget-friendly execution.

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Words We Live By

From concept to final product, SD&A delivers fast, high-quality merch that feels as good as it looks. Our experienced designers and reliable manufacturing partners ensure your custom apparel and merchandise not only meets your creative vision—but exceeds industry standards.

Tight budget? No problem—if you’ve got time. At SD&A, we can negotiate lower pricing for clients who allow for longer production timelines. Whether you’re planning ahead for tour season or a launch down the road, we’ll work with you to make your budget stretch further without sacrificing quality.


Want help crafting pieces that actually feel like your story? That’s what we do best.