You’ve probably searched “How to Make Money with Canva” before…
And most of the advice looks like this:
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Sell Instagram templates
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Create logos and branding kits
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Start a freelance design business
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Sell digital products on Etsy
Those are all great—but they often require:
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A design portfolio
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Client communication
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Marketing skills
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A lot of upfront effort
But there’s a simpler way—and it’s hiding in plain sight.
No clients No social media No paid ads No design backgroundInstead, people are creating simple t-shirt designs in Canva, syncing them to Printify, and letting the platform handle printing, packaging, and shipping. You just upload your art and get paid for every sale.
Let’s walk through how this Canva side hustle works, step by step
TD;DR; Easy Summary
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Use Canva to design simple, text-based t-shirts
2.
Upload your design to Printify, a print-on-demand platform
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Connect to Etsy or Shopify and start selling instantly
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No upfront cost, no inventory, no shipping involved
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A low-effort, scalable Canva side hustle for beginners
What is Printify?
Printify is a free print-on-demand (POD) platform. It connects you to global print providers who produce your product only when someone orders it.
Here’s how it works:
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You upload your t-shirt design
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A customer places an order (via Etsy, Shopify, etc.)
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Printify prints and ships the shirt directly to the customer
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You earn the profit margin (sale price – production cost)
No inventory No shipping No fulfillment headachesIt’s one of the most beginner-friendly ways to start an online apparel brand—with almost zero risk.
Step 1: Pick a T-Shirt Niche
The #1 mistake? Trying to sell to everyone.
Instead, choose a specific audience you want to design for.
Here are a few profitable examples:
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Funny cat quotes for Gen Z
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Motivational gym shirts for women
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Vegan lifestyle slogans
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Sarcastic dad humor
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Cottagecore aesthetic phrases
Niching down helps your listings rank higher on Etsy or Google, and connect with real communities.Step 2: Use ChatGPT to Write the Slogans
Not sure what to write on your t-shirt?
Let ChatGPT help you. Try this prompt:
“Give me 50 funny, short quotes for introverts to use on t-shirts.”
You’ll get a batch of ideas in seconds—punchy, clever, and ready to paste into Canva.
Step 3: Design in Canva
Now open Canva and create a custom canvas: 4500 x 5400 px (standard for Printify / Printful shirts).
Tips for great POD shirt designs:
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Use bold fonts (easy to read from a distance)
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Stick to white or black text for max versatility
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Keep it simple: most winning shirts are just text
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Leave margins around the design (for better printing)
Bonus: Canva has free commercial-use fonts and elements You can export your design as a transparent PNG Don’t forget to name your files with keywords for SEO later (e.g. "funny_gym_shirt.png")
Step 4: Set Up Your Printify Account
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Create a “product” and choose a t-shirt blank (Gildan, Bella+Canvas, etc.)
3.
Upload your PNG design and place it on the shirt
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Choose your colors, sizes, and set your price
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Set your profit margin (e.g., $8–12 per shirt)
You can connect Printify to an Etsy, Shopify, or WooCommerce store When a customer orders, everything is handled automatically
Step 5: Launch Your Store and Start Selling
If you're new, Etsy is a great place to start. It's fast to set up and has built-in traffic.
Your Etsy listing should include:
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A clear product title (use keywords like “funny introvert t-shirt”)
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A short but engaging description (mention niche, fit, print quality)
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Tags that reflect your audience (e.g. “gifts for book lovers”)
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Mockup images (Printify provides these)
Use ChatGPT again to help you write SEO-optimized titles, tags, and descriptionsStep 6: Repeat and Scale
Once you’ve made one design, repeat the process:
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Try a new quote
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Test a different font
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Target a new niche
You can reuse the same shirt template in Printify, just swap out the design.
Some sellers have 100+ shirt designs live, each earning small amounts—but it adds up fast.
Why This Canva Side Hustle Works
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Free to start•
Zero inventory•
No shipping or packaging•
Unlimited scalability•
Works while you sleepAnd unlike other businesses, you don’t need to go viral to succeed. With niche targeting and great SEO, you can get steady daily sales from search traffic alone.
This Is the Easiest T-Shirt Business You Can Start Today
You don’t need to be a graphic designer.
You don’t need startup capital.
You don’t even need followers.
With Canva + Printify, you can build a print-on-demand business in a weekend—then let it run on autopilot.
This is how to make money with Canva in 2025.
Simple. Scalable. Real.