Alternatives to Spoonflower

What to do if you are struggling to make sales on Spoonflower or you have been rejected as a Spoonflower artist

If you are a surface pattern designer (or aspiring surface pattern designer!) the chances are that you have heard of Spoonflower.

It’s one of the most well-know print on demand sites and for many artists is a great way to get their patterns in front of customers.

But these days, getting started on Spoonflower isn’t as easy as it used to be. As of May 2026, Spoonflower now requires new artists to apply to sell on the platform, and not everybody is accepted.

Even if you are accepted, Spoonflower has become so large with so many patterns that it is harder than ever for new artists to break through (although still definitely possible with the right strategy!)

If you have been rejected by Spoonflower, or if you are struggling to make sales on the platform, I wanted to explore some alternatives to Spoonflower in this post.

Although Spoonflower has been an important part of my journey as an artist, it doesn’t have to be part of yours. There are lots of ways to succeed in this industry and everybody’s journey looks different.

Spoonflower is great, but it is not the only way, I promise!

A quick word if you have been rejected by Spoonflower…

Being rejected from something as an artist can be very painful. I’ve been there more times than I can remember, and the confusion and disappointment are real!

If you have taken the time to apply to Spoonflower and have not been successful it is particularly disappointing as you are not allowed to reapply, making it very final.

But don’t despair! it’s really not the end of the world (even though it may feel that way for a while!) Rejection is a very normal part of being a surface pattern designer.

I’ll say that again: Rejection is VERY normal in this industry. It doesn’t mean you are a failure or your art is no good.

To be successful you have to go through being rejected from things very regularly. I say this from my own experience, and from reading the experiences of countless other artists. Nobody has a smooth ride to success and everybody’s journey looks different.

Just because another artist got their start from Spoonflower, it doesn’t mean it has to be the same for you. There are lots of ways to succeed and if the Spoonflower door has been closed to you there will be other opportunities you can pursue instead.

Are there any direct Spoonflower Alternatives?

Here are some alternative print-on-demand fabric and wallpaper companies which are all similar to Spoonflower in some ways (although not identical)

Please note, with all these platforms I will mention, most of them I have not used myself, so they are not a recommendation or endorsement, just an option for you to look into. I always advise thinking carefully about and doing your own research before joining any new platform.

Woven Monkey – A UK based print on demand site with a similar model to Spoonflower. Anyone can set up a store front once they have made an account.

Raspberry Creek Fabrics – A print on demand site printing all sorts of fabrics. Applications aren’t always open (but they are as I publish this post!)

Carriage House Printery – A print on demand site that only accepts new artists occasionally. You would need to contact them with a pitch.

Natural Roots Fabric – A print on demand fabric company specialising in eco and sustainable fabrics. They have regular art calls for new artists to apply.

Happywall – A Swedish company selling wallpaper and murals. Anyone can apply and submit work at any time but there is a selection process.

If you’d like to branch out of just fabrics or wallpaper, here are some other print on demand platforms to look into.

Redbubble - Anyone can sell on this platform

Zazzle - Anyone can sell on this platform

Society6 - You need to apply and be accepted to sell on this platform

Why not try art licensing?

I am a huge fan of art licensing and most recently I have been more invested in licensing than I have been in my Spoonflower shop.

Licensing is when you work with a company directly. You rent them your pattern and they put it on their products. You could be paid a flat rate or you may be paid a commission on the sales they make. You can see my recent licensing projects on my about page.

I have worked with some very small companies and some larger companies to bring my art to life on real products, whether that’s fabrics, baby clothes or notebooks!

Licensing is a great way to get your patterns on products and I would advise everyone to look into this income stream if Spoonflower isn't working out for you.

It can take a while to get going and needs perseverance as you pitch to companies, but it is well worth it in the end.

I have a three part blog series on licensing if you’d like to learn more, and if you’d like step-by step advice on how to get started (including all the practicalities such as how to find companies and what to write in a pitch email) I have an eBook on just this topic.

Why not sell digital assets?

As a surface pattern designer you have the skills to create some beautiful assets that you can sell digitally. You could simply sell your seamless pattern files as digital paper packs, or you could make them into specific digital products such as planner pages, or digital stickers.

There are a couple of platforms to look into to get ideas on what you could create:

Creative Market

Etsy

I have sold on Etsy for a number of years as TheLetteringTree. I set this shop up way before I started surface pattern design and it has been a very solid source of passive income for a number of years! I have a whole post on the pros and cons of selling on Etsy here.

Final thoughts and tips

I hope this post has given you some other ideas to try if you have been rejected from Spoonflower, if you are struggling to make sales on the platform, or if you feel Spoonflower isn’t right for you.

Here are a couple of top tips as you continue to find the best avenue for selling your art:

• There is not only one way to succeed in this industry or one path to success. We all need to find our own way.

• Keep being resilient when you meet with roadblocks and rejections. It’s the people who persevere who ultimately find success!

• Keep improving your art and patterns. It might be that you just need a little more time to hone your style and technical skill before you find success on any of these platforms.

• Don't take rejection personally. All successful artists have been rejected at one time or another. It becomes part of your story.

• Don't tackle multiple income streams at once. You have the best chance of success if you devote all of your time to one new thing at a time.

• If you want to apply to a new platform, research it carefully to ensure you align with their values and you are happy with how they are going to use your art.

If this post has resonated with you, I’d love to hear from you in the comments or you can drop me and email at jasmine@jasminehnatkova.com.

If you have any other suggestions for platforms to try that you think others may find helpful, feel free to drop them in the comments.