I first learned about Spoonflower when I was looking for a way to make my own fabric designs because I couldn’t find any quite right for a certain project I was considering. And when I learned that I could also sell these designs to others, I was definitely interested. Then I learned that I had to order a sample to proof before placing a design for sale. I checked the prices for a yard of each of the various fabrics and decided I could not afford to pay that much upfront. It was pretty disappointing.
Luckily, I eventually learned that I had misunderstood. I didn’t have to order a full yard – they offer $5 swatches. And if you have enough designs, you can get a sheet of “swatches” of different designs for as little as $1.17 per swatch at full price. Still an investment, but not nearly as big of one. And now, I can proof 42 designs in a cheater quilt for as little as 42¢ pre-tax, pre-shipping. For larger-scale designs I want more than just the one square, but compared to $19 for a full yard? It’s nothing.
And this proofing requirement is something I really appreciate about Spoonflower. Yes, they probably make some profit off of the proof sales. But more importantly, it gives a little extra assurance to the customers that they will be getting a product that looks on fabric, not just on the computer screen. And as a seller, I like having that same assurance for myself. I may put designs up for sale that don’t turn out quite like I had originally envisioned. Maybe I don’t love them all. But if I really dislike the product, I do not want to sell it. And I won’t.
That’s a promise.