19 Online T-Shirt Business Success Stories [2024]
Running a t-shirt business is an opportunity many entrepreneurs are looking into as a side hustle or even a full-time business opportunity. While having your own physical store is possible, online businesses are becoming extremely popular in this field.
Launching your own successful online t-shirt business may feel daunting, but with the guidance & insights from people who are already pioneering this industry, it’s simpler than you may think. You can start with selling customized quotes t-shirts, tie-dye prints/screen printing t-shirts, or solid color t-shirts. The opportunities for this industry are endless.
Here are some real life success stories of starting a online t-shirt business:
1. Boredwalk ($3.3M/year)
Matt Snow and Meredith Erin, the co-founders of Boredwalk, came up with the idea for their lifestyle brand while running their first brand, Ex-Boyfriend, as a hobby. As their order volume grew, they pivoted to focus more on apparel and decided to create their ideal client, thus giving birth to Boredwalk. They conducted extensive research, generated hundreds of designs, and loaded up a new Etsy store with them, eventually expanding to their own space and hiring more employees.
How much they make: $3.3M/year
How much did it cost to start: $50K
Current team size: 10
Boredwalk, a lifestyle brand selling original art and graphic design on functional goods, grew rapidly in the last 2-3 years with an average MoM growth of 10-12% and YoY growth of 50-100%, offering casual apparel, accessories, and decor products for customers primarily aged 25-55 interested in art, mental health, progressive politics, monster movies, and Satan.
2. Tumbleweed TexStyles ($1.12M/year)
Brian Wysong, a high school marketing teacher, teamed up with art teacher Jeb Matulich to create Tumbleweed TexStyles, an apparel brand inspired by Texas. Their unique hand-drawn designs on softstyle unisex t-shirts quickly gained popularity, resulting in $1.2 million in annual sales. They have since expanded their product range and focus on giving back to their community and supporting education.
How much they make: $1.12M/year
Current team size: 2
Texas-born apparel brand Tumbleweed TexStyles has grown to serve over 150 retailers throughout the southern United States, selling an estimated 90,000+ products yearly and making an annual $1.2m in sales, thanks to the founders' unique designs, focus on giving back to the education community and successful “guerilla marketing” tactics.
So... can you actually make money with a online t-shirt business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
4. RIPT Apparel ($2.4M/year)
TJ Mapes (from Chicago, Illinois, USA) started RIPT Apparel almost 13 years ago.
They feature nostalgic, pop-culture parody and limited edition mashup artwork on their t-shirts, hoodies, and more.
Over the years they’ve worked with hundreds of artists and paid out hundreds of thousands of dollars to their community of talented artists.
TJ Mapes (from Chicago, Illinois, USA) started RIPT Apparel almost 15 years ago.
“Snitch Please - Exclusive” by artist alex.pawlicki - concept sketch to complete finished design
4. Cinquanta Cox-Smith ($120K/year)
Cinquanta Cox-Smith, a Multipreneur from South Carolina, stumbled upon the Print On Demand industry 12 years ago when she wanted to create a unique shirt and discovered Spreadshirt.com. Through her creativity and networking skills, she found success in designing and selling catchy, conversation-starting shirts. This eventually led her to create multiple POD brands on various platforms, generating an impressive $120k per year in revenue.
How much they make: $120K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
Current team size: 1
A multipreneur shares how she built a successful print on demand side hustle, generating $120,000 per year through multiple brands spread over various platforms.
So... can you actually make money with a online t-shirt business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
5. The Foodnited States ($60K/year)
Chris's eight year old suggested him the idea of "food named states". A photo series based on this idea went viral on Instagram, and a couple years later, Chris started developing a Shopify store for t-shirts based on the same concept.
How much they make: $60K/year
Current team size: 0
The Foodnited States, an online shop selling illustrated state-themed merchandise, started generating an extra $3-5k monthly with only 11 states available, having relied heavily on organic social media and an email list to attract customers, with user-generated content and collaborations with photographers and brands being its most effective marketing tools.
6. NerdKungFu.com ($312K/year)
David Inman, the founder of NerdKungFu.com, came up with the idea for his business after being withheld commissions by the sales agency he worked for. With newfound free time and direct contacts in the licensed t-shirt industry, he decided to start his own website, offering a wide range of nerdy t-shirts, posters, and gifts. The business has grown exponentially since its launch in 2010, now offering over 165,000 products and generating impressive annual revenue.
How much they make: $312K/year
How much did it cost to start: $8K
Current team size: 3
NerdKungFu.com sells officially licensed t-shirts, posters, and gifts for nerds and lovers of specific genres & grew from 100 t-shirts to 165,000 products, with David Inman as founder, who "learned things the hard way" but now earns $312,000 per year.
So... can you actually make money with a online t-shirt business?
Of course. There are millions to be made in this industry.
But how?
- Research real, profitable businesses and see exactly how much money they make.
- Study exactly what works, and what doesn’t.
- Take action, because now you have the roadmap.
Join Starter Story and build your next big thing:
7. Thor Fitness Europe ($144K/year)
Joel St John, the founder of Thor Fitness, came up with the idea for his CrossFit and lifestyle brand while on his honeymoon. With his background in design and music production, he saw an opportunity to create head-turning products for the CrossFit community. Through validation from friends and social media, he realized he could turn his idea into a reality and started building the brand.
How much they make: $144K/year
Current team size: 1
Joel St John founded the sustainability-conscious Crossfit and lifestyle brand Thor Fitness, which has become an established household brand within the Crossfit community, with a steady flow of orders coming in from around the world, all while remaining a successful side hustle with monthly revenues of over $12k.
8. Encircled ($2.4M/year)
Kristi, the founder and CEO of Encircled, came up with the idea for her business out of frustration with a lack of versatile and stylish travel clothing while packing for a yoga retreat. She realized that she had brought too much stuff and none of her pieces were versatile, sparking the idea for creating multi-functional garments. Starting with just one product in her 500 sq. foot condo, Encircled has now grown to a team of 10 with over 35 products, experiencing over 300% growth in the past two years.
How much they make: $2.4M/year
Current team size: 10
Encircled is a sustainable fashion brand that has achieved over 300% growth in the past two years through a direct-to-consumer eCommerce model and a focus on versatile, responsibly-made, and timeless designs, with a marketing strategy that emphasizes content and email.
9. Ishihara Design ($12K/year)
Paul, the founder of Ishihara Design, came up with the idea for his clothing brand while he was on his way to Japan with no plans or money. With a focus on music, he capitalized on his relationships with musician friends to launch a brand that resonated with a specific niche of customers. Through hard work and determination, he designed, prototyped, and manufactured his first collection, which led to a successful launch event and $1,000 in sales within the first few hours. Today, the brand continues to make around $1,000 per month, showcasing the power of focus and resourcefulness in building a profitable business.
How much they make: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $350
Current team size: 0
Learn how one founder started a passive income clothing brand that brings in $1,000/month, through focusing on a specific niche market and leveraging relationships with friends, and the importance of efficient financing and focusing on customer engagement to drive sales.
10. Big Frog Franchise ($492K/year)
How much they make: $492K/year
Current team size: 0
How a first-time entrepreneur turned his nearly $200k investment in a Big Frog franchise into a profitable t-shirt printing business, with first-year earnings of $85,000 and projected earnings of $550,000 this year.
11. Portland Gear ($1.44M/year)
After building a strong and engaged community on Instagram, Marcus Harvey saw an opportunity to create a brand that resonated with Portland residents. Leveraging his background in garment design and branding, he launched Portland Gear on Black Friday in 2014, aiming to provide quality menswear items and accessories that foster a sense of community in the city.
How much they make: $1.44M/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
Current team size: 15
This case study showcases how Portland Gear founder Marcus Harvey leveraged his Instagram community to build a successful retail clothing store offering quality menswear items and accessories.
12. Ratchet Clothing ($1.21M/year)
How much they make: $1.21M/year
Current team size:
Dhillan Bhardwaj dropped out of college to start Ratchet Clothing, a budget-friendly handmade clothing brand which has organically grown to multiple stores across England and has been worn by big named celebrities such as Miley Cyrus and Rihanna.
13. 80sTees.com ($51.1M/year)
How much they make: $51.1M/year
Current team size: 10
This case study details how a founder turned $32 into a $4M+/month t-shirt customization business selling 80s cartoons like Superman and Batman.
14. Goober Prints ($79.2K/year)
How much they make: $79.2K/year
Current team size:
This Etsy seller increased sales from $10k to $80k in just one year by selling 4000 customized garments.
15. Nike ($1B/year)
How much they make: $1B/year
Current team size: 112479
Discover how Nike went from a small shoe and t-shirt company to become a multinational corporation, now one of the world's top manufacturers of athletic apparel and footwear.
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
- 4,818 founder case studies
- Access to our founder directory
- Live events, courses and recordings
- 8,628 business ideas
- $1M in software savings
