Printful Alternative: Why Couture Beats Print-on-Demand for Greek Life Merch

Printful, Printify, Teespring—if you've looked into custom merch, you've seen these names. They're the go-to for print-on-demand (POD). Upload a design, they print and ship one at a time. Easy, right?

But here's the problem: POD quality is noticeably subpar. The prints crack after a few washes. The blanks feel thin. And for Greek life—where matching merch is a point of pride—that's not going to cut it.

That's why chapters are switching to Couture. Here's why we're the better choice:

1. Real Fabric, Not Paper-Thin Blanks

Print-on-demand uses the cheapest blanks they can find—typically lightweight cotton that feels more like a promotional giveaway than something you'd actually wear. The math makes sense for POD: they're printing one at a time, so every cent counts.

We use 420 GSM heavyweight fleece. That's 3-4x heavier than POD blanks. When you hold one of our hoodies, you feel the difference. When your chapter wears them to bid day, people ask where you got them.

2. Prints That Actually Last

POD prints are notorious for cracking, fading, and peeling after a handful of washes. That's because they use digital printing (DTG) on-demand, which sits on top of the fabric rather than soaking in.

We use screen printing, which embeds the ink into the fabric. Combined with our premium blanks, the design stays looking fresh for years—not weeks.

3. Bulk Order Pricing

Here's a secret: POD is more expensive per unit than bulk ordering. You're paying $30+ for a hoodie that costs us half that in quantity. For a chapter ordering 50-100 pieces, that's thousands of dollars left on the table.

Even accounting for our minimums, you'll save money going bulk. And you get better quality. That's a win-win.

4. Design Support You Can't Get with POD

With POD, you're on your own for design. Upload a file and hope it looks good. No guidance, no revisions included, no one to tell you "maybe try this color instead."

Our design team works with you one-on-one. We'll take your ideas and turn them into something professional. Included in the price.

5. When You Need It Matters

POD is slow—one at a time means 2-3 weeks plus shipping. Need 75 hoodies for bid day in 10 days? Not going to happen.

We can turn around bulk orders in 10-14 days. We know your timeline isn't flexible—bid day is bid day.

The Bottom Line

Printful is fine for creators selling merch online one unit at a time. But for Greek life—where you're ordering in bulk, where quality matters, where the deadline is fixed—you need something better.

Couture delivers premium quality at competitive bulk pricing, with design support included. Your chapter deserves merch you're proud to wear.