There’s no better time to sell apparel and clothes than on Christmas. Retailers and apparel brands make some of their biggest profits during the winter holidays, with over half of all the gifts given during the season being clothes and apparel. Not sure what to sell to capitalize on this gift-giving bonanza? No worries–we’ve compiled a merry list of apparel Christmas products to sell this winter holiday season.
- What makes great Christmas products to sell?
Christmas and other winter holidays are times of rest after a long year of work. Typically, people gather around to buy gifts or personal accessories for their friends and families as a celebration of the season.
It makes sense then that festive garments and casual wear are some of the most popular items sold on Christmas. Younger people, especially millennials, are also more likely to buy new clothes during the season.
To sum up, you’ll find more success this year selling items that are…
- Comfortable and all-purpose: It can be used in multiple situations and is an excellent gift.
- Endearing and humorous: Charming and witty patterns tend to win out over the younger crowds. Not too corny, but cute in a way that you’d wear it on a casual night with friends.
- Festive and spirited: Whatever holiday you celebrate, the garment should fit the occasion. Common patterns like mistletoes, holly berries, or snowflakes work great.
Let’s look at a few great choices:
- Warm Christmas Sweaters
Nothing better than a warm sweater during Christmas. Even in the warmer climate areas of the world, sweaters are great ways to get into the festive spirit.
Sweaters are also great templates to decorate on. You can customize the sleeves with holly berry prints or reindeer patterns, or stitch on Santa and other cute imagery on the chest. A popular option is to print a light and cheery slogan or have a plain front but a decorated backside.
If you’re looking for something that can be worn in all kinds of weather, pick up an oversized long-sleeve tee instead. They give a similar silhouette, and provide full coverage but are lighter to wear and more breathable. Check out our Shirtual long-sleeve selection for a good example.
- Comfy Christmas & Holiday Hoodies
Hoodies are a little less traditional in the Christmas and holiday scheme, but they’re so popular as outerwear that it’s hard not to miss them. Hoodies also come in all shapes and sizes, from loose and comfortable to fit and athletic.
Green or red hoodies are your best bet, and you’ll mostly only decorate the front or back half of the hoodie. A simple design of classic Christmas symbolism (like a Christmas tree or a reindeer) gives a timelessly stylish look to the item.
- Christmas T-Shirts
There’s a T-shirt for every occasion, as they say. That being said, T-shirts need a lot more to appear festive compared to other apparel pieces–and they risk looking garish as a result.
Luckily, you can soften that impact with the right materials and print styles. An oversized T-shirt gives a more flexible silhouette to support various designs without looking overwhelming. Playing around with the type of print you sell, like using 3D embroidery or puff prints, can also add a cool and casual look to your trendy Christmas T-shirts.
- Cute Christmas Socks
Christmas socks may be stereotypically gouache, but they’re one of the few items of clothing given on Christmas that’s likely to be used all year round. They are comfortable to wear, look charming for wandering around inside, and can be hidden inside shoes for formal events.
Traditional Christmas socks look bright and cheery, with a lot of red and white stripes (like candy canes) or red and green (like holly berries). If you want a simpler style, you can go for a single uniform color (red, white, or green are popular) with small prints on the heel, cuff, or leg.
- Dazzling Christmas Jewelry
Did you know that most jewelry stores make over a quarter of their yearly sales on Christmas alone? It’s no surprise that jewelry is popular during Christmas since most people enjoy getting something shiny and subtle as a gift. It’s hard to go wrong with a studded ring with snowflake or mistletoe patterns.
While plastic rings work as a colorful accessory, stainless steel or other metallic rings will last longer and be more appreciated as a gift. Check out our collection of rings for some ideas on carvings and designs.
- Christmas & Holiday Patches
Patches make for underrated gifts to sell on Christmas. They’re inexpensive, can be made from all sorts of materials, and can be used to decorate any plain shirt, trousers, or hats you can think of.
We’d recommend embroidered patches with pins for this season, since their texture blends in well with most fabrics. Small patches with simple holiday-themed patterns or encouraging graphic script work great. Our prints guide gives an in-depth look on the kind of patch design you might want for your future lineup.
- Christmas-Themed Tote Bags
While your clients are doing their Christmas shopping, why not offer a few customized tote bags to help them carry their loads? Tote bags are great accessories to decorate for the holiday season since they only require a graphic print on the front to create any festive look you’re going for. They’re also inexpensive to make, as well.
- Soothing Christmas Slippers
Christmas slippers are cozy souvenirs, and make for great indoor attractions in Western countries especially. Most Christmas slippers tend to have 3D designs, with sewn-on pop-out graphics of reindeer or Santa Claus.
- Christmas Headwear & Hats
There’s always a market for Santa Claus hats during the holiday season. But why limit yourself there? Beanies and bucket hats make great all-purpose accessories and gifts, and they can be used throughout the year when designed just right.
Green and red hats are especially popular here, and they can be sown in with a few holiday-themed patches. See our cotton bucket hats for an example of how they’d look.
- Other Christmas Accessories
While not as long-lasting, Christmas party accessories are always a hit for large gatherings. Make a few headbands with Christmas hats or reindeer antlers, styled glasses, or other peppy accessories. Just be careful not to overstock–these are for a special occasion, after all.
Have a few more ideas for what to sell this holiday season, but don’t know how to execute on it? Launching a new lineup can be very challenging for brand owners, especially with all the other branding work they need to think about.
Shirtual’s one-stop solution helps young entrepreneurs like you kick off your brand by taking care of all production, manufacturing and distribution needs for you. Focus on your branding this coming fall and holiday season–let us help find the perfect Christmas products to sell for you.
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