Creating your own POD brand with Shopify and Gelato might be insanely easy, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t things merchants struggle with occasionally.
Probably the biggest initial hurdle? Choosing the right products to sell.
One of the reasons I’m so fond of Gelato is that they offer sellers a brilliant range of products you can pretty much guarantee are going to be high-quality, premium prints, sustainable clothes, tech accessories, and more. But if you’re new, it’s easy to get stuck with decision paralysis.
That’s why I’m sharing my advice, based on market data, and years of testing print on demand vendors, to help you choose the top products worth selling right now.
TL;DR – Best Gelato Products to Sell on Shopify in 2026
Starting a POD (Print on Demand) brand with Shopify + Gelato is super simple—but picking the right products can trip you up fast.
Why Gelato + Shopify?
Gelato offers local production in 32+ countries, fast shipping, great sustainability, and standout tools like AI Magic Mockups, Personalization Studio, and Instant Collections—making it easy to scale and customise. Gelato+ (paid upgrade) gives even more: better discounts, mockups, and profit tools.
How to Pick Winning Products:
- Focus on high demand categories (apparel, wall art, tech accessories, eco goods, pet items)
- Balance profit margins and seasonality
- Narrow in on niches and avoid saturated markets
- Use tools like Google Trends, Etsy, TikTok, and ChatGPT for research
- Always sample products and test small before going big
Top Product Categories That Sell in 2026:
- Wall Art & Prints
- Posters, canvas, aluminium prints, calendars
- High perceived value, low cost, easy to personalise
- Global wall art market projected to hit $72B by 2028
- Apparel (T-Shirts, Hoodies, etc.)
- Always in demand
- Focus on premium, organic, or niche-specific (e.g. baby clothes, sportswear)
- Organic fashion growing 40% CAGR
- Tech Accessories
- Especially phone cases
- Style + functionality sells
- Personalisation and minimal design work best
- Consumer electronics market could hit $1.78T by 2030
- Eco-Friendly Products
- Tote bags, mugs, organic apparel, eco paper goods
- 78% of Gen Z factor in sustainability
- Gelato makes eco-selling easy with certified sourcing + local production
- Pet Products
- Massive emotional buying power
- Pet industry to hit $500B by 2030
- Think custom prints, mugs, apparel, phone cases with pet themes
- Personalised Products
- Photo books, calendars, cards, apparel, mugs, phone cases
- 61% of shoppers prefer brands offering custom options
- Perfect for gifts + high average order value
Why Gelato & Shopify Work So Well Together
Before I get into the product options (and how you can narrow down your list), I wanted to very quickly explain why I think Gelato and Shopify are such a good combo.
I know there are other well-known POD vendors out there like Printify and Printful who seem to offer more variety than Gelato. But Gelato has benefits for sellers few other companies can match.
You’ve got local production in more than 32 countries, which means items ship to customers faster (and with less carbon emissions). Every product I’ve sampled from Gelato has also been exceptionally high quality, no lazy prints or see-through t-shirts here.
Plus, Gelato constantly upgrades the tools it gives its sellers. These days you’ve got Magic Mockups that use AI to create stunning lifestyle shots, instant collections that take one design and spin it into a selection of product listings, and Price Navigator for pricing help.
There’s even the Personalization Studio that lets customers tweak parts of your Shopify products so they’re personal to them (which is great for boosting revenue).
Plus, Gelato+, it’s one of the few paid POD upgrades that actually feels worthwhile, with huge product discounts, access to extra design tools, and help with profit optimization.
How to Choose the Best Gelato Products for Shopify
Don’t worry, I am going to give you some ideas here, but I do always recommend doing your own research when you’re building a catalog. A few things I’d advise looking at:
- Popularity & demand: Pick categories where you already know there’s energy, like apparel, wall art, eco-friendly items, tech accessories, pet-themed products.
- Profit margin: Always check your numbers. Gelato’s base cost and shipping matter, but so does what your audience is willing to pay (most will pay extra for personalization or premium materials)
- Seasonality: Strong seasonal sellers: calendars, holiday artwork, cozy apparel. Always-on staples: t-shirts, mugs, posters
- Competition: If the niche feels crowded (apparel is often packed with competitors), tighten the focus or shift slightly.
- Your own knowledge: Stores perform better when you actually understand the people you’re designing for. It sounds obvious, but it saves you from creating products that feel generic.
Market Research Tips
There are plenty of tools and resources out there to help you do your own market research too. Shopify and Gelato can show you what people are looking at, and buying on your store, once you’ve added a few experiments to your catalog.
Then there’s the other tools like:
- Google Trends: simple, but weirdly effective for things like “tote bag,” “custom phone case,” “pet portrait art,” even “custom flags.”
- Social platforms: TikTok, Pinterest, Instagram, and other channels show you pretty quickly what people are looking for online.
- Marketplace lists: Etsy and Amazon show you trending products in certain categories. Gelato also has it’s own “top sellers” page.
- AI tools: ChatGPT and similar tools can help you figure out what customers might be looking at by browsing the web for up-to-date data.
Don’t drown yourself with too much information, just make sure you’ve got a little bit of guidance to help you before you start adding things to your store.
The Best Gelato Products to Sell on Shopify in 2026
To keep the rest of this article useful rather than overwhelming, I’m breaking my recommendations down by “product category” rather than individual products.
All of these suggestions are based on a combination of market research, Shopify and Etsy insights, customer feedback, and of course, what I’ve learned by working with POD companies over the years.
Premium Prints: Wall Art, Posters, Calendars & Photo Books
Most people assume they should start with apparel when they’re launching a POD store (And yes, we’ll come to that), but with Gelato, I really think you’re missing an opportunity if you overlook prints. Gelato delivers some of the best “art” items I’ve seen, with premium paper products, different print styles, and even stationary like calendars.
If you think it’s a small market, think again. By 2028, the market for global wall art is expected to be worth over $72 billion. Top categories to focus on here:
- Posters: Over 30 formats, multiple paper types, giclée options. These are your reliable, everyday sellers because they’re beautiful, but affordable.
- Canvas prints: Higher perceived value and one of the best upsells in any niche.
- Aluminum prints: One of the most premium-feeling products Gelato offers: sharp, scratch-resistant, and an easy “prestige” tier for customers who want something special.
I also definitely recommend exploring calendars and photobooks. Gelato prints them in multiple sizes and up to 11 languages, and if you’re using the Gelato Personalization Studio for Shopify, you can let your customers add their own pictures, or even custom dates.
Gelato’s Magic Mockups and instant collections are really helpful here if you want to build a full catalog fast. Plus, the Shutterstock integration is great for stock textures, background elements, or full licensed artwork if you’re building themed collections.
Apparel: T-Shirts, Hoodies, and Similar Best-Sellers
I told you we’d come back to apparel. It’s probably the most popular option for any POD seller, because there’s always people out there looking for unique clothes. Gelato and Shopify both rank apparel as the number one POD category (particularly t-shirts).
What’s great about Gelato for apparel is you have a few options to really make your products stand out. You can choose from “premium” items if you’re targeting fashion lovers, or organic products (Eco-friendly items), if you want to connect with people who care about sustainability. Remember, organic clothing is the fastest-growing segment in ethical fashion, projected at 40%+ CAGR over the next decade.
You can also focus on specific niches like baby and children’s clothing. Some great options to consider (in my opinion):
- Unisex t-shirts: Easy entry point, endless niches.
- Tank tops: Great for fitness and summer categories.
- Hoodies & sweatshirts: Higher perceived value and margin sweet spot.
- Kids & baby apparel: Small, steady market if you pick a specific niche
- Sportswear / athleisure: Works well when you have a lifestyle angle focusing on yoga, running, climbing, etc.
Again, I’d definitely advise you to take advantage of Gelato’s unique tools here. The Personalization Studio lets shoppers add names and personal details (which is great for people shopping for matching outfits). Plus, with Instant Collections you can build a whole apparel lineup from a single core design.
Tech Gadgets & Accessories
I’ll be honest: “tech gadgets” sounds more exciting than what most POD companies typically offer. You’re probably not going to be selling your own custom headphones or tablets – just the accessories around them, like cases.
Still, there’s serious money to be made here. By 2030, the consumer electronics market could be worth about $1,782.60 billion. Plus, as devices keep getting more expensive, consumers are spending more on the products that protect or personalize them.
The easiest place to start here is with phone cases, they’re super easy to make (and pretty affordable on Gelato), especially if you’re using Gelato+ (more on that later). Again, you can focus on a specific niche with your designs, or allow customers to customize their own with the Personalization Studio.
If you want to branch out a little further in the “accessories” space, you could always offer a range of mugs and office accessories too.
I’ve seen phone case stores thrive simply because they understood the importance of style + durability. People want something protective, but they also want personality.
A few ways to elevate them:
- Use AI mockups to stage cases in real desk setups, coffee shops, travel scenes
- Offer matching “sets”: case + mug + tote + poster
- Lean into personalization (names, initials, dates) where it fits the niche
- Keep designs clean; tech buyers tend to lean minimalist
Tech accessories won’t be your whole business, but they’re fantastic for broad niches and repeat purchases.
Sustainable and Eco-Friendly Products
This is a category where you can really make an impact with Gelato, because they’re honestly one of the only true “eco-conscious” POD companies out there. These days, virtually every customer is shopping for products that are good for the planet (particularly if you target a younger market).
78% of Gen Z say sustainability influences their buying decisions, and most are willing to spend more for an eco-conscious design.
Gelato makes it easy to build a little eco-focused collection. A few reliable options:
- Eco tote bags: Practical, giftable, and tied directly to reducing waste
- Mugs and drinkware: Everyday items that replace single-use cups
- Organic apparel: Organic tees and sweatshirts tend to perform really well with wellness, yoga, lifestyle, and outdoor audiences
- Responsibly sourced paper products: Posters, cards, wall art: most of Gelato’s paper goods use certified materials
If you do decide to sell sustainable products, my advice is to make the eco angle obvious in your product descriptions. Talk about how you use local production in various countries (you might not, but Gelato does), and what your company personally does to reduce waste.
Pet Products
This is a category I’ve seen growing constantly over the last few years.
People will buy almost anything that reminds them of their cat, dog, or whatever creature currently runs their household. They don’t just buy for themselves, either they buy for friends, family, coworkers, their groomer, their dog-walker, you name it. Pet products have this built-in emotional pull that makes them ridiculously dependable.
If you need evidence, the global pet industry is expected to be worth about $500 billion by 2030.
Gelato doesn’t sell bowls or leashes, but the products they do offer happen to work extremely well for pet-focused stores:
- Custom pet portraits printed on posters, canvas, aluminum prints, cushions, mugs, calendars, etc.
- Pet-owner apparel: Breed-specific designs, matching “dog mom / dog dad” sets, or simple silhouette or line art styles
- Phone cases: Great for minimal illustrations, cartoonized pets, initials + pet names.
Since your customer can personalize all of these with the Personalization Studio, you’re not just selling random “pet-themed” items. That makes it so much easier to build a really great category in your store that constantly drives sales.
Personalized and Custom Products
I’ve already mentioned personalization a lot with all the other ideas here, but honestly, the fact that your customers can personalize anything with Gelato is part of what makes it one of the best POD companies out there. Everyone wants products that feel “unique” to them.
About 61% of shoppers say they’re more likely to buy from brands that offer personalized products, and if they’re shopping for gifts, they love an option to make them feel extra special.
Gelato gives you a lot of flexibility in this category. These items tend to perform really well:
- Photo books: Weddings, baby milestones, travel, pet stories, family albums (Up to 200 pages with customization built-in)
- Calendars: Pet calendars, family calendars, quote-a-day, travel themes
- Cards + stationery: Birthdays, anniversaries, holidays, business branding
- Custom apparel: Names, team numbers, inside jokes, event shirts
- Mugs + drinkware: Quick personalization + everyday use = repeat purchases
- Phone cases: Initials, monograms, pet names, minimalist line art styles
If you’re looking for a category that can genuinely lift your average order value, this is the one.
Quick Tips for Shopify Sellers Using Gelato
By the time you’ve chosen your products and sorted out your designs, it’s tempting to hit autopilot and hope everything works out. Honestly though, a few little habits can make a real difference when you’re building your Shopify store with Gelato:
- Always order samples and use them strategically: I personally have never had a problem with the quality of a Gelato order, but samples are still useful. They give you a chance to see the product in real life, and take genuine product photos.
- Get some help from AI: AI tools are great for speeding things up, but I wouldn’t let them define your entire brand. They’re better for brainstorming new niches or themes, or building out a collection with Gelato.
- Start small then expand: Don’t try to sell everything at once. Pick what makes the most sense for you right now, and pay attention to what sells. You can expand and experiment over time when you know more about your audience.
Also, after a while, it’s worth at least considering an upgrade to Gelato+. The free plan is great for small sellers, but the extra benefits you get from Gelato+, like the premium mockup tools, discounts of up to 35%, instant collections, price navigator, and new branding options really pay off when you’re scaling.
You’ll save a fortune, and make your brand stand out.
Choosing the Best Gelato Products for Your Shopify Store
There isn’t a “perfect catalog” that guarantees every Shopify seller massive profits in the first month. Really, all you can do is do your research, and spend a little time experimenting.
That’s great thing about print on demand, since you only pay for a product when it sells, you’re not putting yourself at risk if an idea doesn’t work out.
Still, a few products in Gelato’s collection do seem to have more potential than others (based on what I’ve found over the last few months).
My advice is to start with one or two categories, like print products and apparel, use the personalization studio to make your items really unique, and see what starts bringing in cash.
After a few months of testing, you should have all the insights you need to build out the perfect collection for your brand, and your audience.
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