Spoonflower Shopper's Guide
Spoonflower is a print-on-demand marketplace where artists sell their designs to makers and small businesses. But what exactly is Spoonflower's role? It prints, packs, and ships physical products such as fabric, wallpaper, or pillow shams to the end customer. It's not your typical fabric store where you can come with the ruler and touch every fabric. Instead, the fabric is printed only after you place an order. This is why there are a few things you need to know to make your shopping experience perfect.
Delivery Time: Since products are made on demand, you'll receive your order after it has been printed, packed, shipped, and reached your doorstep. It might sound lengthy, but in most cases, it takes no more than 10 days. I once received my Monday order on Thursday, just three days after placing it!
Description: Designers do their best to describe the product, and sometimes they include measurements in the description. Don't forget to check the technical details, like fabric width and other qualities, as they may vary. For example, Cotton Poplin is 42" wide, while Cotton Spandex Jersey is 60" wide.
Scale: On the design page, use a ruler to understand the scale. I usually place an actual ruler on the computer screen and enlarge the picture of the design until the rulers match.
Color: Most of the time, the color on the print matches the color you see on the screen, but not always. Pigments behave a bit differently on various media. In about 1% of cases, what looks beige on screen might appear slightly yellowish on cotton and a bit pinkish on silk. To ensure the best result, order a test swatch of the design on the fabric you intend to use.
Talk to the Designer: Unless it's explicitly stated that the designer won't accept rescale requests, don't hesitate to ask for it! Most artists are happy to rescale a design for you or make color changes. We want you to get what you dream about. You can use messaging system on the Spoonflower site or other tools some of the designers provide on their Spoonflower page. I have a special form you can use here.
Fabric: If you're unsure about the fabric or wallpaper quality to choose, consider ordering a Spoonflower sample pack. Each sample pack includes a 4” x 4” colorfully printed swatch of each of their fabrics, as well as printed wallpaper samples.
Saving on Fabric Sample Swatches: If you need a large number of swatches for a quilt, the Cheater Quilt fits up to 42 designs. This option is available for Petal Signature Cotton and Cotton Poplin, providing a clear understanding of scale and contrast. You will need to add the designs you like to the collection and use "Fill a Yard" option. To check the color, it's best to order an individual sample swatch on the fabric you need for your project.
Mistakes: Despite all the preparations, there is still a chance you'll receive a product with the wrong color or even someone else's product. In such cases, reach out to Spoonflower support – they are incredibly helpful.
Sales and Promo Prices: Spoonflower offers discounts regularly for groups of products like home decor or fabric, and sometimes sitewide - the best way to get this information is Spoonflower email newsletter. They also offer special discounts for active or retired US military, first responders, nurses, teachers, and students through their ID.me partnership.
