16 Valentine’s Day Merch and Design Ideas

Whether you’ve been a single pringle since birth or you’re in a loving relationship, February 14th is definitely among the best days to show some love. And if you own a print-on-demand powered brand, there’s no better way to do so than by providing your dear customers with some lovely Valentine’s Day merch.

The thing is, while Valentine’s Day is seen by some as just another commercial holiday, the tradition of giving and receiving gifts during this special season remains strong. In fact, according to a National Retail Federation’s (NRF) survey, American shoppers were projected to spend around $23.9 billion on Valentine’s Day in 2022.

If you want to hit two birds with one stone by promoting your brand and showing some love at the same time, check out these 16 Valentine’s Day design and merch ideas we’ve rounded up for you.

Main Key Points:

• Valentine’s Day Product Ideas: Various product ideas like couple shirts, proposal jewelry, personalized mugs, and customizable blankets, catering to different relationship stages and preferences are suggested.
  
• Marketing and Design Strategies: Creative design ideas like scannable Spotify codes, zodiac sign compatibility, and customizable messages are provided. Marketing strategies like working with influencer couples and hosting giveaways are suggested.
  
• Customer Engagement and Sales Promotion: The importance of engaging customers through interactive marketing and enhancing sales by offering services like free gift wrapping, product bundling, or exclusive discounts are emphasized.

Valentines Merch Ideas

Let’s start off with some product ideas that would surely make for great Valentine’s Day gifts.

Couple Shirts

Who said couple or matching shirts are a thing of the past? These trendy shirts are still very much in style and make for great Valentine’s Day gifts, especially for couples and even besties. The key to scoring major points with this gift idea is to let your shoppers show their personality and style through the design.

You can either go for a romantic and cheesy design or something that’s more on the funny and sarcastic side. Either way, as long as it’s something that the couple or besties can relate to, you’re good to go.

Proposal or Confession Jewelry

Of course, the atmosphere of Valentine’s Day is also perfect for those who are ready to take their relationship to the next level. Whether you’re targeting young adults or working professionals, a piece of a proposal or confession jewelry would definitely make for a memorable and unique gift.

This could be something as simple as a necklace with a hidden message or a ring with a card that says “will you be mine?” If you want to go the extra mile, you can even have the jewelry piece custom-made with the couple’s names or initials.

Personalized Mugs

For older couples or married couples who have been together for years, a simple but thoughtful gift like a personalized mug would definitely be appreciated. You can either go for a romantic design or something that’s more lighthearted and funny.

You can also add a special message on the mug, like “I love you more than coffee.” or “I love you to the moon and back.” This way, your customers can start their day with a smile and a warm cup of coffee or tea.

Customizable Blankets

Another merch married and even young couples would love to receive is a cozy and soft custom blanket. This can either be a throw blanket for the couch or a larger one that they can use as a bedspread.

What’s great about this gift idea is that it’s not only practical, but it’s also very personal and intimate. After all, there’s nothing like snuggling up in a blanket with the one you love.

Couples Keychains

Something small but definitely meaningful, couples keychains are perfect for couples who want to keep each other close even when they’re apart. You can design a limited collection with a certain theme in mind, or you can give your customers the freedom to create their own custom keychain design.

This is a great gift idea for couples who are in a long-distance relationship or for those who are always on the go.

Boyfriend Tees and Hoodies

Borrowing from the popular “I stole his hoodie” trend, you can design a collection of boyfriend tees and hoodies for girlfriends to wear on Valentine’s Day. This is a great idea for boyfriends who want to gift their s/o’s something comfy and special.

To make things even more fun, you can also design a “stole her hoodie” hoodie for the boyfriends. This way, couples can be twinning on Valentine’s day.

Friendship Bracelets

A classic gift for best friends, friendship bracelets are a great way to show your loved ones how much you care. You can design a set of cards that can be included with the bracelet, each with a different meaning or memory.

You can also let your customers pick a template and send some short but sweet messages to their besties which you can print out on the bracelet card.

Valentines Design Ideas

Found the items that would perfectly suit your Valentine’s collection? Now, it’s time to start thinking about the design. To get you started, here are some Valentine’s Day design ideas:

Scannable Spotify Code

Sharing songs is a love language, and what better way to do it than by giving your loved ones a keychain or jewelry with a card that has a scannable Spotify code? This way, they can scan the code and listen to a song that they think perfectly describes their relationship.

This merch design is great for young couples or for those who are in a long-distance relationship and like to stay connected with music.

Zodiac Sign Compatibility Results

If you’re into astrology or it’s an interest shared by your target market, you can design a collection based on zodiac sign compatibility. Simply create designs that represent the different signs and what they’re compatible with.

Of course, you can also add a fun and cheeky twist to the designs. For example, you can design a shirt that lists down the different aspects of a person’s personality, and at the end, it says “Only compatible with this Gemini.”

This is a great way to add humor to your designs and appeal to customers who are looking for a lighthearted take on Valentine’s Day.

Cheesy Pick-Up Lines

Another funny and cheeky design idea is to create a collection of shirts with cheesy pick up lines. This is perfect for the jokers who want to show off their personality while making their significant other smile and chuckle on this special day.

Cute Memes

Memes will always be popular, so why not incorporate them into your Valentine’s Day designs as well? You can create a collection of shirts with cute and funny memes that are perfect for couples.

You can also add a personal touch by incorporating inside jokes shared by your customers and their loved ones. This way, they can gift a shirt that will make their partner laugh and feel loved at the same time.

Single Pringle Memes

Of course, there should be something for the singles too! You can design a collection of shirts with single pringle memes that are sure to make them laugh while announcing to the world that they’re #single and ready to mingle.

Song Lyrics and Quotes

Heartfelt lines and quotes from popular songs and movies are always a classic when it comes to Valentine’s Day design ideas. You can either go for the sappy and romantic ones or the ones with a cheeky and funny tone.

You can also let your shoppers add some personal touch by accepting custom requests. This way, they can gift their loved ones an item that’s truly one-of-a-kind and personal.

Personalized Message

Speaking of personal touch, there’s no better way to show your loved ones how much you care than by gifting them an item with a personalized message. You can either have the message printed on the item itself or on a card that comes with it.

This is a great way to add a special and intimate touch to your designs, and it’s sure to make your customers’ loved ones feel extra special on this day of love.

A Trip Down Memory Lane

Designs that feature a trip down memory lane are also a hit, especially on Valentine’s Day. You can create polaroid or film camera-themed posters or prints and add personal photos of your customers and their loved ones.

This is a great way to add a sentimental touch to your designs, and it’s sure to make your customers’ loved ones nostalgic and appreciate the thoughtfulness of the gift.

Cute Animations

If drawing and graphic design are your forte, you can create a collection of Valentine’s Day cards or posters with cute animations. This is a great way to express your very own unique take on love, and it’s sure to make your customers’ loved ones smile.

You can also offer to make custom animations for your customers, so they can gift their loved ones something truly special and personal.

Some Valentine’s Day Marketing Ideas

Need a hand promoting your Valentine’s collection? We’ve got you. Before you even start creating your designs, it’s important to have a plan for how you’re going to market them. Below are some ideas you might want to consider.

Work with Influencer Couples

#RelationshipGoals. Chances are, your customers are following at least one cute couple on social media. Why not partner with them to help promote your Valentine’s collection? You can provide them with a discount code to share with their followers, or you can gift them with items from your collection in return for a social media shoutout.

Not only will this help you reach a wider audience, but it will also add a touch of authenticity to your marketing efforts.

Host a Giveaway

If you want to create a buzz even before the release of your collection, you can host a giveaway. You can ask people to follow you on social media and share a specific post for a chance to win a free item from your upcoming collection. You can also create interactive content where they can mention or tag their loved ones.

This is a great way to get people talking about your collection, and it’s also a great way to build up some anticipation for its release.

Offer Free Gift Wrapping

Of course, the majority of the people who will be buying your items are probably going to be gifting them to someone special. Why not sweeten the deal by offering free gift wrapping? This is a great way to show your customers that you’re thinking about them, and it’s also a creative way to make your items look even more appealing.

Bundle Products Together

If you have a lot of different items in your Valentine’s Day collection, consider bundling them together. This will allow you to increase the average order value, and it will also make your items look more appealing to customers.

You can create different bundles for different price points, or you can let your customers mix and match items to create their own unique bundles.

Offer Exclusive Discounts

Last but not least, don’t forget to offer your customers exclusive discounts on your Valentine’s Day collection. This is a great way to encourage them to spend more, plus it can spark some sense of urgency and push them to buy sooner rather than later.

You can offer a discount code that they can use at checkout, or you can offer a free shipping discount if they spend over a certain amount.

Here’s to a Hearts Day To Remember!

And that’s a wrap! We hope this guide has helped you get some awesome ideas for your Valentine’s Day collection. Remember to have fun with it and get creative! Most importantly, don’t forget to let us know how it goes. We can’t wait to see what you come up with.

Happy designing!
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