You may have already set your goals for the new year and are hitting the ground running, but WOAH, let’s slow down for a second. Did you take time to reflect on all the things you accomplished last year? Whether you acknowledge it or not, you overcame challenges and probably achieved a lot more than you’d like to admit. But the 2022 Year in Review is no place to be modest.
We’re here to celebrate the milestones of the Threadless Community, none of which were possible without the many Artist Shop owners around the world. In 2022, hundreds of new shops joined our community. Artists submitted thousands of new designs to our themed challenges. New products and shop features helped artists grow their following. Let’s relive the highlights of 2022 so we can build on our successes and ride our momentum into the future.
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Your Awesomeness Quantified | Standout Products of 2022 | Charitable Impact | Design Challenges | New Shop Features | Threadless in Retail Stores | Artists Speak
Your Awesomeness Quantified
Top-Selling Artist Shops
STEVEN RHODES
NATHAN W. PYLE
NOODLE THE PUG
AUDUBON
Top Emerging Shops
EFFIN’ BIRDS
TATUM TALKS
MATT DARLING
RENEE THULL
Top-Selling Designs at Threadless
“FIND YOURSELF” BY KOOKY LOVE
“STAY POSITIVE” BY STEVEN RHODES
“RAINBOW CATS” BY PLANET CAT
“MIGRATION OF PAPER BIRDS” BY MAKART
Standout Products of 2022
Spoiler alert. T-Shirts were the top-selling product across all Artist Shops and the Threadless marketplace in 2022. No big surprise there. But when we take tees out of the equation, the data gets a little more interesting. The next five bestsellers cover a wide range of product types, which illustrates the importance of variety in your product selection.
Let’s take a look at the year’s top-selling products and why customers love them.
Top Sellers (That Aren’t Tees)
- Stickers: At under $10, they’re the ultimate cart-builders and fun to stick on everything from laptops to telephone poles.
- Pullover Hoodies: There’s a reason people never get them back after breakups. They’re an absolute wardrobe essential.
- Sweatshirts: They’re cozy, great for layering, and can be dressed up or down. They’re one of the most versatile garments.
- Mugs: They make your art a part of your followers’ daily routine. Most of us can’t function in the morning without a cup of joe.
- Art Prints: Premium, gallery-quality materials such as acid-free paper make your art look even more stunning.
Featured Designs: “BananaCat” by PlanetCat” | “Cryptids Crew” by sachpica | “Love More” by RunningDog | “Stay Rad” by Vincent Trinidad | “Extreme Blood Drive” by TheWestwood | “Toad” by catscafecomics | “Journey” by Jack Teagle
New Products for Your Shop
- Jigsaw Puzzles: They’re a classic pastime and a great gift for children and adults alike. Available in 120, 252, and 500 piece counts.
- Yoga Mats: They’re made from natural, eco-friendly PU rubber and have a skid-resistant bottom to prevent slipping and sliding.
- Premium Rugs: Great for all-over patterns, they have a vibrant chenille print face and coated backing to prevent bunching.
- Vintage Wash T-Shirts: Lovers of the throwback aesthetic will appreciate this style’s retro look and feel and unique color options.
Featured Designs: “Fireworks” by Lissy Marlin | “Space Cats” by vivihnic | “Abstract Modern Jungle 52C” by mmartabc | “The Outdoor Mix” by Belgrave
Charitable Impact
Threadless Causes is our community’s way of harnessing our creative powers to spread good throughout the world. How does it work? Artist Shop owners donate a percentage of their earnings from any designs they select in their shop to a Cause and charity of their choice. When those designs sell, Threadless matches the donation and automatically sends it to the charity.
Since Causes began in 2020, our community has collectively donated more than $685,000 to nonprofit organizations helping people in need, animals, and the environment. The whole process starts with shop owners choosing to donate, and we’re incredibly grateful for everyone who’s joined our community’s fundraising efforts.
Charities That Received the Most Donations in 2022
- Medshare delivers surplus medical supplies and equipment to communities in crisis around the globe.
- Fair Fight combats voter suppression across the US by addressing issues such as long lines at polling stations.
- Black Lives Matter builds local power to intervene in violence inflicted on Black communities by the state and vigilantes.
- The Trevor Project provides crisis intervention and suicide prevention services for members of the LGBTQIA+ community under 25.
New Charities Added
- National Network of Abortion Funds works to remove financial and logistical barriers to abortion access.
- The Center for Reproductive Rights uses the power of law to advance reproductive rights as fundamental human rights.
- Everytown for Gun Safety works with local, federal, and state governments to enact policies that reduce gun violence.
- Sandy Hook Promise takes meaningful actions in schools, homes, and communities to prevent gun violence.
- Voice of Children Ukraine provides psychological and psychosocial support to children affected by war.
For step-by-step instructions on how to set up Threadless Causes in your shop, visit our Artist Shops Help Page.
Design Challenges
In 2022, artists from around the globe put their skills to the test in 17 different Design Challenges including Cottagecore, Grow STEM presented by Intel, and the officially licensed Care Bears challenge. These themed challenges are a fun way for artists to step out of their comfort zone and expose their art to the greater Threadless Community. Plus, anyone can score submissions and help choose the winners.
Thank you to everyone who submitted and scored designs, and congrats to all the winners! Now let’s take a look at the Design Challenges that engaged our community the most.
Challenges with the Most Participation
VIEW COLLECTION OF 2022 WINNERS
New Shop Features
It’s our team’s ongoing duty to keep improving the Artist Shops experience by building new tools and features to help shop owners grow their following and sell their art to customers around the world. These are the shop features that launched in 2022.
Managed Email Marketing and Newsletter Popup
When you activate Managed Email Marketing, Threadless will automatically send support marketing emails to your existing customers to help you connect with your audience, increase your sales, and expand your reach. A popup will also be added to your homepage to encourage visitors to sign up for your Threadless–managed newsletter.
Gift Cards
Gift Cards purchased from your shop feature your branding and a direct link to your shop, and are available in values of $25, $50, and $100. The Gift Cards setting is activated by default in all Artist Shops, but you can turn it on and off in your Management Settings.
Custom Promo Codes
Sharing promo codes as part of a social-media giveaway or limited-time promotion helps boost conversions in your Artist Shop. Our team is available to create any Custom Promo Codes for your shop, whether you want to set up a promo code right away or schedule one for the future. Visit our Artist Shops Help Page for instructions on how to request promo codes.
Managed Product Selection
When you activate this setting in your Artist Dashboard, Threadless will automatically add your existing and eligible designs to upcoming product releases and expanded apparel options to boost sales and optimize the shopping experience for your customers. Read more about how Managed Product Selection works.
Threadless in Retail Stores
Through the Earn More Program, designs from qualifying Artist Shops were selected to be featured in online catalogs and brick-and-mortar stores of several well-known retail brands in 2022. This program continues to give artists opportunities to significantly boost their earning potential.
Artists Speak
One of the coolest parts of our jobs at Threadless is being able to interact with so many amazing artists and people who inspire us. We love picking their brains, learning about their creative processes, listening to their life stories, and hearing their constructive criticisms. Here are just a few of the ways we connected with artists in 2022.
Artist Spotlights
These in-depth interviews on the Threadless Blog give us incredible insight into the career milestones and current projects of amazing artists in our community. Thanks to everyone who participated in our Artist Spotlights in 2022:
- Lissy Marlin, award-winning illustrator of The Magic Misfits
- Deya Muniz and Emily Erdos, creators of Blades of Furry
- Sweeney Boo, comic book artist
- Hattie Fellowes, found of The Violet Eclectic
- Jack Teagle, illustrator and painter
- Mykhailo Skop, cofounder of Help Ukraine
- Brad Phillips, artist and author of Essays and Fictions
- Gregg Deal, artist and member of the Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe
Instagram Live Interviews
Eff it! We’ll do it live! Here are the awesome organizations and artists we had the pleasure of chatting with on Instagram Live:
- The National Audubon Society
- Katie Mansfield, Tragic Girls founder
- Rob Sheridan, glitch artist
- Cliff Chiang, creator of Paper Girls
- Sophie McTear, illustrator and graphic designer
- Aaron Reynolds, author of Effin’ Birds
- Curious Publishing and Actually Curious
- Texas Equal Access Fund and artist Elizabeth Hudy (The Peach Fuzz)
Shop Owner Testimonials
That closes the 2022 Year in Review! A heartfelt thanks to everyone in the Threadless Community, from Artist Shop owners to fans who support independent artists, for another memorable year. We can’t wait to see everything we’ll accomplish together in 2023. Now let’s CREATE.
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