Introduction
Throw pillows are a common print on demand (POD) product, at least in terms of availability from the various vendors. Each company I’ve looked at so far has a range of sizes, styles, and materials available.
In this review, I’m going to talk about what’s available from Printful, one of the better-known players in the POD space. Their beginner-friendly interface makes them a supplier I’ve seen recommended by multiple individuals.
Overall, the quality of the throw pillow covers from Printful is very good. They are easy to care for and last well with use. The inserts are average commercial quality at best but can easily be replaced.
Methodology
For the review and comparisons below I used three throw pillows that I purchased myself as samples. The Thanksgiving one I’ve had for close to three years and have used on a regular basis to test for wear.
The other two you’ll see in the photos I bought specifically for comparing the Basic and Premium options. I used the exact same design files for each – and ordered them at the same time – to compare the color and graphic reproduction on each.
Printful’s Options
Other POD suppliers definitely have more pillow options than does Printful. I’ve found this to be broadly true within multiple product categories. I suspect this is because they continue to do most work in-house and have limits on their warehouse space and production capacity, as well as concerns with quality control.
Other vendors, such as Printify and Gooten, operate more as clearing houses where they farm out actual production to a network of companies. This seems to allow them to offer a broader range of products without having to build out their own production capacity.
Styles and Sizes
Printful offers throw pillows only, no pillowcases (such as for a bed pillow). You can get the pillow cover with or without an insert with a commensurate difference in price. The sizes are commercial standard (within the USA), meaning you can usually get replacement inserts without major problems.
The style and size options are
- Rectangular: 20″ x 12″
- Square: 18″ x 18″
- Square: 22″ x 22″
Basic Type Quality
The All-Over Print Basic Pillow cover has a smooth, sateen-like finish. It’s fairly slick to the touch.
I found that the design reproduction on the basic pillow cover fabric is crisp with solid fill and bright, clear colors. The finer details, such as the ornaments in the lettering on the front and the lines of the tile design on the back, are clean-edged and well-defined.
Premium Type Quality
The All-Over Print Premium Pillow cover has a slubbed, linen style finish. The feel is slightly textured. The weave is also looser than the basic fabric’s.
While the design elements are all visible, everything has a slightly softer feel on the premium fabric. Presumably because of the texture and the looser weave (allowing the insert to peek through a bit), the black of the lettering has a worn look to it: it’s not the deep, solid fill as seen on the basic fabric.
Comparison
The biggest difference I found between the two fabric types – beyond the obvious texture – is in the color reproduction.
For point of reference, the background color on the front of each is R168 G255 B246, which looks decidedly more green than blue on my computer screen.
This background color is definitely more green on the basic than on the premium, where it reproduced looking more blue.
The watercolor leaves on the front also have a much softer feel on the premium than on the basic fabric.
As for the tile design on the back, the skewing toward green on the basic and blue on the premium holds true, although perhaps not as dramatically as with the front.
Longer-Term Results
As mentioned earlier, I have a pillow that I bought from Printful almost three years ago as a sample that I’ve been actively using on my couch ever since. It’s the premium fabric option.
I have definitely given it a workout over the years – napping, lumbar support, laptop support – including having washed it multiple times.
Overall, I’ve been pleasantly surprised with how well the cover has held up. It does have some pilling – fairly common with this type of polyester fabric – but the seams are still strong, and the colors have remained bright.
The insert is pretty compressed, however. These are not the highest quality options out there and are not really meant for the type of use to which I put it. They’re better if you truly just want a decorative throw pillow that won’t really get used much. For the type of use I made of the pillow, you’re better off replacing the insert with one of higher quality.
Construction and Care
All pillow options are made using a “cut & sew” technique. This means they print your design on the fabric, cut it out, and stitch it together.
It’s a production technique that gives you a lot of control and flexibility in your design since you can make separate designs for the front and back. It will also fill the entire surface from seam to seam provided you follow their instructions with regard to file size and bleed.
If you don’t fill the entire design space, the underlying soft white fabric color will show on the finished product.
The construction is pretty straightforward. The top and sides are stitched closed with an invisible zipper inserted in the bottom edge. The zipper makes it easy to remove the insert and/or put in your own.
All styles are made of 100% polyester fabric that is machine washable. While they can be put in the dryer, I usually line dry to improve their longevity.
The inserts are 100% polyester fill and are clearly an outsourced component. These inexpensive pillow inserts are very much a commodity product and are largely interchangeable. They are spot-clean only, which is standard for this product type.
Conclusion
In terms of construction quality, the two types are identical, as is the insert you will get if you choose that option. There’s only a couple dollars difference (at this writing) between the two categories, so I think you will probably choose based on other factors.
Which is better for you will really come down to your design aesthetic and what effect you want. Sateen versus linen-look, intense versus soft.
I highly recommend you get some samples of each type before making your final decision, especially if precise color reproduction is important in your merchandise offerings.
