Your clothes say a lot about you—and whether you’re designing a t-shirt to wear on your next company retreat, a hoodie to promote your new product or a tee for your crew to rock at the next big event, you want to make sure that your shirt designs look fantastic. And that’s why you need to hire an experienced shirt designer.
The right t-shirt designers can bring your apparel idea to life in a way that makes the most impact.
How to get the best t-shirt design
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When it comes to t-shirt design, there are a few different roads to take—and the road you decide to go down is going to be entirely based on what you’re looking for and how you prefer to work.
Design contests
If you’re not 100% sure what you want your t-shirt design to look like, then hosting a design contest is definitely the way to go. All you have to do is put together a design brief and designers from all over the world will pitch you their design ideas for an awesome t-shirt. Once all the designs are in, you give feedback, get revisions, then choose the one you like best and BOOM—t-shirt design complete.
Learn more about t-shirt design contest ->
Working one-on-one with a freelancer
If you have a pretty clear idea in mind for how you’d like your t-shirts to look, then working directly with a freelancer can be a great way to bring that vision to life. Want to find a shirt designer with a style that matches your aesthetic? You’re in luck!
The 10 best freelance t-shirt designers to hire in 2022
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1
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Logo design
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Other design
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T-shirt
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Logo & business card
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Product packaging
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Logo & social media pack
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Clothing or apparel
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Illustration or graphics
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Product label
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Sticker
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Other business or advertising
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Business card
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Poster
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Other art or illustration
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Banner ad
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Stationery
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Signage
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Merchandise
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Icon or button
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Other packaging or label
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Logo & brand guide
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3D
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Social media page
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PowerPoint template
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other web or app design
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Other Graphic Design
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Menu
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Logo & hosted website
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Infographic
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Character or mascot
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2
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Logo design
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Logo & social media pack
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T-shirt
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Logo & hosted website
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Logo & business card
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Other design
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Logo & brand guide
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Illustration or graphics
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Sticker
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Clothing or apparel
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Product label
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Other art or illustration
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Merchandise
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Product packaging
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Web page design
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Poster
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Other business or advertising
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Menu
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Icon or button
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Facebook cover
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WordPress theme design
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Signage
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PowerPoint template
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Landing page design
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Infographic
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Business card
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3
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T-shirt
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Logo design
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Clothing or apparel
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Logo & brand guide
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Logo & business card
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Illustration or graphics
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Other design
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Logo & social media pack
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Stationery
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Product packaging
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Card or invitation
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Brand guide
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Web page design
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Sticker
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Merchandise
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Banner ad
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5
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Illustration or graphics
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T-shirt
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Book cover
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Other art or illustration
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Logo design
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Character or mascot
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Other book or magazine
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Merchandise
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Signage
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Other design
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Product packaging
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Magazine cover
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Clothing or apparel
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Tattoo
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Other web or app design
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Other packaging or label
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Other business or advertising
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Web page design
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Sticker
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Stationery
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Social media page
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Product label
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Poster
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Postcard, flyer or print
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App design
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Infographic
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Banner ad
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6
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Logo design
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T-shirt
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Illustration or graphics
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Product label
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Other art or illustration
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Other design
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Clothing or apparel
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Business card
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Tattoo
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Logo & business card
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Merchandise
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Product packaging
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Other business or advertising
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Logo & social media pack
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Poster
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Other packaging or label
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Icon or button
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Other book or magazine
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Logo & hosted website
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Brand guide
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Web page design
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Stationery
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Podcast
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Other web or app design
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Logo & brand guide
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Infographic
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Cup or mug
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Character or mascot
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Card or invitation
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Brochure
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Album Cover
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9
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Illustration or graphics
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T-shirt
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Character or mascot
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Logo design
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Other art or illustration
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Poster
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Clothing or apparel
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Product label
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Postcard, flyer or print
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Sticker
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Logo & social media pack
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Other clothing or merchandise
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Merchandise
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Cup or mug
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Logo & brand identity pack
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Book cover
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Stationery
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Social media page
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Product packaging
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Other business or advertising
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How did we choose these as the top shirt designers?
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At 99designs, it’s our top priority to connect you with the best t-shirt designer for your project. And in order to make sure we deliver the best talent, we judge each designer based on a clear (and strict) set of criteria:
Skill

We want to make sure the designers we pair you with can walk the walk, so every designer on our platform goes through a portfolio review, where their work is reviewed by our in-house design team. During the evaluation, our design experts are looking for:
- Technical skill and execution
- Deep knowledge and understanding of design principles
- Creative and conceptual thought
Once we’ve reviewed a designer’s portfolio, we assign them to one of three categories:
- Top Level: the best of the best, these designers exhibit a high level of creativity and design expertise
- Mid Level: these designers can easily handle most projects and are well on their way to establishing themselves as experts
- Entry Level: the “rising stars,” these designers don’t have a ton of experience, but they show potential
Experience
Just because a designer can churn out amazing logo designs doesn’t mean they’re the right designer for your t-shirt project.
Different design types require different experience—so when we’re putting together our recommendations, we make sure we’re presenting a roster of designers who can walk the walk—and dress the part—of an awesome t-shirt designer.
Professionalism
We don’t just want to deliver designers with the design chops to complete your project. We want to deliver true professionals.
Creating a positive experience for our clients is important to us, which is why we factor professionalism—including a designer’s responsiveness, ability to adhere to deadlines and overall communication skills—into the equation when rating and recommending our designers. That way, you know not only are you getting a great designer—you’re getting a great designer you can work with on a professional level.
What to think about when hiring a t-shirt designer
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Your t-shirts are like a walking billboard for your brand—which is why it’s important you choose the right designer to bring your t-shirt design to life. Here are a few things to keep in mind when hiring to make sure the person you choose is the right fit for you and your apparel project:

- Choose your printing options from the get-go. There are a bunch of different options when it comes to printing your t-shirt (like screen printing and vinyl). Before you choose a designer—and before you start working with your designer to create your t-shirt design—know what printing style you’re going to use. That way, you and your designer can make the best design decisions based on your printing method.
Not sure what you want? Check out our Ultimate guide to t-shirt design ->
- Think about the end product. The right designer for your company uniform shirts isn’t necessarily going to be the same designer you’ll use for edgy merchandise sold at a concert. Before you choose a designer, think about the end product and the kind of impact you want it to have—then choose a designer you feel is the most qualified to create that impact with their design.
- Find the right style match. People—whether it’s your team, your customers or yourself—are going to be wearing this shirt, so it’s got to convey the right style (otherwise, it’s going to end up in a pile in the back corner of a closet). Make sure when choosing a designer, you pick someone who has a similar style and can create something you’d be excited to wear.
Are you ready to hire a top freelance t-shirt designer?
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The world of t-shirt design can be tricky. But when you’ve got the right designer in your corner it doesn’t have to be.