Printful, Inc
{{Short description|International printing company}}
{{Infobox company
| name = Printful
| logo = File:PF-Linear-Full-color-black-RGB.jpg
| logo_size =
| founded = 2013
| founder = Lauris Liberts and Davis Siksnans
| website = https://www.printful.com/
}}Printful is a print on demand company that was founded in California in 2013.{{Cite news |date=2021-01-13 |title=U.S. Business Starts Enjoyed Their Best Year Ever Amid Covid-19 |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-13/u-s-business-starts-enjoyed-their-best-year-ever-amid-covid-19 |access-date=2023-07-04}}{{Cite web |last=Strategy |first=Moor Insights and |title=TechChill 2020 Is Hot For Connectivity |url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/moorinsights/2020/02/25/techchill-2020-is-hot-for-connectivity/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Forbes |language=en}}{{Cite news |title=Riga's startups are putting little Latvia on the big tech map |language=en-GB |work=Wired UK |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/hottest-startups-riga-latvia-baltics |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=1357-0978}} The company was co-founded by Lauris Liberts and Davis Siksnans.{{Cite web |last=Pickard-Whitehead |first=Gabrielle |date=2017-10-06 |title=Printful Makes Warehousing and Fulfillment Available to All Ecommerce Sellers |url=https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/10/printful-warehousing-and-fulfillment.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Small Business Trends |language=en-us}}
The company’s EU headquarter is located in Riga, Latvia, with fulfillment centers in Barcelona (Spain), Riga (Latvia), Birmingham (UK), Toronto (Canada), Charlotte, NC, Dallas, TX, and Tijuana (Mexico). The company also has partner facilities in Rio de Janeiro (Brazil), Amakusa (Japan), Brisbane and Melbourne (Australia).{{Cite news |date=2017-08-28 |title=Shopify's E-Commerce Empire is Growing in Amazon's Shadow |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-08-28/shopify-s-e-commerce-empire-is-growing-in-amazon-s-shadow |access-date=2023-08-04}}
History
Printful originated within the Draugiem Group incubator, an organization in Latvia that supports and develops new business ideas. The company launched on July 16, 2013, initially offering three products: posters, canvases, and t-shirts. Later the same year, Printful created the first integration with Shopify.{{Cite news |title=Riga's startups are putting little Latvia on the big tech map |language=en-GB |work=Wired UK |url=https://www.wired.co.uk/article/hottest-startups-riga-latvia-baltics |access-date=2023-07-04 |issn=1357-0978}}{{Cite web |last=O'Hear |first=Steve |date=2013-07-16 |title=From The Startup Vitamins Team, Printful Launches Its Drop Shipping And Custom Print API-Driven Service |url=https://techcrunch.com/2013/07/16/printful/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}
In 2015, Printful introduced the Design Maker, a tool that allows online sellers to create designs without design skills.
In 2017, it opened a fulfillment center in Riga, Latvia. The company also launched integrations with Amazon and Etsy, granting their customers instant access to online shoppers. In the subsequent years, Printful added new integrations with ecommerce platforms and marketplaces such as Squarespace, Wix, eBay, and others.{{Cite web |last=Jasmijn |date=2021-10-13 |title=Printful opens fulfilment center in the UK |url=https://ecommercenews.eu/printful-opens-fulfilment-center-in-the-uk/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Ecommerce News}} This was the year when Printful acquired the domain printful.com for $100,000 and switched from their previous one theprintful.com.{{Cite web |last=Printful |title=Printful buys printful.com domain name for $100,000 to build brand awareness |url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/printful-buys-printfulcom-domain-name-for-100000-to-build-brand-awareness-300397435.html |access-date=2024-02-21 |website=www.prnewswire.com |language=en}}
In 2018, Printful opened a fulfillment center in Mexico and reached a turnover of $77.4 million.{{Cite web |last=Pickard-Whitehead |first=Gabrielle |date=2017-10-06 |title=Printful Makes Warehousing and Fulfillment Available to All Ecommerce Sellers |url=https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/10/printful-warehousing-and-fulfillment.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Small Business Trends |language=en-us}}
The company was listed in Inc. 5000 in 2019, 2020 and 2021.{{Cite web |title=Inc. Magazine |url=https://www.inc.com/profile/printful}}
In 2020, it established fulfillment centers in Spain and Canada, as well as launched partnerships in Australia. The company reported revenue growth of over $200 million.{{Cite web |date=2020-09-08 |title=City of Mississauga Named Among Top 20 Best Locations in Canada |url=https://www.mississauga.ca/city-of-mississauga-news/news/city-of-mississauga-named-among-top-20-economic-development-groups-in-canada/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=City of Mississauga |language=en-CA}}
In 2021, Printful achieved unicorn status with a $130 million non-control investment from Bregal Sagemount.{{Cite web |last=Cooper |first=Laura |title=WSJ News Exclusive {{!}} Printful Nabs $130 Million From Bregal Sagemount |url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/printful-nabs-130-million-from-bregal-sagemount-11621854001 |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=WSJ |language=en-US}} It also opened fulfillment centers in Dallas, Texas, and the UK, and launched a partnership in Brazil. The company reported a revenue of over $289 million in the same year, with customer all-time sales reaching $1 billion during the Black Friday Cyber Monday weekend.{{Cite web |date=2021-02-11 |title=Printing firm fulfillment center brings 100 jobs to Coppell |url=https://www.dallasnews.com/business/real-estate/2021/02/11/printing-firm-fulfillment-center-brings-100-jobs-to-coppell/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Dallas News |language=en}}{{Cite web |date=2023-03-17 |title=LGBT Nams saņems ziedojumu no uzņēmuma "Printful" investora |url=https://www.tvnet.lv/7734389/lgbt-nams-sanems-ziedojumu-no-uznemuma-printful-investora |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Latvijā |language=lv}} The same year, Printful was ranked as North Carolina's #1 Startup Employer by Forbes.{{Cite web |title=Printful {{!}} Company Overview & News |url=https://www.forbes.com/companies/printful/ |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Forbes |language=en}} On 9th of August 2021, the president of Latvia Egils Levits visited the Printful fulfilment center in Latvia.{{Cite web |date=2021-08-09 |title=Valsts prezidents: “Printful” ir ļoti produktīvs un globāls uzņēmums {{!}} Valsts prezidenta kanceleja |url=https://www.president.lv/lv/jaunums/valsts-prezidents-printful-ir-loti-produktivs-un-globals-uznemums |access-date=2024-03-09 |website=www.president.lv |language=lv}}
In 2022, Alex Saltonstall was appointed as the new CEO, and Printful acquired Snow Commerce in 2023.{{Cite web |title=Printful acquires merch specialist |url=https://www.printweek.com/news/article/printful-acquires-merch-specialist |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Printweek |language=en}}
In November 2024, Printful announced a strategic merger with Printify, combining resources and technological capabilities while maintaining both brands separately to expand product offerings and improve fulfillment services.{{Cite web |title=Printful and Printify announce merger |url=https://www.printful.com/news/merger |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=Printful |language=en}}{{Cite web |title=Merger of the year as Printful and Printify become 'Fyul' |url=https://eng.lsm.lv/article/economy/business/08.01.2025-merger-of-the-year-as-printful-and-printify-become-fyul.a582814/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=eng.lsm.lv |language=en}}{{Cite web |last=Lomas |first=Natasha |date=2024-11-05 |title=Printful and Printify ink a merger deal |url=https://techcrunch.com/2024/11/05/printful-and-printify-ink-a-merger-deal/ |access-date=2025-03-05 |website=TechCrunch |language=en-US}}
= Activities =
Printful is an on-demand printing and fulfillment company.{{Cite web |last=O'Dell |first=Arianna |title=Four Ways To Earn Extra Money While Keeping (Or Preparing To Quit) Your Day Job |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/3066853/four-ways-to-earn-extra-money-while-keeping-or-preparing-to-quit-your-day-job |website=Fast Company}} It prints, packages, and ships products like custom clothing, accessories, and home & living items directly to customers on the behalf of online business owners.{{Cite news |date=2021-01-13 |title=U.S. Business Starts Enjoyed Their Best Year Ever Amid Covid-19 |language=en |work=Bloomberg.com |url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2021-01-13/u-s-business-starts-enjoyed-their-best-year-ever-amid-covid-19 |access-date=2023-08-04}}{{Cite web |last=Jasmijn |date=2021-10-13 |title=Printful opens fulfilment center in the UK |url=https://ecommercenews.eu/printful-opens-fulfilment-center-in-the-uk/ |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Ecommerce News}}
Printful uses printing technology from Kornit Digital and has partnered with Coloreel in embroidery techniques.{{Cite web |last=Pickard-Whitehead |first=Gabrielle |date=2017-10-06 |title=Printful Makes Warehousing and Fulfillment Available to All Ecommerce Sellers |url=https://smallbiztrends.com/2017/10/printful-warehousing-and-fulfillment.html |access-date=2023-08-04 |website=Small Business Trends |language=en-us}}
= Public activity =
Printful supports Baltic Pride through powering their Diversity shop. All proceeds go to the Association of LGBT and MOZAIKA, the organization behind Baltic Pride.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-17 |title=LGBT Nams saņems ziedojumu no uzņēmuma "Printful" investora |url=https://www.tvnet.lv/7734389/lgbt-nams-sanems-ziedojumu-no-uznemuma-printful-investora |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Latvijā |language=lv}}
In 2023, Printful's investor, Bregal Sagemount, and the COFRA Foundation funded $80,000 to the LGBT House Riga, Latvia's first LGBTQ+ support center.{{Cite web |date=2023-03-17 |title=LGBT Nams saņems ziedojumu no uzņēmuma "Printful" investora |url=https://www.tvnet.lv/7734389/lgbt-nams-sanems-ziedojumu-no-uznemuma-printful-investora |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Latvijā |language=lv}}