Want to make a custom phone cases rather than buy one? Here’s a complete guide.
Did you know over 3 billion people now own a smartphone?
Of course, with every phone, there’s at least 1 phone case. People also upgrade their phones as new models come out every year. This warrants another purchase of a case.
Then, there’s the fact that phones today are more valuable than ever. This means phone cases that protect them from bumps and falls are now necessities as well.
For these reasons, a phone case company has become an attractive idea for young people looking to start their own business. If you also want to enter this industry, you first have to know how to make custom phone cases. Read on to find out how these businesses make custom ones.
1. Find/Create a design you like
First, you have to choose the design you want for your personal phone cases. There are many ways to go about this, depending on whether you’re planning to turn it into a business.
Design your own case
If you’re good with your hands and you know Photoshop, you can create your own designs. This allows you to have a phone case design that’s only yours, and you ensure it’s everything you wanted.
The only consideration here is that you must have a lot of time. This is workable if you’re only doing this for yourself, but if you’re going to be the designer in your business, you’ll have to have a lot of time to churn out different designs on a regular schedule. You’ll have to create various designs in order to be able to offer different options.
The advantage is that you’ll save on designers. The disadvantage is that it will take up too much of your time that you would have spent on your business instead.
Use your photos
Do you have an arsenal of beautiful photos on your gallery? Make them work by using them as the design of your phone cases instead.
As opposed to the above option, photos will only need a little editing, and they’ll be good enough for production. Make sure to use high-quality photos, though; it’s preferable if you took them using a DSLR instead of your phone.
If you want to sell them, find ones that fit your niche—those you think your target market will like. As long as you’re good at capturing moments, you’ll also be able to supply new designs on a regular schedule.
Find designs online
The free images in Google might tempt you, but they’re a bad choice, in general. Most photos and designs there for free have low quality or have watermarks. Plus, your offers won’t be unique from your other competitors.
Browse the internet for some designs. If you find a design you like, contact the website or the designer and ask if you can use it. Note that you’ll have to shell out money in order to use it.
You can also find portfolios on websites like Dribbble, which is like a social media platform for designers.
Hire a designer
If you want to be unique, though, you may hire a designer to create a whole new design for you. This is the priciest option, but you can ensure you’re getting high-quality designs that are unique to you.
You can hire also hire a designer through Dribbble and freelance sites like Upwork. Specify your needs and then select a designer from those who apply. You may also be able to find designers on Instagram and contact them for freelance work.
There’s a cheap way to get original designs, though—through Fiverr. It’s a platform where you can hire freelancers to do a job for you for as low as $5. It’s cheap, but don’t expect too much if you don’t want to shell out $100 to $300 per hour for an established designer.
2. Find suppliers who make custom phone cases
Unless you have a 3D printer, you likely won’t be able to make your own case from scratch. You’ll have to find a supplier where you can buy clear or plain white cases to serve as your base.
Amazon is a good place to start, especially if you only need 1 or a few cases. If you’re building a phone case business, you’ll want a supplier who does wholesale. Find one that can supply what you need, like canvasses for 3D prints or clear cases.
3. Research Printing Techniques
There are different ways to print on a phone, and some can give you either 2D or 3D results. The most common ones are digital UV printing, sublimation printing, screen printing, and heat transfer. Then we also have embossing/debossing, water transfer, and IMD/IML printing.
Each one offers different pros and cons, so make sure to research which one would fit best in your vision. If you’re planning to supply phone cases, for example, screen printing isn’t ideal as it takes a lot of time. If you want to use wood cases, digital UV printing will work but not sublimation.
You may have to research before buying cases as you won’t know what you’ll need for your project or business. After researching the printing technique you think will work for you, it’s time to decide whether you want to do it yourself or whether you want to hire a printing company instead.
Buying your own printing tools
If you’re only making a phone case for yourself, buying a printer for this purpose isn’t recommended. A high-quality UV printing machine costs thousands of bucks. A sublimation machine can be more affordable, but it still has a hefty price for personal use.
If you’re thinking of turning it into a business, buy the best machine you can with your budget.
You’re going to have a lot of competition, so offering high-quality prints is the least you can do to gain market share. It will also encourage your customers to buy again from you, which is important because repeat customers often account for more than half of a business’ revenue.
Many people buy overseas (China) where it’s cheaper, but think of the shipping cost and the delivery time. In many cases, the long wait and huge shipping fees aren’t worth it for the difference in price.
Moreover, the U.S. is catching up to China in regards to global manufacturing. If you look hard enough, you can find printing equipment that costs almost as low as you would find overseas. It will also be easier to contact them should you encounter any problems.
Finding a printing company
You don’t have to print your phone cases yourself. You can also find a printing company and outsource the task to them. You won’t have to buy any equipment, which would otherwise eat a huge chunk of your budget and take up space.
This way, you’ll also be able to do your business from home, where you won’t need much space to store your phone cases.
First, find a printing company that specializes in the printing method you prefer. Look for companies via Google, where you can also look up the reviews for a specific company.
You’ll be able to find one offering phone cases, so you won’t even have to buy the cases yourself. All you’ll have to do is to submit the designs, wait for the approval, and then wait for the phone cases to arrive at your doorstep.
This is the easiest method, and the capital isn’t as large as when you’d have to buy your own equipment.
If you only want 1 or 2 cases for your own use, you’ll find businesses offering retail phone cases you can customize like CustomEnvy.com. You’ll only have to upload the design on their website and wait for the confirmation.
4. Put Together Your Phone Case
If you’re making a phone case for yourself or if you chose to do it yourself, buy all the supplies you need and then get to work. Make sure the design is ready by then, too.
There are several DIY methods you can employ to make a unique phone case, such as inserting a printed paper into a ready-made case. The perfect cases for this are clear ones or plain colored ones.
If you choose this method, you’ll have to print the design on a hard paper. You’ll find templates online for the specific model of your phone.
Once you’ve printed the design out, use an X-Acto knife to cut it according to your phone’s specifications. You’ll also be the one to cut out the hole for the camera. Then, you’ll only have to fit it into the clear case.
What’s good about this method is you don’t need fancy printing machines or special tools. You can also swap out designs as long as the clear case is still good.
If you’re using a printing machine, however, make sure to learn how it works first. Try out a few designs to get the hang of it before you open your shop.
Start your phone case business now
Now that you know how to make custom phone cases, what’s left is building your business itself. Draft up a business plan, create a website, and start building your online presence. You still have a long way to go after knowing how to make phone cases.
If you need more information on the latest technologies, check out our other guides today. Here’s one showcasing what you can expect with folding phones and how they can change the industry.
Photograph by StockSnap