Personalisation – the key to success
Custom canvas prints – framed canvas fabric printed with photo reproductions – are the flagship product at My-Picture.co.uk. Explaining that the demand for canvas has grown immensely in recent years, the company conceded that this could be explained partly by pandemic-related lockdowns and travel restrictions, with people filling a lot of their time stuck at home by shopping online and decorating their new home offices, but told us there is another reason behind the popularity of canvas prints.
Put simply, buyers appreciate the chance to personalise their home decor using their own photos. They value the convenience of uploading their photos online and letting the provider will do the rest. And My-Picture.co.uk pointed out that the demand for ready-made customised designs is only likely to grow further – reflecting the desire among younger generations to document their experiences visually.
Keeping the balance between automation and craftsmanship
The growing demand for canvas prints has led to ever more streamlined production processes. However, this doesn’t mean that the whole production process, from printing to packaging, can be automated. Unlike most print products, canvas prints – displayed as they are on an internal stretcher frame – still call for a professional craftsman’s touch.
According to My-Picture.co.uk, only assembly by hand can achieve a perfectly taut print surface that won’t warp or sag with time. And customers have come to expect long-lasting results. Custom canvas prints occupy a market position which could be described as “budget premium” – buyers demand price performance but also expect their wall art to last for decades, not just years.
The custom printing providers increasing their market share, therefore, are largely those who offer a combination of cutting-edge printing techniques and specialist work by hand.
Canvas printing and environmental protection
Consumers and companies alike are paying more attention to the environmental impact of printing. In this respect digital printing already has several advantages over analogue: it uses less ink in production, produces less waste and consumes less energy. But increasingly buyers expect companies to take additional steps to ensure sustainability.
My-Picture.co.uk said that printing companies using timber in production – the frames for canvas prints, for example – will be expected to participate in reforestation projects. Meanwhile the use of renewable energy at manufacturing sites will soon be seen as a bare-minimum commitment to ecological protection.
Canvas prints to win over B2B market
While custom canvas prints are an established presence in the B2C sector, forward-thinking custom print companies have started to offer their services in the B2B market too. Businesses looking for print-on-demand solutions can get canvas prints printed and delivered direct to their buyers on a white-label basis. Many artists and photographers who sell printed merchandise – as well as smaller companies – are already taking advantage.
My-Picture.co.uk emphasised that printing specialists who offer the fulfilment plus drop shipping model will gain a significant competitive advantage – and that it offers real growth potential to their B2C clients too.
All in all, industry professionals look at the future of canvas prints with optimism. As the charm and aesthetic versatility of canvas continues to attract people looking for higher-end home decor, canvas prints are becoming the defining product of the custom wall art sector.
