How to make SVG files to sell (in 2022!)

Use graphic design software like Adobe Illustrator or Inkscape to design an SVG file.
Try to pick fonts that will cut easily on a Cricut Maker.
Export your file from the design software to your computer as an SVG file.
Upload the SVG file into Cricut Design Space.
Test your file. Make adjustments to the file as needed.
Save a new version of your SVG file.
Create a mockup of your SVG file so your customers can see how to use the file.
List your file for sale on your website, Etsy store, or Creative Market.
Market your new shop on Pinterest. Tip: This is fantastic for Pinterest Marketing!

Let’s talk more about this process in detail. We will break this down step by step!

This post contains affiliate links which means if you make a purchase from a link in this post, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

What is an SVG file?

SVG is short for scalable vector graphic files.

An SVG is also called a cut file.

A PNG or JPG file is made using pixels. An SVG file is made using lines and points.

An SVG file is clean and ready to cut within Cricut Design Space. It is by far the most popular type of file to use with Cricut Design Space.

An SVG file is a cut file made specifically for many DIY projects. Whether you are looking to make mugs, t-shirts, gift tags, or home decor. An SVG will give your project a professional look.

All you need to do is upload the file into Cricut Design Space and cut it!

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WHAT SOFTWARE IS USED TO CREATE SVG FILES?

The two most popular software to create SVG files is Adobe Illustrator and Inkscape.

Graphic design software like Adobe Illustrator Inkscape can be intimidating to learn for beginners. If you have limited experience with either software, take your time. Use Youtube tutorials to help you navigate and learn.

When it comes to making your own SVG files, be sure to look for trademarks when it comes to quotes and phrases. Do a little research before you begin making an SVG file (more on that later).

Pay attention to licensing of anything you purchase from fonts to artwork! Message the seller if you have any questions.

To use Adobe illustrator you will need to pay a yearly or monthly fee. Inkscape is free and compatible with a PC or Mac.

If you are new to graphic design, both software requires a bit of a learning curve. Be patient.

You can also make files on Affinity Publisher, Canva, or even Google Slides. A word of caution of Google Slides, you can export files as an SVG but be sure to test those files! You may need to run your files through a program like Vector Magic.

Always test files before you sell. We will talk about that in-depth later in this post!

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HOW TO MAKE SVG FILES IN ADOBE ILLUSTRATOR

Open a new Canvas. In a Mac, click on File, NEW.

You should see something similar to the screen above.

Choose a canvas size. A 5” x 7”, 8.5” x 11 “or 12” x 12” match the best with Cricut Design Space and Silhouette.

On the right side of your screen, you will see preset details. Make sure the Raster effect is 300 PPI. Choose whatever orientation you want for your canvas. You can design a canvas in landscape or horizontal orientation.

When you are done, click on CREATE.

Next, we want to create a text box.

Click on the T in the left side menu. This is called the type tool.

A box should appear on your canvas. Type in the word or phrase you want to use to make your SVG file to sell.

You can change the font and size of the text by using the menu on the right OR by selecting Type then Font from the top menu in Adobe Illustrator.

It is important to note, you cannot upload this file the way it is into Cricut Design Space. As the file is now, it is not a compound path. Cricut Design Space will not upload a file that is not a compound path.

To make this file a compound path, click on the direct selection tool in the left menu of the screen.

You will need to outline the text. First, click on the text so this box outline appears around your text.

Click on TYPE, then CREATE OUTLINES.

If you do not create outlines your customers cannot open this file on their computer if they don’t have this font. After you create an outline of the text. your potential customers can open this file regardless of whether they own this particular font or not.

HOW DO I MAKE AN SVG FILE IN INKSCAPE?

Let’s walk through this same process in Inkscape.

First, open a new document window.

Click on the A or text button to add text to your canvas

You can select a font on the upper left side of your screen. For this example, I am using the WISHED font from KA font design.

Type in the word or phrase you want to use for your SVG file. TIP: make each word a separate text box!

Next, select the arrow icon in the upper right.

Then click on the text box. Using arrows surrounding the text, drag the arrows to make the text bigger is if you want.

If you have a scripted font or want to move around the letters individually, click on PATH, then OBJECT TO PATH.

Next, click on OBJECT then UNGROUP.

Now you can move around the letters individually. This step is optional!

Once you have the letters arranged. Click on PATH, then UNION.

Tip: if you have a phrase or words with icons you want to make sure the file is aligned on your canvas. To do this, go to OBJECT. Click on Align and Distribute. This panel you see on the right should appear.

Select all the elements on the page and align as you wish. The align function gives you so many options to play around with it if you have never used it.

Remember you can always UNDO if you need to and try again.

When you are finished and ready to save, click on File, then SAVE AS.

Name your file and choose Plain SVG.

Test your file in Cricut Design Space to make sure it uploads correctly.

WHAT FONTS CAN YOU USE TO MAKE SVG FILES?

Not all fonts will work with SVG cut files. You want to make sure you choose a font that is smooth. Any bumps or rough edges on the lettering of the font will destroy the materials you are working with.

Choose a font that is relatively smooth edges and does not have massive twists or require tiny cutouts.

If you are making files to sell, consider buying fonts with a commercial license. Creative Market is a great place to buy fonts! Etsy is another great place to buy fonts.

On Creative Market be sure to purchase the commercial license if you are going to be using the fonts to sell SVG cut files.

If you purchase on Etsy, be sure to read the terms of purchase. Message the seller if you have questions.

Be sure to know what you can do with the fonts you purchase. You do not want to violate license agreements.

WHAT IS AN SVG USED FOR?

An SVG file can be used for so many different things. Here are just a few ideas!

Tote bags
Iron-on
Decals
Stickers
Paper cards
T-shirts
Mugs
Waterbottles
Sewing projects (yes, you can create sewing patterns!)
And so much more!

Spend some time gathering inspirations from Etsy or Creative Market. Don't copy other designers’ work but look around to see what is popular.

What files are selling well?

What is trending right now?

What could you create that would be 10% better than what is selling now?

Go over to Pinterest and search SVG cut files? Notice what types of files come up first in the search. Those are the most popular on Pinterest right now. Make a note and think about what you could add to this market.

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HOW MUCH DOES IT COST TO START AN SVG BUSINESS?

Selling Digital Products is an awesome business to start if you are looking for low start-up costs. You will need a computer, graphic design software, and an online shop!

One of the biggest advantages of selling digital files is that you can create a product once and sell it over and over again. With a traditional product, you’d need to purchase the cost of goods every time to sell a product. Not to mention, packaging and shipping costs! With digital products, the cost to produce is extremely low.

Once you find a niche your customers will purchase, you can create more products to serve your customers!

You will have no shipping costs. You do not have to deal with missing parts or broken pieces. You simply put up fa file once and move on to the next one!

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THINK ABOUT HOW TO YOU CAN SOLVE A PROBLEM

Successful SVG sellers think about what handmade makers would need to streamline the business and make those files. Think about what SVG products you could sell that would help streamline other business owners.

Do you know other handmade sellers? Ask them what products they need to help them save time and increase profit margins. Could you create an SVG product to solve this problem?

Many makers are looking for SVG files to help them create new products. Remember not all business people are designers. You could help other business owner by creating a product they need!

Think outside the box. Maybe you could create SVG files to help with packaging, marketing, or other parts of the business?

There are so many different parts of one business that need help! Be the solution!

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HOW SHOULD I FORMAT MY FILE TO SELL?

In addition to selling your file as an SVG, customers appreciate it when sellers provide additional formats for cut files. Consider saving your file as a DXF and PNG as well.

DXF stands for AutoCAD Drawing Interchange File and is compatible with Sihilloute Studio. PNG files are commonly used for print then cut projects.

Your design software will allow you to export your design to different file formats. Simply export it once as an SVG. Then export another file saved as a DXF. Export your file a third time as a PNG.

You can zip all three files together and sell them as a zip file.

HOW DO I UPLOAD SVG FILES TO CRICUT DESIGN SPACE?

Make sure you have Cricut Design Space downloaded on your computer.
Open Cricut Design Space and click on NEW PROJECT.
Click UPLOAD.
Click on upload image. Select the file from your computer.
Name the file and click on SAVE.
Click on your recently uploaded image and click on INSERT IMAGE.
You should see your cut file on your project canvas.

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DO I NEED TO TEST MY FILE BEFORE I SELL IT?

Yes! Be sure to test all your files before you sell.

Here is how to test SVG files before you sell.

Make sure you have Cricut Design Space downloaded and updated on your computer.
Upload your SVG file to Cricut Design Space.
If you have never uploaded a file or have any issues, check out my post on HOW TO UPLOAD AN IMAGE INTO CRICUT DESIGN SPACE.
Test your file inside Cricut Design Space. Note issues that need to be fixed.
Using the graphic design software you used to design your file, fix issues to the file you noted when you tested.
Resave your file.

WHERE CAN I SELL THE SVG FILES?

You can sell your SVG Files on

The advantage to selling on Etsy or Creative Market is that you know your buyers are already there. People go to Etsy to look for specific svg files. In other words, your future customers are already actively buying products on Etsy or Creative Market!

At the same time, owning your own shop online is important. Eventually, you want to work towards having your own website and shop. You never know what can happen on bigger websites. You could be accidentally shut down putting your income at risk.

Work on gathering email addresses for your customers and build a relationship with them over email Give it time. You don’t have to do everything at once!

SHOULD I START MY OWN WEBSITE OR JUST SELL ON ETSY?

Start a corresponding website for your shop when you have the money and time. Purchase a website that you own in your business name. Having a spot on the internet that you own is super important for the future of your business. Gather email address from your customer and start a unique relationship with them through weekly or monthly email broadcasts!

You never know what can happen on other sites like Etsy or Creative Market. Your shop could be accidentally shut down or closed at any moment. Work towards finding your unique customer base and slowly build a brand outside of one marketplace!

This will take time so be patient. It is worth the time and money in the long run.

CAN YOU MAKE MONEY SELLING SVG FILES?

Yes! An average SVG file sells between $1 and $5 per file. Consider creating a lot of files and listing them as bundles too. Buyers love bundles!

The trick with bundles is to select a theme and list a bundle around that theme. Here are some great bundle ideas:

Kitchen Towel SVG bundle
Holiday t-shirt bundles
Doormat saying bundles
Coffee mug SVG bundles
Home decor sign bundles
Organizational sticker bundles

HOW DO YOU MARKET SVG FILES TO SELL?

Learn as much as you can about SEO and put it into practice as much as you can. Know that SEO Is a long game so give it time and be patient. You will never LEARN IT ALL so learn as you go and keep at it!

At the same time, market your shop on Pinterest. We love Carly’s approach to Pinterest marketing. This has changed the way we do business on Pinterest! I highly recommend it!

Create mockups of your product in your listings. Customers love to see HOW to use your cut file. You can purchase mock-up photos and use Canva to place your designs into the photos! It is super easy to do.

Be sure to export your file as a PNG image with a transparent background. Upload your image and your mock-up into Canva. If your cut file has a transparent background all you need to do is adjust the size of your image to fit the mockup!

You can purchase apparel, technology, magazines, posters, home decor mock-ups and so much more!

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HOW DO YOU LICENSE SVG FILES?

You can license your product for personal or commercial use. if you choose to license for commercial use this means someone can your file to create goods to sell.

If you choose to offer a commercial license consider how many units of a product your customer can sell with your SVG. Can they use your SVG to print on demand?

Be overly clear about what your customer can and cannot do with your SVG file. For example, you may want to clearly state that your customer cannot resell your digital file. You also want to clearly state that your customer cannot share/trade/loan your file to anyone.

It is better to be clear on your license from the beginning.

HOW CAN I PROTECT MY FILES?

It is always a good idea to watermark your SVG designs. You can watermark your images in CANVA.

In some cases, people can take the image of your SVG and trace it and resell it. It happens so be sure to watermark your images to protect your work.

INSTANT DOWNLOAD

Offer your customers an instant download of your file.

People hate to wait for things.

People love instant gratification!

Make it quick and easy for your customers to get your file as quickly as possible!

TRADEMARKS

Educate yourself on trademarks BEFORE you start selling SVG’s. Stay away from creating any files that represent Disney characters, Disney themes, or professional sports teams. Etsy will shut down any shop that violates a trademark infringement. You don’t want that to happen to you!

Check the TESS database for trademarks. Phrases, artwork, and fonts could have trademarks as well.

To find out if the artwork is trademarked go HERE.
To find out if a phrase is trademarked go HERE

FINAL THOUGHT

When creating SVG files don’t buy someone esle’s work, change it, and sell it. Get inspiration from other designers’ work then create your own unique and individual SVG file.

Always check with designers when using clip art or images you’ve purchased. Most fonts come with a commercial license, if not message the seller and ask! Make sure you have permission from the seller for a commercial license before you sell your creations!

Did you know we have a free resource library exclusively for Cricut Crafters?

Get access to our library HERE and grab some of our FREE cut files for your next Cricut Project. We add new cut files regularly so grab the password and browse around for Cricut Projects.

Our free-cut files are great for new and experienced Cricut Crafters.

How to make SVG files to sell (in 2022!) — melissa voigt (2024)