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6 min to readLast update on 10 September 2026

How to Set Up Your First Customizable Product?

To let shoppers design on your store, you first make a product customizable in Custy.

Your products still live in Shopify. Custy adds the custom part on top: sizes, colors, printing methods, print areas, and which tools shoppers can use. Follow the steps below in order. You can change anything later. Nothing here deletes your Shopify store.

Step 1: Open Products

In Custy, click Products on the left. This is where you sync Shopify products and turn them into custom products.

At the top you will also see tabs for shared lists you can reuse on many products: Create Colors, Product Size, Printing Types & Pricing, and Quantity Discount.

Step 2: Sync products from Shopify

If the list is empty, or a new product is missing, sync from Shopify first. Custy does not invent products. It imports the ones you already sell.

  • Click Sync Products on the banner (or Sync in the toolbar after you already have products).
  • Wait until the list fills. You may see Syncing… while it runs.
  • If a product is still missing, add it in Shopify first, then click Sync again.
Custy Products page with Sync, filters, search, and Make it customizableFull size
Sync your catalog, find a product, then click Make it customizable.
  1. 1

    Products tab

    Your product list. Other top tabs hold shared colors, sizes, printing types, and quantity discounts.

  2. 2

    Sync / Sync Products

    Pulls the latest products from Shopify into Custy.

  3. 3

    All / Custom / Dropshipped

    All shows every synced product. Custom shows ones you already made customizable. Dropshipped shows dropship products.

  4. 4

    Search products

    Type part of the product name to find it faster.

  5. 5

    Make it customizable

    Click this on the product you want shoppers to design. If you hit your plan limit, you will see Upgrade Plan instead.

Step 3: Select a product and make it customizable

From the Products list, find the product you want. Click Make it customizable beside it. Custy opens the Customize Product screen for that item.

Already set up? Click Edit instead to change it.

  • Stay on the All filter (or search) until you find the product.
  • Click Make it customizable.
  • If the button says Upgrade Plan, raise your plan limit first, then try again.

Step 4: Work through Customize Product

After you click Make it customizable, the Customize Product page opens. Work from top to bottom. Only turn on sizes, colors, and printing methods you can really make in your shop.

The page has six sections in this order:

  1. 1Product Overview: photo and price from Shopify (turn the designer on later in Step 7)
  2. 2Product Sizes: which size list shoppers can pick
  3. 3Printing Types & Pricing: how it can be printed, plus optional quantity discount
  4. 4Product Colors: which colors shoppers can switch to
  5. 5Design Tool Setup: sides, photos, and print areas
  6. 6Restrictions & Settings: which tools shoppers may use, and optional stock rules

Photo and price

The product photo and base price come from Shopify. Change those in Shopify if you need to, then sync again if the list looks out of date. You will click Save and set Active on designer after the setup steps below.

Customize Product page showing Product Overview and the sections belowFull size
Customize Product. Work down the page: sizes, printing, colors, then sides. Save and Active on designer come at the end (Step 7).
  1. 1

    Product Overview

    Photo and price from Shopify. Check you have the right product before you set options below.

  2. 2

    Product Sizes

    Pick a size set (or create one).

  3. 3

    Printing Types & Pricing

    Pick at least one printing type. Optional: a quantity discount list on Starter or higher.

  4. 4

    Product Colors

    Pick a color set (or create one).

  5. 5

    Design Tool Setup

    Add sides, upload photos, and set print areas (next steps).

  6. 6

    Restrictions & Settings

    Optional. Limit design tools or stock rules after the main setup.

Step 4a: Product Sizes

Under Product Sizes, choose which sizes shoppers can pick. Shoppers only see the sizes you enable here.

  • Open the Size Set dropdown and pick a set (for example Adult Sizes).
  • Click Edit Set to add or remove sizes in the set you selected.
  • Click + New Size Set to build a new list and assign it to this product.
Product Sizes section with Size Set dropdown, Edit Set, and New Size SetFull size
Pick a Size Set, or create one with + New Size Set.
  1. 1

    Size Set

    Choose an existing size list for this product.

  2. 2

    Edit Set

    Change the sizes inside the selected set.

  3. 3

    + New Size Set

    Create a new size list and use it on this product.

Step 4b: Printing Types & Pricing

Under Printing Types & Pricing, choose how this product can be printed. Pick at least one printing type (for example Screen Print or DTG).

  • Select one or more printing types from the list.
  • Click Add / Edit Printing Types if you need to create or change a printing method and its fees.
  • Optional (Starter or higher): open Quantity Discount and pick a discount list, or leave No Discount.

Need help with fees?

See the Printing Types & Pricing guide for setup fees, color limits, and quantity discounts.

Printing Types and Pricing section on Customize ProductFull size
Select printing types. Use Add / Edit Printing Types to build methods and fees.
  1. 1

    Printing Types

    Select at least one method this product supports.

  2. 2

    Add / Edit Printing Types

    Create or edit printing methods and pricing rules.

  3. 3

    Quantity Discount

    Optional list for bulk discounts. Needs Starter or higher. On Free this tab stays locked.

Step 4c: Product Colors

Under Product Colors, pick the color set shoppers will see in the design screen. They switch product color from that list.

  • Open Select Color Set and choose a set.
  • Click New Color Set if you need a new list (name, color code, optional swatch, optional extra price).
  • Check Applied To so you know which sides use that color set.
Product Colors section with color set dropdown and New Color SetFull size
Choose a color set, or click New Color Set to build one.
  1. 1

    Select Color Set

    Pick an existing color list for this product.

  2. 2

    New Color Set

    Create a new list of colors shoppers can choose.

  3. 3

    Applied To

    Shows which product sides use this color set.

Step 5: Design Tool Setup (sides and print areas)

Scroll to Design Tool Setup. Here you add each side shoppers can design (Front, Back, and so on), upload a photo for that side, and set the print area.

Plan limits: Free allows 1 print side. Starter allows up to 6. Pro allows as many as you need.

  • Click Add Side and give the side a clear name (Front, Back, Left Sleeve).
  • Click Advanced Settings on the side you are working on to upload the photo and set the print area.
Design Tool Setup with Add Side and Advanced SettingsFull size
Add every side shoppers can design, then open Advanced Settings.
  1. 1

    Add Side

    Add a new side. Rename it so you and your print team know which side it is.

  2. 2

    Side list

    Reorder or delete sides. The preview shows the print area box on the photo.

  3. 3

    Advanced Settings

    Open Advanced Settings on a side. Use Upload Images & Styles to add the product photo, then set the print area.

Step 5a: Advanced Settings (print area)

Advanced Settings is where you finish each side. Upload the product photo, draw the printable box, set real width and height, and optionally add mark areas as guides.

  • Open the Upload Images & Styles tab and upload a clear photo for the side.
  • Open the Print Area tab. Drag the box onto the printable part of the product.
  • Choose INCH or CM. Enter Actual Width and Height so the design file matches real print size.
  • Optional: open Mark Areas and add a rectangle or circle as a placement guide.
  • Click Update to save this side, then go back and Save the whole product.
Advanced Settings Print Area tab with box, units, and dimensionsFull size
Upload the photo, set the print area, add optional mark areas, then click Update.
  1. 1

    Side tabs

    Switch between Front, Back, and other sides you added.

  2. 2

    Upload Images & Styles

    Upload the product photo shoppers see while designing.

  3. 3

    Print Area

    Drag and resize the dashed box over the printable surface.

  4. 4

    Unit (INCH / CM)

    Use the same units you use when you measure for print.

  5. 5

    Actual Width / Height

    Real print size for the output file.

  6. 6

    Mark Areas

    Optional guides inside the print area. Printing still follows the print area.

  7. 7

    Update

    Save these Advanced Settings for this side.

Step 6: Restrictions & Settings (optional)

Scroll to Restrictions & Settings if you want to limit what shoppers can do on this product, or track stock.

  • Under Design Tool, turn off tools you do not want (for example Add text, Add clipart, Upload, or Add to cart). Use Select all if you want every tool on.
  • Under Inventory (Starter or higher), track stock by size, color, and style if you need to.
Restrictions and Settings with Design Tool optionsFull size
Turn tools on or off per product. Inventory needs Starter or higher.
  1. 1

    Design Tool

    Choose which design tools shoppers may use on this product.

  2. 2

    Add text / Add clipart / Upload / Add to cart

    Uncheck any tool you want to disable for this product.

  3. 3

    Inventory

    Optional stock rules by size, color, and style. Needs Starter or higher.

Step 7: Save and turn the designer on

When the options look right, set Active on designer to Yes, then click Save. You should see a short Product saved message.

Custy does not use a separate Activate Now popup. Active on designer set to Yes, plus a successful Save, is what makes the product available in the design screen (after your theme shows Customize It).

  • Set Active on designer to Yes.
  • Click Save at the top of Customize Product.
  • Optional: click View in store and confirm shoppers see the customize button on that product (often Customize It, or the label you set in the theme).
Active on designer Yes, Save, then the live store product pageFull size
Set Active on designer to Yes, click Save, then check the live product page.
  1. 1

    Active on designer

    Must be Yes for shoppers to open this product in the Design Lab.

  2. 2

    Save

    Saves the custom setup. Toast message: Product saved.

  3. 3

    Live store button

    On the product page, shoppers click the customize button (for example Customize It or Design Now) to open the Design Lab.

What to do next

Next, set up product sizes if you have not already, then set print areas so artwork stays in the right place.