How To Display Shirt Design on 3D Model?

Top apparel brands are ditching flat product photos for 3D shirt displays and customers are rewarding them for it. This shift isn’t just about looking modern; it’s about closing sales faster and slashing return rates. In this piece, we’ve explained how to display shirt design on 3D model that turn casual scrollers into confident buyers.

Why is 3D Shirt Design Important?

3D visualizations of shirt designs make the online shopping experience better, making it feel closer to buying in-store. Here are the key benefits:

1. Design Flexibility: Quickly visualize multiple colorways and patterns without creating physical samples, speeding up your product development.
2. Sustainability: Save on costs by using 3D models instead of spending on sample production and photography.
3. Enhanced Customer Confidence: Customers can see how shirts fit on realistic models, reducing hesitation and boosting conversion rates.
4. Reduced Returns: Accurate 3D representations help customers make informed choices about size and style, leading to fewer returns.
5. Interactive Shopping: Customers can rotate and zoom in on designs, creating an engaging experience that keeps them on your site longer.

These benefits make it essential for POD sellers to learn how to create 3D t-shirt mockups and improve their design display.

How to Display Shirt Design on 3D Model (Step-by-Step Guide)

Here is how you can display a shirt design on a 3D model using Blender.

Step 1: Prepare Your Design in Photoshop:

1. Create separate layers for each design element (e.g., back design, chest graphic, sleeve graphic).

2. Ensure all layers are on transparent backgrounds. Use the Quick Export as PNG feature to save each layer individually. Name the files.

Step 2: Download and Install Blender:

Visit blender.org and download the latest version compatible with your operating system (e.g., Apple Silicon for M1/M2 Macs). Install the software.

Step 3: Set Up the Blender Project:

Open Blender and load the provided T-shirt template file . Familiarize yourself with the interface, including the viewport options (e.g., wireframe, solid, material preview, rendered view).

Step 4: Import Your Design into Blender:

1. Select the T-Shirt Base object in the scene. Navigate to the Shader Editor tab to access the material nodes.

2. Locate the Image Texture node. Click the folder icon, then browse to your exported PNG files (e.g., back_design.png) and load them.

Step 5: Adjust Material Settings for Realism:

1. For white designs on dark garments: Connect the Color output of the image texture to the Base Color input of the Principled BSDF node. Ensure transparency is enabled.

2. For black designs on light garments: Adjust the garment color in the material settings to a lighter shade (e.g., gray) to ensure the black print remains visible. Use the Alpha channel to control opacity if needed.

Step 6: Position and Scale the Design:

Use the UV mapping overlay (enable UV Empty in Photoshop) to align your design correctly on the T-shirt. Avoid placing graphics too close to seams or edges.

Step 7: Configure Lighting and Camera:

1. Toggle the scene lights (Area Lights, Top Light, Bottom Light) to achieve desired shadows and highlights.

2. Select a camera angle from the Camera folder (e.g., Close Front, Back View) or manually adjust the camera for custom angles.

Step 8: Render Static Images:

Go to Render > Render Image to generate a high-quality static preview. Adjust the render resolution (e.g., 1200×1200 pixels) in the Output Properties tab. Save renders as PNG for transparency.

Step 9: Create an Animation:

1. In the timeline, set the animation length (default: 180 frames). Adjust the camera or T-shirt rotation for dynamic movement.

2. Navigate to Render > Render Animation. Choose a folder (e.g., render_animation) and save the sequence as PNG files.

Step 10: Post-Process in Premiere Pro (or Similar Software):

1. Import the PNG sequence into Premiere Pro. Create a new sequence and enable Image Sequence during import.

2. Adjust playback speed (Right-click > Speed/Duration) or add color correction (Lumetri Color > Basic Correction) for contrast and exposure.

Step 11: Export the final animation as an MP4 or MOV file.

1. Optional: Add Backgrounds or Branding.

In Photoshop or Premiere Pro, overlay the rendered T-shirt on custom backgrounds (e.g., solid colors, patterns) to match your brand’s aesthetic.

2. Review and Share.

Double-check alignment, lighting, and design visibility across all angles. Share your work on social media or with clients, tagging relevant creators

Here is a set of 5 best generator tools other than Blender to put your shirt designs on 3D models.

5 Popular 3D Shirt Design Tools You Must Check

Studio Innate

Studio Innate is a free 3D mockup generator for shirts where you can get a 3D shirt design preview easily. Choose an animated mockup template and put your design to check.

It has a built-in mockup generator to create mockups and download them for display. You can change fonts, build Photoshop mockups, Blender mockups, vector packs, motion packs, etc on this website.

All the mockup templates require a license to buy. It offers a free trial period to try the 3D mockup tool. Its pro plan starts at $32/month.

Placeit

Placeit is a turnkey website where you can find video mockups with 3D models to check your shirt designs. This website also has a built-in 3D model shirt mockup generator for instant preview.

Search for 3D shirt mockups and you will find multiple templates to work with. Select one and check your designs in real-time. 

The only drawbacks are its limited 3D model mockup templates and rigid mockup generation. You cannot change the features much and have to rely on your instincts. You can easily learn how to create 3D t-shirt mockups here for free. For downloads, you need to pay a subscription. Its pro plan starts at $14.95/month.

VirtualThreads.io

VirtualThreads lets you transform your 2D shirt designs into 3D animated presentations. The best part is you can add wind effects and walking animations to a shirt design.

Select a template considering your shirt design and check it live. It offers 3D shirt templates with a variety of features like sleeve length, neck, collar, etc.

The only drawback is that it does not have models to adorn your designs. However, you can still get a good idea of the mockups by rotating and zooming the previews.

Use its mockup generator for free and get limited HD exports with 3D backgrounds. Its pro plan unlocks all the features for $19/month.

Pacdora

Pacdora is the best software for 3D t-shirt mockups I have found that offers around 40 3D templates. Its built-in 3D shirt mockup generator offers advanced web-based tools for quick editing and previewing.

Choose a template, click on its 3D version and you will be redirected to its 3D design tool. You can select various parameters like neck size, neck type, and sleeve lengths.

You can even adjust the dimensions of designs on this web tool. Its 3D shirt mockup generator is free to use. Its pro plan for all tools and features starts at $5/month billed annually.

Provisual

Provisual has 3D short templates to apply and check your designs. You can select a template, add a design, and check its preview.

The best part I found on this website is its tutorial for every template that teaches how to create 3D t-shirt mockups with an existing template.

You will get 3D shirt templates with different features such as jerseys, oversized t-shirts, long-sleeved t-shirts, polo shirts, shirts on hangers, etc.

Its free version allows you to make custom 3D shirt mockups for three projects. The pro plan costs $23/user/month and unlocks all the features.

These tools are good enough to try your shirt designs and download 3D mockups for display. However, they cannot produce mockups in bulk. 

These 3D model shirt mockups are good for display but take too much time to design one preview. You may need mockups in bulk for better promotion.

Install Bulk Mockup to Automate Bulk Shirt Mockup Generation

For this, you can install Bulk Mockup, a Photoshop plugin, to generate 2D and 3D shirt mockups in bulk. This helps streamline your bulk shirt mockup generation in very simple steps.

1. Get PSD templates with smart object layers
2. Connect folders for PSD templates, shirt designs, and complete mockup file locations.
3. Open this plugin, select the correct resizing options, and start generating.

That’s all you need to do. With simple Photoshop knowledge, you can create hundreds of shirt mockups in seconds. No need to wait to render 3D model shirt videos anymore!

Join 5,000+ designers automating their Photoshop workflow today!

FAQs

Can I 3D Print A Shirt?

You can check the preview of a 3D shirt model online. Such mockups are used for displays only but not for printing.

What Software To Use For 3D T-Shirt Design?

Use VirtualThreads, Pacdora, and Placeit for 3D t-shirt design. They have good templates for preview and mockup downloads.

How Do You Mock Up A Design On A Shirt?

Use t-shirt mockup generator tools for a mockup design. You can also use Bulk Mockup to automate mockup generation in bulk with Photoshop.

Can I Edit 3D Shirt Templates In Photoshop? 

Yes. You can replace a smart object in Photoshop and design 3D templates. Make sure the PSD templates have defined smart object layers.