Nov 28, 202512 minSudoMock Team

Building a Print-on-Demand Pipeline with n8n

Build an automated print-on-demand pipeline with n8n and SudoMock API. Step-by-step guide from design upload to Etsy/Shopify listing creation at $0.002/render.

Build a fully automated Print-on-Demand pipeline using n8n and SudoMock. From design upload to published listing - without touching a single mockup manually.
0
Manual steps
Fully automated
<2min
Design to listing
End-to-end time
400+
Apps supported
n8n integrations
Free
n8n tier
Self-hosted option

What We're Building

This pipeline automatically generates product mockups whenever you upload a new design. Here's the flow:

Trigger - New file uploaded to Google Drive/Dropbox
Generate - SudoMock creates mockups for all product types
Organize - Save mockups to your storage with proper naming
Publish - Create draft listings on Etsy/Shopify (optional)

Prerequisites

  • n8n account (cloud or self-hosted)
  • SudoMock API key (get free credits)
  • Cloud storage account (Google Drive, Dropbox, or S3)
  • PSD templates uploaded to SudoMock

Step-by-Step Setup

1

Create the Trigger

In n8n, create a new workflow and add a Google Drive Trigger node (or your preferred storage). Configure it to watch your designs folder.

Trigger Configuration
json
1{
2  "resource": "file",
3  "event": "fileCreated",
4  "watchFolder": "POD Designs",
5  "fileTypes": ["image/png", "image/jpeg"]
6}
2

Add HTTP Request Node

Add an HTTP Request node to call SudoMock's render API. This generates your mockups.

SudoMock API Call
json
1{
2  "method": "POST",
3  "url": "https://api.sudomock.com/api/v1/renders",
4  "headers": {
5    "X-API-KEY": "{{ $credentials.sudomockApiKey }}",
6    "Content-Type": "application/json"
7  },
8  "body": {
9    "mockup_uuid": "your-tshirt-template-uuid",
10    "smart_objects": [{
11      "uuid": "your-smart-object-uuid",
12      "asset": {
13        "url": "{{ $json.webContentLink }}"
14      }
15    }],
16    "export_options": {
17      "image_format": "webp",
18      "image_size": 2000,
19      "quality": 95
20    }
21  }
22}

Multiple Products

Use a Split In Batches node to generate mockups for multiple product types (t-shirt, hoodie, mug) in parallel. Each product type gets its own HTTP Request node.
3

Save Results

Add another Google Drive node to save the rendered mockups. Use expressions to create organized folder structures.

Save Configuration
json
1{
2  "operation": "upload",
3  "folder": "Mockups/{{ $json.design_name }}",
4  "fileName": "{{ $json.product_type }}_{{ $json.design_name }}.webp",
5  "binaryData": false,
6  "fileUrl": "{{ $json.data.print_files[0].export_path }}"
7}
4

Optional: Create Listings

Connect to Etsy or Shopify APIs to automatically create draft listings with your new mockups.

Complete Workflow JSON

Import this workflow directly into n8n to get started quickly:

n8n Workflow Export
json
1{
2  "name": "POD Mockup Pipeline",
3  "nodes": [
4    {
5      "name": "Google Drive Trigger",
6      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDriveTrigger",
7      "position": [250, 300],
8      "parameters": {
9        "event": "fileCreated",
10        "folderId": "your-folder-id"
11      }
12    },
13    {
14      "name": "Generate T-Shirt Mockup",
15      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.httpRequest",
16      "position": [450, 300],
17      "parameters": {
18        "method": "POST",
19        "url": "https://api.sudomock.com/api/v1/renders",
20        "authentication": "predefinedCredentialType",
21        "nodeCredentialType": "httpHeaderAuth"
22      }
23    },
24    {
25      "name": "Save to Drive",
26      "type": "n8n-nodes-base.googleDrive",
27      "position": [650, 300],
28      "parameters": {
29        "operation": "upload"
30      }
31    }
32  ],
33  "connections": {
34    "Google Drive Trigger": {
35      "main": [[{"node": "Generate T-Shirt Mockup"}]]
36    },
37    "Generate T-Shirt Mockup": {
38      "main": [[{"node": "Save to Drive"}]]
39    }
40  }
41}

Advanced Tips

Error handling - Add Error Trigger nodes to catch API failures and send alerts
Rate limiting - Use Wait nodes between API calls if hitting rate limits
Parallel processing - Split batches for faster processing of multiple designs
Logging - Add Airtable or Google Sheets nodes to track processed designs

Result

Once set up, every design you drop into your folder automatically becomes a complete set of product mockups - ready for your store. No manual work required.

Related Resources

n8n Integration Docs

Detailed API setup guide

POD Use Case

More POD automation tips

Etsy Automation

Etsy-specific workflow guide

n8n Documentation

Official n8n docs

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