Best Custom Photo Blankets in 2023 (+ Wash & Care Guide)

Custom Photo Blankets make excellent gifts for family members – imagine waking up each morning surrounded by all your favorite photos!

Thankfully, making a photo blanket is simple – just upload your photos, choose your material, size and style, and then order away!

You can even try and make your own photo blanket – we’ve included a guide below, but we still recommend ordering one for the best results. 

Whether you call it a bedspread, duvet, bedcover or even a doona (like we do in Australia), a custom photo blanket is a fun project for you or a loved one, and definitely an original gift for a photographer.

Let’s look at where you can get your hands on one.

Who Makes the Best Photo Blanket in 2023?

Image	Product	Features
	SnapfishOUR #1 CHOICE	Low Prices Quick & Streamlined Process Substantail Printing Options Solid Editing Tools	View Price →
	Shutterfly	Professional Custom Designs Drag & Drop Photo Uploading Custom Packaging Options Intuitive Web Interface	View Price →
	Zazzle	User Friendly Web Interface 200 Million Pre-existing Designs Useful Tracking Options Wide Variety of Printing Options	View Price →
	Walmart	Order From Your Smartphone Same-day Local Pickup Custom Photo Editing Best Budget Option	View Price →
	Walgreens	Impressive Image Quality Directly Upload from the Socials Simple Interface to Navigate Extremely Fast Printing	View Price →
	BigW	Variety of Printing Options Quick & Streamlined Process Perfect Novelty Gift Carefully Crafted	View Price →

 

Snapfish

You can enjoy a blanket that’s unique to you with the Snapfish Fleece Picture Blanket. Whether you want a large single image or a collage of family photos, you can easily customize your photo blankets to meet your exact needs.

Snapfish Picture Blankets combine high image quality with the plush warmth you want from fleece, plush-fleece, Berber-fleece and woven designs, so you can pick the material you want — whether it’s the ultra-soft fleece options or the more decorative woven style.

You can choose from 30×40, 50×60 or 60×80-inch sizes and can even select a water-resistant option for outdoor use or to protect against spills.

It’s also washing machine-friendly for easy, convenient cleaning when you use the gentle cycle and add it to a load with similar colors. And if you’re planning on making this a gift for someone other than yourself, picture blankets are perfect for birthdays, holidays, anniversaries and more.

 Preserve your precious photos and memories with the Snapfish Fleece Photo-Printed Blanket.

Shutterfly

Bring your best memories to life with the Shutterfly Fleece Photo-Printed Blanket.

Designed to accommodate various photo needs, you can select photo blankets that showcase a single photo or pick from a range of 15-22 images. And you can personalize your blanket even more with text that inspires or simply includes your name.

Its fleece and woven materials are warm and washable for coziness and easy cleaning on the gentle cycle, while it’s also built to display high-quality images that’ll make your photo-printed blanket a head-turner.

And because you can simply throw it in the washer if it gets dirty, this Shutterfly Fleece Picture Blanket works for extra warmth indoors or for a picnic outdoors. Get a soft feel and take a trip down memory lane with the Shutterfly Fleece Custom Blanket.

Zazzle

Own your space with an individualized Zazzle Picture Blanket. Designed from either fleece, sherpa or poly-cotton materials, you can customize your blanket with the material you want.

You can choose fleece if you want extra warmth, sherpa fleece for a lightweight knit or poly-cotton for a soft, shrink-resistant photo blanket.

And regardless of which material you choose, you’ll enjoy the machine-washable and moisture-wicking benefits while seeing your favorite images on display and within reach.

Available in a wide range of sizes, you can make your photo-based blanket 30×40, 38×54, 50×60 or 60×80 inches to match your preference. You can also select from either a vertical or horizontal orientation to best fit the blanket size and your photo choice.

 See your vivid memories and photos come to life while enjoying the benefit of optimal comfort with the Zazzle Custom Photo Blanket.

Walmart

Spruce up any space while enjoying next-level warmth with your Walmart Custom Blanket. Available in a variety of machine-washable fabrics, you can create your photo blankets in anything from soft fleece, extra-plush fleece, sherpa fleece or woven yarn.

With the fleece options, your image will be printed in high quality onto the blanket or woven into the blanket if you select woven yarn. When you pick your material, you’ll also see options for rounded or squared-off corners, or you’ll see the fringe border for woven options.

Every picture blanket fabric is warm and lightweight, so you can enjoy the warmth you want when curling up with a book or lounging during a movie night. And because it’s lightweight, you can easily throw it in the car and take it out on the town for a picnic or an outdoor sporting event.

 Whether you’re heading to an outdoor activity or over to your couch, you can count on the Walmart Picture Blanket for a perfectly captured image and added warmth.

Walgreens

Take your favorite images and memories beyond the photo album with the Walgreens Picture Blanket.

It’s ideal for displaying around the house or warming up on road trips and outdoor events. You’ll also enjoy the flexibility of options by making your picture blanket into an ultra-plush fleece blanket, a tapestry or even a beach towel.

And don’t worry if you have a spill or get some debris on it — you can simply throw your photo blankets in the washer on the gentle cycle and tumble dry low to get your blanket back to like-new in no time.

Regardless of which route you take, rest assured that your image will be vivid and beautiful. You’ll also enjoy added customization when choosing from the square, landscape or portrait orientations and a broad range of materials, corner options, hues and sizes that meet your needs and preference.

Revive your memories while taking your photos to another dimension and enjoying extra warmth with your Walgreens Picture Blanket.

BigW

Enjoy early-morning tranquillity or a home movie night with added comfort with the Big W Picture Blanket.

You can customize your photo blankets by spotlighting a single photo or putting several on display with multiple photo options. And vivid photo quality ensures the print matches what you envisioned, so you won’t worry about blurry results.

It’s perfect for indoor and outdoor use, so you can enjoy a picnic in the park, additional comfort at outdoor events or simply snuggle up on the couch at home. And you can easily machine wash the lightweight blanket separately and tumble dry on low if you spill food or drink.

And a variety of sizes allows you to pick the one that best captures your image while delivering the warmth and comfort you need.

Whether you want to show off your romantic wedding photos or your latest family vacation, you can depend on the Big W Picture Blanket to exceed your expectations.

Material Options: What is the best material for a photo blanket?

The perfect photo blankets will blend your favorite, crystal-clear images with exceptional warmth and comfort, so choosing the right material will make all the difference.

One of the most popular choices for photo-based custom blankets is fleece, which is soft, warm and lightweight.

Other options include sherpa fleece, which is slightly more lightweight and tends to boost photo quality a bit, and poly-cotton. Poly-cotton blankets offer the best traits of cotton and polyester with moisture-wicking and temperature-moderating abilities.

Both fleece and sherpa offer next-level image quality and comfort, though sherpa needs to be slightly more durable, while fleece tends to give just a little more warmth.

Regardless of which brand or store you choose for your custom photo-printed blanket, you’ll want to make sure you pay attention to corner details and care instructions. Some materials need to be washed separately or on gentle and work better with rounded corners, while others look best with corners that are squared off.

Ultimately, every blanket material has its benefits, but we recommend fleece or sherpa for professional-grade image quality and warmth.

How Long Does it Take to Get a Photo Blanket?

Depending on the level of detail and number of images used, most custom photo blankets can take anywhere from five days to just under two weeks from creation to delivery.

You’ll have to enter your zip code to determine how close you are to a store location, and then you’ll be able to get a more definitive delivery time frame.

In our experience, Walmart appeared to have the quickest options available in just five days for a single-image blanket, while Walgreens provided a 10-day window for a multi-image blanket, and Shutterfly provided a time frame of 5-12 days for a single-image blanket.

With Walgreens, you have to go to the store to pick up your product. Shutterfly ships your blanket right to your home, and Walmart gives you the option of in-store pickup or at-home delivery.

Other stores will also generally have flexible shipping or pickup options, so pick the store that’s most convenient for you.

Whether you pick a store up the road or select an online-based company, you can easily obtain the picture blanket you’ve imagined in a timely manner.

DIY Options: How do you Make a Photo Blanket at Home?

 

Watch the video above, which explains the method of how to make a sublimation photo blanket at home.

I guess if you have the time and the patience, it could be a rewarding project, but I think most people would prefer to order one, which would undoubtedly also give the best results. 

Washing Instructions: How do you Wash a Photo Blanket?

Here’s our guide on how to wash the various materials of photo blanket you’re likely to buy:

• How to wash a Sherpa photo blanket – Wash in cold water on a gentle cycle with similar colors and tumble dry low or use the non-heated air fluff setting. Avoid ironing, steaming and dry-cleaning to maintain its condition and keep it looking new.
• How to wash a woven photo blanket – We recommend washing woven blankets by hand in cool water to maintain their condition, but you can wash in cold water on the gentle cycle if you’re in a rush, then dry separately on gentle for best results.
• How to wash a fleece photo blanket– Fleece blankets tend to be a bit tougher than other materials and can tolerate a cool vs. cold wash. You can then air dry or tumble dry low.
• How to wash a plush fleece photo blanket – Plush blankets should be machine-washed cold and air-dried or set to tumble dry with low heat.
• How to wash a photo blanket with tasselled edges – Similarly to woven blankets, we recommend hand-washing to keep the tassels intact. You can wash on a cold, gentle cycle if you’re short on time, then air dry or tumble dry low. Long story short, we recommend hand-washing custom photo blankets constructed from more fragile materials when timing allows. Avoid ironing, steaming and dry-cleaning to extend the life of your custom picture blanket. 

Caring Instructions: How do you Care for a Photo Blanket? 

If you want to prolong the life of your picture blanket, we highly recommend treating them with the sensitive care they deserve.

As noted above, we recommend washing them by hand and letting them air dry when your schedule permits.

When machine washing, you should use a cool, gentle cycle for more durable fabrics such as fleece blankets or poly-cotton and a cold, gentle cycle for more fragile materials such as sherpa, woven, and tasselled blankets.

If using the washing machine, we suggest using a minimal amount of detergent to prevent fading that comes with long-term use and extensive washing. Though for heavy soils, use more detergent to prevent stains from setting in. 

We also recommend storing picture blankets in a safe place, out of reach from playful pets that can make them their chew toys.

We also suggest keeping picture blankets indoors and away from windows or areas where sun damage like fading can occur so your blanket can maintain its like-new look long-term.

You can, of course, drape them over furniture if you live in a pet-free home or know your pets are unlikely to mess with them. Otherwise, storing them in linen, coat closets, or baskets is best for accessibility.

 There are several ways to extend the lifespan of your custom photo blankets that all starts with a little TLC.

Final Words

In today’s digital age, the abyss of picture blanket ideas is abundant.

Whether you want to honor the memory of loved ones, highlight your favorite travels, or simply showcase your wedding, children or pets, there are several ways to design your ideal picture blanket.

And you can customize everything from the number of images displayed to the material and size, so you can build the blanket of your dreams.

 Throw them on furniture, use them for warmth at tailgates or campfires, or just envelope yourself on a relaxing night in, and you’ll give your favorite photos a decorative and functional purpose.