How to make a product catalog: choose print/PDF or online, shoot one consistent photo per product (same background, angle and light), add a name, short description, SKU and price, and lay them out in Canva, InDesign or Google Slides at 4–9 products per page. Export a 300 DPI PDF for print or a PDF under about 10–20 MB for email.
A catalog is how buyers, stockists and repeat customers see your whole range in one place. It doesn't need a designer or a big budget, but it does need consistency: photos that match, prices that are easy to find and a layout that repeats. This guide walks through each step, from choosing a format to a wholesale line sheet, with the tools that make it quick.
- Pick the format first: PDF for wholesale and email, print for trade shows and inserts, online (your store or a lookbook page) for consumers.
- Consistent photos matter most: one background color, one angle, similar framing for every product.
- Every product needs: name, short description, SKU, price, sizes or variants.
- Wholesale line sheets add: wholesale price, suggested retail price, minimum order, case pack and lead time.
- Tools: Canva or Google Slides for most small brands; InDesign for large or data-driven catalogs.
Should your product catalog be print, PDF or online?
Most small brands need a PDF first, because it can be emailed, printed on demand and linked from a website. Choose by who will read it.
| Format | Best for | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wholesale buyers, stockists, email | Cheap, easy to update, printable | Prices go out of date if forwarded | |
| Trade shows, order inserts, local shops | Feels premium, stays on desks | Costly to reprint when prices change | |
| Online (store page or flipbook) | Consumers, social traffic | Always current, clickable | Less useful for offline buyers |
| Wholesale platform listing | Retailers who buy through marketplaces | Built-in ordering | Platform rules and fees |
Many brands do both: a full online catalog for shoppers and a separate PDF line sheet for wholesale. Build your files so the same photos and copy feed both.
What should a product catalog include?
A cover, an optional short intro, the products grouped by collection or category, and a page with ordering and contact details. Each product entry should answer “what is it, what does it cost and how do I order it?” at a glance.
| Element | Consumer catalog | Wholesale line sheet |
|---|---|---|
| Product photo | Yes, plus lifestyle shots | Yes, clean background |
| Product name | Yes | Yes |
| Short description | 1–3 lines | 1 line |
| SKU or style number | Optional | Required |
| Price | Retail price | Wholesale price and suggested retail (MSRP) |
| Sizes, colors, variants | Yes | Yes, with SKU per variant if possible |
| Minimum order and case pack | No | Yes |
| Lead time and ship window | No | Yes |
| Ordering, payment terms, contact | Website link | Full terms page |
How to make a product catalog step by step
- List every product in a spreadsheet: name, SKU, variants, price, short description, dimensions. This becomes the single source for the catalog and your store.
- Group products into collections or categories, in the order you want buyers to see them. Put bestsellers and new arrivals near the front.
- Gather photos: one clean main photo per product, plus a few lifestyle shots for section openers.
- Make the photos consistent: same background color, same crop, similar product size in the frame (see below).
- Write short copy: a name and one or two lines per product. Save longer descriptions for your store.
- Choose a template and set a grid: a cover, section dividers and product pages with the same layout throughout.
- Place products and check every price and SKU against your spreadsheet.
- Add the back matter: ordering instructions, terms, contact details, website and social handles. For print, a QR code from our free QR code generator takes readers straight to your store.
- Proofread and test: print one copy at home, open the PDF on a phone, click every link.
- Export a high-resolution PDF for print and a smaller one for email.
How do you get consistent product photos for a catalog?
Shoot everything the same way, then even out what's left with editing. A catalog page puts six or nine products side by side, so a single off-color background or tilted angle stands out.
- Same background for every product: white, light grey or one brand color.
- Same angle per product type: all mugs from the front at eye level, all shoes from the side facing left.
- Same light: one window or one pair of lights, fixed position, no mixed daylight and ceiling bulbs.
- Same framing: the product fills roughly the same share of the frame in every shot.
- Same file shape: square photos are the easiest to place in a grid.
If your photos came from different shoots, suppliers or phones, the quickest fix is to remove every background and put all products on the same one. AiArter's bulk background remover processes up to 50 photos per batch with one ZIP download, and the product photo tool can place each product on pure white, centered in a 2000×2000 frame with an optional soft shadow, or on a brand color, for 4 credits per image. The product itself is kept from your photo. More on this in our guide to consistent product photos.
Put a whole range on the same white or brand-color background, up to 50 photos per batch, so every catalog page matches.
Match my backgrounds7 days free · 50 credits · No credit cardWhat's the best layout for a product catalog page?
A simple grid with the photo on top and name, SKU and price underneath, repeated on every page. Buyers learn where to look after one page and then scan quickly.
| Layout | Products per page | Use it for |
|---|---|---|
| Hero | 1 | New launches, bestsellers, section openers |
| Feature | 2–4 | Higher-priced items that need more detail |
| Grid | 6–9 | Most ranges; standard line sheets |
| Dense list | 10–20 (small images) | Reorder forms, spare parts, big wholesale ranges |
- Keep margins of at least 10–15 mm so nothing gets trimmed in print.
- Use two fonts at most: one for headings, one for body text.
- Put prices in the same spot and the same style on every product.
- Start each collection with a lifestyle photo to break up the grid.
- Pull your brand colors from your logo or packaging with our free color palette generator so backgrounds and headings match.
How do you make a wholesale line sheet?
A line sheet is a stripped-back catalog for retailers: clean photos, style numbers, wholesale and retail prices, and order terms, usually 1–10 pages. Buyers use it to place orders, so clarity beats style.
- Use a grid layout with a white-background photo for each product.
- Under each photo: product name, style number or SKU, available colors and sizes.
- Show wholesale price and suggested retail price (MSRP) side by side.
- State minimum order (per style and per order), case pack (units per pack) and lead time.
- Add a terms page: payment terms, shipping, returns and damages policy, how to order.
- Date the line sheet and name the season (“Spring/Summer 2026”) so buyers know it's current.
Never send a consumer catalog with wholesale prices in it, and never post a line sheet publicly. Save them as clearly named files, for example “Brand-LineSheet-SS26-Wholesale.pdf”.
What tools can you use to make a product catalog?
For most small brands, Canva or Google Slides is enough. Pick a heavier tool only if you have hundreds of products or update prices often.
| Tool | Good for | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Canva | Most small brands | Catalog and line sheet templates; exports print and standard PDFs |
| Google Slides or PowerPoint | Quick, shared editing | Set a custom page size; export as PDF |
| Adobe InDesign | Large, print-heavy catalogs | Data merge fills pages from a spreadsheet |
| Your store platform | Online catalogs | Collection pages act as an always-current catalog |
| Wholesale platforms | Selling to retailers | Many generate line sheets from your listings |
| AiArter design templates | Covers, sale pages, social promos | Drag-and-drop editor with your own product photos |
AiArter's design templates are built for social posts, ads, sale banners and covers rather than multi-page catalogs, so they're useful for a catalog cover, a “new collection” announcement or the promo graphics that point people to the catalog.
How do you export a catalog for print and email?
Export two versions: a high-resolution file for print and a lighter one for screens.
| Setting | Print PDF | Email or web PDF |
|---|---|---|
| Image resolution | 300 DPI at printed size | About 150 DPI |
| Color | CMYK if your printer asks for it | RGB |
| Bleed | Usually 3 mm (0.125 in), check with your printer | None |
| File size | Whatever the printer accepts | Under about 10–20 MB so it emails well |
Large photos are the main reason PDFs get too big. Shrinking them before you place them helps: our free image compressor compresses up to 20 images at once in your browser and converts iPhone HEIC photos to JPG. Printers vary, so always ask for their spec sheet before sending files.
For the copy inside the catalog, see our product description examples, and if you sell clothing or homeware, a lookbook can sit alongside the catalog to show products styled together. For backgrounds, the best background color for product photos covers when white isn't the right choice.
Frequently asked questions
How do I make a product catalog for free?
Use Canva's free plan or Google Slides. List your products in a spreadsheet, take consistent photos on a plain background, place them in a catalog template with name, SKU and price, then export as a PDF.
What should be in a product catalog?
A cover, products grouped by category, and for each product a photo, name, short description, SKU, price and variants. End with ordering instructions, terms and contact details.
What is the difference between a catalog and a line sheet?
A catalog is a styled overview of your range, often for consumers. A line sheet is a simpler document for wholesale buyers with style numbers, wholesale and retail prices, minimum orders and lead times.
How many products should be on each catalog page?
Six to nine products per page works for most ranges. Use one to four per page for hero or expensive products, and denser lists only for reorder forms or very large ranges.
What size should a product catalog be?
A4 or US Letter is the easiest, since buyers can print it at home. Square formats look good on screen and for print. Ask your printer for their sizes and bleed before you start.
How do I make all my catalog photos look the same?
Shoot every product on the same background with the same light and angle. If photos came from different shoots, remove the backgrounds and place every product on one shared color, such as white.
Upload your range and get every product on the same white or brand-color background, up to 50 photos per batch.
Start free trialSee design templates7 days free · 50 credits · No credit card. Trial images carry a small “Made with aiarter” mark; paid plans export clean files you can use commercially.
