How to make a clothing business

How to make a clothing business Know your niche, and bear it in mind.

Even if you branch out and introduce lots of other designs as time goes by, your original idea gives you heritage, a guiding principle, and a reason to be remembered.

16. Start manufacturingGo back to your design work and get everything together. It’s time to take your product to the ma...
16/11/2021

16. Start manufacturing
Go back to your design work and get everything together. It’s time to take your product to the manufacturers. This is the point where you’ll be sourcing the person (or team) that’s going to take your designs and make them a reality.

Of course, if you’re intending to make everything yourself for now, or with your own hand-picked team, you can skip this step! This also applies if you’re simply looking to buy ready-made products wholesale, and sell them on.

To start your search for the right manufacturer, ask around amongst any contacts you have and get a feel for your priorities. Is it artisan craftsmanship you’re looking to source, or a commercial supplier with an emphasis on speed and dependability? Manufacturing is a crucial part of any clothing business, no matter the size, so spend time finding, speaking to and vetting a good list of potentials.

Once you’ve decided, it’s time to have a sample made. Get your chosen manufacturer to run a small batch of your designs and maybe test them against those from another manufacturer. Factor in time to discuss adjustments and improvements, before you pull the trigger on a full product run.

Along with your own aims and reasons for starting a clothing line, think about your potential customer. Who are you looking to sell to? Are they likely to prefer a certain look and feel? Are you designing for people who care a lot about the overall experience of buying from your brand (from website or shop floor to label, packaging and email newsletter), or is there a risk of alienating people with fancy packaging or a millennial look and feel?

Whatever you decide, base your brand on your instincts and a bit of research. As far as your budget allows, factor in cash for packaging and your customer communications, and above all, try to be consistent. It’s no good using beautiful packaging one month and a battered jiffy bag the next.

15. Create your brandAs a fashion or clothing pro, you’re likely to be creative. And this will stand you in good stead f...
16/11/2021

15. Create your brand
As a fashion or clothing pro, you’re likely to be creative. And this will stand you in good stead for developing a brand for your startup clothing company. Read our essential tips to create a brand that works for your business.

Pick a brand name that appeals to your target audience. For instance, you might choose a brand name based on the age of your target audience, like Fish & Kids. And if your store features your own unique designs, you could always use your name as your brand's name (just like Tommy Hilfiger and Hugo Boss).

14. Create your designsFor any clothing business, one of the most exciting stages is product development. Even if you on...
16/11/2021

14. Create your designs
For any clothing business, one of the most exciting stages is product development. Even if you only have a design concept for one product in these early days, start getting it on paper or screen, as a sketch. Once you’re ready, turn rough ideas into nailed down digital sketches. Programmes like Adobe Illustrator can do a lot of the hard work for you.

Sketches done, you’ll need to think about your ‘tech pack’, which is the essential information you’ll give to your manufacturer. It’ll need to include your product’s details and technical specifications, from design and measurements to materials and any extra accessories or features.

From there, you’ll need to get started on pattern making and grading, ahead of sourcing your manufacturer.

13. Organise your businessEven if you’re not writing a full-on business plan, the same principles apply when organising ...
16/11/2021

13. Organise your business
Even if you’re not writing a full-on business plan, the same principles apply when organising your startup. You may be planning just to buy a sewing machine and get straight to work, but even this is a time and resource commitment.

If you’re investing effort and have goals for the future, put down in writing how your business will take shape, including plans and ideas for:

Your location(s)
Are you working from your bedroom but aiming to move into a small studio? Remember, certain rules apply for online businesses, or market stall traders.

How it works
Is it going to be you selling pieces on a stall for now? Or are you going to be an online retailer? Could Facebook Marketplace or Instagram be a good place to start? If so, check out our guide on how to sell on Facebook Marketplace and how to sell on Instagram before you get started.

Read more about online retailer insurance.

Maybe you’re even planning to open a bricks and mortar shop. Whatever option you go for, most businesses will need to get set up with HMRC for tax purposes, and factor in time to sort out any licenses or permits (especially if you’re planning to trade on the street or at a market).

You'll also need to research the rules you must follow before selling clothes online, buying from or selling abroad, or storing personal details from your customers, fanbase or even your suppliers.

Who’s running things?
Even if it’s just you managing the business, are there any other key people involved who you’re going to rely on? For example, a designer, accountant, people to help you with setting up a stall, storage etc?

12. Build your budget or business planIf this is really just a shoestring idea, and you’re testing your designs on a sma...
16/11/2021

12. Build your budget or business plan
If this is really just a shoestring idea, and you’re testing your designs on a small scale, you might not need a full-on business plan to get started. Watch out though, if your idea takes off you’ll want to scale pretty quickly, so it makes sense to keep even a rough plan in the background.

Bear in mind, the fashion industry is notoriously difficult to predict. Plans will need to be flexible and there are no guarantees, so you’ll need to be up for the challenge.

Creating a budget…
For the first few months at least, it pays to keep things simple. Starting with one design which you love, know how to manufacture (or buy) and have had great feedback on may be much easier than launching with a lengthy product catalogue.

It helps to have a fixed figure in mind, and decide how you’re going to spend your funding, along with what you want to achieve. Try to allow room for flexibility – you may not know the price of specific materials yet, for example, or manufacturing costs – but having that original budget in mind will help you make the decisions that drive your first sales.

Your budget will also depend on whether you plan to design and make the clothes yourself (or with a manufacturer), or buy clothes from designers at wholesale price. Either way, start small. Invest in smaller designers and/or basic equipment to start off with and as demand grows, you can review your key outgoings.

11. Decide on your nicheStarting a clothing business is a very personal journey. You’re probably a creative person, with...
16/11/2021

11. Decide on your niche
Starting a clothing business is a very personal journey. You’re probably a creative person, with something different to offer in a fast-moving industry. It’s likely that you’ve spotted a gap in the market, or have a unique design in mind for a specific customer group.

Whatever your inspiration for starting up, it’s important to define your niche from the out-set. Are you looking for information on how to start a fitness clothing brand or a sports clothing line, for example? Maybe you’re planning to build a fanbase for one specific item, like the world-famous Fred Perry shirt.

Or it could be a particular style that you have in mind for your clothing line – like the pared back, design-focused children’s products sold by lifestyle brand Scandiborn, or menswear that nods to your own unique heritage?

It could also be a clothing business that’s born out of a particular need or ethos, from cruelty-free clothing to premature baby accessories.

Know your niche, and bear it in mind. Even if you branch out and introduce lots of other designs as time goes by, your original idea gives you heritage, a guiding principle, and a reason to be remembered.

10.Start a soft launch, and then look for more investment and partnerships. Once you have a proof of concept—clothing th...
17/10/2021

10.Start a soft launch, and then look for more investment and partnerships. Once you have a proof of concept—clothing that you can sell in limited quantities—you’re ready to loop in potential business partners and co-investors. Yes, it would be nice to own your business outright and keep all of your future profits. But as most business owners start to scale up, they need access to capital. Taking on a business partner who can provide that capital in exchange for a cut of future proceeds is the most traditional way to do this.

9.Set realistic sales and distribution goals. Don’t be afraid to partner with a business professional to embark on this ...
17/10/2021

9.Set realistic sales and distribution goals. Don’t be afraid to partner with a business professional to embark on this step. Just because you have a fashion vision doesn’t mean that you know about clothing distribution. If you can hit your sales goals, you can continue to grow, as per your business plan.

8.Begin the marketing process. At this point, your new business needs brand awareness. Instagram has become a popular pl...
17/10/2021

8.Begin the marketing process. At this point, your new business needs brand awareness. Instagram has become a popular platform for this, and many Instagram influencers are happy to promote new fashion brands in exchange for products.

7.Choose a price point for your items. This step ties into identifying and understanding your target audience. Choose a ...
12/10/2021

7.Choose a price point for your items. This step ties into identifying and understanding your target audience. Choose a price point that will cover your production cost but that doesn’t alienate the customers you will need to launch your fashion business.

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