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As side hustles become increasingly normal, more and more people add their businesses to the existing 32.5 million small businesses. For some budding entrepreneurs, that means opening a brick-and-mortar store. In recent years, the constraints of COVID-19 and rapidly-improving e-commerce options pushed many freshly-minted entrepreneurs to take their businesses online.
What if you dream of opening a small clothing business, though? While selling tangible goods like clothing often works better in person, you can start a clothing business from home. Keep reading for our quick guide on launching your home-based clothing business.
Niche Your Brand
Before you start investing in inventory or even building a website, you need a clear idea of what niche your clothing brand will inhabit. Adopting a niche can potentially reduce your overall market. On the other hand, a niche lets customers find and promote you far more easily.
You can niche in a lot of directions, such as:
- Faux-vintage
- Gender-specific
- Age group-specific
- Thematically
For example, some clothing businesses sell for specific needs, such as weddings or business attire. Others focus on an overall vibe, such as humor.
Business Model
There are several possible business structures you can adopt for your small clothing business. Some options that you can consider include:
- Handmade
- Cut-and-Sew
- Dropshipping
- Print on demand
- Private label
You’ll need to investigate the options to discover which will best serve your financial limitations, creative vision, and even your space limitations. Handmade clothing can let you express your creativity, but dropshipping may make the most financial sense.
Make It Legal
If you run your business from home and exclusively online, you can potentially keep it as a sole proprietorship. That may simplify your taxes, but it leaves your personal property at risk in the event of a lawsuit.
Your other main option is an LLC, which separates your business finances and property from your personal finances and property. If you go that route, you must register with the state and may need a business license or permits.
Supplier
Regardless of the model you choose, you will need suppliers. That may mean a supplier for fabrics if you make your own clothes. It may mean a print-on-demand service.
Launching
Launching your business will require a website with a robust e-commerce setup. A good e-commerce setup includes an online storefront, checkout system, and easy integration with a payment gateway.
You should also consider your marketing options. You’ll likely employ some paid advertising, but don’t overlook organic methods like blogging, videos, and email distribution lists. Email lists are an excellent way to announce sales and new products.
Starting Your Small Clothing Business
If you possess a creative flair for clothing, a small clothing business can serve as an excellent side hustle or even become a replacement career for you. Make planning your first step.
Figure out your niche, business model, and the business’s legal structure in advance. Lock in a supplier for fabrics or pre-made clothes. Build your website with e-commerce in mind.
Looking for more small business tips? Check out the posts over in our business section.
- Like
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- Del
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- VKontakte
- Buffer
- Love This
- Odnoklassniki
- Meneame
- Blogger
- Amazon
- Yahoo Mail
- Gmail
- AOL
- Newsvine
- HackerNews
- Evernote
- MySpace
- Mail.ru
- Viadeo
- Line
- Comments
- Yummly
- SMS
- Viber
- Telegram
- Subscribe
- Skype
- Facebook Messenger
- Kakao
- LiveJournal
- Yammer
- Edgar
- Fintel
- Mix
- Instapaper
- Copy Link