How to Make Money from Your Clothing Line

As you develop your clothing line, it may be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. You want to create a creative, dynamic business, but how do you make sure you can make enough profit to support that business into the next year?

To make money from your clothing line: 

1. Know the industry. 
2. Plan everything ahead of time so you don’t have to do it later. 
3. Focus your funding on just the business items you need and cut the rest. 
4. Create the best marketing campaigns you can, and make sure you link them to your website.
5. Estimate the proper amount of inventory—don’t have too much that can’t sell.
6. Don’t just focus on social media and online purchases—if you have a physical store, allow for perks within your business.
7. Work with the people around you.
8. To make money from your business, you have to work hard.

While preparing your business for the long haul may feel nearly impossible, there are ways that you can combat that fear. Plan ahead, know what you’re getting into, and make sure you’re spending your money on the things you need—read on to find out more how you can make little changes in your business that will create large scale results. 

Know the industry

This might seem like a no-brainer, but before you even consider going into the clothing industry, you need to understand it. There are niches within the clothing industry that are overserved and others that are underserved—a great way to make money from your clothing line is by determining what those underserved communities are and selling clothing for that demographic. You should also consider what makes you unique. How can you stand out in an already saturated market? How can you cater to several different tastes? 

While it feels like an oxymoron, when you want to create a profitable clothing line, you also need to cater to a broad group of people. So, how do you create a relatable line that also serves a demographic that is already underserved? That comes down to your research and what kind of products you want to sell. 

How to Increase Your Profits in Fashion

Plan everything ahead of time so you don’t have to do it later. 

When you’re jut starting out in your clothing business, it’s important to create a business plan. This plan will help you set out all your procedures, whether it be about management or finances or operating or staffing—and having this set in stone before you start selling your products is going to help you much more in the long run than you think. 

As you develop your business, you’ll find you’ll be making many business decisions on the fly. So what happens when you’ve already considered those issues or problems that arise and have included your solution in your business plan? You’re not wasting valuable time (and essentially money) making that decision in real time. You’ll also be saving yourself some stress, which, when you start a new business, is a regularly occurring mood. Simply by completing your business plan ahead of time, you can unlock time, effort, and even more of your own personal drive when things get rough down the line—giving you more opportunities to increase your profit. 

Focus your funding on just the business items you need and cut the rest. 

When you’re considering your budget over a set period of time, whether it is several months or a year, you need to determine what you want to spend your money on. Whether its marketing or additional product, it doesn’t matter what you choose—rank them in order of importance, revenue, potential profit, cost, etc. and stick to the first three on that list. Especially when it comes to marketing, you could be wasting too much of your potential revenue on marketing projects that don’t end up working. 

Create the best marketing campaigns you can, and make sure you link them to your website. 

The only way customers are going to find out about your clothing line is through marketing. In many cases, marketing is done through social media, so make sure your target demographic is being reached through your posts. Focus on creating marketing campaigns that also represent your ideals as a company. What do you stand for? What do you hope people feel when they are wearing your clothing? What do you believe in? Know your demographic, and learn what it is they want to hear from their clothing store. Don’t just say what they want to hear, though—you have to believe it and prove to your customers that you believe it. 

You should also focus on having a website that people can easily navigate, that represents your business, and has easy access to your store. Make it easy to use for not only customers, but for yourself, as you may be the one constantly updating it for your customers. 

Tips on How to Design Your Own Clothing Line

Estimate the proper amount of inventory—don’t have too much that can’t sell. 

How do you make sure you can make enough money from your products? By not spending too much on your products to begin with. Having enough product on hand to sell, whether online or in a physical store, can be tempting, but having too many can break your budget. There is a way to make sure you have enough product while still selling the ones you have and it comes down to marketing—with the social media age, clothing lines are starting their marketing so early that they are creating visible demand. If you want to get a better handle on what your numbers could be, consider creating a waitlist for your items, that way you know how much product to produce. 

Don’t just focus on social media and online purchases—if you have a physical store, allow for perks within your business. 

It’s true that so many people are buying online these days, and sometimes that can reduce your profits. Having people in your store means they can browse, meaning there’s a likelihood they will purchase more than just what they came in for. Whether it’s a physical store or even an event or a trunk show, provide sales that you wouldn’t normally give online, like a discount if they follow you on social media and discounts for damaged items. Don’t forget to use the event or your store as a marketing opportunity—get photos to share on your social media pages. 

Work with the people around you. 

If you want to save money so you can put more into your marketing and create more profit, consider creating a trade opportunity for people within your network. What does this mean? Instead of hiring a graphic designer or photographer that takes a lot of time and money, consider opening up the opportunity to your network. Do you have a friend who is a great photographer, but is looking for better and more professional opportunities to showcase their work? Remember, though, this isn’t just a request for free work—it’s a trade, so be prepared to do something for them, as well. 

To make money from your business, you have to work hard. 

It’s not just about social media pages and trunk shows. In order for you to make money from your business, you need to put in the time, effort, and capital. While starting your own clothing line may not be easy, if it’s something you love, you’ll stick by it. No matter what choices you make, they have to be the best for your clothing business, and if you put in the work and effort, along with the proper marketing, you too can find success. 

RELATED QUESTIONS

How much does it take to start a clothing brand? 

The cost of starting a clothing brand can be varied. You will need to have product, whether it’s handmade or not; a way to sell that product, whether it’s a physical store or a website online; and a way to let people know about your products, whether it’s a commercial or a social media page. In most cases, starting your clothing brand will cost around $10,000, not including the cost of a physical storefront. 

How many different items do I need to start my own clothing line?

If you’re just starting out your clothing line, it’s important to have variety to your line but not have too many overwhelming choices. Most fashion schools suggest having between ten and 12 styles within your first collection. 

Can I sell clothing without a very large inventory?

Yes, in fact, there are ways around having a large inventory while still competing with other clothing lines. One way to do so is to simply make sure you have enough sizes for your target demographic. Do your research beforehand and make your decisions with that information. You can also take preorders or orders in general, and order from your manufacturer or make your products to size. 

To learn more about how to start your own fashion clothing line check out my startup documents here

Please note: This blog post is for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Please consult a legal expert to address your specific needs.