How To Start a Clothing Line As a Teenager

Small businesses have become more popular in recent years for several reasons. This means that the tools needed to begin one have become readily available for anyone to access, no matter their age. Which has allowed a growing number of teenagers to create their small businesses as well while they are in high school or even college. 

To start a clothing line as a teenager determine what type of clothing you wish to create, learn the importance of customization, gain some business and social media knowledge, tools, and equipment depending upon the type of clothing you are designing, and the inventory to create with.

Now we get it, it sounds expensive to begin but many of the tools and equipment needed are items most people have around their house if they enjoy crafting which can help cut down on initial costs. There are also a few different routes teenagers can take regarding their clothing line which can impact their needs.

One thing to keep in mind as a teenager starting a clothing line is that you have plenty of room for growth and change. Nothing is set in stone at this point and you will have flexibility that others may not when it comes to designing your items, stocking them, and more.

Type Of Clothing Lines

Deciding on the type of clothing line you are interested in is essential to preparing for it. The most popular type of clothing line that teenagers today are creating are vinyl items using craft machines such as a Cricut. 

Cricuts can print out designs, stickers, and more that you create onto different types of vinyl. These can then be used and sold as stickers, heat pressed onto clothing items such as shirts and sweatshirts, or added onto water bottles to name a few ideas. Due to their ease of use, flexibility, and materials being readily available in most stores and online these are the most popular choice for designing your clothing.

You have the flexibility to create your designs and add them to clothing items as you see fit. People who choose this path may begin with three to five designs and see how those work out before adding more options to their store. They are quite easy to make after an order is placed allowing you to carry less premade inventory.

Another option is embroidered pieces, which again have machines to help with the process. You design the pattern online and upload it to the machine to create. These again have a very personalized look and similar to Cricut designs can allow people to request custom orders as well. It depends upon your selected designs and willingness to customize orders.

The third and final type of clothing line is the more traditional one where you can design your pieces by hand and create them, have them manufactured, or outsource the work. This option is the most expensive one as it’s more plausible to do in bulk and requires more initial capital with less room for customizable orders which become popular again in recent years.

Licenses You Need To Start A Clothing Line

The Importance Of Customization 

Custom orders have been mentioned a time or two, so why does this option keep getting mentioned? It’s being mentioned because people are craving the personal touches and having items that feel as though they were designed just for them. 

After certain events taking place in recent years, people want connection and personalization now more than ever before. They want a t-shirt designed by a small business that their friends can’t just walk into the mall and buy. They want the option of having their name added to a t-shirt, or having a sweatshirt made with a design they adore without breaking the bank.

People are also gifting more custom items to their friends such as custom sweatpants for bachelorette trips, custom t-shirts for friends to wear to a concert, and items along that line. 

However, the key here is that the designs are not gaudy which in turn means they are not a waste of money to the customer. By that we mean the designs are unique, custom, and still easy on the eyes to ensure that people will continue to wear them after the event is over. 

So What Equipment Do I Need?

The types of equipment and tools will vary depending upon the clothing line journey you are embarking upon. Each one has similar items they will need but variations to accomplish the tasks. 

One common item each type of line will need though is the inventory materials. In most cases, these will be the clothing items (t-shirts, pants, sweatshirts, hats, etc.) that they will be pressing or embroidering their designs onto. Unless they are creating each piece themselves then they will need to look at fabric samples and figure out how much inventory to order and keep on hand.

For those choosing to press their Cricut designs onto clothing items, they will need to own a Cricut and tools such as a weeding tool to separate their designs from the vinyl. As well as a heat press as these cut down on the time it takes to transfer the designs and tend to guarantee a longer lifespan to the piece.

Those looking to embroider need one embroidery machine to begin if they are looking to be more efficient. It can all be done by hand, but that takes a while to accomplish and will cut into your profit margins once labor is factored in. As well as the string and needles needed for the machine to properly work.

For a traditional clothing line, you will likely need a sewing machine, sketchbooks, fabric samples, thread, and needles to name the basics. This will allow you to create the designs and samples of your work that you like. Then you can decide on whether you want to produce the items yourself, outsource production, etc. to fit your needs.

How Much Money Do I Need To Begin A Clothing Line?

The beauty of being a teenager beginning a clothing line is that you generally do not need to spend a ton of money to get started. Now it may take a bit for your hard work to pay off and for you to see any type of profit, but the low initial investment is a big plus.

Overall we would guesstimate that between materials and equipment it may cost seven hundred dollars or so initially to begin. The main portion of this total comes from the machines you may need to acquire.

A Cricut machine can run you anywhere from a hundred and fifty dollars to four hundred depending upon the type you want and the materials it comes with. Whereas a heat press is a few hundred dollars again depending on the version and materials included with it. 

An embroidery machine alone can be anywhere from four to seven hundred dollars for a standard one. With replacement needles and extra thread being a small additional cost to think about.

A traditional clothing line can require a sewing machine which can cost a hundred to two hundred dollars on average with materials being the big cost in this case. 

Each option has its costs and fees that will add up. The nice thing about being a teenager though is that you can ask for a Cricut as a Christmas gift, money towards a machine for your birthday, or use a family member’s machine while saving up for one. So there are ways around having to pay a huge upfront cost for them.

Those are the ways in which a teenager can start a clothing line. There are numerous endeavors they can think about and try out, different niches to explore, and endless possibilities for them to consider when it comes to designs and products.

How Much Money Do I Need To Begin A Clothing Line?

We Answer: Can You Make A Lot Of Money In The Fashion Industry?

Related Questions

Social media was mentioned, is it important to have a social media presence?

Yes, social media is essential nowadays to have a successful small business. Having one TikTok or reel blow-up can change your business for the better. This is why it’s important to be active on all relevant platforms even if it may not be your thing.

Do you need to be artistic to create clothing designs?

No, if you understand the basics of how to work Photoshop, Procreate, or even Canva then chances are you can create some simple and eye-catching designs for a Cricut to print or embroidery machine to create. Or you could even do a purely customized business model where people submit designs to you that they want to be pressed onto a shirt. Taking the artistic responsibility out of your hands. 

How long would it take to be able to buy the necessary materials?

The timeframe may vary by person. Someone with no monthly expenses and a job may be able to afford them sooner than someone who has monthly bills such as car insurance and gas. It all depends on the individual and their situation. However, the cost is should not stop you from saving towards your goal if you want to create your clothing line.

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.