Launching your own clothing business can be a really exciting endeavor. Having the flexibility over your own brand, the products you sell, and the different aspects that come with being an entrepreneur is an awesome experience — yet can definitely be overwhelming at times.

Maybe you want to start a clothing business to have the freedom of having your own brand.

You may have had a lifelong vision for the clothes you’ll sell. So, where to begin?

Regardless of how you envision your brand, we’ve got 10 simple steps to help you launch your own clothing business. Use this as a checklist, and you’ll be well on the way to starting your own successful clothing store.

Find a Niche

The first step to launching your own clothing business is to identify your niche. What makes your products unique and stand out in the crowd? 

You want to find something that sets your brand apart from the competition. Perhaps it’s specific designs you use. Maybe it’s a certain kind of customer to whom you’re appealing.

For example, you might decide to source brown hoodies in bulk to customize with special sayings that appeal to Gen Z shoppers. Another choice is you’ll sell matching, minimalist lounge sets to millennials.

No matter what you choose, don’t try to appeal to each and every customer.

Identify what sets your business or products apart, and make that your focus. You can always expand later as you grow and scale your brand.

Identify Your Target Market

After you’ve identified the kind of products you’re going to sell, you’ll need to identify to whom you’re going to sell those products.

Some factors to consider when identifying your target market are:

• What age are your customers?
• What do your customers do for a living?
• What things do your customers like to do in their free time?
• What factors are most important to your customers when shopping for clothing?
• What colors, images, and designs catch your consumers’ eyes?
• Will they be shopping in person at a brick-and-mortar store, or online via a website?

It can help to create a few “characters” of your ideal customer. Any time you make decisions regarding your business, consider your target customers, how your business will appeal to them, and what products will they desire.

This will help you ensure that your brand appeals to those you’re trying to sell to directly.

Brainstorm Your Branding

The next step to start a clothing business is to create your branding. This is what customers will see when looking at your products, so it’s critical that it effectively matches the branding message that you want to convey.

It’s also important that your branding is consistent across your website, social media,  in the products themselves, marketing, and anywhere customers will see a representation of your business.

You don’t want customers to visit your website, then go into your physical store and question whether they’re looking at products from the same business.

Some of the different branding elements to consider include:

• Fonts you’ll use
• Colors
• Your business logo
• Keywords that define your brand

These factors can all help you create cohesive, effective branding that conveys the message and feel that you want to give to customers.

Write out a Business Plan to Start a Clothing Business

Next, you’ll want to write out a business plan. While it can be tedious thinking about all of the different elements of starting a clothing business — and planning for years into the future — it’s extremely helpful. It makes you consider all of the various factors that go into making your business successful, as well as provides a realistic picture of what you can expect regarding your finances.

If you do need some financing for your business — whether it’s securing a lease for a brick-and-mortar store or getting loans to buy inventory — a business plan will show lenders that you’ve taken time to consider all the aspects of your clothing brand.

A business plan will make you better equipped to start your brand and help you consider challenges that you may encounter along the way.

Get Licenses, Permits, and Paperwork in Order

The kinds of licenses, permits, and paperwork you’ll need for your business will vary greatly depending on your location, where you’ll be doing business, and if your business is online or in-person.

Some of the several permits that you may want to consider as you start a clothing business include:

• Registering for the proper legal structure, whether it’s a partnership, sole proprietorship, LLC, or something else
• A resale license or certificate, so that you can shop wholesale goods and resell them
• Tax registrations, to you ensure that you’re adhering to all tax laws
• Business licenses that show you’re authorized to operate

If you have questions, your state will likely have a website that can guide you through some of the necessary paperwork and permits.

Source a Quality Wholesaler

Once you’ve planned all the foundational steps of your business, you’re ready to start sourcing products.

While you certainly can work with a manufacturer if you have a specific vision for garments you want to bring to life, that has some downsides. Manufacturing custom clothing can be time-consuming and expensive.

Instead, many businesses find it easiest to work with a qualified wholesale supplier, like Bella + Canvas. Look for a wholesaler with quality, fashion-forward products that match your brand’s vision.

Some other helpful tips to consider about a wholesaler include:

• No minimums on domestic orders: Choosing a wholesale supplier that doesn’t have a minimum number of sizes, styles, and colors that you must makes it easy to order exactly what you need — and none of what you don’t.
• Quality over price: While it can be tempting to choose a wholesale supplier that offers the lowest prices available, it’s much better to invest a bit more upfront and work with a wholesaler that quality products your customers want. 
• Shipping and storing: Do you want to house physical inventory of your products; or, would it be easier to work with a dropshipper that can send products directly to your customers, giving you a hands-off approach? Some wholesalers will custom print designs on garments and ship them to customers as orders come in if you prefer this option. Consider how you want products sent to you or customers, and that will help you find a wholesale supplier who can meet your needs.

Create Your Website

Once you’ve sourced your products, you’re ready to set up a website. Regardless of whether your brand operates online or in-person, having a website is crucial to helping customers find you. 

Today, setting up a website is very easy. There are hosting services that make it easy to “drag and drop” elements for putting together a site that’s easy to navigate.

Some popular website hosting platforms include:

• Shopify
• Squarespace
• Wix
• WordPress

Explore different services, and find out which is best for your business needs.

Establish a Social Media Presence

The next step to start a clothing business is establishing a social media presence.

Just as having a website is essential to helping customers find you, and learn more about your business, it’s important to have completed social media profiles that appeal to your target market.

However, you don’t have to be on every social media platform. Consider your target market, and identify the social media platforms they’re most likely to be using.

Younger audiences prefer platforms like TikTok and Instagram, while older audiences lean more toward Facebook.

Leverage hashtags for your branding to convey your products and brand’s story to customers.

Create a Marketing Strategy

Having a marketing strategy is key to reaching your target audience. This doesn’t mean, however, that  you have to invest hundreds or even thousands of dollars into marketing.

There are inexpensive or completely free ways to market your brand, from social media to using positive customer reviews on your website. The most important factors are to:

• Be consistent in your branding
• Tailor your approach as you find out which strategies and avenues are most effective 

Social media is a great, free way to connect with consumers. Leverage hashtags and keywords to reach your target audience.

If you’re ready to invest a bit into your marketing strategy, using paid posts on social media can be a great way to reach your target audience when starting a business. It’s definitely not necessary, though, as free marketing tools go a long way.

Launch and Watch the Incoming Sales 

Once you’ve considered the technical aspects of your business, and have done all of the prep work and planning, you’re ready to launch your business.

Whether you’re operating online or in-store, if you’ve got consistent branding, an effective strategy, and have set yourself up with all of the right tools for success, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a profitable business.