Starting A Business

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Starting a Clothing Line Business

Apparel manufacturing is one of the most in-demand businesses today. Find out how to start and run a clothing business.

The First Step

Apparel manufacturing remains one of the most in-demand businesses today. According to the American Apparel and Footwear Association (http://www.americanapparel.org), apparel sales for 2000 reached $315 billion, representing a 90% growth from its 1990 levels.

Starting a clothing business is just like any other business: you need to have the resources to jumpstart your vision, skills and know-how in managing the business, and marketing savvy to promote the business. You must also have a business plan that will serve as your detailed guide that will walk you through your first couple of years in business. Having gone through the process of thinking through a plan for your business will enable you to always know what steps to take next.

However, there are a number of unique factors that a would-be apparel manufacturer needs to know about the clothing business. Small businesses face an increasing competition from big firms given their marketing muscles and economies of scale. In the United States, at least, the industry is reeling from a shrinking availability and high cost of skilled labor (hence, big companies can outsource the manufacturing of their apparel to contractors in developing countries).

There are also a growing number of small manufacturers that significantly tightens the competition. Plus, small companies need to have the resources to cope with the rapid changes in apparel trends and styles.

Despite these problems, a number of small businesses are able to overcome these difficulties, and even grow to become powerhouses in their seg...

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...ry schedule.

A variation of this approach is to sell through consignment. You bring your clothes to a retailer or shop owner, and the shop owner gets a percentage from the sale of your items. Make sure, though, that the terms of agreement with the shop owner is well-laid out and written, if possible.

You may also wish to go about it alone and sell your products in your own store. This however requires more capitalization as you would need a small retail space to display your items. You must be able to get a location that is accessible to customers, as well as convenient to buyers, textile suppliers or their sales agents. You must also be near the fashion district of your area to enable you to see the trends that are shaping. Should you choose this route, you need to develop a solid merchandising plan that includes creating the right look and feel for your store.

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