You want to start a clothing business, but what does that mean? Clothing businesses take many forms—you can sell to consumers or to other businesses, you can offer high-fashion designs or cater to those looking for a bargain, and you don’t even have to design clothing yourself. There are many retail business ideas to help you tap into the apparel market, it’s just a matter of choosing which is the best for you!
Here’s how we determined which apparel business ideas to include in this list:
- Diversity: We included a diverse range of clothing ideas for business here—some requiring design and sewing skills and others requiring none.
- Demand: We sought ideas and products that are trending or have high demand to ensure consistent sales volume.
- Availability: We looked for ideas and products that are relatively easy to create or find and can be produced or restocked quickly.
1. Resell Clothes
Reselling clothes typically involves buying clothing items at a low price and then reselling them, either in a store or online, at a profit. It’s a great approach for home-based businesses with little startup funding. You can start small and grow from there.
The trick with this clothing business idea is sourcing the products. We have lots of resources to help you figure that out and tap into this idea:
2. Sell Vintage Clothes on Consignment
Next on our list of business clothing ideas that work well: If you have access to vintage or used clothing—you can sell them on consignment. You might sell them to consignment shops or even open your own. This is a sustainable approach to getting into the fashion business—and it’s very welcomed by consumers. In fact, apparel is one of the top categories for secondhand goods.
3. Upcycle Designs
Sticking to the theme of sustainability, you can also upcycle and reimagine used clothing and fabric scraps to create your own styles. This requires some level of skill in terms of sewing, but even doing something as simple as adding a patch can bring new life to an old article of clothing.
Peppy Debs is a New Jersey-based retail shop that sells exactly that—vintage and upcycled goods. The shop started online and now the young entrepreneur has her own brick-and-mortar space.
4. Offer Sustainable Fashions
More than a quarter of U.S.-based consumers actively seek to make more sustainable purchase decisions. And this trend continues on an upward trajectory for small clothing business ideas. As consumers become more conscious of their purchases, it’s a great opportunity for environmentally conscious businesses to rise to the top.
Kūla is a great example of a sustainable clothing business. Its sustainability practices are deeply rooted in both the products and the brand.
Stand out by offering sustainable, local, and /or handmade clothing.
5. Go for Print-on-demand
Print-on-demand (POD) is a business model in which a merchant creates a custom design, a customer places an order, and the order is fulfilled by a third-party POD partner. The POD partner produces and ships the order on the merchant’s behalf.
This is an appealing business model for entrepreneurs who don’t want to hold or invest in a lot of inventory or want to test an idea before investing in it first. Check out these other resources to determine if a POD clothing business is right for you:
6. Take a Gender-neutral Approach
This next topic is a newer trend for small business clothing ideas. More than a third of US-based consumers have purchased clothing that wasn’t specifically made for their gender. You can design clothing that doesn’t fit traditional gender norms, offering inclusive and versatile options for all individuals.
TomboyX is a brand that has done exactly that, embracing gender fluidity and tapping into a new and growing customer base.
Gender-fluid and gender-neutral clothing fulfills an in-demand market.
7. Tap Into Athleisure
Athleisure has been on the rise for a while, experienced a spike in the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, and has since settled into a steady rate of demand and growth. Now that athleisure is more popular, it’s also more accepted. Plus, you can find relatively inexpensive manufacturers to whip up some batches of your athleisure designs.
8. Start Your Own Fashion Line
If you have creative chops and some designs you want to put into the world, why not start your own fashion line? You can focus on creating amazing designs and building a strong brand, and then distributing to boutiques, department stores, and other retailers to sell on your behalf. This guide will help you learn how to sell wholesale.
9. Cater to Plus Size
Looking for more clothing small business ideas? Think plus size—the global plus size apparel market is worth $288 billion. But despite there being such a large demand for these types of clothing, only about 0.6% of the fashions seen on the catwalks are plus size. So there’s a huge opportunity for this underserved customer base, especially as awareness has been growing and inspiring a shift in the market.
By offering stylish and well-fitting clothing options for plus-size individuals, you can tap into a lucrative market segment and build an inclusive, loyal customer base. Eloquii is an excellent example of a brand that has successfully tapped into this market.
The plus-size apparel market is a lucrative, underserved category.
10. Rent Clothing
You can launch a clothing rental service so customers can rent designer clothing and special occasion wear without the commitment of purchasing. This business model appeals to budget-conscious consumers who want to wear high-end fashion for a fraction of the cost. Additionally, renting clothing promotes sustainability by reducing the environmental impact of fast fashion.
You might offer your own clothes for rent or set up a platform to allow others to rent their clothes. Nova Octo is a great example of a clothing rental platform. Rather than charging a monthly subscription fee like many others, it charges a one-time rental fee for each design.
11. Offer Alterations
If you’re a skilled seamstress or tailor, you can offer alterations and repairs to your customers. This idea works especially well for starting a local business. You can even niche into what types of alterations you offer—for example, maybe you only do wedding, prom, and evening dresses.
12. Source and Sell Fabric
Sourcing and selling fabric is another viable business opportunity within the clothing industry. You can curate a collection of unique fabrics for sewing enthusiasts or supply materials to fashion designers, though this requires access to high-quality fabrics. You can differentiate your business by offering specialty fabrics, such as organic or sustainably sourced materials, to appeal to environmentally conscious consumers.
You might also dye fabrics and turn them into designs, like Dyed By Audrey. Dyed By Audrey also hosts workshops and events so people can learn how to dye fabrics themselves.
13. Open a Boutique
You don’t have to create fashion to start a clothing business. You can also source designs from other designers and brands and sell them in your own clothing boutique, be it online or in person. According to our estimates, it will cost at least $10,000 to get a brick-and-mortar up and running.
14. Niche Into T-Shirts
Not interested in fashion but want to get into the apparel industry? T-shirts could be a way to go. You might offer high-quality T-shirts or customizable POD designs. There are so many routes you can take with a T-shirt business, and it’s also a great way to test selling apparel before expanding your product line. This comprehensive guide will tell you everything you need to know to start a T-shirt business online.
15. List Clothes on Poshmark
Selling clothes via online platforms like Poshmark, Mercari, or Depop allows you to tap into consumer-to-consumer (C2C) or peer-to-peer (P2P) selling. These are social marketplaces where users can buy and sell new or gently used clothing, shoes, and accessories. And you can reach a wide audience of potential customers without the overhead costs of a physical storefront.
By leveraging these user-friendly interfaces and built-in communities, you can effectively market your inventory and connect with other fashion enthusiasts.
16. Offer Workshops and Training
Hosting workshops and training sessions related to fashion, sewing, or styling can be a valuable addition to your clothing business. Whether it’s teaching basic sewing techniques, offering styling tips, or organizing DIY fashion projects, workshops provide an opportunity to engage with customers on a deeper level and establish your expertise in the industry. Additionally, workshops can generate additional revenue streams and foster a sense of community among your customers.
Lemloren, for example, has a workshop where it offers classes and training for aspiring designers.
Offering classes, courses, and workshops are a great way to build community around your brand.
17. Sell Subscriptions
Subscription-based fashion platforms like Stitch Fix and Le Tote have grown in popularity and made consumers open to the idea of monthly curated styles. In fact, Stitch Fix alone has 44% brand awareness. You can offer your own clothing-based subscriptions—maybe you curate fashions and accessories, or maybe you offer personal styling or a set amount of alterations for each subscription period. You can get really creative with this clothing business idea.
Related:
18. Become a Stylist
Not interested in actually selling clothes for your clothing line business ideas? Sell your styling services. You can become a personal stylist or a stylist for things like commercials, photoshoots, and other professional needs. You can even do this virtually if you’re looking for a home-based business idea.
Clothes Business Ideas FAQs
The most profitable clothing business depends on many factors. It’s widely believed that fast fashion is the most profitable clothing business, despite consumer perceptions of the industry.
Yes, you can start a clothing brand with $500. It may be tight, but you can create a design and set up a store to sell print-on-demand clothing with $500.
Yes, selling clothes is a good business idea if you have a solid business plan. People always need clothing, so there will always be demand.
Bottom Line
Starting a clothing business can be a lucrative venture if you choose the right products and business model. Creativity goes a long way as a small business owner, and it might just be your secret to success. Whether you’re looking to create your own designs or simply tap into a market opportunity, this list of business ideas for clothing stores will inspire your imagination.
