Green Cotton

If the answer to that question is yes, that’s great! There is a lot to consider in starting a business. When it comes to the apparel industry, the market is increasingly competitive and crowded, so it can be useful to consider industry-specific recommendations when starting out. As someone who is considering my own eco-fashion line, I found these gems from Jenny Fulbright from her article on ‘Starting a Clothing Line Business’ particularly useful. I have adapted them slightly with my own reflections into the following four bullets (note: there are many more than 4 things to consider, but here are four good ones):

1) Know your market. Who exactly do you want to cater to? The clothing industry is very diversified and stratified. There are a thousand ways to cut the pie, so figuring out your ideal demographic is an important first step. According to the American Apparel & Footware Association, in 2000, there were $315 billion dollars in sales in US apparel. What piece of that do you envision?

2) Determine what kind of clothes you want to offer. Will you be athletic, yoga-esque, professional/career, casual/sporty? There are so many possibilities, but it is crucial to focus. Where would you potentially have a competitive edge? Consider price here as well: do you want be high end, middle of the road, low cost?

3) Consider your supply chain and end point. Who will you sell to? Suppliers/distributors ? Or will you have your own store? Will you sell online only? Mail order or will you build your own store? How much capital you have to start out with will dictate in part what options you have in terms of selling the product.

4) Know the competition. Even if you think you are selling a totally novel product, you will have competition and it will likely come from the least expected place. Do your research. See what is out there. What advantage do you potentially have compared to what is already out there. Can you source more inexpensively? Can you provide a higher quality product? Can you guarantee fair trade? Can you guarantee organic? What do customers want?

Answer these questions thoroughly and you are on your way to creating a more viable business.

clipped from www.powerhomebiz.com 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.