Is starting your own kids’ clothing line a lifelong passion? Do you have an idea for a children’s clothing brand that still needs creation? Are you considering expanding your current adult clothing business to include a line for kids?
Regardless of your vision, there are some important considerations when launching a new business venture. Here’s what you need to know to determine if starting a kids’ clothing line is the right step for you.
Market Demand
Before delving into any new business venture, ensure there’s a demand for the product or service you’re looking to create.
As you gauge demand for your kids’ clothing line, consider the following:
- Demand for specific garments or styles.
- The realistic number of goods you can sell.
- How many customers are willing to pay for products in comparison to your cost of goods and other expenses.
- If you’ll sell direct to consumers (DTC) or if your customers will be other retailers, who will get the garments to the end consumer.
Market research is critical in determining the demand for the specific products you’ll sell in your kids’ clothing line.
This process is vital when starting a kids’ clothing line, as you don’t want to invest lots of time and money creating an overabundance of products that don’t sell — or over-pricing them, known as “negative demand.”
One great thing about selling kids’ clothing is that parents continually look for quality clothing for their little ones because children are constantly growing.
Market Saturation
While parents continually need to purchase new sizes for their growing children, it’s essential to be aware of the current market saturation.
You want to ensure your kids’ clothing line is serving a need yet to meet or that something unique sets it apart from the competition. Finding a niche for your clothing line is the best way to avoid direct competition or trying to tap into an already saturated market.
Determining market saturation goes hand-in-hand with figuring out the market demand. It can help you decide if your specific kids’ clothing line idea is lucrative or needs more brainstorming to find a niche.
Special Considerations for Kids’ Clothing
Parents and kids love clothes that encourage play and allow them to move freely. So these should be a top priority when deciding what materials and designs you’ll use in your kids’ clothing line.
Durability, Practicality, and Comfort
Kids, first and foremost, need clothes that allow them to jump, run, and crawl around as they explore the world. Their clothes must encourage that freedom — not hinder it or make it uncomfortable.
Additionally, parents, caregivers, and friends who are shopping for their little ones need clothes that will hold up to a child’s daily adventures — not fall apart after one or two wears.
Focus on designing clothes and using materials that are:
Comfortable: Choose soft materials that won’t irritate kids’ sensitive skin.
Durable: You want fabrics and designs that stand the test of time and hold up from playtime to naptime.
Practical: Most parents won’t want to hassle with clothes for their kids that require hand washing every time a spill happens. And they want easy designs for their kids to slip on and off. Make your styles work for the busy lives of parents and their kids.
Materials and Parts Safety
When designing a kids’ clothing line, it’s crucial to consider the safety of the garments.
In addition, ensure all materials are fire-proof.
You may want to avoid using small parts and elements that could harm small children, including:
- Applications
- Buttons
- Drawstrings
- Prints or transfers that may flake off
- Snaps
- Straps
- Zippers
If a button were to fall off an infant’s shirt, for example, they may put it in their mouth, posing a choking hazard. This danger poses health and safety risks for the child and potential problems for consumers’ perception of your brand.
Expenses and Costs
When deciding if you should start a kids’ clothing line, you’ll need to consider any startup costs and expenses and compare them to your potential profits. You’ll also have to think if you’ll sell in-person, online-only, or a mix of both.
As you decide on this, you’ll have to determine where to source your clothes. The two primary options are to work with a manufacturer or wholesale supplier.
Manufacturer
Working directly with a manufacturer can allow you to create custom designs and customize everything, including fabric type, fits, stitching, and more.
However, be aware that many manufacturers may have high order minimums that may not be a good fit for small businesses or brands looking to operate primarily online without needing to hold lots of physical inventory.
Wholesale Supplier
Instead, many brands may find it beneficial to work with a wholesale supplier that offers blank quality clothing at bulk discount prices.
You can still customize blank clothing with custom embroidery or printing to suit your personal clothing line’s branding. Some suppliers even allow you to do private-label orders and customize everything from stitching and fabric color to the internal clothing tag on wholesale kids’ hoodies and other garments.
Some wholesale suppliers also ship directly to consumers, taking away the hassle of holding physical inventory.
When you crunch expenses and costs on your end, many manufacturers will give suggested retail prices, which can help determine your profits. So no matter how you want to run your kids’ clothing line, there are affordable options that will work for you.
Passion For Putting Your Plan Into Action
Whether starting a kids’ clothing line is your lifelong dream or seeing it as a significant step toward building a business to support yourself, you need a passion to succeed. Customers can sense when a brand behind their products is excited about what they’re selling — and conversely, they can feel when a company is not engaged.
A drive to start your kids’ clothing line will ensure you stay motivated and set your business up in success to be profitable for years to come.
Regardless of your motivations, you can catapult off your excitement of this new endeavor and start a kids’ clothing line that excites parents and their little ones alike. All it takes is planning and careful consideration, and you’re ready to start!
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