Children's Designer Clothing

Startup Costs: $10,000 - $50,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Franchises Available? Yes
Online Operation? Yes

THE BRIEF

Calling all design mavens. It's time to profit from your great fashion sense — and sewing skills — by starting a business designing and manufacturing children's designer clothing. Your first step is to assess the market and see what's missing. This is the secret to identifying a niche: Is it modern organic baby clothes? Gender-neutral leisurewear that's perfect for school or lounging? One crucial thing to keep in mind is that clothes for little ones need to be completely safe. You can assess your offerings with this tool from the Consumer Product Safety Commission. You also need to figure out how you'll market your products. The traditional route is to visit local children's boutiques to see if they'd be interested in carrying your line. But you may want to bypass brick and mortar and sell your products exclusively through your own website and/or on auction sites. Local craft fairs may also be a great outlet for your wares, particularly when you're just starting. Overall, it's essential to spend time upfront thinking through why you created your brand. Having an authentic story will help you stand out in a crowded market and attract more loyal shoppers.

ASK THE PROS

How much money can you make?

A children's fashion designer makes, on average, around $64,000, according to Glassdoor.com. 

What kind of experience do you need to have?

The biggest key is curiosity: "I learned about the clothing business by asking a lot of questions. Everywhere I went I asked a million questions about fabric, what’s involved in sourcing the materials, how it's woven — every aspect of it. That’s how I learned. I would get three bids for everything and ask questions until I found the right vendors to do what I wanted to do: make simple, incredibly soft clothes for babies.” — Paige Lauren, creator of PaigeLauren organic baby clothes

What's the most important thing to know about this business?

"There needs to be a constant flow of new items to keep customers engaged, and there needs to be the right kind of PR. When I think of influencers, I don't want people with three million followers who just take a picture of something and move on. I want real moms with a thousand followers who really love these clothes." — Paige Lauren

The Market

Parents and grandparents of young children

Needed Equipment

A sewing machine