Clothing is one of the basic needs that every human needs. And the business of clothing is huge! Not only do you have the opportunity to enter clothing manufacturing, but you can also establish a business within the same industry and enter at a different part of the value chain. One such business is a tailor shop.
A tailor is someone who alters and amends clothing, and sometimes even designs and produces custom pieces. Their client base includes everyone who might not have the skills or time to reattach buttons that may have fallen off, replace broken zippers, sew seams that came undone, or mend rips and tears. It can also mean altering clothing to fit your client’s body in a more flattering way, or significantly changing it in a way that takes an old pair of pants into a brand new vest or skirt.
This type of business allows the entrepreneur to work with their hands, as well as be creative in their approach. You learn about various sewing techniques, styles and how various types of fabrics work. Afterall, silk and denim are two completely different things!
So without further ado, here is how to start a tailor shop.
Market Research for Tailoring Businesses
Whenever an idea is sparked, and you think, maybe I should start a business, you should immediately know that your starting point will always be to conduct market research. Even if you have already set your sights on a specific business type or industry, you should still conduct research.
So if you’ve decided that a tailoring business is the way to go, you still have a lot to find out about the market. Ask questions such as “what type of tailoring is sought after in my area”, “how can clients reach me”, “what skills do I need”, “what additional services can I offer”, or any other questions you might have. Investigating the demographics of your local population will help you position your business.
For instance, if there is a large number of families with school-going children, you may consider targeting parents who need school clothes to be altered. A pair of pants or a skirt might need the hem to be taken in because it is too long for a short child, but needs to be done in such a way that it can be altered again when they grow into it. Your positioning can look into how it will save costs for parents in the long run, or how it solves the problem that a school uniform needs to look a certain way according to the rule book, yet body shapes and sizes differ.
It is also worth noting that seasonal trends also differ. School children might need alterations twice a year for summer and winter, but other seasonal trends could include matric farewell attire, graduation attire, and even bridal wear.
Create a Business Plan and Build the Business
A business plan is the roadmap that your business uses on its entrepreneurial journey. It regularly breaks down plans for 6-months, a year or even ten years later!
This step is second, because your initial research will be able to answer a lot of questions for which you need information in the business plan.
In what area will you operate? Are you going to need to rent a facility? If so, what is the estimated cost for this? These are all critical questions that will help you set up the budget – the vital financial section of your business plan. Do your best to understand all the expenses that your business will incur for its initial startup costs, as well as running costs.
After you have completed your business plan, register your business with CIPC. You can also take the time to register your business with SARS and open a business bank account. If you are concerned about doing the right thing, you can also turn to professional services that help you register your business and ensure you are compliant, but this will cost extra.
Based on the cost of all your expenses and research of other similar businesses, you can determine the pricing for different services. Remember that you also need to factor in your time.
This information will help you understand how many sales you need to make a month to cover your expenses and make a profit.
Invest in Equipment
As a tailor or a clothing business that does alterations, a lot of what you do involves sewing. Some tasks are best by hand, but others definitely require heavier lifting. At the bare minimum, you should invest in both an industry-grade sewing machine and an overlocker/serger.
CPD College Online clearly lists the equipment you might need. These are as follows:
- A sewing machine
- Machine needles
- Hand-sewing needles
- Thread
- A sewing needle threader
- Readymade pattern
- Tracing tools
- Pins
- Standard scissors
- A rotary cutter
- A rotary mat
- Tape measures
- Sewing gauges
- Tailor’s chalk
- A seam unpicker
- A thimble
- Thread nippers
- A hem guide
- A button guide
- A bodkin
- An iron and ironing board, a trouser press and/or a steamer
- A sewing machine duster
- Sewing machine oil
- Dressmaker mannequins
A Helping Hand and Thinking about Logistics
Starting your sewing shop doesn’t always require that you hire employees. Employ one or two people at first if you need it; otherwise, take it step by step. Scale with the business, and rather than employ an extra seamstress or seamster as you obtain more customers.
When you set up your workspace – whether at home or at a rented facility – there are a few things you need to include, such as a big table for cutting and storage shelves for storing fabrics, patterns and other sewing tools.
You also need to set a space aside for a fitting room where clients can dress and undress to ensure a perfect fit. It doesn’t have to be large or fancy, just a space where they have privacy.
Market Your Business
Being in a prime location is often marketing itself; however, if the rent is too high, no amount of foot traffic can convert to customers.
Low-cost ways of promoting your business include creating social media pages and sharing organic content. You can also promote or “boost” social media content to reach a wider audience.
Word of mouth is always an affordable marketing tool. Encourage customers to share your business with others and leave reviews on your Google Business page. You can offer an incentive, such as a discount on certain services, if a new customer can show you who referred them to you.
You can leave flyers at local businesses that have a lot of foot traffic. These can be coffee shops, libraries or even clothing stores.
Lastly, you can also meet with local news outlets like community newspapers or radio stations. Sometimes, they are keen to uplift local businesses and share your information with their audience.
