Women's Clothing Line

How Much Does It Cost To Start A Women's Clothing Line? (In 2024)

Pat Walls

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Updated: October 6th, 2024

Looking to start a women's clothing line?

But curious about:

how much it costs to start a women's clothing line?
what are the typical women's clothing line startup costs?
or the actual cost of starting women's clothing lines?

Well, we have the data to prove it, supported by real women's clothing lines and how much they actually cost to start.

Let's go over it.

What is the average cost of starting a women's clothing line?

Based on our data reported by actual women's clothing line founders, the average cost of starting a women's clothing line is between $50 and $50,000.

Additionally, our data shows that the the median startup costs for a women's clothing line are around $5K.

Remember, though, not all women's clothing lines are the same - and neither are people's budgets. It's important to distinguish between different levels or types of women's clothing lines

Real World Examples: How much does it cost to start a women's clothing line?

We asked real women's clothing line founders and business owners how much it actually cost to get started?

Here is what they said:

Jeremy Roberts

Founder of Tradlands ($134K/month)

"To fund Tradlands we cashed out our existing 401k’s and received a little financial support from family. We started the business and funded the first production run with a total of $15k."

Jeremy Roberts is the co-founder of Tradlands, a women's clothing business that started in 2013 and generates $134k per month in revenue.

Read this case study

Read by 10,157 founders

Natalie Matthews

Founder of Height Of Fashion ($25K/month)

"I fund everything in the business to date – I did have some saving when I started but it wasn’t enough for this style of business. So I worked full time in the first year while I was establishing the brand to manage cash flow, samples and production runs."

Natalie Matthews is the founder of Height-Of-Fashion, an online clothing store for tall women that she started in 2017.

Read this case study

Read by 9,673 founders

Brigitte Shamy

Founder of SexyModest ($500K/month)

"We went to work and two Fridays later we found a retail space, spent every penny we had, and didn’t have (credit cards) to purchase inventory, put money down on the lease, and SexyModest Clothing was born."

Jason and Brigitte Adams are the founders of SexyModest.com, a modest women’s clothing business that started in their basement and has grown into a 7-figure company.

Read this case study

Read by 14,443 founders

Karen Lee

Founder of Leze Apparel Inc. ($45K/month)

"Our start-up cost was $5,000, which covered sampling and shooting for our campaign."

Karen is the founder of LEZE the Label, a women's workwear business that creates comfortable, stylish clothing from recycled materials.

Read this case study

Read by 8,664 founders

Albina

Founder of Smaragdas Art ($1K/month)

"I was lucky I got financial support from 'The People’s Trust' organization, this was important support for starting the business."

Albina is the founder of Smaragdas Art, a handmade jewelry and fashion design business that started in 2020.

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Read by 2,777 founders

Sarim Nadeem

Founder of Dexpel ($120K/month)

"We started the company with a mere budget of $2,000 and bought ourselves a small A3 printer, a laminator, and a cutting system."

Sarim Nadeem is the founder of Dexpel, a custom print store business that started in 2009 and specializes in a wide variety of customizable apparel and merchandise.

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Read by 6,711 founders

Natalie Kay Costello

Founder of Sustainably Chic ($17K/month)

"The trademark and business license cost around $1,200, and everything was filed through legalzoom.com."

Natalie is the founder of Sustainably Chic, a blog about sustainable fashion that receives around 60k monthly visitors and makes $6,000 per month.

Read this case study

Read by 10,667 founders

Katlyn

Founder of Blue Skies & Ko ($1K/month)

"Once all of the paperwork was processed, branding complete, and the website was launched and filled with jewelry my start-up costs for Blue Skies & Ko came out to be $2,000!"

Katlyn is the founder of Blue Skies & Ko Boutique, a jewelry and clothing business that grew from a small crafting hobby into a full-time career.

Read this case study

Read by 3,754 founders

Ray Li

Founder of Sene ($40K/month)

"We raised a 300K friends & family round and use it to launch a Los Angeles flagship store, develop a collection, and define a new way to shop. We were super frugal since we didn’t have the luxury of raising a bunch of venture capital money."

Ray Li is the founder of Sene, a custom-tailored clothing line that combines classic styles with radical comfort.

Read this case study

Read by 12,788 founders

Jess Michelle

Founder of Jess Mi Boutique ($500/month)

"I budgeted $1000 for everything: wholesale merchandise, advertising, website design, photoshoots, video promotions, etc. I later discovered it was not necessary to start with that much.* $500 is just as doable!"

Jessica Carter, also known as Jess Michelle, is the founder of Jess Mi Boutique, an online boutique that caters to women with a focus on dressier attire.

Read this case study

Read by 21,290 founders

Enjoyed reading these real world examples?

Our platform is full of case studies of successful women's clothing lines that you can learn from.

Starting a women's clothing line - what you should know:

Starting a women's clothing line involves several cost-related factors that can significantly sway your budget.

Fabric and Materials

Choosing the right fabric is crucial and can vary in cost. For instance, basic cotton can be as low as $1 to $5 per yard, whereas luxury fabrics like silk can range from $20 to $100 per yard. Quantity also matters: the more you buy, the lower the per-yard cost, but this requires a higher upfront investment.

Design and Prototyping

Hiring a professional designer can be costly, with prices ranging from $500 to $20,000 depending on the designer's experience and the project's complexity. Then there's the cost of creating prototypes, which can range from $50 to $300 per piece.

Manufacturing

Domestic manufacturing is usually more expensive than overseas. For example, producing a simple garment in the U.S. might cost $20 to $30 per piece, while overseas manufacturing could reduce this cost to $5 to $15 per piece. However, foreign manufacturing often involves additional logistics and quality control costs.

Marketing and Branding

Investing in a strong brand and marketing strategy is essential. Initial branding (logo, website design) could cost anywhere from $2,000 to $10,000. Digital marketing campaigns can range significantly, from as little as $500 per month to well over $5,000 per month, depending on your goals and target audience.

Inventory and Storage

Keeping inventory requires space. Renting storage can cost between $100 and $300 per month for a small space, but this can quickly rise with the amount of stock you need to maintain. Some choose to use dropshipping as a cost-saving measure, eliminating the need for inventory storage but often involving higher per-unit costs.

Legal and Administrative Costs

Don't forget about legal elements like trademarks, which can cost between $225 to $425 per class of goods. Additionally, you'll need to consider the costs of setting up a business entity, accounting, and possibly hiring an attorney, which can collectively amount to $1,000 to $5,000 initially.

Understanding these costs upfront can help you budget more accurately and make strategic decisions that align with your financial capacities.

Potential Costs of Starting a Women's Clothing Line

Starting a women's clothing line involves a range of costs, from initial design and production to marketing and distribution. Below is a detailed table of potential costs you may encounter:

Cost Category	Details	Estimated Cost Range
Business Registration	Fees for registering your business name and obtaining licenses	$50 - $500
Market Research	Costs for conducting surveys, focus groups, and market analysis	$500 - $5,000
Design Software	Tools like Adobe Illustrator or CorelDRAW for designing clothing	$20 - $79 per month (per subscription)
Fabric & Materials	Cost of various fabrics, buttons, zippers, and other raw materials	$5 - $50 per yard
Pattern Making	Fees for hiring professional pattern makers	$100 - $500 per pattern
Sample Production	Cost of first sample units	$50 - $300 per sample
Manufacturing	Costs for bulk production; varies by location and quantity	$10 - $50 per unit
Labor Costs	Payment for skilled labor such as seamstresses	$15 - $50 per hour
Packaging	Custom labels, tags, boxes, and bags	$0.50 - $5 per unit
Website Development	Creating and hosting an e-commerce website	$500 - $5,000 for setup $20 - $100 per month for hosting
E-commerce Platform Fees	Fees for platforms like Shopify, Etsy, etc.	$29 - $299 per month
Marketing & Advertising	Online ads, social media campaigns, influencer partnerships	$500 - $10,000 per month
Photography	Professional photos for Lookbooks, website, and social media	$100 - $1,000 per session
Legal Fees	Trademarking your brand, contracts, and other legal services	$300 - $3,000
Inventory Storage	Warehousing costs for storing finished products	$100 - $500 per month
Shipping & Logistics	Costs associated with shipping products to customers	$2 - $15 per package
POS System	Point of Sale systems for in-person sales	$50 - $200 per month
Miscellaneous Expenses	Unplanned costs like office supplies, travel, and other business expenses	$200 - $2,000

By considering each of these potential costs in your budget, you'll be better prepared for the financial demands of launching a successful women's clothing line.

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Starting A Women's Clothing Line: Everything You Need To Know

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