How To Start A Sewing Business With No Money

It may come as a surprise, but millennials are quickly catching on to sewing. The art of attaching pieces of cloth/fabric together is no longer perceived as an elderly activity. People from a lower median age demographic are getting hooked- owing to limitless creativity and customization possibilities. If you are good at your craft, why not earn money within the comforts of your own residence. To adjust to a high-paced and high-tech world- you need to start thinking about how to start a sewing business at home.

Why is the sewing business a reasonable home-venture in 2021?

In addition to stitching and altering clothes as per requirement, sewing as a profession also includes customization. Depending upon their skill, tailors or seamstresses can alter a dress as per the client’s requisites to make a fashion statement. Highly customized dresses may use embroidery, unique design ideas, or other forms of decorative art. These require having an aesthetic concept of clothing, plus considerable skill in the sewing craft. The stitchwork often takes up a lot of time but is compensated by the service remuneration.

Despite the lockdown, market experts predict a 2.03% surplus in demand and market size for fabric, crafts, and sewing supplies for 2021. DIY(Do It Yourself) fashion is on the rise. The availability of leisure time has increased- around 1 in 5 US households currently participate in sewing as a pastime. On the other hand, a 2017 British Heart Foundation survey revealed that 6 out of 10 persons lack confidence in their sewing abilities. 4 out of 10 people do not know how to change their trouser’s length. The art of mending damaged garments is unknown to 25% of people.

Taking these trends into account, it is clear that your recreational sewing activities can be easily converted into an effective business plan. Yes, it is true that retail sewing and craft stores are unable to comprehend the present generation’s requirements. But, almost all sewing and crafting materials are now available for purchase at e-commerce sites at cheaper rates. Do not worry about huge investments. Just a sewing machine, plus some other items for starting. All that’s left is taking the leap.

How to start sewing clothes

If you are a beginner or feel that your skills in sewing need an upgrade, take professional sewing classes in your locality. A recent article on Craft Tribe Online revealed a recent surge in searches with the “sewing classes near me” keyphrase.

Fabric retailers like AfroThreads have opened stores to make sure a quality handmade clothes with a feel of Africa reaches everyone. Also they have a vision to put money back into Africa’s Textile Industry.

The past few years saw the emergence of online educators- including the ones who teach you how to start sewing. Style Sew Me, a start-up based in Texas, offers professionally-made instructional sewing videos , and includes patterns and blazers and so much more, do check her video out.

Getting started with your killer sewing business idea

The entire world came to land still as an aftermath of the COVID-19 epidemic. The shutdown resulted in a steep growth decline for the US sewing industry(with a 2021 market valuation of $3.6 billion). The average 4.7% annual dip in the US industry market growth from 2016 to 2021 reached a low of 7.8% due to the coronavirus pandemic. Industry-level statistics may appear grim on the surface. However, modern trends suggest the opposite.

A few additional items are necessary for setting up shop online, and some of them are discussed below in the next topic.

Machines and tools necessary for starting a home-based sewing business

The minimum requirements for setting and a home based sewing business include the following:

Sewing Machine

An absolute no-brainer- you need a sewing machine for running a sewing business. However, expensive machines are not always good investment options. For newbies, instruction manuals are mostly provided with the machine. Else, check out the complete guide present online and learn how to run a sewing machine.

Professional tailors and seamstresses prefer using basic workhorse machines. There are a few advantages. Firstly, workhorses tend to perform better than the fancy ones in the long run. Second, spare parts cost cheaper and are easily available.

Serger

Known as the overlocker machine in Europe, a serger basically stitches using multiple threads at the same time. This machine performs two functions simultaneously. The first function involves trimming the seam. The other one involves enclosing the fabric edge using a thread case.

Depending upon the machine- two to five strings can be used during the serging process. A serger is an important tool for starting a sewing business. However, it can not replace a sewing machine full-time.

Mirror/Camera

A full-body sized mirror is essential for the client to check the fit and appearance of the product. Avoid concave/convex mirrors which alter the actual appearance of the person trying your sewn outfit.

Planning to take your seamstress business online? Invest in a decent camera. High-quality captured images are better in showcasing your skill as a seamstress/tailor. This enhances client-conversion.

Mannequins

Mannequins are an essential investment in any cloth-related business. The human-body shaped dolls are used to showcase ready to wear dresses/clothing. Made up of plastic, fiber, or other materials- mannequins are available in both male and female body types. Smaller-sized mannequins are usually preferred for making miniature samples, as it results in a lower fabric cost. Try adjustable mannequins for making custom-sized clothing, depending upon client requirements.

Additional tools(Lighting)

In addition to the ones mentioned above, you may feel the need to purchase extra tools and machinery for your business. The requirements depend upon the type of sewing services offered. A ruffler machine helps in speeding up the process of sewing ruffles. Cheap aftermarket options are available for sewing kits, or other sewing-related accessories.

Do not neglect the importance of setting up the proper lighting conditions in your workspace. Good lighting is necessary for a variety of reasons, including sewing performance enhancement, helping clients, and showcasing readymade clothing items using mannequins/models.

A sewing business is incomplete without inventory materials like needles, sewing threads, buttons, fabric, and last but not least, a pair of scissors. Most of these items are available in both retail stores and online e-commerce sites. Choose high-grade ingredients to ensure that your final sewn product is of outstanding quality and durability.

Things to consider before jumping onto Sewing business opportunities:

Before starting any business, it is imperative to have an impartial analysis of your capabilities. Grade your own abilities as a seamstress. A quick comparison with seamstresses in your neighborhood/locality will suffice. As they say, understanding the competition is key.

Other factors you need to consider before starting off include the possible adjustments with your own family/lifestyle. Setting up and running a business is time-consuming, and often takes up a lot of space. You might find the business difficult if you have little space in your place of residence or kids who require your constant supervision. If you intend to keep your business local- ensure a private place in your sewing studio for the clients to try on garments.

Sewing as a profession requires sitting in a hunched position for long hours. Thus, it is not a great idea for someone suffering from chronic back pain or spinal injuries. Practice yoga and exercises to keep your posture in check.

What can I sew to make money? Turning profits

The average annual income of a seamstress is approximately 29000 USD. The amount may change upon the number of working days, frequency of clients, or service charges. On an hourly basis, the amount sums up to anything between $11.26 to 13.85.

How to start a sewing business?

Having trouble deciding the final product? Fear not. There are several options to choose from, and each product has its own sewing pros and cons.

Home-sewn products are returning to popularity thanks to social media and podcasts. A popular sewing podcast, Love to Sew, has been downloaded over 2.7 million times– around 30000 times weekly. Trends indicate a renewed interest in sewing among millennials- custom-sewn products are hip.

In any case, if you are looking for suggestions, here is a list of options to start your sewing business.

Purses, wallets, or handbags

Custom hand-sewn purses, wallets, or handbags are wildly popular in the present generation. They fetch a decent price, and there are no additional worries about sizing.

Kids Apparel

Dresses for kids are easy to sew, and require less fabric.

Women’s Clothing

There are about a million options in women’s clothing. Some designs are easy to make. On the other hand, complex designs require expert craftsmanship and several hours of work. The wide variety of options mean a high number of clients.Try minimalistic styles with less zippers/buttons- especially if you are starting.

Customized dresses for dancing/leotards

This is a specialized line of work. Your clients will include performance artists(ballerina, dancers) or sportspersons(skaters and gymnasts). Learn how to apply rhinestones in dresses before you begin this venture.

Upcycling

Appreciate all things artistic and wish to create something unique?? Upcycling is very popular in local markets, and generates quite a profit.

Repairs/Alterations

Contrary to popular belief, alterations and repairing often require more finesse. A proficiency in fine sewing and unpicking previous stitchworks is a must for alterations. Ask for what you deserve, as people fail to understand the skill and time required for such activities.