Making and selling dog clothing is a great business.
In the past few decades, the phenomenon of "dog fashion" has exploded. Many people treat their dogs like members of the family. As a result, we see dogs walking down the street in jogging outfits, raincoats, sweaters and booties. Many mainstream retailers and pet supply stores have taken notice of this trend and now provide pet clothing and accessories. However, just as people don't want to buy their entire wardrobe from low-end retailers, they also appreciate having more options for their pets. There is significant room in this emerging niche industry to become a pet clothing designer.
Instructions
1. Decide which types of items and services you will offer. Some pet owners will want custom-made items for their dogs. Will you provide this service or will you only sell pre-made clothing? If you decide to go the custom route, you should anticipate having customers bring their dogs to your home or place of business for measurements and fittings. Also consider offering complementary accessories that match your dog outfits, such as hair bows, booties, bow ties and so on.
2. Sketch out the designs you plan to offer. These sketches do not need to be perfect since they will be used only for your reference, but they should adequately convey the design and style of the outfit. You can have as many different designs as you wish or you can start with just one or two staples and modify them with different fabrics and embellishments.
3. Choose or create patterns for your designs. Patterns are used to re-create a specific design as many times as necessary. If you do not have pattern creation experience, you can use pre-made patterns and modify them to meet the needs of your design. Dog outfit patterns can be found at most fabric or craft stores.
4. Choose fabrics and trimmings for each design that you have created. Your fabric choices should reflect the utility and functionality of each outfit. For example, if you are creating a dog raincoat, choose a waterproof material such as vinyl or oil cloth. Use the highest-quality materials you can find that don't break your budget.
5. Create samples of your designs. If you are not creating custom pieces exclusively, you should have sample collections to show potential customers. Cut out your fabric using your pattern and sew the pieces together. Iron your garments after sewing to give them a crisp, polished look.
6. Sell your items. If you are operating exclusively out of your home and not using any other sales platform, you could host dog fashion "trunk shows" in your home. A trunk show involves a designer showing and selling their pieces to an audience. Often, samples are sold at these shows and orders are taken for items that run out of stock. You can also create a catalog for your items and send it home with trunk show participants or mail it to residents in your community. If you would like to sell your items to retail shops and boutiques, you will need a product sheet for your collection. A product sheet includes a color picture of each item, along with a description of the product, materials and price. Never just show up at a boutique and try to sell your line. Call first and ask to speak with the owner or buyer. Explain your business and indicate that you would like to set up a meeting for the purpose of having the store carry your line. Offer to send your product sheet in advance. In addition to trunk shows and boutique sales, consider selling your fashions online through an e-commerce website. They have the potential of reaching an unlimited amount of customers and can dramatically boost your sales. If you don't have any experience with setting up a website, hire a web designer to perform this service for you.
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