5 Profitable Clothing Brand Business Ideas to Consider this Year

Launching your own clothing brand hasn't always been easy. In the past, ambitious entrepreneurs needed significant time, expertise, and a lot of available capital to bring their companies to life. Now, however, just about anyone can dive into the clothing industry.

Thanks to print on demand manufacturers, straightforward e-commerce platforms, and even social media platforms with their own built in selling tools, the startup costs for a clothing company are lower than ever. However, that doesn't mean there aren't still challenges to overcome.

The fashion industry is extremely competitive. If you want a piece of the $1.7 trillion market, you need clothing brand business ideas that set you apart from the crowd.

Fortunately, we've learned a thing or two about the best strategies for business owners over the years. Here, we'll introduce you to five profitable ideas that can transform your passion for fashion into a lucrative source of consistent income.

The 5 Top Clothing Brand Business Ideas This Year

Notably, there's no one-size-fits-all business idea that's guaranteed to work for every fashion company. If you're just getting started with figuring out how to create your own clothing brand, you'll have countless factors to consider, from who your ideal customer is going to be, to where you want to sell your products.

However, some fashion brands are definitely seeing more success than others right now. Based on our experience, these are some of the best ideas to explore in the apparel industry if you're looking to benefit from the perfect blend of low startup costs, and high consumer demand.

Custom Printed Clothing

Starting with one of the most affordable and most popular clothing business ideas to consider this year, custom printed clothing is a gold mine for fashion entrepreneurs. Demand for custom clothing is increasing at a CAGR of 10.9% as customers search for new ways to express themselves.

With custom clothing designs, you can create entire collections of products tailored to specific customer interests. You can work with artists to create collections based on trends and fashion events, or allow customers to add their own clothing designs to products at will.

A print-on-demand company like NovaTomato makes it easy to create custom clothing products, while keeping your upfront costs low. Since we only create products for your fashion business when customers place an order, there's no need to invest in collections in bulk.

Plus, because we can print virtually anything onto your clothing lines, you can give customers complete freedom to personalize the products they purchase. Working with a POD vendor makes it simpler (and more affordable) to offer various product lines to customers without risk.

You can even experiment with new designs without having to worry about excess stock if your designs don't have the right impact on your customers.

Quick Tips for Success

• Choose the right POD platform: Work with a print on demand partner that offers access to advanced production equipment, and printing solutions, like all-over print. Make sure they use high-quality materials, and prioritize sustainability where possible.

• Experiment with a range of products: Offer customers a wide range of apparel designs and products to choose from, including t-shirts, custom dresses, polo shirts, hoodies, and sweaters. The more options you offer, the wider your audience will be.

• Connect with customers: Regular communication with customers will help you to unlock insights into potential designs and new custom clothing products you can offer. This will help you take a data-driven approach to business growth.

Sustainable Clothing

Today's consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the negative impact fashion companies can have on the planet. As customers grow more ethical and eco-conscious, they're prioritizing companies that put sustainability first, and eschewing fast fashion brands.

Creating a sustainable fashion brand is a great way to target a huge, and growing target market, full of customers who not only support your goals, but are willing to pay more for your clothing items. 34% of the global population say they're happy to pay extra for environmentally friendly products.

With the right print-on-demand company, like NovaTomato, you can start an online clothing business selling sustainable garments, without having to spend a fortune on sourcing sustainable materials. We offer access to various recycled and sustainable materials, as well as eco-friendly packaging.

With our help, you can build a loyal customer base full of customers focused on protecting the planet, and reducing their environmental impact.

Quick Tips for Success

• Think holistically with your sustainable approach: Don't just use sustainable materials like recycled polyester. Think about everything from your approach to sustainable packaging, to the non-toxic inks you use when printing custom designs.

• Market your sustainable focus: Take advantage of the market appeal of sustainability by drawing attention to your eco-conscious practices on multiple channels. You can even consider working with sustainable influencers.

• Prioritize long-lasting clothing items: Ensure your products are durable and long-lasting. High-quality products will earn the loyalty of potential customers, and contribute to your sustainable branding initiatives.

Fitness & Athletic Clothing

Activewear, athleisure, and fitness clothing has been earning increased attention from customers for a while now. Since the pandemic, consumers have been investing more into their health and wellness, and they're looking for specialist clothing that helps optimize their performance and comfort.

At present, the activewear space is still growing at a faster rate than most other clothing niches (around 5.8% CAGR). It's also an incredibly versatile space with a large target market. You can focus on potential customers looking for clothing for specific sports, like golf or tennis with polo shirts.

You could also design clothing items intended for gym sessions, using breathable, moisture-wicking materials to impress your target customers. Some companies even create custom uniforms for sporting groups, using fashion on demand.

Quick Tips for Success

• Appeal to a range of body types: Make sure you offer a wide range of sizes and fit options to appeal to customers at any stage in their fitness journey. Remember to consider options for both everyday wear, and special events, like sporting competitions.

• Offer personalization: Customers love the option to customize any kind of clothing, but the ability to add their own names and designs to athletic apparel can be particularly appealing. Personalization can even offer teams a way to boost camaraderie among players.

• Choose the right materials: Remember to consider material options carefully based on your chosen target audience. Great activewear should be comfortable, breathable, and flexible. You may even experiment with unique strategies, like 3D knitting to eliminate seams.

Rental Clothing

Starting a rental clothing business might sound unusual, but it's more common than you might think, particularly now that customers are looking for new ways to reduce apparel expenses, and their impact on the environment. In the fashion industry, a rental clothing business model allows you to offer high-quality, luxurious garments to customers for a limited time.

Your target customers might "hire" a specialist dress, suit, or outfit for a certain event, then return the item to your online boutique, so you can rent it out again. Notably, a rental clothing business doesn't just have to focus on luxury garments. You can offer everything from capsule wardrobes for vacations, to everyday clothing options.

The key to success with this strategy is usually making the shopping experience as straightforward as possible. The easier it is for customers to browse through your e-commerce store, find the items they want to hire, and get them shipped promptly to their door, the better.

Quick Tips for Success

• Provide a range of options: Everyone has their own styles and preferences when it comes to fashion. Pay attention to current fashion trends, and the ideals of your target audience, and purchase clothing that will appeal to countless consumers.

• Personalize the experience: Focus on upgrading customer service with personalized experience. You could even create a kind of "personal shopping service" where you create custom clothing packages for customers based on their specific needs.

• Choose durable clothing: Since your rental service will be hiring your clothing out to a range of customers, you need to ensure your products stand the test of time. Work with manufacturers who prioritize durability and quality materials.

Unisex Clothing

Finally, just as the market for athleisure, custom clothing, and sustainable solutions has increased in recent years, so too has the demand for more flexible products. Inclusivity is a core focus for a lot of consumers today, particularly younger generations, who want the freedom to express their own gender identities with a wide selection of different products.

Instead of creating a women or men-focused fashion line, consider exploring more versatile clothing options that can adapt to suit any body type. This business model can pay off in various ways.

First, it helps to identify your clothing boutique or brand as a diverse and inclusive company. This helps to differentiate you from other clothing companies. Secondly, it ensures you can reach a wider audience, without having to invest in multiple distinct clothing lines. On top of that, unisex clothing is profitable. The industry is expected to reach a value of $3.2 billion by 2028.

Quick Tips for Success

• Adjust your marketing strategy: Use your social media marketing strategy, content, and ecommerce store product descriptions to demonstrate a commitment to diversity and inclusion. Concentrate on making sure all customers feel seen and respected.

• Educate your audience: Provide customers with a wide range of insights into how they can style your clothing line offerings in different ways. This will help enhance the results of your online marketing efforts, and ensure market growth.

• Leverage user generated audience: Take advantage of organic customer sharing practices, like customers showing off their outfits on social media, to show how versatile your products can be, and earn customer trust.

How to Choose the Right Clothing Business Idea

There are plenty of great business model ideas companies can experiment with today, whether you're launching pop-up shops in the fashion industry, or a fully-fledged business. As we mentioned above, the right type of clothing business for you will depend on a few factors. Here are the steps you can take to make the right decision.

• Consider your interests and passions: Creating an online shop that aligns with your passions, skills, and expertise in the fashion industry will make it easier for you to grow. You'll be able to choose better products, and create more engaging marketing campaigns if you already understand and resonate with your target audience.

• Conduct plenty of research: Learn as much as you can about current fashion trends, like sustainability, athleisure, and unisex clothing options. Look for gaps and underserved niches highlighted by influencers, and search trends that align with your skills and interests.

• Understand your target audience: Identify a specific ideal customer for your company. Do you want to serve customers focused on sustainability, with clothing that's durable, environmentally-friendly, and made with organic materials? Are you trying to appeal to customers looking for unique print designs and customization?

• Evaluate scalability: Consider the scalability of each business idea. For instance, there's only so much you can do with a business focused exclusively on athletic polo shirts. However, with a POD service, and a custom clothing strategy, you can build on your product line with a wide range of different products.

• Know your USP: Identify what your unique selling point is going to be. Do you differentiate yourself from the competition with custom apparel designs, fast production time promises, or sustainable materials? Are you committed to delivering amazing customer experiences?

• Choose the right partners: Unless you have the budget and tools to create clothing from scratch, the right partners will be crucial. Look for a POD platform or service provider that can deliver high-quality materials, fast delivery times, product variety, and sustainability.

• Remember your budget: Learning how to start a clothing line with no experience can be complex, but starting your line without much upfront capital can be even harder. If you're limited in the initial investment you can make into your business, working with a POD service could help you to keep costs low.

Launch Your Clothing Business with Coolcustomize

Thanks to Print on Demand and ecommerce, starting a fashion company today is much easier than it once was. However, if you want to ensure you're building a successful business, you still need to think carefully about your niche, and business model.

Focusing on niche areas of the clothing landscape, such as sustainable or customizable clothing, with high levels of market demand and minimal competition will help you achieve the right results.

At Coolcustomize, we help creators thrive in the fashion landscape, offering access to a wide range of customizable clothing options made with eco-friendly materials. Reach out to our team to see how we can help you make the most of your clothing business brand ideas, and ensure you stand out in the competitive fashion industry.