How to start a clothing brand
Starting a clothing brand isn’t just about launching a product and making a quick profit. It’s about commitment, creativity, and a passion for the craft. If you're thinking about creating a brand, don’t rush into it just for the money. It’s a long journey, and you need to be in it for the long haul. Imagine yourself running a successful brand five years from now. Can you picture it? If you can’t, this might not be the right path for you. Building something that lasts requires dedication and passion.
- Commit to the Craft: Every clothing brand owner should understand the basics of creating clothing. And I mean creating clothes, not just designing or printing. Sewing is a crucial skill. Learn how to sew. By getting your hands dirty in the process, you will understand the construction of garments—things like seams, finishes, and fabric types. This knowledge will give you an edge when it comes to the design process and working with manufacturers.
- Start small get a sewing machine: Invest in a quality sewing machine. I recommend the Singer Heavy Duty machine. It’s durable, and versatile, and will help you sew anything from simple stitches to more complex projects. This was the first machine I used, and I still believe it’s a great starting point for anyone serious about creating their clothing line.
- Thrift and Rework: Once you have your machine, start thrifting. Find old clothes, and rework them. This is your chance to experiment with different styles, cuts, and techniques. Reworking clothes will help you familiarize yourself with how garments are constructed and give you a better understanding of fit and fabric. It also helps you hone your design skills, and you can even sell these one-of-a-kind pieces as you perfect your craft.
- Develop Your Aesthetic: As you continue to sew and experiment, you’ll naturally find your brand’s aesthetic. My brand, ZDEEN, was born from my passion for craftsmanship and my style. By making your clothes and experimenting with different designs, you’ll start to identify what resonates with you and what fits your vision.
- Passion Over Profit: Remember, if your goal is simply to make money, you might not succeed in the long run. A true clothing brand isn’t about the quick hustle it’s about creating something meaningful that people will connect with. So, stay focused on the passion behind your brand.
By investing time and effort into learning the craft, you’ll be building a solid foundation that will carry you through the challenges ahead. Don’t rush—take it one step at a time, and in five years, you’ll be running a brand with purpose and a story that connects with your audience.
Choosing a Brand Name
The first critical step is selecting a name for your clothing brand. Your brand name will set the tone for everything else, so here are some tips to get it right simple, easy to say, and easy to read.
Make sure it fits the genre of clothing you’re creating. For example, if you’re designing floral, soft aesthetic clothes, a name like “ZDEEN” wouldn’t align.Avoid using overly common themes like money, motion, or stars—these are overdone, and your brand should stand out.Take your time to brainstorm and find something that reflects your vision while being memorable.
Choosing a Target Audience
Once you’ve chosen a name, your next task is identifying your target audience. This step is essential because it will shape your designs and ensure your brand resonates with the right people.
Write down all the details about your ideal customer.
Their age, gender, and style preferences.
Their hobbies, profession, and income level.
What they do in their free time.
Think about how your clothing can fit into their lifestyle.
Your goal: Design a wardrobe that perfectly suits your target audience. Every decision—from materials to colors—should cater to their preferences.
Find Inspiration
To stay motivated and focused, find five clothing brands that inspire you. These should align with your brand’s vision and help you stay on track.
Research their designs, branding, and how they communicate with their audience.
Remember inspiration, not imitation. These brands should guide your creative process, not define it.
Write down your list and keep it visible so you can refer to it as you build your brand.
Set up a Website
To bring your brand to life, you’ll need a professional website. I recommend using Shopify—it’s one of the best platforms for e-commerce.
Sign up at Shopify.com. Choose a plan (the Basic plan is a great starting point). Set up your store with a theme and layout.
Important: Shopify will assign you a default domain like “yourbrand.myshopify.com,” but this looks unprofessional.
Purchase a custom domain (e.g., yourbrand.store) through providers like Dot Store Domains or others like GoDaddy. A clean and branded domain adds credibility and helps establish trust with customers.
You’ve now laid the foundation for your clothing brand with a name, target audience, inspiration, and an online store.
- Designing your first collection.
- Marketing your brand on social media.
- Launching with confidence!
However, before you can do this, you need to go through a few important steps. It may seem a bit complicated, but don't worry—I've explained the steps to you simply and clearly below.
Register Your Brand as a Business
Registering your clothing brand as a legitimate business is the first and most important step. This will ensure that your taxes are handled properly and that your personal and business finances are separate.
- Registering your business: Visit your local union council or city corporation office and apply for business registration.
- Paperwork and cost: This process is pretty simple and quick—it takes less than an hour and usually costs BDT 1000-3000
Legal Structure: Typically, you will be registered as a Sole Proprietor, which means you are the sole owner of your business.
However, if you want to keep your assets separate from your business, you can form an LLC (Limited Liability Company). This will increase business security.
Open a Business Bank Account
After registering your business, it is very important to open a bank account to properly manage your finances. Go to your local bank and open an account in the name of the business.Get a business debit card. If possible, apply for a business credit card. This will help build your credit.
Why it is important: Keep your personal money and business money separate. Manage all your business expenses through this card. This will make your tax management easier and all expenses will be in one place.
Prepare for Shipment
When your brand reaches this stage, you are ahead of some people who have not started their brand yet. Now gather the necessary equipment for your first drop shipment.
- Materials needed for shipment: Poly mailers recommended size 14x16 inches. These are enough to hold a hoodie, pants, or multiple t-shirts. You can use small poly mailers for just the t-shirts, to make it look nicer. You can get them in any color, black or white.
- Thermal Label Printer: A thermal printer will make your shipping process faster and more efficient. It doesn't use any ink but burns labels onto paper. The price can typically be BDT 15000-20000, but it's a long-term investment. So definitely get this. Okay, now you're going to need labels to go with your thermal label printer. So you're going to need 4x6 labels. Labels are common size labels, and yes, make sure you get those with your thermal label printer too.
- Scale for Accurate Shipping and Pricing: You're going to do this, you're going to have to weigh your packages before you ship each item. You're going to have to weigh each item before you drop it off and put it in your Shopify store so that your website knows what to charge your customer for shipping.
Adobe Programs for Design
If you're serious about growing your brand and creating a professional presence, you’ll need to invest in tools to get away from relying on physical supplies. While these programs might be a bit pricey, they’re crucial for taking your brand to the next level.
- Adobe Photoshop: This is your go-to program for almost everything related to your brand. It’s the ultimate tool for Creating graphics Perfect for designing graphics for tees, promotional materials, and more. Make your photos stand out with professional edits that catch your attention. General Photoshop is versatile and can handle nearly anything you throw at it.
You’ll absolutely need Photoshop—this is a non-negotiable tool for branding success. - Adobe Illustrator: While Photoshop is incredible, Illustrator handles something specific and equally important vector logos.
What Are Vector Logos: Unlike pixel-based images, vector logos can be resized without losing quality. Whether you need a small logo for a business card or a massive banner, vectors stay sharp.
Even if you don’t fully understand it now, trust me, Illustrator is essential for creating professional logos and designs that scale perfectly. - Adobe Lightroom: Consistency is key in branding, especially when it comes to visuals. Lightroom helps you color-grade images. Ensure all your photos have a cohesive and polished look, whether for your website or social media.
Create a professional aesthetic with high-quality images that make your brand look more professional and trustworthy.
Social Media Marketing
The most important part of running a clothing brand is learning how to market effectively and knowing where to focus your efforts. social media marketing is the most important tool for building, growing, and sustaining a successful clothing brand. Whether you're a new designer or an established entrepreneur, leveraging platforms like Instagram and TikTok can take your brand to the next level.
- Create Your Social Media Accounts: Start by creating an Instagram page for your brand and downloading TikTok. While there’s speculation TikTok may be banned, it remains one of the most powerful platforms for reaching a large audience quickly.
Once your accounts are set up, let your friends, family, and network members know about them. Ask them to follow your pages to give your brand a credibility boost. People are more likely to follow accounts that already have followers, so aim for 20-50 initial followers to get started.
Commit to Daily Posting: For the next 30 days, consistently post on Instagram and TikTok. Share short-form content like Reels and TikTok videos once or twice a day. Regular posting is like entering a lottery—each post is a chance to go viral.
From personal experience, My golden times to post are at 12:00 PM and 3:30 PM. Find what works for you and stick to it religiously.
- Content Ideas for Social Media: Create engaging content that resonates with your target audience.
Showcase the product and share videos of your clothing in unique settings. Behind-the-scenes document the process of making your clothes to show authenticity. Lifestyle shots highlight how your brand fits into everyday life. - Build an Aesthetic Instagram Page: Every good clothing brand has a visually appealing Instagram page. Invest time into making yours look professional.
Begin posting images of your collection two weeks before your launch to build anticipation. - Content to Post: Highlight your clothing on a clean background, such as concrete or a white surface. Keep it simple to let the product stand out. Show your clothing on models to help customers visualize the fit.
The cost of starting a clothing brand can vary widely depending on your approach. A small clothing brand can start with as little as BDT 50,000 to 200,000 using print-on-demand or small batch production.
However, if you're planning to manufacture in bulk, hire designers, and invest in branding and marketing, the cost can range from BDT 500,000 to 500,0000 or more.
It's important to start small, test your designs, and reinvest profits as you grow.
Yes, you will usually need a business license or trade license.
The following documents may be required to run a clothing brand in Bangladesh.
- Trade license
- TIN (Tax Identification Number)
- VAT registration (if applicable)
You can contact your local city corporation or upazila office to find out all the rules.
Yes, now many people are starting with print-on-demand.
- Create a design
- Post it on a website (Shopify, Etsy) or Facebook
- Once the order is received, the print-on-demand company creates and delivers the product
This way, you don't have to make and keep stock of the clothes, and the cost is low.
No, you can definitely start one.
- If you have an idea, you can get it designed by a freelance designer or Canva. Designers are also available from Fiverr or Upwork.
- You just decide on the brand name, theme, and message — you can outsource the rest.
Marketing means letting people know about your brand. Some easy ways:
- Run pages on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok
- Work with small influencers
- Create a website (Shopify or WordPress)
- Run Boost or Facebook Ads
- Update past customers via WhatsApp/Email
You need to choose the fabric according to the type of brand you want to run.
Cotton – Good for T-shirts, casual wear
Linen or Khadi – For a fashionable, premium look
Denim – For jeans and jackets
Silk and Muslin – For traditional or festive dresses
You can buy fabrics from local wholesale markets (like New Market, Islampur, Tongi).
Most importantly, also, focus on building a story and identity for your brand that people can connect with emotionally.