Few groups are as marginalized in U.S. culture than those consisting of women attempting to start their own business. The ever-changing demographics of the U.S. workforce provide ample statistics that more and more women make up a larger percentage of the U.S workforce today than ever before. The 1999 U.S. Census shows that between 1951 and 1997, the proportion of women who were in the labor force nearly tripled, from 23 percent to 62 percent. Women-owned business enterprises account for 33 % of all U.S. businesses.
Sewing, as a home-based or cottage industry, is part of the growing legion of service businesses and is experiencing a growing popularity according to the Home Sewing Association. If you are considering starting a home-based sewing business, there are several important things to reflect on. What kind of sewing do you prefer to do? Do you prefer to sew home décor items such as draperies, curtains, pillows and duvet covers? Do clothing alterations and garment repair appeal to you? Do you have a good sense of color, texture, and current fashion style? Do you possess an understanding of the construction and characteristics of specific fabrics, such as variability, durability and drape? Sewing men’s, women’s, or children’s clothing your preference? Bridal sewing?
Decide on what your own particular niche (narrowly targeted market) will be, based on your sewing skills and level of knowledge for your particular area of focus. Continue to develop and expand on your expertise in that niche. This is the age of specialists. Concentrating your efforts on a particular area of sewing will allow you to be an authority; your familiarity with your particular sewing arena will allow you to develop new, cost and time efficient ways of performing and executing your sewing projects; you can demand higher prices for your work based on your focused expertise as you become known for your work.
Test the waters. Start talking to family and friends that you're starting a sewing business and ask if you can sew something for them, as a sample or perhaps at a negotiated price, in order to get some honest feedback on the quality of your work. Keep a journal on how much time you devoted to consultation on the proposed sewing project, time in acquiring perhaps, patterns, fabric or sundries necessary to the project, actual sewing time, any difficulties you may experience in completing the project, what you learned and what you might do differently next time. Keeping a journal on your sewing project helps not only to organize, but will help when you determine what you will charge the general public for your sewing time, skill sets, consultation, design knowledge, and of course materials.
Search out your competition and see how they advertise their sewing service in your local area. Even word of mouth can generate business. How many sewing business are offering the same kind of sewing service? What seems to be the local going rate for your sewing focus?
Pricing. Have you thought about what you would charge for your services? Undercharging as well as overcharging can have drawbacks. Try to come to a happy medium.
Write a business plan. Even if you are not seeking outside financing, organizing your thoughts on your sewing business into a formal business plan is a way to bring focus, clarity, and direction.
The U.S. Small Business Administration has some good guidelines on creating a business plan.
Read up on copyright and intellectual property guidelines.
Who will you sell your services to? How will you let your proposed client base know you are in business? In other words, how and to whom will you market your sewing product?
What local (zoning restrictions) and state (permits) requirements are there to start a new business? Even a home-based business, at a minimum, can register a business name with their state for a few annual dollars. For locations outside the U.S., be sure and check the Internet for the laws and regulations specific to your country about starting a small business.
What financial resources will you need? What will be your start up costs? (business name registration, business cards, flyers) Recurring costs? (Sewing machine maintenance, local newspaper advertising)
Are you comfortable with technology? Will you create a website? Do you have the room you need? What economic relationships will you establish with your customers and suppliers? Will you need to consider packing and shipping costs? Refunds and return policies?
Are there advantages to owning a home based business? Absolutely.
Set your own hours; doing something you enjoy doing, start earning right away, the ability to mix family and work responsibilities; the rewards of self-determination and independence; increasing personal fulfillment; and setting and reaching personal goals.
Are there disadvantages to owning a home based business? Absolutely.
Disadvantages fall for the most part into the category of opportunity costs, or the trade-off costs associated with the actual choice or action taken and a desired choice or action. Such costs may be lack of guaranteed employee benefits; many competing roles and responsibilities (producer, promoter, bill collector, customer service representative); loss of home space use by family; interruptions; lack of self-discipline; little opportunity to delegate tasks to others; long hours of solitary work.
As we continue in the 21st century, technology and market forces have allowed for the exponential growth of home-based businesses - the business of home sewing is no exception. If not you, then who will take advantage of this growth? If not now, then when will you make your decision?
Happy sewing.
References Consulted:
Entrepreneurship and Small Business
Free Markets, Free Choices: Women in the Workforce
Home-Based Business... Is It For Me?
U.S. Census. Census Bureau Facts for Features
Sewing Associations:
Home Sewing Association
American Sewing Guild
Professional Association of Custom Clothiers
The Appliqué Society
Reader Recommended Book
How to Start & Maintain a Profitable Sewing Business: Making Money with Your Sewing Skills by Becky Reed. eBook [requires Adobe Reader] and spiral bound editions. Spiral-bound edition (2006) from BookSurge Publishing. Digital edition (2006) from Innovations Press.
Editor Recommended Books
