How to Start a Garments Business and Sell More Clothes
Many new founders underestimate how fast you can scale with a clear plan; to grow you must pick a tight niche, choose right fabrics, and test designs with pre-production samples before placing bulk orders-skipping this is dangerous. Build a simple business plan, start with one or two sales channels, enforce quality control, and tell your brand story so customers trust and return.
=> Related Article: Tips on Choosing the Best Clothing Manufacturer for Small Runs
Choose Your Niche & Brand Style
Before anything else, decide who you want to serve. A small, clear niche helps you stand out. For example: You should pick a narrow audience (e.g., urban women 25-34) and launch with 3-5 signature SKUs to test demand; choose fabrics that match price points (cotton blends for $25-45, linen for $60+), set a clear tone-minimal, playful or technical-and order 20-50 pre-production samples before bulk. Avoid chasing every trend; brands that stick to one visual story sell more consistently and get stronger repeat rates.
- Office wear for young adults
- Streetwear for teens
- Activewear for gym lovers
- Kidswear for daily school outfits
- Fashion Women Dress
- …
=> Related Article: Garment Industry: Confident in the Future of Vietnam EU Relations
A strong niche makes your designs, colors, and fabric choices feel more focused. From there, build your brand’s look — your logo, tone, and story so customers can connect with you quickly.
Pick the Right Fabrics & Product Types
Good garments always start with good materials. Take time to choose fabrics that fit your style and your customer’s needs. Think about: When choosing fabrics for your line, prioritize touch, durability and care: test 100% cotton vs 30% polyester blends, and check pilling and shrinkage on swatches. Aim for 150-180 GSM for tees, 220-350 GSM for sweatshirts, and 90-150 GSM linen for summer dresses; order 2-3 pre-production samples per style. Recognizing seasonal demand and care labels helps you match product types to customer needs.
- Comfort (cotton, CVC, modal)
- Stretch (spandex blends)
- Durability (Oxford, twill, Kaki)
- Fashion look (linen blends, silk touch fabrics)
- …
=> Related Article: A Big Opportunity for Vietnam’s Garment Industry: Vietnam and EFTA Push to Conclude FTA Talks
Order fabric swatches first. Touch and feel them. This helps you avoid mistakes when you go into bulk production.
| 100% Cotton | Tees, 150-180 GSM; soft hand, watch for shrinkage |
| Cotton Blend (70/30) | Everyday tops; better durability, lower cost, less pilling |
| Linen | Summer dresses/shirts, 90-150 GSM; breathable, wrinkles easily |
| Polyester / Microfiber | Activewear, 120-200 GSM; quick-dry, low maintenance |
| Knit vs Woven | Knit = stretch for tees; Woven = structure for shirts/trousers; test fit per silhouette |
Decide Your Production Model
When choosing between CMT, ODM and full-package, weigh control versus speed. CMT suits brands where you have a complete tech pack: it gives lower unit costs but requires you to source fabrics and manage quality. In Vietnam, MOQs commonly run 300 – 100 units per SKU; full-package/ODM can cut your time-to-market by 30-50% yet often adds 20-40% higher upfront cost and raises MOQs to 500 – 1,000.
- CMT / Cut-Make-Trim: You supply fabric; factory only sews.
- CMPT: Factory handles patterns + sewing + packing.
- OEM: Factory produces based on your design.
- ODM: Factory provides ready designs you can brand.
- Full-package / FOB: Factory handles everything from fabric to final packed goods.
=> Related Article: 4 Main Production Models in the Garment Industry CMT, OEM/FOB, ODM, and OBM
Pick the model that matches your budget and experience. If you are new, ODM or full-package can save time. If you want full control, choose CMT.
Create Your Garment Designs
Start with simple sketches or digital mockups. Test a few styles first instead of making too many at once. Make sure to check:
- Fit
- Stitch quality
- Print or embroidery quality
- Color accuracy
- Label and packaging details
Always request pre-production samples before making bulk orders. This step saves you money and reduces production problems later.
Build a Small but Clear Business Plan
Your plan does not need to be long. Keep it simple and practical. Include:
- Budget for fabric, trims, samples, production
- Shipping and packaging cost
- Selling price and expected profit
- Marketing and sales channels
- Delivery time and stock plan
=> Related Article: What Is a Garment Tech Pack? Why This Matters to Buyers & Factories
A short and clear plan helps you avoid running out of money or stock during busy seasons.
Choose Your Sales Channels
You should start with 1-2 channels-for example your Shopify store plus a marketplace like Shopee or Lazada-and test with 50-200 units per SKU. Use Instagram and TikTok for discovery and a simple POS for pop-up shops. Track inventory hourly to avoid stockouts and double-sells, aim for 48-72h domestic fulfillment, and target a return rate under 5% by controlling fit and QC. Today, you can sell clothes almost anywhere. Pick places where your customers actually shop:
- Facebook, TikTok, Instagram
- E-commerce platforms (Shopee, Lazada, Amazon, Etsy)
- Your own website
- Pop-up stores or local boutiques
- Wholesale to shops
=> Related Article: EVFTA Friendly Sewing Factory in Vietnam: Your Trusted Partner for Smooth, Duty-Free Apparel Exports
Start with one or two channels. Keep it simple so you can manage orders well.
Build Your Marketing & Storytelling
To sell more garments, let people see the meaning behind your brand. Try these ideas:
- Show behind-the-scenes videos
- Share customer reviews
- Post your design steps
- Run simple giveaways
- Use short videos to show how comfortable or stylish your clothes look
People love clear, honest storytelling it helps them trust your brand.
Start Small, Improve Fast
You do not need a big factory to begin. Start with a few designs. Once you see which ones sell best, increase them slowly. Watch these things closely:
- Best-selling colors
- Most-loved sizes
- Customer feedback
- Cost changes
- Repeat buyers
Small improvements across fabric, fit, packaging, or photos can help you sell much more.
Keep Strong Quality Control
Good quality builds long-term customers. Use simple QC steps:
- AQL inspections (2.5 for major, 4.0 for minor)
- Check stitching tension
- Check print durability
- Check color shade differences
- Check measurement charts
High quality means fewer returns and better reviews.
Think About Scale Up Your Garments Business
Once your sales grow, you can:
- Add new designs or seasonal collections
- Improve packaging
- Work with better factories
- Enter new markets (EU, US, Japan)
- Build brand ambassadors
Growing a garments business is a steady process but with clear steps, it becomes much easier.
Final Words / Conclusion
Starting a garments business is not only possible it is exciting. With the right niche, good fabrics, careful sampling, and smart marketing, you can build a brand that people love and trust. Start small, stay consistent, and watch your business grow month after month.
FAQs About How to Start a Garments Business and Sell More Clothes
How do I choose the right niche and brand style for a garments business?
Start by defining a narrow customer niche and brand identity – who you serve, their age, lifestyle, and price expectations. Research competitors and gaps in product, fit, or fabric so your designs solve a specific problem (e.g., travel-friendly separates, plus-size casualwear, eco-loungewear). Create a mood board for color palette, logo, and tone of voice, and test concepts with a small audience or social poll to validate demand before committing to full production.
What steps should I take to select fabrics and product types that sell?
Order fabric swatches first and evaluate hand-feel, drape, opacity, and wash performance. Match fabric properties to the product use (stretch for activewear, breathable cotton for everyday tees, wrinkle-resistant blends for travel shirts). Consider cost per meter, yield, minimum order quantities (MOQs), and supplier lead times; ask for fiber content certificates and wash test results. Finally, create a wear-and-wash sample to confirm performance before bulk ordering.
Which production model is best for a new clothing brand – CMT, ODM, or full-package?
Choose based on control, budget, and experience: CMT (Cut, Make, Trim) gives you full design control but requires sourcing patterns, fabrics, and trims; ODM provides ready designs you can adapt faster with lower development overhead; full-package (OEM) covers design, sourcing, production, and often quality checks, speeding time to market. For first-time founders who want speed and less sourcing work, ODM or full-package can reduce risk; if IP and unique fit matter, opt for CMT and work closely with a reliable factory.
What pricing strategy helps sell more while keeping margins healthy?
Start by calculating landed cost per unit (materials, labor, trims, packaging, shipping, duties, and a share of fixed costs), then set a wholesale and retail margin target (common retail keystone is 2x wholesale). Use tiered pricing for bundles, pre-orders, and limited drops to drive urgency; test promotions and monitor their effect on lifetime value rather than only conversion. Track sell-through rates and be ready to adjust prices or reorder quantities based on real sales data.
Which sales channels should I prioritize to grow quickly without overextending my team?
Begin with one or two channels where your target customers already shop – for many brands this means a direct-to-consumer website plus one social-commerce platform or a curated marketplace. Use the website to capture customer data and higher margins; use marketplaces and social channels to reach new audiences and test product-market fit. Keep inventory management simple, integrate orders and fulfillment tools early, and expand channels only after consistent demand and repeat purchase metrics are established.
How can Mekong Garment Vietnam support a startup brand as it scales and ensures consistent quality?
Mekong Garment Vietnam can assist with fabric sourcing, sample development, and flexible production models (CMT, ODM, OEM / FOB full-package) tailored to startup budgets and MOQs. They can run pre-production checks, implement simple QC steps during runs, and advise on packaging and logistics to reduce returns and improve unboxing experience. As you scale, they can help optimize lead times, negotiate better material costs, and maintain consistent construction standards so growth stays manageable and profitable.
