Home-based costume hire and sales
Hire and sell costumes by appointment from home, building a wardrobe for schools and local theatre groups.
- A$1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- From home
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A costume wardrobe kept at home or in a garage, with customers booking fittings by appointment. You hire out outfits and props, and sell accessories, wigs and simple dress-ups.
Your first three steps
- Check with your local council whether you need approval to run a home-based business with customers visiting
- Build a starter collection of 40 to 60 costumes from op shops, wholesalers and your own sewing
- Set up a simple booking page and social media account, then offer a discount to a local school or theatre group
Who pays
Local theatre and dance groups, schools, party hosts, and people going to themed events.
How it makes money
Hire fees per costume per event, plus sales of accessories and makeup. Bonds and cleaning fees can cover wear and tear.
Skills that help
- Sewing and costume repair
- Organising stock and bookings
- Customer service
- Social media for local promotion
Watch out for
- Council rules on home-based businesses and customer visits
- Public liability insurance and cover for stock kept at home
- Cleaning and laundering between hires, plan time and costs
- Damaged or unreturned items, use bonds and clear hire terms
- Copyright and licensing on character costumes
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: home-based costume hire and sales
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to start a costume hire business at home?
Startup costs are typically around $1,500 to $8,000, depending on how large a wardrobe you build and what you spend on storage, props and accessories. Treat this as an estimate and plan your own stock budget.
How much can a home-based costume hire business earn?
Monthly revenue is typically around $400 to $3,000, depending on how many hires and sales you take from schools, theatre groups and party hosts. Cleaning time between hires and damaged items can affect what you keep.
What rules should I check before running costume hire from home?
Check council rules on home-based businesses and customer visits. Also check public liability insurance and cover for stock kept at home, plan for cleaning and laundering between hires, and check copyright and licensing for character costumes.
Other ways to run this business
Costume and dress-up shop
Run a small shop selling costumes, wigs and props to families, schools and local theatre groups.
- A$25k-90k
- Full-time
- Own premises
Online costume and props store
Sell costumes, props and dress-ups online and post them Australia-wide, with bulk deals for schools.
- A$2k-12k
- Side hustle
- Online
Similar retail ideas
Magazine and sundries market stall
Sell magazines, puzzle books, cards and small extras from a stall at weekend markets and local events.
- A$1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
Online games seller with market stalls
Sell board games, retro games and collectables online and at markets and conventions, with no shop rent.
- A$1k-8k
- Side hustle
- Online
Pop-up flamenco shop at classes and festivals
Bring flamenco shoes, skirts and accessories to classes, workshops and Spanish festivals so dancers can try before they buy.
- A$2k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about
New clothing stall at regular markets
Run a stall selling new clothing at several weekly markets, building a loyal local customer base.
- A$2k-8k
- Part-time
- Out and about
Online gift wrap and packaging store
Sell wrapping paper, ribbons and gift bags online to shoppers and small businesses that pack orders.
- A$2k-8k
- Side hustle
- Online
Novelty gift market stall
Sell gag gifts and quirky gadgets at weekend markets and events with low overheads.
- A$1.5k-8k
- Side hustle
- Out and about