Made-to-order fashion label from home

Shoppers who want something different from chain stores, including people after occasion wear, workwear or sized-to-fit pieces.

You sell each piece at a retail price above your materials, labour and packaging costs, through your own website, social media and local markets.

• Sketching and pattern making
• Sewing and garment construction
• Social media and photography basics
• Costing and pricing

• Register an ABN, and check when you need to register for GST
• Check with your local council whether a home-based business needs approval
• Check Australian labelling rules for fibre content and care instructions on clothing
• Public liability insurance if you sell at markets
• Check trade mark and copyright before using names, prints or fabrics designed by others

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around $1,000 to $5,000, depending on fabric, equipment, whether you sew yourself or use a local sample maker, and how much you spend on photography and selling online.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $300 to $3,000, depending on your prices, how many pieces you make and where you sell. The estimate assumes at least about 8 hours of work a week.

Check ABN registration and when GST registration applies, whether your council needs to approve a home-based business, Australian labelling rules for fibre content and care instructions, public liability insurance for markets, and trade mark and copyright for names, prints or fabrics.