Home-based clothing wholesaler for boutiques

Independent boutiques, gift shops, market sellers, small online stores and local sports or outdoor shops.

You buy at a wholesale price and sell at a higher trade price, usually with a minimum order value. Repeat orders at the start of each season matter most.

• Spotting what shops will sell
• Negotiating with suppliers
• Organised stock and order tracking
• Building long-term customer relationships

• Check with your municipality whether you need a home-based business licence and whether storing stock at home is allowed
• Canadian labelling rules for textiles (fibre content, care labels, dealer identity and bilingual wording), check with the Competition Bureau
• If you import, check duties, customs paperwork and any supplier minimums with the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA)
• GST/HST registration and how your province handles resale exemptions for retailers buying from you
• Seasonal buying: you often pay for stock months before shops pay you, so cash flow can get tight
• Check your home insurance covers business stock, and consider commercial general liability insurance

Startup costs are typically estimated at around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your niche, how much stock you buy and shipping supplies. These are estimates, so check supplier minimums before you plan your first order.

Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $2,000 to $10,000, depending on your range, customers and order sizes. Treat this as an estimate, as you often pay for stock months before shops pay you.

Check whether your municipality requires a home-based business licence and allows stock storage at home. Check Canadian textile labelling rules, CBSA duties if you import, GST/HST registration and resale exemptions, and that your insurance covers business stock.