Start an online linen and towel shop

Households furnishing or refreshing a home, gift buyers, and small guesthouses or holiday lets buying in small quantities.

You buy at wholesale prices and sell at retail, earning the difference on each order. Bundles, sets and gift packs help raise the average order value.

• Choosing quality products
• Basic product photography and website setup
• Order handling and customer service

• Consumer rules on distance selling, including the right to cancel and returns, check the government guidance
• Textile labelling rules for fibre content, check with Trading Standards
• Returns can eat into margins, so set a clear policy
• Check with your landlord or mortgage lender before storing stock at home
• Sole trader registration with HMRC and public liability or product insurance

Estimates suggest startup costs are typically around £1,000 to £5,000, depending on your opening stock, website or marketplace setup and product photography, and whether you pick a niche such as organic cotton or pure linen.

Check consumer rules on distance selling, including the right to cancel and returns, in the government guidance. Check textile labelling rules for fibre content with Trading Standards, and your landlord or mortgage lender's view on storing stock at home.

Estimates suggest monthly revenue of typically around £300 to £3,000, depending on your niche, pricing and marketing. Returns can eat into margins, so set a clear policy. The estimates assume at least around 8 hours a week.