Wholesale Clothing Business Guide

If you have worked within the clothing industry or have knowledge about fashion, a wholesale clothing business is one venture you can start. Capitalize on the relationships you have established with manufacturers to open a business as a vendor to clothing retailers.

You can start this business at home without having to rent a warehouse or get a delivery vehicle.

clothing store

The clothing business is one of the most sensible businesses to start. People will always need articles to wear and accessorize themselves, which means there will always be a demand for the product as long as people live. And clothing is a stock that does not perish quickly nor needs maintenance. That is why many are involved in the business of wholesaling and retailing clothes.

Qualifications to Start a Clothing Wholesale Business

If you want to become a wholesaler of clothing, it would be good if you have experience in sales or purchasing. It would even be best if you have worked as a purchaser for a clothing business or the clothing department of a department store, or as a manager for a clothing manufacturer. Having worked inside the industry, you would have had established relationships with people that would allow you to obtain an account with manufacturers.

A wholesaler’s account with the product source is one of two of its top assets. Not every person wanting to start a wholesale business can easily strike a deal with manufacturers. He would have to be evaluated for his credibility, integrity, and his potential as a good creditor. If you already possess personal connections, it would be easier for your business to obtain an account with manufacturers. Incorporate or register a business and get a bank account before approaching business prospects.

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As a wholesaler, you will be the bridge between manufacturers and retailers. A wholesaler’s relationship with retailers is the other one of two of its top assets. Your challenge in starting a clothing wholesaling business is to find retailers who will want to source their merchandise from you. Unlike in retail business in which you will most of the time passively attract customers, in wholesaling, you’d have to be pro-active. Go to private businesses and attract them with a better offer, or go to biddings for government contracts. Find those unserved or underserved portions of the market.

Wholesale Clothing Business Needs

While traditionally wholesalers should have a warehouse, you could keep operating expenses low by employing a dropshipping service wherein products you order from manufacturers go directly to retailers when they arrive. Aside from not having to pay for the rent of a warehouse, you also don’t need to have a delivery vehicle. In this kind of business, you could operate with just a telephone, a computer with an Internet connection, and fax. You can even operate at home.

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44 Comments

  • Antoino Robinson said on October 16, 2009
    My son Antonio has an idea to design cloths and i would like to help him with your help. He wants to design women and children, and men clothing. You can e-mail me. I am Antonio's mother.
  • molly said on January 26, 2012
    hi i would like to become a clothing distributor but how do i find customer from retailer please can you help
  • jojo said on May 17, 2012
    i am from kannur. kerala, india. i wish to start a whole sale premium clothing business. give me a business model. reliable suppliers. points to take care etc .
  • RAJESH said on August 9, 2012
    i am in kanayakumari india i wish to running mobile shop. how to buy any mobile sets...
  • zakhele said on August 14, 2012
    hi, i would like to open a clothing shop for women, children, and men but the problem is I dont know where to buy stock (South Afrika)
  • ashwani said on January 26, 2013
    i want to start this business
  • lakhwinder singh said on February 12, 2013
    Sir i want to open clothing business in batala dist gurdaspur
  • Ganesha trading said on March 31, 2013
    Coming over to Kerala from kuala lumpur looking for supplier on latest and cheap clothing as wholesale to supply in Malaysian market. Ganesha, Ganesha trading
  • Surendra said on March 31, 2013
    I am resident of kurnooltown, andhrapradesh, india . I want to establish wholesale cloth business, what is investment, and how much area needed pls mail me the details
  • Menelaos Michos said on September 24, 2013
    Dear Sirs, We are a import company from Greece interesting for stock clothes for men, women & kids. We will be to Kuala Lumpur the next week for a business trip. Pls send us an e mail so we can have a meeting for a cooperation importing the clothes I Greece. Best Regards Mr Menelaos Michos. Import manager
  • Thankarajan said on November 12, 2013
    How to start new wholesale shop clothing or home based. i am living at tingal.
  • Ms Haynes said on December 21, 2013
    I love fashion everything about it I have over 25yrs of knowledge of it if not more as a little girl I was into dressing up doing my own hair as well as my friends and so on I have worked for high end stores like Macy's and Carson Paire Scott as well as other's in call centers taking phone orders for all types of things in fashion helping the customers matching everything from wall paper to suites and shoes even under ware I love fashion so much the paycheck was really just the extra I have great passion for it so I now want to work for myself making men and women as well as children look good if you look good you feel good so I am now looking for help on how to get started
  • umutsasia said on March 16, 2014
    Hey UmutsAsia is company and brand of WOMEN +MEN+CHILDREN CLOTHING'S from Asia(PAKISTAN). PAKISTANI Indian ALL TYPE DRESSES ,SPECIALIST IN WEDDING DRESSES. western, WEDDING GOWNS,EVENING GOWNS,TUNICS,TROUSERS,FASHION ACCESSORIES. wholesalers,home BASED BIZ,Retailers can contact. Franchise is also open. see at www.facebook.com/umutsasia umutsasia@gmail.com skype-naziaiftikhar1
  • saed muzaffar a hussain said on April 21, 2014
    plz i am ready with u & your company we have company for marketing and selling your product i want mumbai distributorship
  • cebile dlamini said on May 9, 2014
    Hi I sell designer clothes for women and men retail and wholesale in Johannesburg South Africa at reasonable prices. Tel 0829980524
  • ganesh yadav said on August 9, 2014
    i want wholesale business ladies cosmetic and dress material pls guide to me
  • Ashutosh said on August 20, 2014
    Hi I want to start a wholesale garment business in my town. I need to know complete process of it.
  • B.Radhakrishnan beginner adviser said on August 30, 2014

    FOR STARTING WHOLESALE EXPORT/IMPORTS BUSINESS PLEASE CONTACT-RADHA-9846063506

    namashivaya1961@gmail.com || Consultant

  • Pawan Deora said on September 29, 2014
    I am planning to start my business in New Delhi, India. I want to know how to start Wholesale business for branded garments and apparels for both men and women. Please help to advice the steps !! Thanking you in anticipation. Regards Pawan Deora
  • punit patel said on November 3, 2014
    I want start wholesale clothes business plz give me ideas and help to start these business. I hope u help me. Plz contact me on dis no I given below, 9503502830. Thank u
  • mayank said on November 26, 2014
    We are manufacturers and exporters of lucknow chikenkari embroidery products like sarees women suits , ladies tops, kurtis shirts etc. People interested in our products can contact through email or phone. We take bulk orders. Mayank tomar, Mayanktoma@gmail.com 9871970795
  • Prachi gupta said on December 7, 2014
    I want to start ladies wear boutique at Meerut up kindly send the details of manufacturers and wholesalers
  • Para said on December 10, 2014
    Hello Punit Patel, could you pls let me know your email address
  • Gamini said on February 16, 2015
    I'm Sri lankan Businessman. I want to Import sarees wholesale from india. Plz give me a places in india. pls send the details of manufacturers and wholesalers
  • Periyasamy said on April 6, 2015
    Hi @Gamini..pls let me know your mail Id and contact no
  • Patience said on April 7, 2015
    Hi I would like to open an online clothing store and i'm looking for suppliers all over the world, please contact me via whatsup 0838776089 or send me an email thandekapatience1990@gmail.com if you interested, as soon as possible thank you.
  • ashvin said on April 11, 2015
    hi, i m ashvin.... i want to start textile; t-shirt and garment printing as per customers demand at a time....so plz suggest me something idea about this business ..also tell me its profit margin ; raw material and printer which is best....and how to attract customers
  • Ashraf said on April 20, 2015
    i want to start wholesale business in kul Malaysia. any one interested pls contract me. we can also supply Garments stock lot from Bangladesh. please send your inquiry. skypee: abmsiddiqui, Thanks for your time.
  • GGG said on May 19, 2015
    Hello sir/madam, Am from pudukkottai in tamilnadu. I want to start my wholesale mens wear in my locality. I have the more amount of retail shop but i didn't know about where to buy mens wear in wholesale rate. Some buddy are told Mumbai, and the others are told Ahmadabad. Am confused please help me where the cheapest and quality and best designed mens wear are purchase in wholesale rate. I want only manufactures not dealers are distributors. Replay as soon as possible. Thank You.....
  • shad said on June 26, 2015
    i am from calicut. kerala, india. i wish to start a wholesale premium clothing business. give me suggestion for where we want to buy garments, reliable suppliers. points to take care etc .
  • shivendra singh said on October 23, 2015
    Hello sir/mam I want to start whole sale business of clothes but I have no idea. pls give me some better plans and ideas
  • Jatin beginner adviser said on December 19, 2015
    Dear GGG,Kindly share your details as we are the manufacture of Jeans. You can contact me @ jatinkkakkar@gmail.com Regards Jatin

    jatinkkakkar@gmail.com || Consultant

  • dhanasekar said on March 11, 2016
    hi sir/madam,i am doing hosiery garments manufacturer and doing stock lot and surplus goods like kids wears, boys/girls t-shirts, shorts, pyjama, pants etc., ladies/mens t-shirts, collar shirts, shorts, night pant, track pant, 3/4th pants, inners, leggings etc., i need to find out whole sale buyers of my products and give me some idea for online sales and wholesale.
  • mahendra patil said on March 13, 2016
    I am physically handicapped.i am commerce graduate.but only bez of handicapness I would not get job eventhough I had 15 yrs past experienced in accounts.so I started my wholesale business of ladies cotton Kurtis.someone cam help regarding commercial shop railway station .i would like to setup stall in every railway station of western lines.Can u help me in this matter?
  • GB said on April 3, 2016
    Hello, Thank you for this great article. In fact, I would like to ask you a question concerning the shipping fees. I am planning to start the clothes wholesale business but not willing to order the products in advance. I will organize a show room with different samples and invite my clients for this event. But, how can I calculate the shipping fees in advance to determine my cost, specially that each client will order assorted products. Thank you.
  • James expert adviser said on April 4, 2016
    @GB, you will have to put a standard shipping per pound rate for domestic and international. I am not very sure about Canada but you can just google to find who are good at parcel and take an input from the real mail company than guessing about it.

    Jestin James
    Startup Biz Hub - Senior Advisor (Staff)

  • Vedanti said on April 14, 2016
    Hi, vedanti collection(Mumbai) a wholesaler of ladies designer dress materials. We deal in cotton, chanderi silk m cotton, georgette, crape, chiffon, Pakistani lawn cotton, Cambric cotton, embroidery suits, anarkali, straight cut and many more. Contact on watsapp no 9920709111 for inquiry.
  • Rama said on May 15, 2016
    Hi, we are manufaturer of hand painting kerala cotton, handpainting silk saree, and kurti, salwar materials... r u interested to see??? Then please whatsaap me for details.... 8101503508.
  • Rajesh Binda said on May 18, 2016
    Hi..! I'm from Bihar & we want to sell as wholesale as well as retail designer sari, suit, cosmetics, sport and leather shoes products and many more both by showroom and online.... Please contact me if u r a supplier of such products.. Rajesh Binda & team (Bihar) - 9507757984
  • Raghu said on October 24, 2016
    I want to open cloth business please provide suppliers contact no.. My mob no. 9000159599 mail raghuveerareddy.b@gmail.com
  • anu said on November 8, 2016
    I would like to open a boutique for men women and kids in trivandrum kerala. I want goods from nearby preferably in trivandrum and would like to get in touch with them. How to go about in starting a retail store? please contact in anu10boutique@rediffmail.com
  • ilyaz said on February 14, 2017
    my name is ilyaz am from kerala am a cloth merchant in calicut , kerala. such guys are interested to coming for this business , i have 3 brands to distribute but ,if you are okey. pls call me 9061553914. i am interested to sell out of kerala
  • Ramjna said on June 4, 2017
    Interested to supply cloth, please add me in whats app +8801727219607. ramjanearn@gmail.com
  • Kay said on March 8, 2020
    Hello, We are a manufacturer of baby clothes from China. Now, it's our promotional season. If you need it, please contact me directly for further details.?The promotion will be closed when the stockis sold out.? 1 piece or 1 set is acceptable. We can produce baby clothes for your brand, if you want to know more information, please contact us for further discussion.?Waiting for your message and mail. Please contact us --- tongtongmengli (at) gmail(at)com

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