How do I start a clothing item to sell?

I’d be happy to help as much as you have questions :) My dad used to import clothing when I was growing up, and I helped him retail, at his clothing store, on buying trips to the manufacturers, etc, the whole bit.

amblessed has a good way to start, if you have your clothing item in hand. If you have a prototype, then you’ll need to start looking into manufacturing for the item. If it’s a t-shirt or similar item, consider using cafepress, zazzle, spreadshirt or similar service.

For hand dyed fabrics, Indonesia (Bali & Jakarta islands) are good places for manufacturing, as their cost is relatively low compared to the USA, however, lead time for production, samples, and volume delivery from an independent will typically run up to 3 months. So plan ahead ;)

If you have more questions, etc, how about you post another one - be sure to include “what you know so far” so that we don’t go over stuff that you’re already up to speed on.

Last, consider early the tax & paperwork ramifications of the three main business types: sole proprietor, llc, and corporation. I’ve owned & operated all three, and the best “mix” of benefits & features is the LLC, as it lessons the overall tax burden, spreads risk, provides a modest “legal shield” and what not. However, if your business does become a full time operation, an S class corporation is (imho) better.