Maternity Clothing

Startup Costs: $2,000 - $10,000
Home Based: Can be operated from home.
Franchises Available? Yes
Online Operation? Yes

Celebrity moms like Cindy Crawford and Kelly Ripa aren't the only ones who know that muumuu-style maternity clothes are so last century. Today, pregnant women are all about celebrating their style and looking sexy. From high-end maternity designers like Liz Lange and A Pea in the Pod to midpriced maternity wear newcomers The Gap and Old Navy, clothing designers are on to the potential of this growing market. With more than 4 million babies born annually, it's easy to see why the maternity clothing market is buzzing Assuming the average expectant mother purchases only five new maternity garments while pregnant adds up to a whopping 20 million maternity garments sold each year in the Unites States alone. There are a few ways to cash in on this very large and lucrative market. The first is to design, manufacture and sell the maternity clothing, and the second is to purchase maternity clothing on a wholesale basis and resell the clothing for a profit. While both options are viable in terms of generating profits for the business, the first option has the potential to generate more sales and profits as well as providing more options for the operator in terms of marketing methods. Profit potential will vary, however, markups of 100 percent are not uncommon in this industry.

Needed Equipment

It depends on your focus. If you're going to create the clothing yourself, you'll need a sewing machine and other tools of the trade. Once the orders start pouring in, you may want to contract with a manufacturer. If you will just be selling them, you'll need storage and transportation. For both, you'll need a computer to keep track of orders, accounts and contacts.