How much would be needed to start a brand?

LostOne · 01-01-2009, 04:39 PM

So, I have been thinking and with the recession coming, I feel it would be a perfect time to start a brand of your own.

Why this idea?

With money being short for most households and many more soon to be in the same situation, people will need stuff for cheap, so if you can start a brand and get it out there now, you are more than likely going to sell well.

Obviously, you will have another company do all the work and just label it yourself, but that should be cheap enough IMO.

With branding yourself, you are taking away alot of the expenses due to the name, so you will pay little, which will then mean the end buyer saves alot as you have less costs, which you pass onto them.

Plus, it means you can go into whatever you like and build up your own business, which is more work than simply buying and selling, but in theory, you should have more of a profit margin and have more sales if you are the only people selling XX item with XX brand.

I understand there are risks involved, as there is with all business plans, but oh well, if it fails, it is a lesson learnt

I was thinking of clothes, in urban styles, which is quite a competitive market to say the least, but at this moment in time, pricing is a big factor and if it works out, you will be able to supply them what they want at great prices.

I have no idea how you would estimate the initial start up costs, but alot of it will be cheap due to the work I do anyway. Well, I say that, but I mean online stuff will be cheap.

I do web development, so building a site is free. I have friends who run huge server networks, so hosting is free and I have a designer who I work with, so all branding logo's and designs will be free too (Not literally free, but I help her with her stuff, so she owes me favors, which will be called on).

That all said, I figure the only costs would be the actual clothing and the costs of having all the designs done up, but anyone have a rough idea of the pricing on this?

Anyone see any problems with what I have said? Any tips? Advice? Critisism? Anything?

Thanks for your time,
Luke

**nathanuk** · 01-01-2009, 04:55 PM

just had a quick read if you find the right product and sure it will work out fine.. its a good idea also good luck with it.

fabri-cago · 03-01-2009, 08:46 AM

I've seen small brands actually just buy american apparel plain tees (Good quality) Then they razor off the american apparel and then sew their own label on with a price tag, print the shirt. That's the old school way some big name brands made it today.

I currently buy for a retail urban skater company here in the states, fashion is fast in urban ways but here in chicago the urban look is starting to look more and more skinny fit imo. But i found out the new brands that are coming out scream an overpriced tag for their infant age, and thats partially why the bootleg is existant and the brand fads so quickly.

**greedyboy** · 03-01-2009, 10:09 AM

We sell our own brand items. However you still have the age old problem of moving stock, and lots of it due to manufacturing costs/higher volumes.

You are best building your sales volume up and then seemlessly intergrating your own brands.

Wholesale4All · 03-01-2009, 10:13 AM

I think ALOT as it takes time stablishing that brand in the market

**Dalja** · 03-01-2009, 11:29 AM

i think it's a big risk to start a new brand....

because you need to have a huge capital....

and you need to compete with other large company names in the world....

MA Holdings · 05-01-2009, 04:58 AM

All you need to do to start a brand is to make up a word or pattern, print it on some t-shirts and trademark it.

You could do the whole thing for under $1000 and you'll have your own brand. But that's a long way from actually selling any t-shirts and making money.

Brands are usually built on having a good product, a nice-looking shirt, a catchy slogan or by having celebrities endorse your label. Its really about marketing, so you'll need good contacts, very good ideas or lots of cash.

Spaceman · 05-01-2009, 02:36 PM

Check out Snorg Tee's, and Bustin Boards. They started their own brand from nothing. Do a search and you'll find some info on how they got started.

Took a good deal of time and energy. Both companies were started by young adults and could spend most of their time on the project at hand. If you have a job, family, etc., it'll be harder.

Spaceman