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India is among the largest exporter of textiles and apparel in the world making it the most lucrative business to invest into. It is the largest exporter of cotton and jute in the world along with silk and handwoven fabrics being the second highest. The industry contributes 12 percent to the total exports of the country. It has strengths across the entire value chain from fiber, yarn, fabric to apparel. The industry has a great potential for both manufacturers and retailers thinking to get into the textile business. In this article, you will know everything about starting a textile business from scratch.

How to start the textile business ?

Depending on the investment and interest of business required in manufacturing and selling textiles, choose whether you want to be a manufacturer or a retailer that will buy from the manufacturer and sell to the customer.

1. Research the existing market & analyze the right demand to supply

First of all, you need to know everything about the demand in the existing market of textile business. You need to find the right market for best selling fabrics and textiles. Research on which textile and fabrics are popular in demand. Analyze which fabric is more profitable to sell as per the manufacturing cost and market price. Study what existing niche competitors are doing to sell those profitable fabrics in the market. Checking on your competitors gives you a good lead to make your business profitable.

2. Get a place to sell

You need to rent or buy a place to store and sell the fabrics you will buy from the manufacturers. Or if you are planning to step into manufacturing, either way you would need to rent or buy land for a factory. An ideal place is essential to your business. It places you within the reach of customers and suppliers. It also reduces transportation costs and ensures convenience to your potential customers.

3. Gather capital and funds

The textile business will require a decent amount of investment. The operating cost of manufacturing factory for textile production apart from the rent/cost of the land. The cost of equipment like knitting machines to knit yarn, weaving machines to weave thread, cloth cutting machines to cut cloth, etc. For retailers, again the cost of acquiring land for shops. The funds required to start the inventory and maintain stock for uninterrupted selling.

4. Decide over a name for your textile business and apply for mandatory licenses

After deciding a decent name for your textile business, you would need to acquire following mandatory licenses to legalize your business,

– GSTIN and PAN number

– Trade License

– Shop Establishment License

– Trademark Registration

– Pollution & Factory License, for manufacturers

For textile business name ideas, you can read our blog: Best Textile Shop Names

5. Contact the suppliers

Now once you’re registered and ready with mandatory licenses, you are ready for the next step. In the case of retail textile business, you can now arrange a list of manufacturers and contact them one by one. Detail down the cost they would charge for your initial stock. Choose the manufacturer depending on the transportation cost and select accordingly. Similarly in the case of manufacturing business, arrange a list of suppliers of raw materials. Contact them one by one. Select the supplier that is ready to give you at minimum cost.

6. Prepare a business plan with a good profit margin

In the case of retail, once you’re done with arranging your initial stock to sell. Calculate the total input cost including the rent and electricity of your shop and other labour costs if any. Accordingly estimate a selling cost that gives you maximum profit margin. Keep in mind the cost charged by your competitors. As a retail textile business, your motive is to prepare a business plan that gives you maximum profit margin. Similarly, in the case of manufacturing, calculate the total cost of investment. It includes cost of raw materials, cost of machinery, cost of labour, cost of electricity and rent of the place or any other operational cost. Try to minimize the overall input investment. Accordingly, select a profitable price to sell for your potential buyers.
 

Investment needed to start a textile business in India

There are certain cost you need to keep in mind to estimate the investment needed in Indian textile industry :

1. Cost of Location – For textile manufacturing, you would need a place for the factory for production and inventory to store fabrics. In case of retail business, you would require an investment to buy or rent a shop for selling fabrics.
2. Cost of Manufacturing – In case you’re planning to start as a textile manufacturer, the manufacturing cost includes the cost or rent of purchasing the equipment, cost of setting up the equipment and the additional operational cost which includes cost of maintenance, rent, etc.
3. Cost of Labour – This cost includes the salary of labourers and other employees that would be responsible for the operation of production in case of manufacturing and for selling in case of retail.
4. Cost of Transportation – The transportation cost would include the cost required for transferring fabrics or textiles from the manufacturer to your shop. You can reduce this cost in case you’re planning to get into manufacturing by setting up the factory in the vicinity of your potential buyers.
5. Cost of Marketing/Advertising – This cost includes the cost incurred in the marketing campaigns for your textile business. The cost is obviously more in the case of retail compared to that for manufacturing business.

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