When it comes to fashion items and products, most people concern themselves with the finished product. Very few are interested in what happens behind the scene. In Nigeria, a good number of people are fashion designers, stylists, marketers and so on. A little or almost no attention is given to those that sell fabrics.
For the making of any piece of clothing, fabric needs to be joined together to make them. Fabric plays an important role in one‘s choice of clothing. Thick clothing for cold weather and light clothing for hot weather. It is suffice to say that when it comes to the clothing part of fashion, no career can thrive without fabric business.
Fabric business is a fashion opportunity to consider when seeking out a career path in fashion. You can brand and package your fabrics in a very attractive manner and probably become the number one celebrity fabric seller in Nigeria.
There are some things you should know before starting a fabric business, irrespective of the type of fabric you want to sell or your target market.
1. Know the different types of fabrics
Just as you can identify different types of food, you should learn the different kinds of fabrics in Nigerian market. It helps to build your confidence in the business. When talking with your customers, you don’t want to sound like a novice who is unsure of what he is saying. You may not necessarily need to go to the market to conduct a research as you can learn online.
Knowing the difference between different fabrics will help you spot fake materials and the ones that are not needed by your target market. Types of fabrics in Nigerian markets are: Senator, Bridal satin (dull face and shinny face), lace ( cord, sample, net, sequence, sugar), Ankara (Small, Medium, Big), Chinos, Plain and pattern, Check, Linen, China white, Vintage, Polish, Guinea, Kampala, Crepe, Scuba, Silk, Cashmere, Brocade and many others.
2. Know the prices of the different kinds of fabrics
After differentiating between the types of fabrics, you should know the prices. Conduct a market research by carrying out feasibility studies.
Know the places you can buy different fabrics and how much they cost at those places. For example, Small Ankara may be cheaper in Eko than Oshodi.
3. Identify Your Target Market
Knowing your target market is key, they are the ones buying the fabrics from you, either in large or small quantity. As a retailer or a consumer.
One of the things that slow down business and maybe even shut down businesses is selling the right product to the wrong person or the wrong product to the right person.
As a fabric seller, your target market can be church choristers, Muslim clerics, schools, event planners, etc. The list is endless.
4. Write a Business Plan
When starting a business, writing a business plan is mandatory. It does not have to be a hundred pages typed plan. The most important thing is writing down every information you need to start the business.
A business plan gives you clarity and direction. It is beneficial to you and your business. Without a business plan, you’ll probably run into debt and confusion.
5.Create the business
Creating your business involves the whole execution process in starting a business. Here, you should give your business a name. Map out your marketing strategies. Arrange your physical store or posting on your online store.
Fabric business is very lucrative and it is definitely a fashion opportunity you should consider if you plan to have a career in fashion.
References
Nairaland forum
Wikipedia
Featured image source: Nigeria
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