9 Profitable Sewing Project Ideas to Sell with Real Examples

If you know how to sew, there are many ways to make money from your skills. Here are nine realistic sewing project ideas to sell. Each concept is backed by data and includes real examples, so you can be confident that these items sell. 

In this in-depth guide, you’ll learn:

• Successful sewing project ideas with proof that they do sell
• Insights into best selling designs
• Actual revenue figures from similar businesses
• Successful marketing techniques for each idea
• Estimated start-up costs

Sewing project ideas to sell (quick summary):

1. Premium scrunchies. Sell for $18-23 per item. Potential to make $16,000 per month.
2. Premium hair bows. Sell for $15-20 per item. Potential to make $80,000 per month (as a large company working with factories or 40 seamstresses).
3. Headbands. Sell for $12-18 per item. Potential to make $10,000 per month.
4. Premium pillow covers. Sell for $45-150 each. Potential to make $45,000 per month (as a small company with 1 seamstress).
5. Handmade quilts. Sell for $100-200 each. Potential to make $3500 per month (as a small Etsy shop) to $800,000 per month (as a large company working with factories).
6. Bags. Sell for $20-200 per item. Potential to make $3500 per month (as a solo entrepreneur) to $60,000 per month (as a small company with seven employees).
7. Clothes. Sell for $50-250 per item. Potential to make $21,000 to $80,000 per month (as a business with a small team of seamstresses or working with factories).
8. Personalized gifts. Sell for $10-30 per item. Potential to make $6000 per month (a small company with one employee).
9. Do alterations. Potential to make up to $1000 per month.

Note: these retail prices and revenue figures are based on real businesses. Keep in mind that it took them years to achieve these successes. Expect to spend 3-6 years trying to achieve something similar. The full details are below.

#1 Sew & sell scrunchies

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $18-23 per item.
• Customers make repeat purchases.
• Low start-up costs.
• Low fabric requirements.
• Free marketing opportunities on Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, & Youtube.
• Easy to sew.
• Easy to ship (lightweight & not fragile).
• Examples of similar businesses reaching six figures in revenue in 2 years.

Cons:

• A fashion trend that could decline.
• Non-essential product.
• Competition from large fashion brands selling cheap hair accessories.
• Need good photography & branding to charge premium prices.

Is there a demand for this product?

People in the US make tens of thousands of web searches every month for scrunchies. Estimates from Semrush (US, April 2024) show that people search for “scrunchies” 51,200 times a month. This indicates that there’s demand for this product.

Inspiring success stories:

• XXL & Co: unknown revenue, but likely six figures in 2 years (launched in December 2019). I’m roughly estimating the first year’s revenue at $200,000.

XXL & Co sell extra-large scrunchies. These are much larger than competing products, so that’s their unique selling point. They also use on-trend fabrics. Their current best-sellers are XXL scrunchies in trendy solid colors (silky black, blush pink, and beige) and florals. They sell their scrunchies at a premium price of $18 to $23 each. They have since expanded to other hair accessories and some apparel. 

They grew fast thanks to viral videos on Tik Tok and Youtube. The founder, Tina, said, “fast forward one year—I went from making scrunchies by myself—working from my parent’s basement—to now working in our own 2700 sq ft warehouse, with a team of 15 incredible humans” (source). I haven’t seen them publish revenue figures, but during their one-week boxing day sale in 2024, they received 700+ orders (source). If we assume an average price of $20 per scrunchie, I’m guessing that’s revenue of $14,000 in 1 week. On LinkedIn, Tina said she “grew XXL & CO’s number of orders from 0 to 10,000+ in the first year of operations”. Assuming an average price of $20 per item would make the first year’s revenue $200,000.

What type of scrunchies to sell:

• Differentiate yourself with on-trend designs, colors, prints, and better fabric and construction quality.
• Popular materials: silk, satin, and velvet for a luxe feel. Chiffon and cotton are also popular.
• Popular prints and colors: plain black color, neutral colors like blush and beige, floral prints, and leopard prints.
• Popular designs: mini, regular, and extra-large scrunchies, scrunchies with bows, and scarf scrunchies.

To give you even more in-demand product ideas, here’s what people are searching for every month (according to Semrush data, April 2024, US):

• Silk scrunchies: 9800 monthly searches
• Satin scrunchies: 1900 monthly searches
• Velvet scrunchies: 1900 monthly searches
• XXL scrunchie: 1900 monthly searches
• Bow scrunchie: 1600 monthly searches
• Oversized scrunchie: 1000 monthly searches
• Red scrunchie: 880 monthly searches
• Black scrunchie: 720 monthly searches
• Scrunchie scarf: 720 monthly searches
• White scrunchie: 720 monthly searches
• Baby Yoda scrunchie: 590 monthly searches (scrunchies with a Star Wars Yoda theme)
• Blue scrunchie: 590 monthly searches
• Rapunzel scrunchies: 590 monthly searches (Disney themed scrunchie)
• Scrunchie with tails: 590 monthly searches
• Animal scrunchies: 480 monthly searches (e.g., leopard print)
• Mini scrunchies: 480 monthly searches

Make sure you optimize your website to appear when people search for these terms on Google. This type of marketing is called “search engine optimization.” This will be hard to achieve for beginners with a brand new website, but it’s something you’ll want to work on over the long term. I recommend creating an Etsy shop at the beginning. Etsy ranks highly for many of these search terms, making it easier for buyers to find you.

Estimated start-up costs for a scrunchie business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $550 – $850 to start selling scrunchies, assuming you already have a sewing machine and basic supplies. Expect to spend $850 – $1650 instead if you don’t.

• $0 to $20 – Sewing patterns. You can download free scrunchie patterns from Threads Monthly. These patterns are based on professionally-made products.
• $50 to $200 – Fabric. Start with 1 yard of a few different fabrics to test your product. Depending on the scrunchie size and fabric width, one yard is enough for roughly 15-25 scrunchies. Joann’s fabric price estimates are $9 per yard for polyester satin, $90 per yard for silk satin, $9 per yard for lightweight cotton, $12 per yard for velvet, and $80 per yard for silk velvet.
• $15 – Large spool of elastic.
• $30 – Thread in colors that match your fabric. Get general-purpose polyester thread; it’s stronger than cotton.
• $30 – Box of sewing machine needles. You’ll need “universal” needles for non-stretch fabrics. Get size 80/12 for light to medium weight fabrics. Get some hand sewing needles too.
• $5 – Safety pin or small bodkin to insert elastic through the scrunchies.
• $200 to $600 – Sewing machine. I recommend getting one with adjustable presser foot pressure to help you manage the different fabrics you’ll be working with.
• $100 to $200 – Basic sewing supplies (e.g., fabric scissors, iron, pins, seam ripper).
• Etsy store. Expect to pay listing and transaction fees.
• $20 to $30 per month – Online store. Shopify and Wix are the most uncomplicated e-commerce website builders and the most popular. 
• $100 – $200 for simple packaging.
• $10 for a domain name.
• $0 for an email newsletter service to send marketing emails. It usually’s free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g., ads, influencer marketing).

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#2 Sew and Sell Hairbows

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $15-20 per item.
• Customers make repeat purchases.
• Low start-up costs.
• Low fabric requirements.
• Free marketing opportunities on Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, & Youtube.
• Easy to sew.
• Easy to ship (lightweight & not fragile).
• Examples of similar businesses reaching 7 figures revenue in 3-5 years.

Cons:

• A fashion trend that could decline.
• Non-essential product.
• Competition from large fashion brands selling cheap hair accessories.
• Need good photography & branding to charge premium prices.

Is there a demand for this product?

Estimates show that people search for “hair bows” 22,000 times a month (data from Semrush, US, April 2024). This indicates that there’s demand for this product. The primary customer base seems to be moms buying cute bows for their girls.

Inspiring success stories:

• Wunderkin Co: $1 million revenue in 2017. This took three years to achieve (launched in 2014).
• Little Poppy Co: “multi-million dollar brand.” This took five years to complete (established in 2015).

Wunderkin Co sells handmade bows and hair accessories for children. These are premium bows sold for $15 to $20 each, and customers often buy multiple items in one go. Their products stand out because they use trending prints and designs. They even make unique holiday-themed bows. Their best-selling products are currently a medium-sized leopard print bow, floral chiffon bows, and linen sailor bows. 

The company was founded by Hillary in 2014. She was a new mom at the time. She started by making each bow at her kitchen table. 3 years later, they were “making 4000 bows a week and hit the million dollar/year sales mark. This was 2017” (source). Her bows are now handmade by 40+ seamstresses in the United States and France.

The 2 founders, sisters-in-law Lindie and Becca, were “frustrated by consistently losing overpriced baby bows” (source). They started an affordable monthly subscription service for stylish bows, headbands, and hair clips. Moms can get three bows delivered to them every month for $16 to $18 per month. Little Poppy Co also sells bows for children. The projections are based on the season’s latest colors and trends. Their unique selling point is convenience (hair accessories are shipped to customers automatically every month), unique designs (they design their fabrics), and a more affordable price point than competitors.

Initially, they used Instagram and word-of-mouth to grow their business. They then started spending on ads. They encourage customers to talk about them on social media by offering a free month of bows if they tag the brand in a baby-themed photo. 

Little Poppy Co is currently in the INC’s top 4000 fastest growing companies. Their manufacturing partner, Blacksmith International, confirmed that this is a “multi-million dollar brand” in 2020, 5 years after launching.

What type of hair bows to sell:

• Popular materials: cotton, chiffon, linen, velvet, velour. 
• Popular prints: gingham, floral, polka dots.
• Popular designs: sailor bows, big fable bows.

To give you even more in-demand product ideas, here’s what people are searching for every month (according to Semrush data, April 2024, US):

• Hair bows for girls: 4500 monthly searches
• Dog hair bows: 1600 monthly searches
• Baby hair bows: 1600 monthly searches
• Christmas hair bows: 880 monthly searches (seasonal)
• Hair bow ribbon: 720 monthly searches
• Red hair bow: 720 (likely Xmas related)
• Pink hair bow: 720 monthly searches
• Black hair bow: 590 monthly searches (demand increases towards the end of the year, possibly Xmas related)
• Hair bows for women: 590 monthly searches
• Jojo Siwa hair bows: 590 monthly searches
• Minnie mouse hair bow: 590 monthly searches
• White hair bow: 590 monthly searches
• Big hair bows: 390 monthly searches
• Easter hair bows: 390 monthly searches 
• Velvet hair bow: 390 monthly searches (Xmas-related)
• Halloween hair bows: 320 monthly searches (seasonal)

Estimated start-up costs for a hair bow business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $800 – $2900 to start selling hair bows, assuming you already have a sewing machine and basic supplies. Expect to spend $1000 – $3500 instead if you don’t.

• $0 to $20 – Hairbow sewing patterns.
• $50 to $200 – Fabric.
• $50 – Hair clips.
• $10 – Glue to secure the bow to the hair clips.
• $30 – Thread.
• $30 – Sewing machine needles.
• $200 to $600 – Sewing machine.
• $100 to $200 – Basic sewing supplies (e.g., pins, fabric scissors, measuring tape).
• Etsy store. Expect to pay listing and transaction fees.
• $20 to $30 per month – Create an online store. Shopify and Wix are the most uncomplicated e-commerce website builders and the most popular. 
• $100 to $200 – Packaging.
• $10 – Domain name.
• $0 – Email newsletter service to send marketing emails, like ConvertKit or Mailchimp. It is usually free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $200 to $2000 – Outsource photography, or buy the equipment and do it yourself.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g., ads, influencer marketing).

#3 Sew & sell headbands

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $12-18 per item.
• Low start-up costs.
• Low fabric requirements.
• Free marketing opportunities on Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, & Youtube.
• Easy to sew.
• Easy to ship (lightweight & not fragile).
• Examples of similar businesses reaching 6-figure revenue.

Cons:

• A fashion trend that could decline.
• Non-essential product.
• Competition from large fashion brands selling cheap hair accessories.
• Need good photography & branding to charge premium prices.

Is there a demand for this product?

Semrush (US, April 2024) estimates that people search for “headbands” 82,600 times a month. This shows that there’s demand for this product.

Inspiring success stories:

• Hello Headband: unknown revenue, but likely six figures. I’m roughly estimating 2019’s revenue at $130,000+.

Hello Headband sells headbands for babies, adults, working out, and fashion purposes. They specialize in fun and colorful prints and soft fabrics. Their best-sellers are a black twist headband, a leopard print wide headband, and a floral tie headband. The headbands sell for $12 to $18 each. They sell “30 to 50 packages every day” (source). If we assume 30 sales (1 product per package) at $12 each, my rough revenue estimate for 2019 would be $360 per day, $10,800 per month, and $129,600 per year.

What type of headbands to sell:

• Popular materials: soft knit fabrics and cotton.
• Popular prints and colors: plain black, white, floral patterns, animal prints.
• Popular designs: wide, twist, and knotted headbands.

To give you even more in-demand product ideas, here’s what people are searching for every month (according to Semrush data, April 2024, US):

• Baby headbands: 6600 monthly searches
• Knot headband: 6600 monthly searches
• Turban headband: 5400 monthly searches
• Boho headbands: 5300 monthly searches
• Black Headband: 4400 monthly searches
• Ear warmer Headband: 4400 monthly searches
• Fur headband: 2900 monthly searches
• Red Headband: 2900 monthly searches
• Wide Headband: 2900 monthly searches
• Workout headbands: 2900 monthly searches

Estimated start-up costs for a headband business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $750 – $2800 to start selling headbands, assuming you already have a sewing machine and basic supplies. Expect to spend $1000 – $3500 instead if you don’t.

• $0 to $20 – Headband sewing patterns.
• $50 to $200 – Fabric.
• $30 – Thread.
• $30 – Sewing machine needles.
• $200 to $600 – Sewing machine that can sew stretchy fabrics well. E.g., a machine with ‘adjustable presser foot pressure’ helps stop knit fabrics from becoming stretched out.
• $100 to $200 – Basic sewing supplies (e.g., pins, fabric scissors, measuring tape).
• Etsy store. Expect to pay listing and transaction fees.
• $20 to $30 per month – Create an online store. Shopify and Wix are the most uncomplicated e-commerce website builders and the most popular. 
• $100 to $200 – Packaging.
• $10 – Domain name.
• $0 – Email newsletter service to send marketing emails, like ConvertKit or Mailchimp. It usually is free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $200 to $2000 – Outsource photography, or buy the equipment and do it yourself.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g., ads, influencer marketing).

#4 Sew & sell pillow covers

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $45-150 per item.
• Customers make repeat purchases.
• Large market.
• Free marketing opportunities on Instagram, Pinterest, Tik Tok, & Youtube.
• Easy to sew.
• Easy to ship pillow covers (lightweight & not fragile).
• Examples of similar businesses reaching 6 figures revenue in 5 years.

Cons:

• Competition from large brands selling cheap pillow covers.
• Need a serger/overlocker machine to finish the raw edges professionally. These cost $300+
• Relatively high fabric usage. 1-3 yards to make 2 pillow covers.
• Need good photography & branding to charge premium prices.

Is there a demand for this product?

Most people have multiple pillows at home, so there’s a large market for pillow covers. Estimates show that people search for “decorative pillows” 27,100 times a month (data from Semrush, April 2024, US). 

Inspiring success stories:

• Danielle Oakley: $45,000 per month in 2020. This took five years to achieve (launched in 2015).

Danielle Oakley sells decorative pillow covers. She focuses on high-quality fabrics and a specific design style. Each pillow sells for $45 to $135. Danielle started the pillow shop in 2015 as a stay-at-home mom. She used $1300 in savings to buy vintage fabric and zips, simple packaging, and hire one seamstress from Craigslist. This was enough to make 24 pillows. She sold them on Etsy and then reinvested the profit into making more pillows. In a 2018 interview, she said, “almost all of my sales come from Instagram marketing.” By 2020, she earned $45,000 per month with just a small team of 3 (plus her).

What type of pillows to sell:

Data from Semrush (April 2024, US) shows that people are actively searching for the following terms:

• Decorative pillows: 27,100 monthly searches
• Body pillow cover: 8,100 monthly searches
• 20×20 pillow cover: 2900 monthly searches
• 24×24 pillow cover: 2900 monthly searches
• 16×16 pillow cover: 2400 monthly searches
• 22×22 pillow cover: 2400 monthly searches
• Boho lumbar pillow: 1300 monthly searches
• Extra-long lumbar pillow: 1000 monthly searches
• Lumbar support pillow for office chair: 1000 monthly searches
• Lumbar pillow for car: 880 monthly searches
• Leather pillow cover: 880 monthly searches
• Fall pillow cover: 880 monthly searches
• Outdoor pillow cover: 880 monthly searches
• Christmas pillow cover: 720 monthly searches
• Velvet pillow cover: 590 monthly searches
• Faux fur pillow cover: 480 monthly searches
• Linen body pillow cover: 480 monthly searches
• Mudcloth pillow cover: 390 monthly searches
• Neck pillow cover: 390 monthly searches
• Round pillow cover: 390 monthly searches

I picked out a few exciting ideas, but you can type “pillow cover” into Semrush to find the full results.

Estimated start-up costs for a pillow business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $1000 – $3300 to start selling pillows, assuming you already have a sewing machine, serger, and basic supplies. If you don’t, expect to spend $1600 – $4800. Danielle Oakley, who was featured above, started with $1300.

• $300 to $500 – Fabric. My estimates are based on 3 yards of fabric X 20 pillows = 60 yards needed. 60 yards x $6 per yard = $360.
• $50 to $150 – Notions (e.g. zips, buttons).
• $50 to $100 – Thread.
• $30 – Sewing machine needles.
• $200 to $600 – Sewing machine.
• $300 to $800 – Serger (aka. overlocker) machine.
• $100 to $200 – Basic sewing supplies (e.g. pins, fabric scissors, measuring tape, fabric markers).
• Etsy store. Expect to pay listing and transaction fees.
• $20 to $30 per month – Create an online store. Shopify and Wix are the most uncomplicated e-commerce website builders to use and the most popular. 
• $100 to $200 – Packaging.
• $10 – Domain name.
• $0 – Email newsletter service to send marketing emails, like ConvertKit or Mailchimp. It usually is free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $200 to $2000 – Outsource photography, or buy the equipment and do it yourself.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g. ads, influencer marketing).

#5 Sew and Sell Quilts

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $100-200 per item.
• Examples of similar businesses reaching 6-8 figure revenues in 6 years.

Cons:

• Quilts are not purchased frequently.
• High fabric usage.
• Time-consuming to sew.
• Non-essential item.
• Bulky item, increasing packaging & shipping costs.

Is there a demand for this product?

“Quilts for sale” and similar terms get searched 14,700 times a month, and “handmade quilts for sale” get searched 2400 times a month. This estimated data from analytics company Semrush (April 2024, US) shows that people are looking to buy quilts.

Inspiring success stories:

• Wild Littles (baby quilts): unknown revenue; I’m estimating that it’s $41,976 per year.
• Project Repat (t-shirt quilts): $10 million in annual sales (2018). This took six years to achieve (launched in 2012).

Wild Littles is an Etsy store that sells handmade quilts. Laine, the owner, has carved a niche in the modern baby quilts market. Her designs follow the popular nordic/scandi trend. The company launched on Etsy in 2016 and has made 1799 sales (as of 8 April 2024). Each quilt is priced at $140. Based on this public information on Etsy, I’m estimating their revenue is $41,976 per year (1799 sales/6 years=299 sales per year. 299 x $140 avg. price = $41,976). Based on reviews, their customers are moms buying quilts that match their nursery room style and grandmothers and friends buying quilts as gifts.

Ross Lohr co-founded an online quilt company called Project Repat. They turn t-shirts into custom quilts that buyers can treasure for years. Their online website allows customers to choose the quilt size and backing fleece they want. They then send their t-shirts in the mail to be turned into custom quilts. A lap quilt is $75, $110 for a twin quilt, $140 for a whole quilt, $160 for a large throw, and $200 for a queen-size quilt. Ross said, “We currently make 2,000 custom t-shirt quilts per week at two production facilities in the United States. In 2018, we will make 90,000 t-shirt quilts and do $10MM in sales per year.”

What type of quilts to sell:

Data from Semrush (April 2024, US) shows that people are actively searching for the following terms:

• T-shirt quilt: 12,100 monthly searches
• King size quilt: 9,900 monthly searches
• Baby quilt: 6,600 monthly searches
• Barn quilt: 6,600 monthly searches
• Bed quilts: 6,600 monthly searches
• Christmas quilts: 6,600 monthly searches
• Queen size quilt: 6,600 monthly searches
• Kantha quilt: 5,400 monthly searches
• Modern quilts: 4,400 monthly searches
• Patchwork quilts: 4,400 monthly searches
• Toddler quilt: 4,400 monthly searches
• White quilt: 4,400 monthly searches
• Amish quilts: 3,600 monthly searches
• Green quilt: 3,600 monthly searches
• Linen quilt: 3,600 monthly searches
• Blue quilt: 2,900 monthly searches
• Boho quilt: 2,900 monthly searches
• Velvet quilt: 2,900 monthly searches

I picked out a few exciting ideas, but you can type “quilt” into Semrush to find the full results.

Estimated start-up costs for a quilting business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $1100 – $3800 to start selling quilts, assuming you already have a sewing machine and basic supplies. Expect to spend $1500 – $5000 instead if you don’t.

• $200 to $600 – Fabric.
• $100 to $400 – Batting/wadding.
• $100 to $200 – Thread.
• $30 – Sewing machine needles.
• $100 to $200 – Basic sewing supplies (e.g. pins, rotary cutters, iron)
• $300 to $1000 – Sewing machine with a vast throat space and an integrated or separate walking foot.
• Etsy store. Expect to pay listing and transaction fees.
• $20 to $30 per month – Create an online store. Shopify and Wix are the most uncomplicated e-commerce website builders to use and the most popular. 
• $150 to $250 – Packaging.
• $10 – Domain name.
• $0 – Email newsletter service to send marketing emails, like ConvertKit or Mailchimp. It’s normally free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $200 to $2000 – Outsource photography, or buy the equipment and do it yourself.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g. ads

#6 Sew and Sell Bags

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $20-200 per item.
• Large market.
• Examples of similar businesses reaching 5-6 figure revenue in 4-6 years.

Cons:

• Potentially bulky item, making packaging & shipping more expensive.
• Potentially time-consuming to sew and has high fabric usage, depending on the design.
• Leather is quite costly.
• Sewing thick fabric is best suited to industrial sewing machines, not home sewing machines.
• Increased competition from large fashion brands.

Is there a demand for this product?

Most people own multiple bags for different purposes, so the market is huge. According to data from Semrush (April 2024, US), “tote bag” is searched for 110,000 times a month, “diaper bag(s)” 87,600 times a month, “crossbody bag(s)” 90,000 times a month, etc. The small companies that are succeeding focus on a clear niche. They’re not trying to compete with big brands that sell everything.

Inspiring success stories:

• Foxy Handmade (zipper pouches): $3500 per month in 2020. This took four years to achieve (launched in 2016).
• The Green Collective (reusable produce bags): $15,000 per month in 2019. This took five years to achieve (launched in 2014).
• In Blue Handmade (leather bags): “$750,000-ish” annual sales in 2014. This took six years to achieve (launched in 2008).

Foxy Handmade used to sell handmade zipper pouches with unique folk-art-inspired illustrations. Each one sold for $34. The business started in 2016 and, by 2020 was earning $3500 per month. These sales came from her online shop, Instagram (under 2k followers at the time), email subscribers (under 1k at the time), and in-person markets. (Sources: interview and blog post).

Emma Saunders started The Green Collective in 2014. They sell eco products with unique designs and vibrant colors. Reusable mesh produce bags are one of their best sellers. Customers use these when shopping for groceries rather than disposable plastic bags. A pack of 3 reusable bags sells for $20. Emma made the first 1000 bags herself and then outsourced the sewing. She initially sold at a market, then wholesale to supermarkets, and then her online store. She markets the store with social media sites like Facebook and SEO. In 2019 and 2024, she reported monthly revenues of $15,000 (including income from their other products like dishcloths).

Mary Lynn Schroeder started In Blue Handmade in 2008. They sell leather bags, wallets, and accessories. Each bag sells for $50 to $200. Initially, Mary sewed the products herself but then built a small team to take over. In 2020 she had seven employees plus her (source: announcement message on her Etsy shop on 14 April 2020). In six years, she built the company to 6 figures revenue, achieving “$750,000-ish” in 2014. She gets customers by focusing on Etsy SEO, ads, and selling wholesale. (Source)

What type of bags to sell:

• Tote bag: 110,000 monthly searches
• Diaper bag(s): 87,600 monthly searches
• Crossbody bag(s): 90,000 monthly searches
• Makeup bag: 40,500 monthly searches
• Shoulder bag: 33,100 monthly searches
• Beach bag: 27,100 monthly searches
• Canvas tote bags: 22,200 monthly searches
• Toiletry bag: 22,200 monthly searches
• Leather crossbody bag: 14,800 monthly searches
• Lunch bags: 14,800 monthly searches
• Satchel bag: 14,800 monthly searches

I found these just a few popular ideas, but you can see the full results by typing “bag” in Semrush.

Estimated start-up costs for a bag business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $1000 – $4000 to start selling bags, assuming you already have a sewing machine and basic supplies. Expect to spend $1400 – $5700 instead if you don’t.

• $300 to $1000 – Fabric or leather.
• $100 to $300 – Notions (e.g. zips, sliders and rings, grommets).
• $50 to $100 – Thread.
• $100 to $250 – Basic sewing and/or leatherworking supplies.
• $200 to $1500 – Home sewing machine or industrial sewing machine.
• Etsy store. Expect to pay listing and transaction fees.
• $20 to $30 per month – Create an online store. Shopify and Wix are the most uncomplicated e-commerce website builders and the most popular. 
• $100 to $200 – Packaging.
• $10 – Domain name.
• $0 – Email newsletter service to send marketing emails, like ConvertKit or Mailchimp. It’s normally free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $200 to $2000 – Outsource photography, or buy the equipment and do it yourself.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g. ads, influencer marketing).

#7 Sew and Sell Clothes

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $50-250 per item.
• Repeat purchases.
• Large market.
• Essential product.
• Free marketing opportunities on Instagram, Tik Tok, Youtube, Pinterest.
• Examples of similar businesses reaching 6-7 figure revenues in 3-6 years.

Cons:

• High competition from large fashion brands that mass manufacture at low prices.
• High fabric usage.
• Complex and time-consuming to sew.
• High cost of production.
• The design process and patternmaking are complex.
• Complex fit and sizing issues.
• Safety regulations and laws (e.g. for children’s clothing).
• High rate of returns.
• Many types of equipment are needed, e.g., sewing machine, serger/overlocker, cover stitch machine.

Is there a demand for this product?

Almost everyone wears clothes, so the market is enormous. This also means competition is fierce because there are so many fashion brands. The small businesses that I’ve seen succeed are narrowly focused on helping a specific audience, which large fashion brands can’t do. This is one of the most in-demand sewing project ideas to sell.

Inspiring success stories:

• AYM (women’s fashion): £1 million in annual sales (approx. $1.3m) in 2018. This took six years to achieve (launched in 2012).
• LazyJack Press (men’s accessories): $21,000 per month in 2018. This took six years to reach (launched in 2012).
• Shed Defender (dog clothes): $1.7 million in sales in the first three years.

AYM is a fashion label that sells form-fitting, minimal party outfits for young women. This laser focus on their target market’s style is their unique selling point. They also focus on ethical manufacturing and being British-made. Their clothes typically sell for £50 – £190 each (approx. $65 – $247). Alie Mackintosh started the company after leaving college (aka. university). She sewed the first products herself and then hired seamstresses. Six years later, she was making £1 million in annual sales. Her marketing techniques included social media (specifically Instagram), and influencer/celebrity marketing (source).

Miriam Zelinsky founded LazyJack Press in 2012, a luxury men’s accessory brand. They make unique and quirky designs that buyers can’t find elsewhere, like their flagship design: a humorous red party cup. They also stand out in the market by using high-quality silks. Their best-sellers are ties, bow ties, pocket squares, and socks. Their ties sell for $105, bow ties are $78, pocket squares are $48, and socks are $25. Their customers are young professionals and seniors who love their clever designs. By 2018 (6 years after launching), they made $21,000 per month. Their marketing channels at the time were:

• Social media.
• Going on national TV.
• Doing trade shows and pop-up shops.
• Selling online.
• Selling wholesale (Barneys and Nordstrom were customers) (source)

Shed Defender sells onesies for dogs to stop their hair shedding everywhere. A short onesie sells for $30, and a full-length onesie sells for $40. It launched in 2016 and sold 30,000 units in 3 years, generating $1.7 million in revenue. The founder, Tyson Walters, designed the onesie himself and had a local seamstress sew them initially. They went viral in the media and then used Facebook ads to market the product (source). 

What type of clothing to sell:

Here’s what people are looking for:

• Plus size clothing: 165,000 monthly searches
• Maternity clothes: 135,000 monthly searches
• Baby clothes: 110,000 monthly searches
• Workout clothes: 40,500 monthly searches
• Dog clothes: 27,100 monthly searches
• Goth clothing: 22,200 monthly searches
• Hippie clothes:22,200 monthly searches
• Kawaii clothes: 22,200 monthly searches
• Rainbow clothing: 22,200 monthly searches
• Anime clothing: 18,100 monthly searches
• Boho clothing: 18,100 monthly searches

I found these just a few popular ideas, but you can see the full results by typing in “clothes” on Semrush.

Estimated start-up costs for a fashion business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $2000 – $6000 to start selling clothes, assuming you already have a sewing machine and basic supplies. Expect to spend $2300 – $6800 instead if you don’t.

• $500 to $1000 – Fabric. My estimations are based on 3 yards of fabric for each garment X 30 garments = 90 yards needed. 90 yards x $6 per yard = $540.
• $50 to $200 – Notions (e.g. zips, buttons).
• $50 to $200 – Matching thread.
• $30 – Sewing machine needles.
• $100 to $200 – Basic sewing supplies (e.g. pins, fabric scissors)
• $200 to $600 – Sewing machine.
• $300 to $800 – Serger (aka. overlocker) machine.
• $500 to $1000 – Possibly a cover stitch machine if you’re making stretchy knit garments.
• $80 to $175 per pattern – Outsource pattern development (source: Fasanella, 1998). 
• Alternatively, buy software and make patterns yourself.
• $50 to $150 – Iron and ironing board.
• $20 to $30 per month – Create an online store. Shopify and Wix are the most uncomplicated e-commerce website builders and the most popular. 
• $100 to $200 – Packaging.
• $10 – Domain name.
• $0 – Email newsletter service to send marketing emails, like ConvertKit or Mailchimp. It’s normally free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $200 to $2000 – Outsource photography, or buy the equipment and do it yourself.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g. ads, influencer marketing).

#8 Sew and Sell Personalized Gifts

Pros:

• Potential retail price: $10-30 per item.
• A unique custom item that large stores can’t compete with.

Cons:

• One-off purchases.
• Need to buy an embroidery or fabric printing machine/Cricut and heat press equipment. 
• Need to buy wholesale stock to personalize, increasing costs.

Is there a demand for this product?

“Personalized gifts” are searched for 74,000 times per month, with a spike in interest before Christmas. People want to give personalized gifts during holidays like Christmas and mothers day, as wedding gifts, and as birthday gifts. They’re looking for items like personalized stockings, blankets, t-shirts, socks, towels, bags, and more. (Estimated data from analytics company Semrush, April 2024, US). This is one of the great sewing project ideas to sell.

Inspiring success stories:

• GeorgieBellesBows (personalized baby clothes): unknown revenue; I’m estimating approx. $70,000 per year.  

GeorgieBellesBows is an Etsy shop that sells personalized baby clothes and accessories. Sleepsuits (aka. rompers or baby grows) are their best sellers, selling for £9 – £18 each (approx. $12 – $23). They personalize the items with the names of the children. They launched on Etsy in 2018 and have made 15,952 sales so far (as of 9 April 2024). Based on this public information on Etsy, my rough estimate of their annual revenue is £53,838, approx. $70,000 (15,952 sales / 4 years = 3988 annual sales. 3988 x £13.5 avg price = £53838 per year). The store is still run by just the founder, Emma, and one friend.

What type of personalized gifts to sell:

• Baby gifts: Embroider baby names onto premade baby clothes, bibs, and blankets.
• Wedding themed: Embroider t-shirts with the bride/groom/bridesmaids’ names. Wedding gifts with the bride and groom’s names.
• Thank you gifts for teachers.

To give you even more in-demand product ideas, here’s what people are searching for every month (according to Semrush data, April 2024, US):

• “Personalized Christmas stockings” and similar terms: 33,500 monthly searches (seasonal product)
• Personalized baby blankets: 12,100 monthly searches
• Personalized baby gifts: 12,100 monthly searches
• Personalized dog collars: 12,100 monthly searches
• Personalized t-shirts: 13,500 monthly searches
• Personalized gifts for him: 8,100 monthly searches
• Personalized mothers day gifts: 8,100 monthly searches (seasonal product)
• Personalized beach towels: 6,600 monthly searches
• Personalized gifts for her: 6,600 monthly searches
• Personalized tote bags: 5,400 monthly searches
• Personalized napkins: 3,600 monthly searches
• Personalized sweatshirts: 3,600 monthly searches
• Wedding gifts personalized: 3,600 monthly searches
• Personalized aprons: 2,900 monthly searches
• Personalized teacher gifts: 1,600 monthly searches

Estimated start-up costs for a personalized gift business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need $2000 – $5000 to start selling personalized gifts. The most considerable expense will be getting the required machinery.

• $100 – Ready-made blank products to personalize. E.g. you can get blank baby onesies for $3.50 each if you buy 6+ (source).
• $400 to $1000 – Embroidery machine.
• $100 to $200 – Embroidery thread.
• $30 – Embroidery machine needles.
• $50 – Stabilizer.
• $300 to $1000 – Computer to create digital embroidery designs.
• $500 – Alternatively, “print” your designs onto fabric. One option is to use a Cricut machine, iron-on vinyl, and a heat press machine.
• Etsy store. Expect to pay listing and transaction fees.
• $20 to $30 per month – Create an online store. Shopify and Wix are the simplest e-commerce website builders to use and the most popular. 
• $100 to $200 – Packaging.
• $10 – Domain name.
• $0 – Email newsletter service to send marketing emails, like ConvertKit or Mailchimp. It’s normally free for up to 1k or 2k subscribers.
• $200 to $2000 – Outsource photography, or buy the equipment and do it yourself.
• $300 – Marketing budget (e.g. ads, influencer marketing).

#9 Sell Alterations

Pros:

• Simple tasks (hem, repair, tighten, loosen)
• Low start-up costs

Cons:

• Low price per sale.
• Infrequent purchases.
• Challenges with the fit.
• Limited to customers in your local area.
• Competition from established local dry cleaners.

Is there a demand for this product?

“Clothing alteration service” is searched approximately 14,800 times a month in the US, and “clothes alterations near me” is searched 12,100 times a month (data from Semrush, April 2024). People are looking for companies to alter and repair their clothes, especially local ones.

Real stories:

• ALTRD: $1000 per month in 2018.

Saara Hafeez co-founded a mail-in clothing alteration service called ALTRD. Customers ordered online, described what they wanted, and prepared their item (e.g., safety pin the changes they wanted or sent well-fitting comparison items to match). Couriers then picked up the clothes and dropped them off with a tailor’s team. In 2018, ALTRD reported revenue of $1000 per month. They used word-of-mouth and Yelp ads to find customers. Unfortunately, they went out of business in 1½ years. This might not be a motivating story, but alterations are a popular idea, and I did want to share a real example with public revenue figures. (Sources: interview and Linkedin).

Estimated start-up costs for an alterations business:

I’m estimating that you’ll need less than $300 to start selling alterations, assuming you already have a sewing machine and basic supplies. Expect to spend $600 – $1100 instead if you don’t.

• $50 – Matching thread for each alteration project.
• $30 – Variety of sewing machines and hand sewing needles.
• $15 – Lightweight interfacing in black and white for repair jobs.
• $200 to $600 – Sewing machine.
• $100 to $200 – Basic sewing supplies (e.g., fabric scissors, marking tools, pins).
• $200 – Marketing budget (e.g., local ads).

Sara Maker wrote this article from Threads Monthly, a blog that teaches 100,000+ people how to sew every month. Sara started sewing 10+ years ago and has studied dressmaking, draping, and patternmaking courses, including GCSE Textiles. She creates free sewing patterns and tutorials online.

More Sewing Project Ideas to Sell?

As you can see, there are several sewing project ideas to sell in this article. Do you have more sewing project ideas to sell? Let us know in the comments!

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