# My clothing line and other brands under one roof...



## kidoekid (Jul 21, 2010)

hey guys, so i have a question. im looking to launch a clothing line and within my future plans for it, i'd like to open up my own retail location. To be exact, heres the big picture...

Id like to have a direct location titled and known for my brand name, but id like to also sell other brands such as skateboarding brands. DC shoes, Skateboards, New Era Caps, Maybe even Nike sneakers all under one roof. Hope this paints the picture for you guys.

Now, to do this, will i have to have more than one lagality setup? meaning, will all my legality registrations and docs that i initially got to only launch a clothing line work to become a reseller for all the other brands and goods? if so, from scratch (assuming ive done nothing yet), where would i start and end to cover all angles?

Id appreciate any insight in this. thanks TF!


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## doskalata (May 16, 2010)

you will need to go through all the legalities of both a manufacturer, and a retailer. reseller license should work for both. They are similar but still ultimately two different kinds of businesses.

I am curious why you would want to start your own brand, put it in your store, then fill the store with your competitors products. sounds kind of counter-intuitive.

dont get me wrong i could see how it would seem like a great idea. open up a skate shop and sell your own brand along side with all the big-dogs.

but you should consider the fact that while your selling your brand, in your one location; DC, New Era, and Nike are all sell in stores across the world. Giving them the ability to be seen and purchased at hundreds of locations, while your at your one store in BF Egypt. (no offense)

For a brand to grow, it needs to travel. One person may buy a shirt or two, but they wont buy your entire line, nor the same two shirts over and over again.

so basically, you'll need to get your brand to travel, introducing it to as many different people as possible so at the end of the day you have 100 people buying one or two shirts, instead of just one guy buying one or two shirts.

so it will be difficult to successfully run a store front, while trying to take your brand on tour. on top of the fact that even in your own store, other brands will be trying to bump you out of the buyers eyes.

not trying to knock store fronts, Johnny Cupcakes has two locations now, but he only sells his stuff on site.

so i guess the bottom line is, do you want to be like DC, or do you want to be like Mainland?


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## kidoekid (Jul 21, 2010)

doskalata said:


> you will need to go through all the legalities of both a manufacturer, and a retailer. reseller license should work for both. They are similar but still ultimately two different kinds of businesses.
> 
> I am curious why you would want to start your own brand, put it in your store, then fill the store with your competitors products. sounds kind of counter-intuitive.
> 
> ...


all of this makes absolute sense. Maybe what i need to consider is only carrying the fashion goods that do NOT interfear with my clothing line? such as sneakers and skateboards? would this make more sense to do? this way im not selling other branded t-shirts or garments, but other cool stuff that might help my target consumer put together an outfit and maybe even pick up a complete skate deck. it just fits right into the demographic, i believe. Let me know what you think of this over my initial idea. thanks!


I definitely appreciate the valid points by the way. im definitely not going forward with reselling my own competition vs my own line.


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## doskalata (May 16, 2010)

word... glad to hear this hasn't discouraged you. 

honestly, i think getting a clothing brand off the ground is such a big project, with a never ending demand for marketing and product development. 

i just wonder how one person can sufficiently promote an unknown brand while at the same time deal with the day in and day out of running a new storefront. one requires you to be all over the place while the other requires you to stay in one place.

Im assuming this is a relatively new idea of yours. i think you should do all the research you possibly can before you actually make a move on either end of this project. 

When i first started i just wanted to print funny shirts and sell them at events. but that eventually turned into the idea of a clothing line, then a brand. basically, the more and more i learned, the more and more i realized that what i had been planning, would have to change entirely (ultimately for the better)

i guess what im trying to say is, i dont think you fully grasp what its takes to get a clothing line up and going, ive been working towards it for 9 months and im still terrified about all the **** i dont know.

are you planning on printing your own stuff, or outsourcing the work?


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## kidoekid (Jul 21, 2010)

doskalata said:


> word... glad to hear this hasn't discouraged you.
> 
> honestly, i think getting a clothing brand off the ground is such a big project, with a never ending demand for marketing and product development.
> 
> ...


well, ive actually been printing for almost 2 years. ive been planning on the line for longer. im now at the position where its time to start it up and of course, small. by starting small (lcally), ill be able to move forward as the market changes economically, which will determine my marketing startegy that will ALWAYS change. this, im aware of and definitely excited for sure. i expect that its going to be such a difficult challenge, but im ready to get the ball rolling. ive actually managed to earn and save up about $5K from printing custom designs. This money is what i call "recycle" money that i ONLY use for supplies and such. the store front is my goal, but as for now, ill be launching an online shop to get the name on the road. i plan to market over and over again and in the most strategic way i can come up with. if i have the money for it, im definitely going to use it for proper investment to better grow the lines identity to the public.

Kinda seems to me like we're both on the same track with our goals for creating a clothing line, lol. congrats on your work too, btw.

And yes, i plan on printing my own stuff to avoid unnecessary cost. in the future, ill be looking to get auto-presses to keep up with demand. for the moment, i have everthing i need to create and print my own designs from my laptop to the multi color/multi station presses.

Bro, i definitely appreciate all your insight. its definitely helpful. like you said, theres so much **** to learn and it will never end lol. but at least in the long run, the more we learn, the more success we can have and earn more income growth.


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## doskalata (May 16, 2010)

well then, ill go ahead an put my foot in my mouth... nice to find that youve already got a head on your shoulders.

we are definitely on the same track, but you got quite a lead on me because you have got some years of printing experience. ive been doing my homework but you got to get your hands on the project to really know how to print. i bought a Yudu about a year ago to test the waters, and see how i liked it, and i have been obsessed with Screen printing ever since. 

but the yudu is for desperate house wives, i pushed it to its maximum potential and put it away because i was done doing everything the hard way.

im now about to finally take out a 15k loan to put together a shop in my garage. so excited.

what kind of gear do you have and what kind of printing do you specialize in?


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## kidoekid (Jul 21, 2010)

doskalata said:


> well then, ill go ahead an put my foot in my mouth... nice to find that youve already got a head on your shoulders.
> 
> we are definitely on the same track, but you got quite a lead on me because you have got some years of printing experience. ive been doing my homework but you got to get your hands on the project to really know how to print. i bought a Yudu about a year ago to test the waters, and see how i liked it, and i have been obsessed with Screen printing ever since.
> 
> ...


no worries, its a fair game, lol. i've been printing with plastisol since i started, so pretty basic, but ive been studying discharge and waterbased as well. im also looking to take out a loan to open up shop. one thing i should mention is, id look into the zoning requirements before you open up shop at home and very importantly, the power your flash dryer or cureing machine will require. the dryers are primarily the reason for silk screening not being allowed in residential areas because they are pretty likely to cause fire. for example, my flash dryer pulls 19.2 amps and the standard home fuse is 20-30 amps. so this means that if im running my flash dryer, i better not run my microwave or even turn on any lights that are running to the same circuit, otherwise it will be power over load and ill end up frying electrical wire which will most likely result in a home fire. scary lol. There ARE alternatives to get around this though. you can have an electrician install a dedicated breaker and proper amp fuse to your power box that will be solely for your dryer ONLY orrrr you can invest in a power generator. a good one will run you about $400-$500 bucks at home depot/Lowes, etc. (unless you already have one).

anyway, great to be able to share good info back and forth. i hope we get to where we need to be and want to be sooner than later.


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## doskalata (May 16, 2010)

Yah there is a electrician that lives down the street from my house, i was going ask him if its even possible for a set up in my house, the place is like 70 years old and im not sure if that will even work. but my back up plan is to ask my boss at my day job if i can rent some space in one of his warehouses. ultimately this is what i want to do eventually, but id like to duck the $200-$300 a month until i can get some business going.

let me know if you have a questions about water based, ive done it all *** backwards and now iv got a pretty good understanding of how it works.

and ill be sure to bug you about plastisol because i have still not printed with it.


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## kidoekid (Jul 21, 2010)

doskalata said:


> Yah there is a electrician that lives down the street from my house, i was going ask him if its even possible for a set up in my house, the place is like 70 years old and im not sure if that will even work. but my back up plan is to ask my boss at my day job if i can rent some space in one of his warehouses. ultimately this is what i want to do eventually, but id like to duck the $200-$300 a month until i can get some business going.
> 
> let me know if you have a questions about water based, ive done it all *** backwards and now iv got a pretty good understanding of how it works.
> 
> and ill be sure to bug you about plastisol because i have still not printed with it.


that sounds good man, yeah ill hit you up when im ready for waterbased. thanks bro.


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