Selling handmade/upcycled clothing/projects

[KatyMac]

I know it's really hard to make a living at selling handmade and upcycled projects and I make them alongside alterations, repairs and making home furnishing

So where is a good place to sell, what do I need to know to be legal (like the inners of cushins must have a fire retardent label but the cushion cover doesn't)

What do you do about washing - most of mine would be hand wash I reckon so just a label?

Help?

Here

It's used a lot in cosplay, as it gives a 'cartoon' feeling

I have been working on alternatives as she wants a Jasmine - but I haven't seen the right colour shape dress to tweak yet

Yes...wouldn;t it be better to use interfacing? That's what it's called, I remember now!

I understand it's used in cosplay but I'd shy away from it in this sort of thing. It won't travel well for a start.

I have extra of that turquise blue I could make some baby 'Anna's or maybe a preteen version

The embroidery would be easy enough to fake too

What I do for DD & what I do to sell are different (no way would I bead anyones costume the way I did her newest Latin - it took weeks!)

& I have a perfect crystalled blue for Elsa - I was struggling to use is as

a) DD can't be Elsa
b) it's too short for an adult dress

so I put it away in a cupboard as I don't have any small children in my life atm

I'm thinking of declaring on each listing what is new and what is second hand.....

& when I have used cotton thread for cotton clothes rather than poly cotton

Wish I could get hold of cheap hemp

Hi, glad you think it might work! I definitely think there is a market here-have a look at the Facebook groups! Adults aren’t allowed to ‘dressup’ as characters but loads of people wear Disney clothes, especially as there is such potential for character interaction. Here are some pictures lifted from Pinterest (as well as one of me!) I should think you could recycle Disney bedding/curtains etc for some?

Some more

Trock they're good aren't they? Katy I think there's a real market for plus sizes out there. Not just adults either. I'm sure there are lots of children who would like these dresses but are larger and find them hard to find a good fit.

I'd have to check about bedding there are rules about using new material and creating products to sell - I wonder if it's different for second hand materials

What age would you do Anna & Elsa - about an age 6? & would you do reversible anna/elsa or a separate dress for each?

Must do some sewing I have a comission to finish (which I haven't enjoyed - it's dragged on) & no more fun sewing until it's finished!!

Then I have the dentist

Katy I think you might need a 3-4 and a 5-6 for Elsa....toddlers like dressing up and then some older ones are little.

I only have enough material for one I think

I might have enough for 2

I think the thing is with what you do, because you use recycled fabrics and clothing, it's really tricky for you to get a "line" of clothing or a "collection" which is what the Disney stuff would need. I think you either need to buy fabrics or be a lot looser in what you do.

It's all about marketing...so if you want to stick to the re-used stuff, lean heavily on the eco-friendly thing in your social media posts and you'll also need Instagram.

Yes I have Instagram but it's no-where near as good as my fb

I wonder about keeping the 2 lines completely separate and as you say buying new with the odd disney/recycle

These just arrived and this is what I will do with the green jut gotta decide on size - maybe a 12 too small for a 14

Or maybe accept that Disney will be rarer and charge more?

I'd keep them separate and buy new for the Disney and charge more. You'll need to keep them all uniform...or people will moan "My dress isn't quite the same shade as the one I saw!" type stuff.

Nope, I've decided I'm not doing a production line

If I can emulate disney colours and make little dresses I will but I don't think I want a range of identical dresses

Someone else can use that idea

The lady in the sewing shop says I see second hand/alterations/upcycling differently to most people and it's where my strengths lie - when someone tells you somethings sometimes you should listen especially if they say what you want to hear

You can say something like

"All dresses are uniquely different due to the fact that I use recycled fabrics and materials...each piece is a one-off and no two are alike"

Or something!

I think the re-used/recycled element of your work would really appeal to eco parents (not sure if that's the correct term but parents who are very eco conscious, plastic free, second hand over new etc) , it might be worth trying to target them?

Yes targeting environmentally aware parent will be a challenge - finding them another challenge

@HennyPennyHorror those are good words