selling cushions/fabric

[helen123abc]

Hi,

I want to sell fabric/cushions into retailers such as Heals, Liberty, and the like.

My question is this- do retailers buy only made up cushions, or would I be able to sell them fabric? What packaging would I use if I were to send cushions?

I appreciate that there no context given but I am just looking for advice on this and not advice on selling generally to retailers, as I have the chance to show my product (fabrics) to these people but I am a bit clueless about what to show them- whether the fabric must be made into cushions or not.

Many thanks in advance.

 

[josor]

Do a mix of both maybe?

Have the cloth samples and then have cushion samples, to showcase your goods

 

[helen123abc]

Thanks, the only thing is that if I did manage to get an order with a retailer then would I have to produce the final product (cushion) as this makes my process more complicated and if possible I would avoid this.

 

[josor]

Well if you show a retailer a cushion and they say that they wanted x amount, I would assume that they would want the cushion.

If you showed them the cloth then they would want the cloth only.

Fabric maybe harder to sell on than the whole item..

 

[Furrtiv]

Would a made item not also have a potentially much higher mark-up than the raw materials used to make it?

 

[helen123abc]

Would a made item not also have a potentially much higher mark-up than the raw materials used to make it?

yes this is what I am working out and it seems so... would be much easier to just sell fabric but I think this may not be easy

 

[Furrtiv]

Well TBH I have been able to source fabric for hobby projects reallyeasily and cheaply - pretty good quality stuff too - from market stalls and the like, so I think it would have to be damn good quality, unusual stuff to have to be sold in the stores you've mentioned. Ready-made cushions, etc, could be manufactured pretty easily and cheaply out of good quality materials for a much higher profit margin, I see hobby crafters doing it all the time.

Beware though, of cheap competition - just walk around your local Wilko's or Home Bargains, they have loads of cushions (but not fabric) for quite low prices.

Perhaps to save on costs, you could do luxury cushions without the filling? Or sell filling seperate? I also see cushion covers, but these are much rarer than ready-filled cushions, and not much cheaper.

 

[mark dee]

Helen, you are trying to enter in a very very competitive and cut throat business. There is a huge glut of product not only in terms of fabric but also made up product.

There is a huge difference between the crafting market and selling to retailers like Heals, I very much doubt you would be able to compete with cushions made up in the Far East.

 

[helen123abc]

Helen, you are trying to enter in a very very competitive and cut throat business. There is a huge glut of product not only in terms of fabric but also made up product.

There is a huge difference between the crafting market and selling to retailers like Heals, I very much doubt you would be able to compete with cushions made up in the Far East.

I have been told by people with contacts at Heals that they may be able to get my product in there, but looking at the costs I think the products would have to be produced cheaper. My products are reproducible potentially abroad, and although this isn't the market I would like to hit, if it makes me money then whatever!

I know how competitive the market is, but I want to give it a go as it is my dream to do this and if I don't succeed at least I will have tried

 

[sofaz]

I would not look at trying to supply fabrics the main reason being the costs are huge and could possibly be well outside your financial scope when you add up the costs of the stock plus warehousing, staff etc etc etc...

The alternative you mention is running your own ranges of cushions that you could supply fully made up - filled and packaged. This is what I think most would be looking for - a complete item that the retailer can put straight onto their shelves with little or no fuss.

The main problem you may come up against is making these products time and again with the same quality of finish that you would expect to buy from stores such as Heals and that they will demand.

Be warned this is a competitive market - but that does not mean there isn't room for one more. If I were you I would go to the main trade show in January at the NEC just to get a feel for what you are up against.

good luck

 

[fabrics]

We are always interested in fabric suppliers if you are able to supply us with fabrics please contact us

 

[fabrics]

Supplying department stores sounds like a good fruitful business idea, but let me tell you its not that case and far from it, they would use you as their stock room expect you to hold stock ready for them to call it off as they get customers for it, selling fabrics or made ups is a little different to other products, this how they work with these types of products especially bedding.

Just like sofa stores they only have in stock the displays in the showrooms everything else is made to order.

 

[Esk247]

I have been told by people with contacts at Heals that they may be able to get my product in there, but looking at the costs I think the products would have to be produced cheaper. My products are reproducible potentially abroad, and although this isn't the market I would like to hit, if it makes me money then whatever!

I know how competitive the market is, but I want to give it a go as it is my dream to do this and if I don't succeed at least I will have tried

Do you already have the designs for the cushions?

We design and manufacture our own but they tend to be to the higher price margins.

We can make them cheaper but we'd be competing with any old tom, dick or harry who came along and that would effect our margins.

Fabric printing can be quite expensive, depending on the type of print or if you want the patterns woven in to the fabric (very expensive, you'll need hundreds of metres done to make it affordable).

If you already have the designs we may be able to get them on to our cushions for you?? possibly. We already supply some retailers.