Maternity clothing business plan for starting your own

Starting a maternity clothing business has its challenges but at the same time, it can also be a rewarding choice for your fashion brand. According to Grand View Research, the global maternity clothing market is projected to expand due to an increase in the number of pregnant women who are working as well. The demand is also expected to increase due to greater interest in maternity fashion.

To start a startup in this specific market, you need to conduct an extensive market analysis and formulate a maternity clothing business plan. As somebody new to the business, you could start by analyzing a business plan for retail clothing of an existing brand and understand what business model suits you the best. This would help you develop an impressive business plan for investors when you need funding for your start-up.

This business plan is set out for Southern Maternity Clothes and can address your concerns regarding how to start a maternity clothes business.

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Executive Summary

2.1 The Business

Southern Maternity Clothing is a maternity clothing boutique style retailer of maternity and child clothing and accessories. Southern Maternity Clothing will offer its customers a wide range of executive maternity clothes to choose from. The flagship maternity clothes franchise is established by Maria Gilmore in Maryland. Southern Maternity Clothing is expected to quickly gain market share by offering a nice selection of upper-end merchandise with benchmarked customer service.

2.2 Management of maternity clothing business

While establishing a business clothing maternity start-up, it is essential to ensure that all aspects of the business are coherent. The much-needed cohesion in business operations can only be achieved by creating a business plan before time.

A maternity clothing business model is similar to a clothing store business plan. It is recommended to go through this business plan and a few more to get clarity on this business domain. In case you want to get a boutique franchise, you can visit the business plan for a franchise.

2.3 Customers of maternity clothing business

Southern Maternity Clothing refers to the following customer groups in Maryland:

  • Expecting Mothers
  • Friends & Families
  • Retailers
  • Thrift Stores

2.4 Business Target

Southern Maternity Clothing’s mission is to become the premier maternity boutique for the upscale expectant mother and her child. This will be accomplished by offering the newest fashions and the highest level of customer attention.

Maternity Clothing Business Plan - 3 Years Profit Forecast
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Company Summary

3.1 Company Ownership

Maria Gilmore will be the owner of Southern Maternity Clothing. Maria has an undergraduate degree in Fashion Designing. After graduation, Maria went to work for Saks Fifth Avenue, an upscale retail chain. Maria was one of the leading buyers for the entire chain within four years, which provided her with unique insight into the retail industry. A key takeaway from her experience was that business of professional maternity clothes is a niche that is still untapped in the market.

3.2 Business History

After noticing a change in consumer trends amongst expecting mothers, Maria thought of starting a maternity clothing business of her own. Until recently, fashion-conscious women have been looking for an upscale boutique where they can get good-looking, chic clothing for themselves, fashionable clothes for toddlers, and a wide range of gifts and accessories. Hence, Maria decided to introduce her own business of formal maternity clothes line. 

3.3 How the maternity clothing business will be started 

Step1: Plan Everything

Provided that having a separate line of maternity clothes for business women is a relatively newer concept, it is quite natural for you to wonder about how to start a maternity clothes business. Therefore, it is recommended that you plan everything ahead of time and have contingency plans for all plausible business scenarios. 

Step2: Develop a Brand

Note

The next step is to be recognized by defining your business’s services and values. Having the proper business structure is very important to Southern Maternity Clothing. We are concerned with getting the company started on the appropriate foundation to allow for smooth business operations. For this reason, we sought and hired the best employees who are competent and have the right experience and understanding of the business.

Step3: Establish Your Corporate Office 

If your leadership style is like Maria’s, you will be more comfortable with direct supervision of your staff and store. Maria’s corporate office will be in Maryland’s City Centre, adjacent to the clothing store.

Step4: Establish a Web Presence

Provided that online shopping has become a norm, a clothing brand must have a presence in e-commerce. Having an online website will help the customers in purchasing from Southern Maternity Clothing. It is essential that the website has a user-friendly interface and features like accurate size charts and online customer support to assist the buyers.

Step5: Promote and Market

The last step is developing and executing a marketing plan to promote your services. To make your maternity clothing business successful, you must employ marketing strategies that will make your business objectives coherent. For example, if you use a business plan for a baby clothes store, you might have goals related to the number of articles you aim to sell in the following months.

Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Startup Cost
Start-up Expenses 
Legal$136,400
Consultants$0
Insurance$26,600
Rent$36,600
Research and Development$10,000
Expensed Equipment$53,600
Signs$3,400
TOTAL START-UP EXPENSES$266,600
Start-up Assets$231,400
Cash Required$236,000
Start-up Inventory$39,000
Other Current Assets$226,000
Long-term Assets$287,000
TOTAL ASSETS$1,019,400
Total Requirements$1,286,000
START-UP FUNDING 
Start-up Expenses to Fund$266,600
Start-up Assets to Fund$1,019,400
TOTAL FUNDING REQUIRED$1,286,000
Assets 
Non-cash Assets from Start-up$1,289,800
Cash Requirements from Start-up$136,000
Additional Cash Raised$56,000
Cash Balance on Starting Date$35,000
TOTAL ASSETS$1,516,800
Liabilities and Capital 
Liabilities$16,200
Current Borrowing$0
Long-term Liabilities$0
Accounts Payable (Outstanding Bills)$53,000
Other Current Liabilities (interest-free)$0
TOTAL LIABILITIES$69,200
Capital 
Planned Investment$1,286,000
Investor 1$0
Investor 2$0
Other$0
Additional Investment Requirement$0
TOTAL PLANNED INVESTMENT$1,286,000
Loss at Start-up (Start-up Expenses)$161,600
TOTAL CAPITAL$1,447,600
TOTAL CAPITAL AND LIABILITIES$1,516,800
Total Funding$1,286,000
Any questions? Get in Touch!

    Services of Maternity Clothing Business

    Starting a maternity clothing store can be daunting and confusing. If you are new to the clothing business and are unaware of the products to offer. In that case, you can refer to this maternity clothing business plan sample to get a hint of the services available at Southern Maternity Clothing.

    • Maternity Clothes

    Once you find yourself in need of bump-friendly clothing, you might realize just how frustrating the shopping process can be. As mentioned in this  maternity clothing online business plan, the customers of Southern Maternity Clothing have the option of purchasing clothes online or visiting the nearest franchise in Maryland. Furthermore, the team of fashion designers working with the firm offer creative maternity clothes ideas which help with customizing your dresses.

    • Baby Clothes

    All the mothers-to-be must plan and buy baby clothes before the little one arrives. Southern Maternity Clothes has a separate clothing line for babies that is as chic as the main maternity clothing line. 

    • New Baby Gift Baskets

    Gift Baskets will be a unique selling point of Southern Maternity Clothing. Customized gift baskets, including accessories that go with the maternity clothing line, add a personal touch and aid with building customer loyalty. 

    In this maternity clothes business plan, we will explain how this service will grant us a competitive advantage as well. 

    • Assorted Fancy Containers for Maternity Clothing

    We also offer assorted fancy containers for a particular target market. Friends and family who gift maternity clothing to the expecting mothers around them have an option of getting them wrapped at our store to make it prettier and presentable. 

    Marketing Analysis of Maternity Clothing Business 

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    At Southern Maternity Clothing, you will find every type of article, ranging from plus size maternity business clothes to maternity clothes business casual dresses. However, to ensure that the customers buy these products, you must conduct a thorough market analysis. This sample business plan for maternity clothes can help you understand the main aspects of market analysis.

    5.1 Market Trends

    Many maternity clothes are loose and stretchy (generally made of lycra or spandex material) to allow for a growing body. In the past, maternity wear was often used to hide the ‘baby bump’, but with growing ideas of gender equality and more working women, maternity wear is now a part of women’s fashion. According to Statista, in 2021, the U.S. maternity wear stores market was valued at approximately $941.3 million.

    5.2 Marketing Segmentation

    While thinking, “how do I start a maternity clothing business”, you must investigate your target audience. Market segmentation is a vital thing to do to meet your business objectives.

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Marketing Segmentation

    Business plan for investors

    5.2.1 Expecting Mothers

    Expecting mothers will be the main target customers of our business. Whether they are working mothers or stay-at-home moms, our maternity clothing store business plan will cater to all of them.

    5.2.2 Friends & Family

    Maternity and baby clothes are ideal gifts to give to an expecting mother. Our store should be your one-stop shop if you’re friends with somebody expecting as we cater to customized gifting needs.

    5.2.3 Retailers

    Our maternity clothing business plan will engage different retailers nationwide so that our products reach customers not only in Maryland but all across the U.S. 

    5.2.4 Thrift Stores

    Given that Southern Maternity Clothing aims to be an upscale business, it does not want to engage in unsustainable business practices. Thus, all the preloved maternity and baby clothes returned to us are sold in thrift stores. Owners of such stores will buy preloved clothes from our store and sell them after charging a standard commission fee. Our company employs a comprehensive thrift store business plan to effectively manage this service.

    Market Analysis       
    Potential CustomersGrowthYear 1Year 2Year 3Year 4Year 5CAGR
    Expecting Mothers32%46,10055,32066,38479,66195,59310.00%
    Friends & Families24%36,10043,32051,98462,38174,85710.00%
    Retailers23%22,60027,12032,54439,05346,86310.00%
    Thrift Stores21%18,60022,32026,78432,14138,56911.00%
    Total100%123,400148,080177,696213,235255,88210%

    5.3 Business Target

    • Capture 37% market share in Maryland after a year of operations.
    • Open 2 franchises in Maryland in the next 3 years.
    • Increase sales through retailers by 15%.
    • Achieve a customer satisfaction score of 94%.

    5.4 Product Pricing

    To gain the needed customers for the first few months of our business and increase awareness, we intend to offer reduced prices for our clothing articles. The reduced prices will last three months, reduce our profit margin but won’t make us run at a loss.

    Marketing Strategy of Maternity Clothing Business

    Regardless of whether you are looking into maternity clothing franchise opportunities or a bridal store business plan, you need to have an effective marketing strategy. It would help you stand out amidst competition and capture market share. 

    Southern Maternity Clothing will use a robust set of marketing and sales strategies mentioned in this maternity clothing shop business plan. Hence it would be helpful to read it thoroughly if you are thinking of working on your own business plan maternity clothing line.

    Any questions? Get in Touch

    6.1 Competitive Analysis

    • Maria Gilmore has vast experience in the fashion industry, and her strong leadership skills will help her gain an edge over competitors.
    • Sustainable practices such as avoiding fast fashion and dealing with thrift stores can help set up a lucrative CSR policy.
    • The introductory prices offered by the brand will be kept lower than the market rates without compromising on the quality of services.
    • Our shop can be a one-stop-shop for both, shopping for mothers and babies, thus offering convenience to the customers.

    6.2 Sales Strategy

    • Ensure that Southern Maternity Clothing is enlisted on offline and online directories.
    • Leverage social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to boost sales.
    • Host a launching party in Maryland city center to draw attention and create awareness about the brand.
    • Engage in direct marketing.

    6.3 Sales Monthly

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Sales Monthly

    6.4 Sales Yearly

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Sales Yearly

    6.5 Sales Forecast

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Unit Sales
    Sales Forecast   
    Unit SalesYear 1Year 2Year 3
    Maternity Clothes5,2505,5655,899
    Baby Clothes4,5004,7705,056
    New Baby Gift Baskets3,5503,7633,989
    Assorted Fancy Containers2,5002,6502,809
    TOTAL UNIT SALES15,80016,74817,753
    Unit PricesYear 1Year 2Year 3
    Maternity Clothes$120.00$139.20$161.47
    Baby Clothes$130.00$150.80$174.93
    New Baby Gift Baskets$110.00$127.60$148.02
    Assorted Fancy Containers$60.00$69.60$80.74
    Sales   
    Maternity Clothes$630,000.00 $774,648.00 $952,507.18
    Baby Clothes$585,000.00 $719,316.00 $884,470.95
    New Baby Gift Baskets$390,500.00 $480,158.80 $590,403.26
    Assorted Fancy Containers$150,000.00 $184,440.00 $226,787.42
    TOTAL SALES$1,755,500.00 $2,158,562.80 $2,654,168.82
    Direct Unit CostsYear 1Year 2Year 3
    Maternity Clothes$40.00$44.00$46.20
    Baby Clothes$20.00$22.00$23.10
    New Baby Gift Baskets$30.00$33.00$34.65
    Assorted Fancy Containers$20.00$22.00$23.10
    Direct Cost of Sales   
    Maternity Clothes$210,000.00 $244,860.00 $272,529.18
    Baby Clothes$90,000.00 $104,940.00 $116,798.22
    New Baby Gift Baskets$106,500.00 $124,179.00 $138,211.23
    Assorted Fancy Containers$50,000.00 $58,300.00 $64,887.90
    Subtotal Direct Cost of Sales$456,500.00 $532,279.00 $592,426.53

    Personnel plan of Maternity Clothing Business

    The average cost of starting a maternity clothing business is similar to that mentioned in business plan for boutique shop. It is important to account for different kinds of costs to forecast financial returns accordingly. These costs include the salaried employees at the franchise.

    7.1 Company Staff

    This maternity clothing business plan for Southern Maternity Clothing outlines hiring for the following positions:

    •  Manager
    •  Sales and Marketing Manager
    •  Fashion Designers
    •  Store Manager
    •  Sales Assistants
    •  Web Developer

    7.2 Average Salary of Employees

     Personnel Plan   
     Year 1Year 2Year 3
    Manager$32,000$35,200$38,720
    Sales Manager$30,000$33,000$36,300
    Graphic Designers$52,000$57,200$62,920
    Store Manager$225,000$247,500$272,250
    Sales Assistants$44,500$48,950$53,845
    Web Developer$22,500$24,750$27,225
    Total Salaries$406,000 $446,600 $491,260
    Any questions? Get in Touch

    Financial Plan of Maternity Clothing Business

    In your financial plan, you must identify when and how to cover your investment amount with the earned profits. Moreover, it would help analyze your yearly expenses to determine the possibilities of scaling the company. All of this information is an integral part of your maternity clothing business plan sample that will be presented to potential investors.

    A detailed financial plan helps you achieve your monetary goals as it gives you a clear picture of your cash in-flows and outflows.

    It is a good idea to conduct a marketing analysis beforehand to estimate how much the existing brands in the clothing market are currently making. This can be done by studying a maternity clothes business plan of your competitor.

    Here we’re providing a financial plan used by our business for your help.

    8.1 Important Assumptions

     General Assumptions   
     Year 1Year 2Year 3
    Plan Month123
    Current Interest Rate8.12%8.20%8.26%
    Long-term Interest Rate8.40%8.44%8.47%
    Tax Rate24.03%24.21%24.60%
    Other000

    8.2 Break-even Analysis

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Break-even Analysis
     Break-Even Analysis 
    Monthly Units Break-even5340
    Monthly Revenue Break-even$132,500
    Assumptions: 
    Average Per-Unit Revenue$231.00
    Average Per-Unit Variable Cost$0.62
    Estimated Monthly Fixed Cost$163,800

    8.3 Projected Profit and Loss

     Pro Forma Profit And Loss  
     Year 1Year 2Year 3
    Sales$1,755,500 $2,158,563 $2,654,169
    Direct Cost of Sales$456,500 $532,279 $592,427
    Other$0$0$0
    TOTAL COST OF SALES$456,500 $532,279 $592,427
    Gross Margin$1,299,000 $1,626,284 $2,061,742
    Gross Margin %74.00%75.34%77.68%
    Expenses   
    Payroll$406,000$446,600$491,260
    Sales and Marketing and Other Expenses$145,000$148,000$156,000
    Depreciation$2,300$2,350$2,500
    Leased Equipment$0$0$0
    Utilities$2,900$3,000$3,100
    Insurance$2,100$2,100$2,100
    Rent$2,900$3,000$3,200
    Payroll Taxes$24,000$25,000$27,000
    Other$0$0$0
    Total Operating Expenses$585,200 $630,050 $685,160
    Profit Before Interest and Taxes$713,800$996,234$1,376,582
    EBITDA$713,800$996,234$1,376,582
    Interest Expense$0$0$0
    Taxes Incurred$142,760$199,247$275,316
    Net Profit$571,040$796,987$1,101,266
    Net Profit/Sales32.53%36.92%41.49%

    8.3.1 Profit Monthly

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Profit Monthly

    8.3.2 Profit Yearly

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Profit Yearly

    8.3.3 Gross Margin Monthly

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Gross Margin Monthly

    8.3.4 Gross Margin Yearly

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Gross Margin Yearly

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    8.4 Projected Cash Flow

    Maternity Clothing Business Plan - Project Cash Flow
     Pro Forma Cash Flow   
    Cash ReceivedYear 1Year 2Year 3
    Cash from Operations   
    Cash Sales$51,000$55,080$59,486
    Cash from Receivables$22,000$23,760$25,661
    SUBTOTAL CASH FROM OPERATIONS$73,000 $79,570 $85,936
    Additional Cash Received   
    Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Received$0$0$0
    New Current Borrowing$0$0$0
    New Other Liabilities (interest-free)$0$0$0
    New Long-term Liabilities$0$0$0
    Sales of Other Current Assets$0$0$0
    Sales of Long-term Assets$0$0$0
    New Investment Received$0$0$0
    SUBTOTAL CASH RECEIVED$74,000 $79,000 $85,000
    ExpendituresYear 1Year 2Year 3
    Expenditures from Operations  
    Cash Spending$42,000$42,000$45,000
    Bill Payments$27,000$28,000$31,000
    SUBTOTAL SPENT ON OPERATIONS$69,000 $70,000 $76,000
    Additional Cash Spent   
    Sales Tax, VAT, HST/GST Paid Out$0$0$0
    Principal Repayment of Current Borrowing$0$0$0
    Other Liabilities Principal Repayment$0$0$0
    Long-term Liabilities Principal Repayment$0$0$0
    Purchase Other Current Assets$0$0$0
    Purchase Long-term Assets$0$0$0
    Dividends$0$0$0
    SUBTOTAL CASH SPENT$69,000 $74,520 $80,482
    Net Cash Flow$21,000$23,000$25,000
    Cash Balance$27,000$30,000$33,000

    8.5 Projected Balance Sheet

     Pro Forma Balance Sheet  
    AssetsYear 1Year 2Year 3
    Current Assets   
    Cash$275,000$308,000$338,800
    Accounts Receivable$24,000$26,880$30,213
    Inventory$4,300$4,816$4,900
    Other Current Assets$1,000$1,000$1,000
    TOTAL CURRENT ASSETS$282,000 $315,840 $355,004
    Long-term Assets   
    Long-term Assets$10,000$10,000$10,000
    Accumulated Depreciation$19,400$21,728$24,444
    TOTAL LONG-TERM ASSETS$24,400 $27,328 $30,744
    TOTAL ASSETS$294,000 $329,280 $370,440
    Liabilities and CapitalYear 4Year 5Year 6
    Current Liabilities   
    Accounts Payable$18,700$20,944$23,541
    Current Borrowing$0$0$0
    Other Current Liabilities$0$0$0
    SUBTOTAL CURRENT LIABILITIES$19,000 $21,280 $23,919
    Long-term Liabilities$0$0$0
    TOTAL LIABILITIES$15,000 $16,800 $18,883
    Paid-in Capital$30,000$30,000$31,000
    Retained Earnings$53,000$57,770$63,547
    Earnings$193,400$210,806$231,887
    TOTAL CAPITAL$285,000 $310,650 $341,715
    TOTAL LIABILITIES AND CAPITAL$300,000 $329,280 $370,440
    Net Worth$293,400$319,806$351,787

    8.6 Business Ratios

     Ratio Analysis    
     Year 1Year 2Year 3INDUSTRY PROFILE
    Sales Growth7.25%8.03%8.90%3.00%
    Percent of Total Assets    
    Accounts Receivable9.21%10.20%11.31%9.80%
    Inventory5.39%5.97%6.62%9.90%
    Other Current Assets2.11%2.34%2.59%2.40%
    Total Current Assets149.80%151.00%152.00%158.00%
    Long-term Assets11.55%11.60%11.64%12.00%
    TOTAL ASSETS100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
    Current Liabilities4.90%4.94%4.98%4.34%
    Long-term Liabilities0.00%0.00%0.00%0.00%
    Total Liabilities7.59%7.65%7.72%7.38%
    NET WORTH100.45%101.25%102.19%110.00%
    Percent of Sales    
    Sales100.00%100.00%100.00%100.00%
    Gross Margin94.60%97.15%99.87%99.00%
    Selling, General & Administrative Expenses93.56%96.09%98.78%97.80%
    Advertising Expenses1.52%1.56%1.60%1.40%
    Profit Before Interest and Taxes41.50%42.62%43.81%33.90%
    Main Ratios    
    Current34353632
    Quick3333.834.64533
    Total Debt to Total Assets0.18%0.18%0.17%0.40%
    Pre-tax Return on Net Worth74.08%74.89%75.00%75.00%
    Pre-tax Return on Assets96.30%101.12%106.17%111.30%
    Additional RatiosYear 1Year 2Year 3 
    Net Profit Margin33.56%34.60%35.67%N.A.
    Return on Equity55.80%57.53%59.31%N.A.
    Activity Ratios    
    Accounts Receivable Turnover7.77.87.8N.A.
    Collection Days100100100N.A.
    Inventory Turnover32.434.0235N.A.
    Accounts Payable Turnover15.61616.3N.A.
    Payment Days272727N.A.
    Total Asset Turnover2.52.52.6N.A.
    Debt Ratios    
    Debt to Net Worth-0.04-0.03-0.04N.A.
    Current Liab. to Liab.111N.A.
    Liquidity Ratios    
    Net Working Capital$244,000$257,664$272,093N.A.
    Interest Coverage000N.A.
    Additional Ratios    
    Assets to Sales0.850.870.89N.A.
    Current Debt/Total Assets1%0%0%N.A.
    Acid Test2929.1229.16N.A.
    Sales/Net Worth2.12.22.2N.A.
    Dividend Payout000N.A.

    FAQ

    • Is there a market for maternity clothes?

    Yes, the market for maternity clothes is very vast. The global maternity wear market is expected to grow by USD 2.91 billion, at a CAGR of over 3% during 2021-2025. The growth of the maternity wear market was temporarily affected in 2020 due to the growing number of COVID-19 cases. While making your maternity clothing business plan, you must account for such ups and downs.

    • How much do maternity clothes cost?

    Fortune estimates that pregnant women, on average, spend almost $500 per pregnancy on maternity clothes. That breaks down to between $50 and $60 spent per month of pregnancy. Hence, while formulating the pricing strategy in your business plan maternity clothing line, you should look into the expenditure behavior patterns of your customers. 

    • What is the segmentation for maternity clothes?

    Opening a maternity store can be difficult if you don’t know who your target market is. Hence, looking into that beforehand is important. Usually, the market segments for maternity clothes comprise the following two categories: 

    1. Expecting and just-delivered mothers. 
    2. Family, friends, and co-workers of to-be moms.

    However, this sample business plan for maternity clothes targeted four types of target audiences. 

    • What can I sell in a maternity store? 

    These specialty stores sell clothing, shoes, undergarments, and supplies, such as body care and breastfeeding gear, for pregnant women and new mothers. Owning a maternity boutique can be fulfilling and lucrative, and there are several things you can do to help ensure your business’s success.

    Download Maternity Clothing Business Plan Sample in pdf