Little Looks, Big Potential: 11 Kidswear Business Ideas to Try

Are you thinking about selling kids’ clothes but not sure where to start? You’ve come to the right place—we’ll go over 11 different kidswear business ideas you can use to launch your store.

From custom hoodies and leggings to scrunchies and other accessories, children’s clothing is as rich in possibilities as adult apparel. 

We’ll get to the ideas themselves in a second. First, let’s look at the best method of turning them into reality—print-on-demand (POD). 

Why POD is the best choice for your kidswear business

Starting a kids’ clothing line might seem risky at first, especially for beginners with limited resources. That’s where POD swoops in with an encouraging and cost-effective pat on the back.

If you want to launch a profitable kidswear business, a POD dropshipping partner like Printful is the way to go because you get:

• Low upfront costs. You don’t need to invest money in expensive printing equipment or stock. Each product you sell is made only when a customer orders it.

• Time to focus on your store. With your POD partner handling all the manufacturing, you have more time to spend on designs, marketing, customer support, etc.

• Freedom to experiment. Even the kidswear market is influenced by fashion trends. With a POD company, you can test different bestselling print-on-demand products, launch new items, and jump on current design trends in minutes.

• Your brand in the spotlight. Companies like Printful are white-label, which means your brand gets to shine. Customize clothing labels and packaging, add your logo on the products, and more.

With the “how” part covered, let’s jump into what you came here for—the business ideas. 

11 kidswear business ideas for your store

1. Eco-friendly kidswear

The sustainable apparel industry has been growing steadily, and by 2026, it’s predicted to reach more than 6% of the global apparel market share. Although it may not seem like a lot at first, we’re talking billions of dollars that customers worldwide are ready to spend on eco-friendly clothing. 

Source: Little Green Radicals

Appeal to buyers who want high-quality products, as well as those who care about ethical practices and want to limit their impact on the environment. You can highlight that your products are made on demand, which helps avoid the textile waste of mass production.

The message accompanying a kidswear business can be extra strong—children are the ones who will have to deal with the world that we leave behind.

2. Personalized clothing

Remember Coca-Cola’s “Share a Coke” campaign with personalized Coke bottles? Few people could resist the urge to buy them. The same magic works on baby clothes and other kidswear products. You can let buyers customize names, initials, dates of birth, or even visuals. 

Personalized clothing like custom t-shirts or onesies makes for an excellent gift (think of all the baby showers!), while children will love something uniquely theirs. 

With the POD model, offering personalization options becomes a breeze. Each item is custom-made, and you can adjust the design as needed. 

If you decide to sell on Etsy, check out Printful’s Product Personalization Tool.

3. Embroidered kidswear

Embroidered items have a premium look and feel, and embroidery is very durable. The products will last long, so you can price them higher than printed ones. And with options like unlimited color embroidery, the world is your design oyster.

If you want to offer something more affordable, consider selling embroidered patches. Customers can use them to give a stylish boost to kids’ items they already own.

4. Athleisure

Kids tend to be in constant movement, so t-shirts, hoodies, sweatshirts, leggings, and joggers are kids’ wardrobe staples. Comfort is key because children can be particularly sensitive to stiff and uncomfortable clothing (let’s take a minute to remember when we were kids and loudly complained about itchy shirts).

While you can never go wrong with a classic printed tee, you can let your boldest and most colorful designs shine extra bright on all-over print items, like leggings and hoodies.

5. Swimwear

Whether it’s for splashing around the pool or having a fun day at the beach, swimwear is among the essential items of children’s wardrobe. Personalization, bold colors, and everything else that works for kids’ clothing apply to swimwear too.

6. Pajamas and loungewear

We all want to feel comfortable at home, and kids are no different. Whether you’re lounging around the house or getting into bed in the evening, comfort is the most important part.

Younger children tend to be extra picky about their nighttime wear as they start expressing their personalities. So why not offer pajama sets or create mix-and-match bundles?

7. Kidswear for special events

Kids sometimes lead busier social lives than adults. Just think of all the birthday parties, school events, and other celebrations.

These occasions call for special outfits, so they make for excellent kidswear business ideas. Go for formalwear classics like dresses, shirts, and skirts, or create fun collections for big celebrations like Christmas, Halloween, and everything in between to appeal to a wider audience.

Printful’s Design Maker has holiday-themed clipart and designs to help you out.

8. Gender-neutral kids’ clothing

Gone are the days when pink was just for girls and blue for boys. Nowadays, gender-neutral clothing options are becoming increasingly popular, especially in the US.

Source: Primary

The same goes for children’s clothing. Instead of selling separate boys’ and girls’ clothing lines, just put all your kidswear designs together and let your customers choose who they’re for. And there’s no need to stick with beige neutrals—children love colorful clothing.

9. Age-group-specific kidswear

The term “kids” is quite broad since it can mean anything from newborns to preschool kids to teenagers. Instead of trying to cover all age groups, choose something narrower in scope, like toddlers or pre-teens. There are even stores that focus only on prematurely born babies who need extra delicate baby clothing.

Source: Etsy

When you narrow down your niche, it’ll be easier to figure out your kidswear business’ marketing strategy, including the messaging and channels to reach your audience.

10. Coordinated outfits

Matching kid and parent, sibling, or even whole family outfits aren’t just cute but also make a lot of sense as a business idea. By selling coordinated sets, your order values go up since each purchase will contain more than one item.

Coordinated outfits also provide the perfect photo opportunity. Parents won’t be able to resist sharing their matching looks on social media. With 90% of people more likely to trust a brand someone else recommends, this kind of word-of-mouth promo becomes invaluable.

Source: Etsy

If you already have an established brand, expanding it with “mini-me” versions of your adult clothing can be an excellent opportunity. You already have a loyal customer base, so take advantage of it. You can also create a sales event around a special occasion (like Christmas, Halloween, or other celebration), offering new coordinated sets. 

11. Accessories and home decor

It’s not just about baby clothing and other kidswear items. Just like adults, kids love to express themselves through accessories. Think backpacks, scrunchies, hats, phone cases, pins, water bottles, and anything else children carry around throughout the day.

Go further than that with home decor items like posters, pillows, throw blankets, etc. Kids’ rooms are another place where their little personalities can shine and where they want to feel most comfortable.

Explore Printful’s Product Catalog, which has 330+ items to choose from.

Is selling kidswear online profitable?

Absolutely! In 2023, the global kidswear market is estimated to exceed $270 billion, and it’ll keep growing in the coming years. So that’s quite the pie to get your piece from.

Children’s clothing offers many opportunities to participate in sales events throughout the year. For example, in 2023, the back-to-school shopping season was estimated to reach more than $135 billion in the US alone. So, the market is there, and launching a profitable kidswear business is possible as long as you find your niche.

Remember that it’s not just parents and kids who are your customers. You know the old saying, “It takes a village to raise a child?” That entire village—grandparents, godparents, aunts, uncles, and friends—pitches in with gifts and essentials. When thinking of marketing efforts, don’t forget about these audiences.

You have your kidswear business ideas—what’s next?

Once you’ve settled on the angle, it’s time to turn your business ideas into reality. Launching an online store might seem like a steep hill to climb, but if you take it step by step, your children’s clothing line can lift off the ground.

Research your market and customer base, come up with inspiring designs, set up your store, and start spreading the word to help customers find you. Check out our blog post on how to start a profitable kidswear business in 8 steps—it covers all the basics. 

Do you have any other kidswear business ideas or insights? Share in the comments!