👕 Garment manufacturing business — investment, profit & project report

Plan a small-to-mid garment factory: sewing-line sizing, machinery capex, per-piece labour, fabric flow, break-even and 5-year profit. Currency-aware (₹/$/€/£/¥ — pick from the header dropdown). Includes downloadable project report in Word & PDF for loan applications.

Typical investment
5L–50L
15-machine sewing line
Break-even
18–36 months
With ATUFS subsidy
Monthly profit
40k–3L
Mid-size unit
Who it's for
Tier-2/3 cluster
Tirupur / Ludhiana belt

📸Gallery

📋Eligibility — by region

🇮🇳India

  • GST + MSME Udyam registration. Apparel Export Promotion Council (AEPC) membership for export units (IEC mandatory).
  • ISI / BIS certification optional for branded children's wear. Labour Welfare Fund + ESIC + EPF mandatory above 10 workers.
  • Factory licence (Factories Act 1948) if >10 workers with power, or >20 without.

🇺🇸USA

  • FTC Care Label Rule + CPSIA (Consumer Product Safety) for children's apparel + USDA Cotton Standards.
  • EPA / state wastewater permit if dyeing on-site. State workers-comp + OSHA.

🇬🇧UK

  • OPSS Textile Labelling Regulations + REACH for dyes & finishes.
  • Modern Slavery Act 2015 statement if turnover > £36M (best practice for all sizes).

🇪🇺EU

  • EU Textile Regulation 1007/2011 + REACH compliance.
  • Country manufacturing licence (e.g. France SIRET, Germany Gewerbeanmeldung).

🌏Australia / Canada

  • AU: Textile Labelling Act + ACCC Country of Origin.
  • CA: CBSA import-export + Textile Labelling Act + Competition Bureau.

🏗️Setup requirements (capex breakdown)

Edit any value to match your local prices — totals update live and flow into the calculator below.

ItemSpecificationCost ()
Sewing line15 single-needle + 4 overlock + 2 flat-lock + 1 buttonhole
Cutting + finishingCutting table + auto-cutter + ironing
Fabric initial stock1,500 m cotton + poly-cotton
Shed + electricalBoundary + 3-phase wiring
QC + packagingQuality station + label printing
Working capital2 months operating buffer
Total capex20,30,000
Monthly profit (at scale shown)
0
Monthly revenue
0
Monthly cost
0
Break-even (months)
5-yr ROI
0%
Units / month
0
Total capex
0
YearRevenueCostProfitCumulative

⚠️Risks & mitigation

  • Cotton + dye-price volatility: Lock 60-day raw-material contracts. Track MCX cotton futures. Use poly-cotton blends when cotton spikes.
  • Export-buyer payment delays: Letter of Credit (LC) for new buyers; ECGC credit-insurance cover; never > 60-day open credit on first order.
  • Labour shortages in clusters: Build worker hostel + provide ESIC / EPF. Tirupur / Ludhiana migrant retention > 70% with welfare benefits.
  • Fast-fashion margin squeeze: Compete on lead-time (4-week vs Chinese 8-week) not just price. Move to value-added (printed / embroidered) SKUs.

💰Funding & support programs

🇮🇳India

  • PMEGP: 15–35% margin-money grant for new garment micro-units.
  • MUDRA Tarun: Up to ₹10L collateral-free working-capital loan.
  • Stand-Up India: ₹10L–₹1Cr for SC/ST/women.
  • SIDBI: Term loans for textile clusters; co-finance with banks.
  • ATUFS (Amended Tech Upgradation Funds Scheme — Ministry of Textiles): 10–15% capital subsidy on modern sewing machines; TUFS legacy commitments still serviced.

🇺🇸USA

  • SBA 7(a): Up to $5M for equipment + working capital.
  • State textile-corridor grants: NC, GA, SC offer 10–25% capex grants for new apparel plants.

🇬🇧UK

  • Innovate UK — Apparel: R&D grants for sustainable fabric + automation.
  • Start Up Loans: £500–£25k for new founders.

🇪🇺EU

  • EU Cohesion + ERDF: Capex grants for regional textile clusters.
  • Country examples: Portugal CITEVE, Italy MISE textile grants, Romania POR.

🌏Australia / Canada

  • AU: AusIndustry Manufacturing Modernisation grant.
  • CA: Federal Apparel Industry Programme + provincial export grants.

📄Generate project report (Word + PDF)

Fill in your details — defaults are pre-populated. Click Print as PDF for a browser-printable PDF or Download Word for an editable .docx file usable in bank loan applications.

FAQ

How many machines for 300 pieces / day?

Roughly 22 machines (15 single-needle, 4 overlock, 2 flat-lock, 1 buttonhole) with 25–30 operators on a single-shift basis produce 250–350 pieces / day depending on SAM (Standard Allowed Minutes per garment).

What's the difference between job-work and own-label?

Job-work (CMT — Cut/Make/Trim) margins are 8–12% but volumes are guaranteed by the buyer. Own-label margins are 25–40% but you carry inventory + marketing risk. Most clusters start with job-work then layer own-label.

How does ATUFS subsidy work?

10% capital subsidy on eligible textile machinery (subject to caps). The Ministry of Textiles disburses post-installation via PFI bankers — apply pre-commissioning. TUFS legacy claims are still being honoured.

Is export essential?

No — domestic wholesale (mandi / hypermarket private-label) is a robust market. Export adds 30–40% to top-line but requires AEPC + IEC + LC management. Many Tirupur units run 60% domestic / 40% export.

How many workers do I need?

Single-shift 22-machine unit: 25 operators + 4 helpers + 1 supervisor + 2 cutting / packing + 1 QC = ~33 people. Two-shift doubles output with ~55 workers total (some shared roles).

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