The 2026 Clothing Brand Survey: What Brand Owners, Founders and Shoppers Told Us
Most advice about starting a clothing brand comes from people who already made it. We wanted numbers from everyone else. So in the autumn of 2026, we asked our readers to fill in the 2026 Clothing Brand Survey. In total, 134 people from 46 countries took part. They are brand owners, founders who are about to launch, and shoppers.
The results are honest and sometimes uncomfortable. More than a third of the brand owners have not made a sale yet. At the same time, three out of four brands that have been live for over a year are profitable. Below you find every result, the exact number of answers behind it, and what it means for your own brand.
Interim results. The survey is still open, and this page shows the results up to 12 November 2026. We will update the numbers once the survey closes. Do you own a brand, plan one, or just love clothes? You can still take the 2026 Clothing Brand Survey.
Key Findings at a Glance
- 37% of brand owners have no sales yet. Most of them launched less than 6 months ago.
- 76% of brands that have been live for more than a year say they are structurally profitable.
- Brand owners most often name Google Search (19%) and organic Instagram (17%) as their best channel.
- Only 5% of new founders plan to rely on Google Search. More than half bet on organic Instagram or TikTok.
- 68% of founders who are about to launch have a budget below €1,000.
- Brand owners rate the search for a quality manufacturer with low minimums at 6 out of 10 for difficulty.
- 68% of shoppers need reviews or real customer photos before they trust a new brand.
- 45% of shoppers leave a new brand’s website right away if it looks cheap or unprofessional.
About the 2026 Clothing Brand Survey
The survey ran as an anonymous online form on growyourclothingbrand.com. Respondents chose to take part themselves after finding the survey on our site, so they were not randomly selected. The responses in this report were collected between 16 September and 12 November 2026. Respondents first told us whether they own a clothing brand, are planning one, or neither. Each group then got its own set of questions.
Who Took Part
| Group | Respondents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Owners of an active clothing brand | 59 | 44% |
| Founders building or planning a brand | 37 | 28% |
| Shoppers without a brand | 38 | 28% |
| Total | 134 | 100% |
The group is young and international. The largest age group is 18 to 24 (24%), followed by 25 to 34 (19%). Respondents came from 46 countries. The United States had the most respondents (27%), followed by the United Kingdom (7%) and India (6%).
How to Read the Numbers
Every percentage is based on the people in that group who answered the question. We always show that number as “n”. Percentages are rounded, so a table can add up to 99% or 101%. For questions where people could pick up to three answers, the total is higher than 100%.
All answers are self-reported, and the sample is not representative of the whole fashion industry. Our readers are mostly small and new brands, so the results say most about that stage. We kept every response in the closed questions, with one exception. One owner reported no sales but also said the brand was profitable within 3 months. We left that answer out of the profitability question. We also left one promotional message out of the advice quotes.
Clothing Brand Owners: Revenue and Profitability
We asked the 59 brand owners how long ago they launched, what they earn per month and when they became profitable. Many of them are still at the very start. 37% launched less than 6 months ago, while 22% have been in business for more than 5 years.
| Time since launch (n=59) | Owners | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Less than 6 months | 22 | 37% |
| 6 to 12 months | 3 | 5% |
| 1 to 2 years | 13 | 22% |
| 2 to 5 years | 8 | 14% |
| More than 5 years | 13 | 22% |
Average Monthly Revenue
| Monthly revenue (n=57) | Owners | Share |
|---|---|---|
| No sales yet | 21 | 37% |
| €1 to €250 | 11 | 19% |
| €250 to €1,000 | 6 | 11% |
| €1,000 to €5,000 | 11 | 19% |
| €5,000 to €10,000 | 2 | 4% |
| €10,000 to €25,000 | 1 | 2% |
| More than €25,000 | 5 | 9% |
The share without sales looks alarming at first. However, it is mostly a timing effect. Of the 22 brands that launched less than 6 months ago, 16 have not sold anything yet. Of the 35 older brands that shared their revenue, only 5 have no sales. In fact, 18 of those 35 older brands (51%) earn more than €1,000 per month.
That is exactly why the first months after launch decide so much. A brand needs a plan for its first buyers, not only for its first products. Our guide on how to launch a clothing brand covers that part step by step.
How Long It Takes to Become Profitable
| Time to structural profit (n=58) | Owners | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Within the first 3 months | 14 | 24% |
| Between 3 and 12 months | 13 | 22% |
| Between 1 and 2 years | 4 | 7% |
| After more than 2 years | 3 | 5% |
| Not structurally profitable yet | 24 | 41% |
Almost half of all owners (47%) reached structural profit within their first year. For brands that have been live for more than a year, the picture is even better. 26 of those 34 brands (76%) are profitable today. Keep in mind that brands which stopped are not in our sample. Even so, the odds look much better once a brand gets through its first year. We look at these numbers in more detail in our article on clothing brand profitability.
Where Brand Owners Sell
Most owners sell mainly through their own webshop (63%, n=59). Other answers were wholesale to retailers (8%), Instagram or TikTok Shop (8%), Etsy (5%) and physical stores (3%). Wholesale is a small group, but 4 of the 5 wholesale brands earn more than €1,000 per month.
Marketing: What Works Versus What New Founders Expect
This is the most striking result of the survey. We asked brand owners which channel gave them the highest return on investment. We asked new founders which channel they expect to drive their launch. The answers do not match.
The Channel With the Highest ROI for Brand Owners
| Highest ROI channel (n=59) | Owners | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Google Search | 11 | 19% |
| Instagram (organic) | 10 | 17% |
| Friends and word of mouth | 4 | 7% |
| Instagram Ads | 4 | 7% |
| 4 | 7% | |
| TikTok (organic) | 4 | 7% |
| Physical stores | 3 | 5% |
| Pop-up shops and local events | 2 | 3% |
| TikTok Ads | 2 | 3% |
| Email and newsletters | 1 | 2% |
| Marketplaces | 1 | 2% |
| Other | 13 | 22% |
The pattern gets stronger among the most successful brands. Of the 34 profitable owners, 10 named Google Search and 10 named organic Instagram. Only 1 of them named organic TikTok. We also looked at the 19 owners who earn more than €1,000 per month. Here, Google Search and organic Instagram were again tied at 6 each.
What New Founders Plan to Use
| Expected main launch channel (n=37) | Founders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Instagram (organic) | 11 | 30% |
| TikTok (organic) | 8 | 22% |
| Pop-up shops and local events | 4 | 11% |
| Google Search | 2 | 5% |
| Instagram Ads | 2 | 5% |
| TikTok Ads | 2 | 5% |
| Influencers and creators | 2 | 5% |
| Physical stores | 2 | 5% |
| Friends and word of mouth | 1 | 3% |
| 1 | 3% | |
| Other | 2 | 5% |
More than half of the new founders (51%) count on organic Instagram or TikTok. Only 2 of the 37 plan to rely on Google Search. Social media is a logical choice on a small budget. Our guide to organic social media marketing shows how to make it work. Still, search deserves a place in the plan from day one.
Where Shoppers Discover New Brands
The shoppers confirm what the owners say. We asked them where they last discovered a clothing brand that was new to them (n=38). Google Search came first with 26%. Organic Instagram followed with 13%, ahead of Instagram Ads, influencers and friends (8% each). TikTok was one of the answer options, but none of the 38 shoppers picked it.
| Channel | Founders who plan to use it (n=37) | Owners with best ROI (n=59) | Shoppers who last discovered a brand there (n=38) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search | 5% | 19% | 26% |
| Instagram (organic) | 30% | 17% | 13% |
As a result, there is a clear gap. New founders underestimate search, while owners and shoppers both point to it. If you want to close that gap, start with the basics of SEO for your clothing brand website. Search traffic grows slowly, which is exactly why it pays to start early. Read the full comparison in our article on marketing channels for clothing brands.
Starting a Clothing Brand in 2026: Budget, Production and Hurdles
The 37 founders who are building a brand gave us a clear view of the starting line. Most of them start small, fast and with very little money.
Startup Budget for the First Collection
| Startup budget (n=37) | Founders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Less than €500 | 17 | 46% |
| €500 to €1,000 | 8 | 22% |
| €1,000 to €2,000 | 4 | 11% |
| €2,000 to €5,000 | 2 | 5% |
| €5,000 to €10,000 | 4 | 11% |
| More than €10,000 | 2 | 5% |
Two out of three founders (68%) start with less than €1,000. Nearly half have less than €500. With that money, every euro has to work hard, so low budget marketing is not a choice but a necessity.
How Founders Plan to Produce Their First Collection
| Production method (n=37) | Founders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Making it themselves | 11 | 30% |
| External clothing manufacturer or factory | 10 | 27% |
| Print on demand service | 9 | 24% |
| Blanks, printed or embroidered locally | 4 | 11% |
| Not sure yet | 3 | 8% |
No single method dominates. Making it yourself, working with a factory and print on demand each attract about a quarter of founders or more. Print on demand fits the smallest budgets best: 6 of the 9 founders who choose it have less than €500. Read our guide to print on demand for clothing brands if you are weighing that route.
The Biggest Hurdle Before Launch
| Biggest hurdle (n=37) | Founders | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Securing the initial budget | 9 | 24% |
| Learning marketing and driving traffic | 9 | 24% |
| Finding a reliable factory with low MOQs | 6 | 16% |
| Building a brand identity | 5 | 14% |
| Designing and developing the product | 3 | 8% |
| Legal matters | 2 | 5% |
| Finding time next to a job or studies | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 2 | 5% |
Money and marketing share first place. Together they account for almost half of all answers. Interestingly, these are also the two areas where small decisions early on make the biggest difference later.
When and Where Founders Plan to Launch
Founders are in a hurry. 57% plan to launch within 3 months, and another 19% within 6 months. Their own webshop is the clear favorite as a sales channel (59%), followed by Instagram or TikTok Shop (16%). Notably, 9 founders plan to launch within 3 months with a budget below €500.
How Hard Is It to Find a Low MOQ Manufacturer?
We asked brand owners how hard it is to find a high-quality manufacturer with low minimum order quantities (MOQs). They used a scale from 0 (easy) to 10 (difficult).
- The average score is 6.0 out of 10 (n=59).
- 13 owners (22%) gave the maximum score of 10.
- 22 owners (37%) scored it 8 or higher.
- 14 owners (24%) scored it 3 or lower.
Opinions are split, but more owners sit at the hard end of the scale than at the easy end. That matches what founders told us: 16% call finding a factory their biggest hurdle. You can browse manufacturers in our clothing manufacturer directory to compare options before you request samples.
What Shoppers Want From a New Clothing Brand
The third group did not own a brand. These 38 shoppers told us what makes them buy from a brand they have never heard of. This group is the smallest in the survey, so we show the counts next to every percentage.
How Often Shoppers Buy From Unknown Brands
Buying from a new brand is not a habit for most people. 32% do it a few times a year and another 32% once a year or less. 26% never do it at all. Only 4 of the 38 shoppers (11%) buy from an unknown brand once a month or more.
What Convinces Shoppers a New Brand Is Safe
| Trust signal, up to 3 answers (n=38) | Shoppers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Customer reviews on the website | 14 | 37% |
| Real photos from other customers | 12 | 32% |
| Clear contact details and company info | 11 | 29% |
| Reviews on Trustpilot or Google | 9 | 24% |
| A professional-looking website | 8 | 21% |
| A clear return and refund policy | 7 | 18% |
| An active social media account | 5 | 13% |
| A recommendation from a friend | 5 | 13% |
| Trusted payment methods | 4 | 11% |
| An influencer they trust wearing it | 1 | 3% |
| Other | 6 | 16% |
Proof from other buyers wins by far. 26 of the 38 shoppers (68%) picked reviews, real customer photos or both. Influencers barely play a role here: only 1 shopper picked them. Our article on trust signals and social proof explains how to collect this proof when you are just starting out.
What Makes Shoppers Leave a New Brand’s Website
| Reason to leave, up to 3 answers (n=38) | Shoppers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| It looks cheap or unprofessional | 17 | 45% |
| No reviews anywhere | 14 | 37% |
| Too many pop-ups | 13 | 34% |
| Prices are too high or unclear | 11 | 29% |
| The website loads slowly | 8 | 21% |
| High or hidden shipping costs | 6 | 16% |
| No clear return policy | 4 | 11% |
| Poor product photos | 4 | 11% |
| Hard to use on a phone | 2 | 5% |
| Other | 7 | 18% |
First impressions matter most. A cheap look sends almost half of the shoppers away. Pop-ups are another big irritation at 34%. That is in line with research by Nielsen Norman Group, which found that users have disliked pop-ups since the 1990s.
Unclear prices and shipping costs also cost sales. This matches the checkout research of the Baymard Institute. There, extra costs such as shipping top the list of reasons to abandon a cart.
What Shoppers Will Pay for a Hoodie From an Unknown Brand
| Maximum price for a hoodie (n=38) | Shoppers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Up to €30 | 13 | 34% |
| €30 to €50 | 8 | 21% |
| €50 to €75 | 4 | 11% |
| €75 to €100 | 4 | 11% |
| More than €100 | 2 | 5% |
| Would not buy from an unknown brand | 7 | 18% |
Most shoppers set a low ceiling for a brand they do not know. 55% would pay at most €50. Still, 10 shoppers (26%) would pay more than €50, so a higher price is possible when the brand earns it. Age seems to matter as well. 5 of the 7 shoppers who would not buy at all are 55 or older. For more on setting your price, see our guide to pricing your clothing.
Will Shoppers Pay More for a Small Brand?
| Pay more for the same item from a small brand? (n=38) | Shoppers | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Only if I know the story behind the brand | 10 | 26% |
| Yes, slightly more | 9 | 24% |
| Yes, significantly more | 5 | 13% |
| No, I would pay the same | 5 | 13% |
| No, I expect small brands to be cheaper | 9 | 24% |
63% of shoppers are open to paying more for a small brand. For the largest group, though, that depends on knowing the story behind it. Manufacturing origin also counts: 66% say it matters where a garment was made, and 32% call it very important. You can find every shopper result in what makes shoppers trust a new clothing brand.
Advice From Clothing Brand Owners
We ended the owner questions with one open question: what is your one piece of advice for someone starting today? 38 owners answered. Many short answers came down to the same thing: keep going. The longer answers were more specific. Here are a few, quoted as they were written. You can read many more in advice from 38 clothing brand owners.
- “Don’t rush to launch 50 designs. Start with a few basics, get the fabric and fit right, and wear your own product for a few weeks before you sell it.” (owner in India, live for 6 to 12 months)
- “Create the brand for the strangers that will become friends.” (owner in the United Kingdom, live for 2 to 5 years)
- “Find manufacture with no MOQ and try as many samples as possible” (owner in Serbia, live for more than 5 years)
- “Listen to customer feedback and understand your costs before spending heavily on ads.” (owner in the United States, live for less than 6 months)
- “If you are able, make some items with DTF, htv or sublimation before ordering from a supplier” (owner in Canada, live for 1 to 2 years)
What This Means for Your Clothing Brand
The numbers point to a few clear lessons. First, the first months are the hardest, but brands that make it through the first year are usually profitable. Second, do not put everything on social media. Owners and shoppers both name Google Search, while new founders mostly ignore it.
Third, trust comes from other buyers. Collect reviews and customer photos from your very first orders. Finally, keep your website clean, fast and calm, without a wall of pop-ups. For a complete overview of channels and tactics, start with our guide on how to promote a clothing brand.
Using These Results
You are welcome to use the numbers from this survey in your own articles, videos or presentations. Please mention “2026 Clothing Brand Survey by Grow Your Clothing Brand” and link to this page. We plan to repeat the survey every year, so future editions can show how these numbers change over time. You can find every edition on the Clothing Brand Survey page.
The Full Questionnaire
Below are all questions exactly as respondents saw them. The first question decided which set of questions someone received. Every respondent ended with the two questions about age and country.
Opening Question for Everyone
- Do you currently own a clothing brand, or are you planning to start one?
Answer options: No, I do not own or plan to start a clothing brand; Yes, I am currently building / planning to launch a brand; Yes, I own an active, operating clothing brand.
Questions for Shoppers
- How often do you buy from a clothing brand you had never heard of before?
Answer options: Never; Once a year or less; A few times a year; About once a month; More than once a month. - You find a clothing brand you have never heard of. What convinces you it is safe to order from?
Up to 3 answers. Answer options: Customer reviews on the website; Reviews on Trustpilot or Google; Real photos from other customers; An active social media account; A clear return and refund policy; Trusted payment methods (PayPal, Klarna, Apple Pay); A professional-looking website; A recommendation from a friend; An influencer I trust wearing it; Clear contact details and company info; Other. - What makes you leave a new brand’s website immediately?
Up to 3 answers. Answer options: The website loads slowly; It looks cheap or unprofessional; No reviews anywhere; Prices are too high or unclear; High or hidden shipping costs; No clear return policy; Hard to use on my phone; Too many pop-ups; Poor product photos; Other. - Where did you last discover a clothing brand that was new to you?
Answer options: TikTok (organic posts & videos); TikTok Ads (sponsored); Instagram (organic posts & reels); Instagram Ads (sponsored); Pinterest; Influencers & Creators; Google Search; Marketplaces (Etsy, Amazon, Zalando); Email & Newsletters; Pop-up Shops & Local Events; Physical Stores; Friends & Word of Mouth; Other. - What is the most you would pay for a hoodie from a brand you had never heard of?
Answer options: Up to €30; €30 – €50; €50 – €75; €75 – €100; More than €100; I wouldn’t buy from an unknown brand. - Would you pay more for the same item from a small independent brand than from a large one?
Answer options: Yes, significantly more; Yes, slightly more; Only if I know the story behind the brand; No, I would pay the same; No, I expect small brands to be cheaper. - Does it matter to you where a garment was manufactured?
Answer options: Yes, it is very important to me; Somewhat, it can influence my choice; No, it doesn’t matter to me; I never check where clothing is made.
Questions for Founders Planning a Brand
- What is currently your absolute biggest hurdle or worry before you can launch?
Answer options: Finding a reliable factory that accepts low MOQs; Securing the initial budget & funding; Learning how to do marketing and drive traffic; Designing and developing the product; Building a brand identity; Setting up a webshop; Finding time next to my job or studies; Legal matters (trademark, business registration); Other. - What is your estimated startup budget to get your first collection live?
Answer options: Less than €500; €500 – €1,000; €1,000 – €2,000; €2,000 – €5,000; €5,000 – €10,000; €10,000+. - How do you plan to manufacture your first clothing collection?
Answer options: Using a Print on Demand (POD) service; Working with an external clothing manufacturer / factory; Buying blanks and printing or embroidering them locally; Making it myself; Not sure yet. - Which marketing channel do you think will be your main driver for your upcoming launch?
Answer options: TikTok (organic posts & videos); TikTok Ads (sponsored); Instagram (organic posts & reels); Instagram Ads (sponsored); Pinterest; Influencers & Creators; Google Search; Marketplaces (Etsy, Amazon, Zalando); Email & Newsletters; Pop-up Shops & Local Events; Physical Stores; Friends & Word of Mouth; Other. - When do you plan to launch your brand?
Answer options: Within 3 months; 3 – 6 months; 6 – 12 months; More than 12 months; Not sure yet. - Where do you plan to sell your products?
Answer options: Own Webshop (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.); Etsy; Other Marketplaces (Amazon, Zalando, etc.); Instagram or TikTok Shop; Pop-up Shops & Local Events; Physical Stores; Wholesale to Retailers; Other.
Questions for Brand Owners
- How long ago did you launch your brand?
Answer options: Less than 6 months; 6 – 12 months; 1 – 2 years; 2 – 5 years; More than 5 years. - Where do you mainly sell your products?
Answer options: Own Webshop (Shopify, WooCommerce, etc.); Etsy; Other Marketplaces (Amazon, Zalando, etc.); Instagram or TikTok Shop; Pop-up Shops & Local Events; Physical Stores; Wholesale to Retailers; Other. - What is your average monthly revenue?
Optional. Answer options: No sales yet; €1 – €250; €250 – €1,000; €1,000 – €5,000; €5,000 – €10,000; €10,000 – €25,000; €25,000+. - How long did it take after your official launch to become structurally profitable?
Answer options: We were profitable within the first 3 months; Between 3 to 12 months; Between 1 to 2 years; After more than 2 years; We are not structurally profitable yet. - Looking back at your growth, which marketing channel has driven the highest Return on Investment (ROI)?
Answer options: TikTok (organic posts & videos); TikTok Ads (sponsored); Instagram (organic posts & reels); Instagram Ads (sponsored); Pinterest; Influencers & Creators; Google Search; Marketplaces (Etsy, Amazon, Zalando); Email & Newsletters; Pop-up Shops & Local Events; Physical Stores; Friends & Word of Mouth; Other. - How difficult was or is it to find a high-quality clothing manufacturer that accepts low Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs)?
A scale from 0 (easy) to 10 (difficult). - If you could give one piece of advice to a brand new fashion entrepreneur starting out today, what would it be?
Open answer, optional.
Questions About the Respondent
- What is your age?
Answer options: Under 18; 18 – 24; 25 – 34; 35 – 44; 45 – 54; 55+. - Where do you live?
A dropdown list of countries, plus “Other”.
Frequently Asked Questions about the 2026 Clothing Brand Survey
In our survey, 24% of brand owners were profitable within 3 months and 47% within their first year. Of the brands that have been live for more than a year, 76% say they are structurally profitable.
Most founders start small. 46% of the founders in our survey have a startup budget below €500, and 68% have less than €1,000 for their first collection.
Brand owners in our survey most often named Google Search (19%) and organic Instagram (17%) as the channel with the highest return on investment. Among profitable brands, both channels were named 10 times.
Proof from other buyers. 68% of shoppers in our survey picked customer reviews, real customer photos or both as a reason to trust a brand they had never heard of.
55% of shoppers in our survey would pay at most €50 for a hoodie from a brand they had never heard of. 26% would pay more than €50, and 18% would not buy from an unknown brand at all.
The survey was an anonymous online form on growyourclothingbrand.com. The results are based on 134 responses from 46 countries, collected between 16 September and 12 November 2026.
