Bed sheet is an item of regular use in the households. It remains in demand throughout. Know how you can gain from bed sheet business.
Just like there is an evergreen demand for garments, in the same way bed sheet business has an evergreen demand. Bed sheet serve as the product of regular consumable item. Bed sheet is an essential household item that adds to the beautification and enhancement of the room decor. There is an ever growing demand for these products.
The rising demand is attributed to the changing trends, availability of different colors, designs, print, fabric, sizes. The demand has increased also because of the growing demands of the growing population and the affordable prices of the bed sheet. This bed sheet business has expanded its tentacles by offering other products such as cushion covers, pillow covers, bed covers, etc.
Apart from its household use, it has a great market in hotels and tourism industry that raise huge demand for bed sheets, pillow covers, etc. for providing quality services to their guests. Railways, Government hospitals and other government officer’s apartment also contribute towards the growth and success of the bed sheet business.
In India, the business has reached such magnanimous heights that many players in the business are engaged in the export of their product in international market. Thereby, earning handsome sum of money.
Without giving a second thought, you can easily get started with selling sheets. The market of bed sheet business is highly fragmented one, so there will be no stringent obstruction while you enter this market.
There is no one leader or few brands that rules them market. You can smoothly introduce your brand and if you are able to attract and establish your customer loyalty, then you will be in the business to stay for a longer period.
Selling sheets is a profitable business because you can sell either directly from a retail store, or through TV channel that sells products or through setting up your bed sheet business on an online platform.
Also there is no problem in the procurement of product as it doesn’t involves perishable items, electronics, or any complex technical gadgets. These are some of the reasons that makes your entry easier in this domain.
For starting a Bed Sheet Business, following are the things that you need to know.
For an absolute fresher in the business, without any prior experience in the textile industry but you still want to make your name from this business then my recommendation is to hire a consultant to help you acquaint you with the domain, helps you find the sources of the products, guide you about how the market works, helps you conduct market research, help you with formulating business plan.
A skilled professional consultant will help you solve major problem by informing you about all the necessary details about the work.
Table of Contents
Legal aspects involved
Wherever you want to operate in India, the first thing is to get proper information about the state’s law and different legal permits or licenses or registration that you need to do, to make your business a legal entity. Look at the following things:
- Get your company or firm registered with the Registrar of Companies.
- Get your company’s brand name and logo trademark registered.
- Get trade license from pollution board or municipal authorities.
- Get your business Aadhar linked
- You can also register your business under MSME. Though it is not mandatory but it is beneficial as you can benefit from a slew of government schemes and subsidies.
- Get Certificate from Bureau of International standards.
Location
Choose a well thought out location. Your physical space of operation should be at a place that complied with the government rules and regulation. Transportation of raw material and finished goods from that place should be easier.
The physical space should be wide enough such that it becomes manageable to keep the machinery and other equipment, there should be a proper section for packaging work and proper place for keeping the finished goods and space for basic furniture. The place should have easy availability of labor force. In dearth of which your business might come to a standstill.
Procurement of machinery and raw material
Basic raw material required is textile fabric, threads, needles, bleach (chlorine, hydrogen peroxide), caustic chemical, resin, soap and packaging material. While consummating a contract with your fabric supplier, make sure that you get the quality product, easily washable, soft and comfy and lightweight.
As for machinery, you are required to purchase high speed automotive air jet looms, steaming machine, dryer machine, cutting machines, automated packaging machine, different types of stitching machines such as flat lock machinery, double needle, foot operated, and embroidery machines ( if required) and fabric cutting equipment.
While purchasing the machines, make sure that your dealer offers you warranty and guarantee card, also ready to provide maintenance services from time to time. Purchase of machinery involved huge capital investment. One invest in it so to get the benefit for the longer duration, not for single time use.
It is important because in case of malfunctioning of machines, you may be required to replace some parts of machinery, in the presence of technical support, the functioning of business operation doesn’t obstruct, nor do you incur a complete loss of machinery’s worth.
Process of bed sheet manufacturing
Here we are talking about making bed sheet from yarn which is already spun on spools. After procuring the yarn, first step involves weaving, in which the filler thread is interlocked with the vertical thread or warp. The whole process is done on automotive air jet looms at a high speed. To give perspective 90 intersections happens to make an inch of sheeting.
This means that in an hour around 9 meter (approx.) of sheet is woven. Now the next step involves cleaning and bleaching process. This includes three steps that is, one, the fabric is put into the water and soap so that the fabric is desired and contaminants are removed.
Second is caustic chemicals are applied to remove the dirt and remains of dust. After this, the caustic chemical is bathed out. Now the bleaching is applied on to the fabric so as to whiten the fabric. Now the fabric is put into the dryer machines to soak out all the moisture.
Now the sheet are dyed in different colors and steaming is done to set the color. After this, resin application takes place as to prevent and control shrinkage. The fabric are folded in rolls. Now the fabric is ready to be cut to different bed sizes and to be sewn.
The automotive cutting machines pulls the sheet from the rolled out bundles and are cut to different sizes. Then they further moved to sewing machines that stitches the bottom and the top end of the sheets. With this last step, the process of manufacturing bed sheet is completed and sheets are ready to be packed.
Packaging
You can either involve labor to wrapped the sheets and put to packaging or you can use the machines that automatically fold the sheets, and packaged them. It depends on your scale of operation.
Pricing
Pricing is an essential factor that helps in driving up your sales. Keep in mind, to whom you are offering? You are offering your product to lower income group, middle income group and upper middle class and as per facts majority of Indian customers are price sensitive. Price your product in such a manner that you are able to get your share of profit and at the same time provide a better alternative to the customer. Keep an eye on your competitors pricing strategy, learn from it and then use it to your advantage.
To let your manufacturing process running smoothly or to widen your business venture, it is important that you establish robust dealer and distributor relationship. It is important that you use every possible channel to increase your product presence in the market. You job is not done yet, after proliferation of your product item in the market, your product itself should do your business promotion.
That will happen when you will be offering a standard quality product at competitive prices. Try to attract a large customer base by using channels like online social media platforms, create your website that tells about your company and product, TV promotional ads, or printing ads in local newspapers, etc.
All these are painstaking task but don’t forget every hard work pays off well. You must have heard of Sheets and giggles, sheets and giggles started off their business as an inexperienced lot. Sheets and giggles knew nothing about textile business.
You will be surprised to know that Sheets and giggles hired consultant to help them with the designing and manufacturing work. See today where sheets and giggles are. Starting a bed linen business as a fresher, is now making millions. They have made a global reputation by providing a quality product. Sheets and giggles done everything that contributes toward enlarging their customer base. If they can, then so can you.
Don’t be afraid if you are starting a bed linen business as a newcomer. You never know where it can take you. Stay focused and serious about providing quality product, with this thing in mind, success is not too far to accomplish.