Can You Sell Clothes on Etsy: Detailed Guide & Helpful Tips

Yes, let me tell you, definitely yes.
When choosing Etsy, you’re stepping into the ring of entrepreneurship, it’s where the champions are made. But remember, champions don’t just throw punches; they strategize every move. And we are here to show you how to sell clothes on Etsy effectively and successfully. Anything to hesitate? Nope, so let’s get started to explore the clothing world on Etsy with us!
1. Is selling clothes on Etsy profitable?
Etsy is a creative marketplace where millions of shoppers spend billions each year purchasing directly from clothing entrepreneurs like you.
According to Statista, the company has been profitable in recent years. In 2023, Etsy reported a net income of 307.57 million U.S. dollars, significantly up from the previous year. In 2024, Etsy’s gross merchandise sales volume amounted to over 13 billion U.S. dollars.

In 2023, there were about 9 million sellers and over 96 million active buyers worldwide on the Etsy platform. This marketplace has been able to grow its revenue and profitability by expanding its seller base and increasing buyer engagement on its platform.
In addition, all experts agree that the fashion eCommerce market continues to grow each year as well. It is forecast to reach an overall market value of 781.5 billion U.S. dollars in 2024.
Therefore, it is not a surprise that selling clothing on Etsy is a precious opportunity to build your online business if there is a right way to go. The success depends on various factors such as the demand for the type of clothes, the quality of the materials, the pricing strategy, and the competition in the market.
It is the reason why we are here to cover everything for the question “how to sell clothes on Etsy”, with a step-by-step guide and helpful practices for you. Let’s dive into it!
>> You can find a detailed analysis of the pros and cons of selling on Etsy in this article, “Is selling on Etsy worth it?” before really investing in this marketplace.
2. How to sell clothes on Etsy: A detailed guide
Research and define your niche
As one of the biggest industries in the world, the fashion industry is massive, consisting of an indefinite number of different brands – all with very different styles and niches. Remember that as appealing as it may be to try to be everything to everyone, the best brands have a very defined niche and they stay in said niche.

Therefore, you should identify what type of clothing you want to sell and who your target audience is. Etsy has millions of shoppers with a diverse set of interests – there is no shortage of customers ready to spend money on what you have to offer. Your Etsy business can stand out in a competitive market by thoroughly understanding your target customers, their preferences, buying habits, and the overview picture of the whole industry.
An essential note is that Etsy has some strict regulations on your clothing products. What is allowed to be sold on this platform include:
-
- Custom clothes (POD)
- Vintage clothes (20 years or older required)
- New clothes
- Used clothes
- Handmade clothes
And it is not available for you to sell:
-
- Clothes with trademarked logos or designs you don’t have permission to use
- Mass-produced clothes in the handmade category
Etsy is the wonderland of genuine creation, therefore, you should keep an eye out for Etsy seller policy before getting started a business. This will help you to create a product line that resonates with your target market and build a solid brand on Etsy.
Decide on your business model
“Can I sell clothes on Etsy?”
The answer is yes. But how to sell clothing on Etsy effectively is a totally different story. There are different business models with different characteristics. You can take a closer look at them to choose the most suitable one for your Etsy clothing business:
-
- Print on Demand (POD)
Customers prefer personalized items, which is precisely what POD clothing businesses offer! The print-on-demand model enables you to offer a wide selection of designs and colors without having to worry about stock and inventory management.
With POD, there are no minimum orders required, allowing you to test out new product lines without putting too much money at risk.

-
- Dropshipping
Drop-shipping is an arrangement by which you offer something for sale but don’t actually have a physical inventory to pull the item from and fulfill by yourself. Instead, you have a contract with one or more companies that will actually package and ship the item on your behalf. Unlike print-on-demand, you don’t design the items but choose from a pre-existing catalog.
-
- Local manufacturing
In addition, you can choose to partner with local producers. With this collaboration, you can ensure more oversight in the manufacturing process and contribute to the local community. Although it may involve additional costs, you can improve product quality and enhance the brand image better with this model.
-
- In-house production
The last business model mentioned here is for those who want to achieve the highest level of control over quality and design. In this case, you can consider manufacturing items yourself or with a team.
However, building an in-house team to build an Etsy clothing business has downsides like high fixed costs (salary, office maintenance, probably costs for supplying the necessary equipment) and limited skill sets are pretty significant as well.
Find suppliers
The quality of the supplier’s products determines whether your products can be well received, and it is also related to the cost of stocking. Every Etsy seller hopes to find a supplier with reasonable prices, fast delivery, and high quality.

Depending on the business model of your Etsy shop, you can find reliable suppliers through social networks, trade & exhibitions, or online directories (like Alibaba, ThomasNet, and AliExpress).
Create an Etsy account
Then now, it is time to take the first steps on your Etsy journey by creating an account to sell clothing. Here is a breakdown:

-
- Step 1: Go to the Etsy website
- Step 2: Click on Sign in button
- Step 3: Enter your email address and create a password for your Etsy account
- Step 4: Brainstorm some impressive Etsy shop name ideas and select a unique one
- Step 5: Provide some basic information about your shop, such as the name of your shop, what you plan to sell, and your location
- Step 6: Set up your payment method (such as PayPal, credit card, or Etsy Payments)
- Step 7: Add a profile picture and fill out any additional information you want to include in your Etsy profile
That’s it! You’re now ready to start selling on Etsy.
> Check for a more detailed guide on how to sell on Etsy for beginners here with us!
2.5. Upload your Etsy products
Once your account is set up, you can start listing your products for sale on Etsy. When uploading your clothing products, here are the best practices to follow:
- Photos
Photographs are of real importance in an Etsy store, because a customer can not touch or feel the product in an online store, he/she can only see it.
You can include up to 10 images or a video per listing. Each should be visually stunning and distinctive to compete effectively in the marketplace. Photographs of your clothing should be from all angles and for all the SKUs (different sizes, colors, or brands). Use clear, high-resolution photos that capture your product from various angles. Etsy recommends images with a minimum width of 2,000 pixels and a resolution of 72 PPI.
- Product description

After photographs, customers will check the bullet points and description of your products and if the description doesn’t convey the characteristics properly, the customer may bounce off to any other product or website.
In the product information section, provide:
-
- A clear and descriptive title.
- Details about the maker and creation date.
- The appropriate product category.
- Whether it’s handmade, vintage, or supplies.
- If it’s a physical or digital product.
- A detailed description highlighting your unique selling points.
- The price, quantity, and SKU (if applicable) in Pricing & Inventory section
- Shipping information
The next step is to provide essential shipping information for customers. You need to specify your shipping location and average processing time (the time needed to prepare and ship orders).
To kickstart your Etsy shop, we highly recommend that you upload at least 10 product listings. A positive first impression is crucial for attracting customers. Hence, before publishing, thoroughly review each listing to ensure there are no errors or typos.
2.6. Develop a marketing strategy

Now that you have the product listing done, your goal should be to maximize the amount of buyers that Etsy sends you. Therefore, it is really essential to research:
-
- How Etsy ranks products in their search engine, and how you can earn top spots for keywords that consumers are searching for
- How to utilize Etsy’s advertising options to profitably drive traffic to your sales pages
- How to convert people who have clicked on your listing into buyers through great product photography and compelling copywriting
- How to create social media profiles for your Etsy shop on platforms like Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter and leverage their engagement
- How to join Etsy Teams or participate in Etsy’s forums to connect with other sellers and potential customers
Along with these mentioned, there are a lot of methods by which you can promote your store – both paid and organic. By strategically running different marketing campaigns, you can put yourself ahead of 99% of Etsy sellers on the market today.
2.7. Provide excellent customer services
Customer support is a window into your Etsy shop, its values, and how it works.

Good customer service can increase client retention, and make clients confident they’re right to choose and buy your clothing products. It’s added value for your business. Therefore, make sure that you answer all the queries of the customers instantly so that they know that you are there for them.
3. Helpful tips to sell clothing on Etsy
Once the store is ready and you start getting orders, you need to keep some really important things in mind:
-
- Dispatch the orders as soon as possible so that the customers get them really quickly, that will help in getting repeat orders.
- Pack the product well so that it reaches the customers in its original form and is not torn apart.
- Use a really good courier partner and have one backup courier partner as well.
- Ask for a genuine Etsy review
Although we have tried to cover most of the things to complete the cycle of online selling clothes on Etsy, there are a lot of other things as well, such as accounting, reconciliation, regulations, etc. that you need to learn when you start.
Starting an online clothing business on Etsy is not that difficult but getting sales and turning it into a profitable business will need a good amount of work, intelligence, and dedication.
4. Conclusions
When we go back to the first question, “Can you sell clothes on Etsy?”, the answer is still yes because no doubt that many sellers have been successful in this niche.
By creating unique and high-quality designs, optimizing product listings with relevant keywords, and promoting your clothing on Etsy and social media platforms, you can reach your target audience. We hope that this article can show you how to get started in an Etsy business from one fighter to another and end up making the vast majority of the money.
FAQs
Can you sell used clothes on Etsy?
Yes, you can sell used clothing on Etsy, but make sure that:
– They are at least 20 years old
– They are not listed in the handmade section
What is not allowed to be sold on Etsy?
When working with Etsy, you need to watch out for copyright infringement and intellectual property. In other words, you are not allowed to sell clothing products whose trademarked logos or designs you don’t have the rights to use.
In addition, pay attention to the category of your products, don’t resell mass-produced clothes in the handmade category. The handmade category is only for products that you design or make them.
Can you sell clothes on Etsy that you didn't make?
Yes. Etsy is a marketplace for handmade, vintage, and artisanal goods, so normally, items that are mass-produced or that are not made by the seller aren’t allowed. However, there are a few exceptions to this rule, such as clothing and accessories that are made with factory-made fabrics or materials.
If you’re not sure whether your item is allowed on Etsy, you can contact Etsy support for more information.
Does Etsy allow reselling clothing?
According to Etsy policies, reselling is not allowed except for the following items that are handpicked or sourced by sellers. And if they are vintage clothing, they need to be over 20 years old.