Decide which garments and customers you will serve
Tailoring can mean school uniforms, alterations, office wear, event outfits, traditional garments, curtains, or made-to-measure fashion. The work differs in skill, machine, fitting time, and risk of late delivery. Choose a first category where you can complete work consistently and where customers can reach you for measurements and fittings.
Ask potential customers and nearby fabric shops which services are requested and what frustrations they have with existing tailors. They may care most about fit, turnaround, fabric sourcing, alterations, or communication. Look at local calendars: school openings, weddings, graduations, and holidays can bring seasonal demand, but do not base a year-round rent commitment on one peak season.
Equip the workshop for the work you accept
List machines and tools for your chosen garments: a reliable straight-stitch machine, overlocker if needed, pressing iron and board, scissors, measuring tape, pattern paper, rulers, thread, needles, cutting surface, and secure storage. Ask a repair technician about machine servicing and parts before buying. A cheaper machine that cannot handle the fabrics you accept can delay every order.
Budget for rent and deposit, electricity, work tables, lighting, mirrors, signage, business registration or county costs, fabric and notions if you hold stock, packaging, and cash to cover quiet weeks. If you work from home, check landlord or estate conditions and create a safe fitting arrangement that protects household privacy.
Make the measurement and order record your safety net
For each order, record customer name and contact, garment type, design reference, measurements, fabric and who supplied it, agreed finish, fittings, price, deposit, balance, and delivery date. Ask the customer to confirm design details in writing, especially colour, sleeve, length, neckline, and embellishment. A photo is useful, but note which details can be changed and which require extra cost.
Explain how many fittings are included. If a customer’s measurements change after cutting or they request a redesign, state how the price and completion date will be affected. Take a deposit that covers committed fabric or labour under a clear, written policy. Give a receipt and record payment; do not rely on memory when several similar garments are underway.
Price for skilled time and rework risk
Work out the hours for consultation, pattern or adjustment, cutting, sewing, pressing, fitting, and finishing. Include thread, zips, buttons, interfacing, machine maintenance, rent, electricity, and any assistant’s labour. Quote fabric separately if the customer is paying for it, and specify whether sourcing or collection is included.
Track completed hours and actual alterations. If every garment requires an extra fitting that you did not price, change the process or quote structure for new orders. Avoid comparing your quote with a ready-made garment as if they were the same product; explain the value of fit, design, and labour without promising perfection.
Set a capacity limit for peak periods. A tailor who accepts more wedding or school-uniform orders than can be completed on time risks deposits, reputation, and customer relationships. Use a visible job board or calendar that lists promised dates and the next fitting.
Show real work and help customers order
Photograph finished garments only with permission and avoid identifying a client’s event or body without consent. Show the seam finish, fabric behaviour, and detail that demonstrates your work. Explain the service area, fitting hours, lead time, and what a customer should bring to the first visit.
A KobStore service page can show a tailor’s actual garment categories, examples, starting prices or quote requirements, and contact details. It is not a measurement form or promise of same-day delivery. Use it to set expectations before the customer visits, then confirm individual design, measurements, and delivery terms in writing.
Build the business around accurate promises and a reliable fitting calendar. Start with the machine and fabric range you can manage, keep order records, and add staff or services only after repeated demand supports the cost.
Make alterations easy to approve
When a customer brings a garment for alteration, pin or mark the proposed change while they are present and confirm the finished length or fit. Photograph the garment only with permission and avoid retaining images longer than needed. Write down the pickup date and explain that a fitting may be needed before final pressing. This is especially useful for trousers, uniforms, and occasion wear where a small measurement difference is visible.
Keep altered and unaltered garments in labelled covers or separate rails. A simple ticket with the customer’s name, contact, garment count, and due date reduces mix-ups when several people bring similar uniforms or dresses. Send a discreet ready-for-collection message rather than posting a customer’s name or order photo publicly.
Sources and verification: Kenya Business Registration Service; Kenya Revenue Authority eTIMS guidance; confirm local business permit requirements with the county where the workshop operates.
