The Business of Bra-Making

Description

The Business of Bra-making Book – All Pre-Order Sales are Final

If you have a passion for sewing your own bras , do you ever wonder if you can earn money with your bra-making skills? The answer is YES! Not only have people done so, but they continue to do so, and they always will. The Business of Bra-making has a huge impact in women’s apparel. You need only think of the major players in the retail bra-making field, such as Victoria’s Secret or Triumph; who have sales counted in billions of dollars. Fashion trends come and go, but beautiful and supportive bras never go out of style.

However, the Business of Bra-making is so much more than retail companies that sell ready-to-wear bras in shops around the world. There is a great deal happening behind the scenes that makes it virtually impossible to identify all of the available jobs. Viewing the industry solely through the lens of finished, ready-to-wear bras offers a constricted perspective. In this book, The Business of Bra-making, explore the world of not just working alongside, but also behind the scenes of ready-to-wear. We look at areas you may not have fully appreciated until now. The world is full of opportunities for those who delight in the prospect of making intimate apparel come to life.

What opportunities are there?

But what if you want nothing to do with designing, producing and selling ready-to-wear? Don’t dismay – there are thousands of jobs for you, too, with whole worlds of unexplored opportunities out there, just waiting for you in the Business of Bra-making. Custom bra-making is one such world, but so is teaching bra-making to others. If you know and love intimate apparel fabrics but aren’t necessarily the world’s best sewist, you might consider a career in design or even in the supply chain.

If you want to work for yourself, I explore many avenues of self-employment. There are numerous ways to work from home if you prefer, and just as many ways to travel while working. If you value the no-risk safety of working for others, either a small independent company (Indie company) or a large corporation might be your best bet. You might even combine several different jobs that you love into one amazing career tailored for you.

Who is the author?

I am Beverly Johnson, and in a career spanning five decades, I have worked in virtually every aspect of the Industry, from design and pattern making, to owning the world’s largest supply house for bra-making enthusiasts. In my younger days, I created bespoke garments and engaged in assembly line work. I’ve worked for start-ups that failed to launch and for a few that became big names. I even had my own school for intimate apparel and have taught online classes on a global platform to over 100,000 sewists.

Somewhere along the way, I’ve written ten published books and designed two lines of intimate apparel patterns, the Pin-up Girls patterns and Beverly Johnson Designs. Yes, I have retired, but I still have that same passion for the Business of Bra-making, that I chose so many years ago.

Every job I describe in the Business of Bra-making starts with a passion for intimate apparel, if not a love of the design and construction itself. This is a field of work where you can absolutely do what you love and love what you do. I will inform you about what to expect, no matter which path you choose.

The Business of Bra-making Book is 78 pages ISBN No. 978-1-0692976-2-4. Published December 2025.

Table of Contents

How to earn a living doing what you love with skills you have…………….2

Types of Intimate Apparel………………………………………………..………………….…….3

• Bras
• Underwear
• Lingerie
• Nightwear
• Corsets
• Swimwear
• Sleepwear
• Casuals
• Men’s intimate apparel
• Competition wear

Custom Bra-making…………………………….……………………………………………………7

• Starting a custom Business
• Do your market research
• Make a business plan
• Be realistic about your plans
• Establish your company structure
• Update your creative skills
• Where do I get patterns to use?
• The Production process
• Space required
• Source high-quality materials
• Equipment and tools
• Workroom space
• Branding
• What about a website?
• Promoting your business
• The Customer experience
• Client Sheets
• The Measuring process
• What about pricing?
• Competition
• Asking for money
• Payment options
• Networking
• Bookkeeping
• Legal considerations
• Attracting new clients

Bra-making Alterations…………………………..…………………………………….………….28

Teaching Bra-making……………………………………….……………………………………….29

• Is teaching for you?
• Where do I teach
• What patterns do I use
• How much do I charge
• Class fees
• The teaching process

Independent Pattern maker……………..…………………………………….……….………44

• Steps in the process
• Paper or digital
• Selling your patterns
• Website considerations
• Digital pattern decisions

Self-employment..……………………………………………………………………………….……53

• Why someone would want to be self-employed
• Supply and demand
• Are you making money?

Working in the Bra Industry……………………………………………..…………………….57

• Design
• Pattern maker
• Sample maker
• Pattern grader
• Production
• Sourcing
• Sales and marketing

A Peek Inside their Businesses…………………………………..…………………….…………..59

Business Plan ……………..…………………………………………………………………………..74

Client Sheet Templates………………………………………………………………………….75