Start A Decorative Pillow Business - Business Ideas

Updated: September 15th, 2022
Start A Decorative Pillow Business

Please note that the data provided in this article are estimates and may vary depending on various factors, and should not be considered as perfect or definitive.

A decorative pillow business involves designing and selling fashionable and functional accent pillows that are suitable for home and outdoor decor.

As an entrepreneurial producer, you will be responsible for conceptualizing and constructing statement pillows that cater to interior design trends and customer needs.

Building a pillow brand requires minimal startup costs, and with home-based production flexibility, creators can monetize their sewing skills and build scalable profits.

For aspiring founders with an eye for aesthetics, launching a decorative pillow shop can turn a creative vision into a profitable venture.

Starting a decorative pillow business requires a great deal of effort, dedication, and most importantly passion.

If you're interested in how to sell decorative pillows, or selling decorative pillows online, you can use this page as a guide for everything you'll need to know.

Want to learn more? You can check out our full guide on how to start a decorative pillow business ➜

Key Stats

revenue (monthly)
$27.5K
starting costs
$26.7K
gross margin
35%
time to build
240 days
growth
Email marketing
business model
E-Commerce
time investment
Side project

Startup Costs

Min Startup Costs Max Startup Costs

Office Space Expenses

$0

$7,000

Employee & Freelancer Expenses

$151

$352

Website Costs

$223

$7,215

Business Formation Fees

$5,600

$20,400

Equipment & Supply Expenses

$63

$200

Retail Business Expenses

$0

$6,000

Inventory Expenses

$350

$8,000

Training & Education Expenses

$0

$1,000

Software Expenses

$162

$3,094

Advertising & Marketing Costs

$0

$50

Total Startup Costs

$6,549

$53,311

Successful Businesses

Business URL Rank

Classic Home

classichome.com

343,039

Mostly Pillows

mostlypillows.com

420,997

Bolé Road Textiles

boleroadtextiles.com

460,999

Pluto Pillow

plutopillow.com

462,703

Pillows.com - Comforters & Hotel Pillow Collections

pillows.com

541,337

MyEvergreen: Flags & Garden Décor, Indoor Décor

myevergreen.com

618,513

D.V. KAP Home

dvkap.com

732,533

Danielle Oakey Shop

danielleoakeyshop.com

760,471

unknown

pillowflex.com

811,817

Shop House of Nomad

shophouseofnomad.com

821,088

Simply Cushions

simplycushions.com.au

998,085

Pros & Cons

Pros Description

Flexibility

You can put as much time into the business as you'd like. If you like the work and have some initial experience, you can start small and manage all aspects of the business on your own.

Ability to start your business from home

It's not necessary to have a physical storefront or office space to get your business started. You can do everything from the comfort of your own home, at least in the beginning!

Little startup costs required

The cost to start a decorative pillow business costs significantly less money than most businesses, ranging anywhere from 62 to 53,311.

Rewarding work

Starting a decorative pillow business can be really rewarding work. After all, you are solving an immediate issue for your customer and you're working on something you truly care about.

Scalable

With businesses and processes changing daily, there will always be demand for new features, products and services for your business. Additionally, there are several different business models and pricing tiers you can implement that will allow you to reach all types of customers.

Quick build time

The average time it takes to build your product is quick - typically around 8 months. This will allow you to bring your product to market faster.

Cons Description

Crowded Space

Competition is high when it comes to your decorative pillow business, so it's important that you spend a good amount of time analyzing the market and understanding where the demand lies.

Finding The Right Supplier

Most businesses in this space go the supplier/manufacturer route, which isn't a bad thing! However, finding the right supplier can take a lot of time, energy and trial/error. If done properly, this process can save you months (if not years) of time and energy. More on this below in the "finding a supplier" section.

Motivation of employees

If you plan to have a sales/content team on board, finding creative ways to motivate them can be a challenge. It's important that you're able to offer great incentives and a good work environment for your employees.

Low margins

The gross margins for your decorative pillow business are typically around 35%, which can make it more challenging to incur new expenses and maintain profitability.

No safety net

Typically, as a decorative pillow business, you do not receive a consistent pay-check and instead earn money based on your transactions each month. During the slow periods, you typically take away less since the job is based on commission. It's important to budget accordingly for the slow times.

Marketing Ideas

  • 1

    Affiliate Program

    Affiliate marketing is a great way to bring in a new revenue stream, especially when you don't sell products or services.

    Simply put, an affiliate program is an agreement where a business pays another business or influencer ("the affiliate") a commission for sending traffic and/or sales their way.

    The affiliate typically gets a unique link where clicks and conversions can be tracked.

    Learn more about affiliate program ➜

  • 2

    Word of mouth

    Word of mouth is when a consumers reflects their interest in a company’s product or service in their daily dialogues.

    Therefore, word of mouth advertising is essentially a free advertising triggered by the customers experience.

    According to Nielsen, 92% of people trust recommendations from friends and family.

    Therefore, in today’s hyper-connected world, a single recommendation through a word of mouth can have a huge impact to your business.

    Learn more about word of mouth ➜

  • 3

    Social Media Advertising

    Social media advertising is the use of social media platforms to connect with your audience with the objective to build your brand, increase sales, and drive website traffic.

    According to Oberlo, approximately 48% of the global population use social media, and the number is ever-growing.

    Therefore, social media allows brands access to cost-effective advertising by enabling them to interact with a large audience.

    Learn more about social media advertising ➜