Top 7 Mistakes to Avoid When Starting a Curtain Business

Starting a curtain brand is exciting—but the early decisions you make about niche, pricing, production, and logistics will decide your margins for months to come. Here are the seven most common mistakes we see (and how to avoid them).

1) Skipping your niche & ideal client

Trying to sell “all curtains to everyone” dilutes your message and complicates operations. A focused niche simplifies materials, marketing, and sampling.

• Fix: Pick one of: hotel blackout, designer-grade linens, extra-wide luxury drapes, kid-safe cordless, etc.
• Output: A one-page positioning statement (who, what, why us).

2) Underpricing by ignoring true costs

Many founders price from competitors’ tags, not from their actual cost structure—forgetting waste, hardware, labeling, packaging, courier tiers, and remakes.

• Fix: Build a simple unit economics sheet: fabric/m, lining, labor, trims, labels, packaging, shipping, payment fees, marketing, warranty allowance.
• Target: Healthy gross margin (≥55–65%) for custom drapery.

3) Buying inventory too early

Bulk fabric and hardware tie up cash, add storage costs, and date your range.

• Fix: Start made-to-order with curated swatch sets; scale stock only for fast-moving SKUs after real demand data.

4) No SLAs with your manufacturer

“We’ll do our best” is not a plan. Without service levels, lead times and quality drift—your timelines slip and reviews suffer.

• Fix: Agree on written SLAs: production window, remake policy, packaging & labeling rules, QC checkpoints, photo proof options.
• Bonus: Ask for private-label packaging specs upfront.

5) Weak measurements & specs discipline

Most costly remakes come from measurement and heading spec errors.

• Fix: Provide a step-by-step measuring guide, required photos, and a final “spec recap” for client approval (width × drop, heading type, lining, fullness, pair/single).

6) No clear policies (returns, damages, IP & branding)

Custom items have different rules. Vague return/remake terms create disputes; unclear brand approvals cause packaging surprises.

• Fix: Publish terms: made-to-order return rules, damage window (48–72h), photo evidence, remake scope, white-label usage, brand asset approval.

7) Neglecting the sales pipeline & content

Instagram alone won’t scale. You need a repeatable pipeline and trust-building content.

• Fix: Use a simple CRM and weekly follow-up routine; create three evergreen assets: a measuring guide, a fabric selection guide, and a lead time & shipping explainer.

Bottom line: With a clear niche, disciplined pricing, minimal inventory, and written processes, you can grow your curtain business quickly and profitably.