From Bedroom To Business How I built a 100k Workwear Business with just £200/month
- Billy Giles
- May 4
- 9 min read
Updated: May 13
The numbers at a glance:
£200 monthly running costs
Up to £100K quote value achieved
80,000+ products in catalogue
Introduction
I built GoTo Workwear Ltd from the front bedroom of my house. No warehouse. No employees. No business loans. At its peak, I managed to attract a quote for £100,000 of workwear, and my suppliers couldn't believe I was a one-man operation running everything from a spare room in Lancashire.
This isn't a story about getting lucky or having connections. It's about spotting an opportunity, building smart systems, and using contractors and virtual services to punch well above your weight. Everything I'm about to share, you can replicate.
Whether you're looking to escape the 9-to-5, build a side income, or create something you can eventually scale — this is the roadmap I wish I'd had when I started.
Phase 1: Learning the Game on eBay
Before workwear, I cut my teeth selling casual clothing on eBay. This wasn't just a side hustle — it was my business education. I learned more about supply chains, margins, and customer demand in my first year of eBay selling than I would have in any course.
The Strategy That Worked
I sourced clothing from ex-chainstore outlets like J&N Hertz and bulk-bought sale items from Sports Direct. But I never went all-in on a hunch. Every purchase decision was backed by data.
🎯 Masterclass: The Low-Risk Testing Method Before committing to any line, I'd research sold listings on eBay from the past 30 days — not active listings, but actual sales. Then I'd buy a small test batch: 1 Small, 2 Medium, 2 Large, 1 XL, 1 XXL. If they sold, I'd double the order next time. If they didn't, I'd lost very little. This "test small, scale what sells" approach meant I never got stuck with dead stock.
This eBay phase taught me something crucial: the importance of supply chain reliability. Fashion items get discontinued. Sizes sell out. Trends change. I was constantly chasing stock — until I spotted something interesting during my sourcing research.
Phase 2: Spotting the Workwear Opportunity
While searching for casual clothing suppliers, I kept noticing workwear distributors. At first, I ignored them. Then a thought hit me:
"What if instead of selling one t-shirt to hundreds of customers, I could sell hundreds of items to one customer?"
That single question changed everything. Workwear had several advantages over fashion reselling:
Consistent supply chains — core lines rarely get discontinued
Bulk orders — one business customer could order 50–500 pieces
Repeat business — companies need ongoing uniform replacements
Less competition — most eBay sellers weren't targeting B2B
Higher perceived value — customisation adds margin
💡 Masterclass: Thinking in Business Models The shift from "one product, many customers" to "many products, fewer customers" fundamentally changes your economics. One £2,000 corporate order beats forty £50 individual sales — less customer service, less packaging, less hassle, better margins. Always ask: can I restructure WHO I'm selling to?
Phase 3: The Trade Show Goldmine
I needed suppliers — proper trade suppliers who could provide blank workwear, safety gear, and decoration services. But how do you find them when you're a complete outsider to the industry?
I figured the major distributors would attend trade shows to showcase new ranges to potential customers. I was right.
🔑 The Exhibitor List Hack Most trade shows publish their exhibitor lists online before the event. I found the Printwear & Promotion Live exhibitor list and struck gold. Every supplier I needed was right there — workwear blanks, fashion t-shirts, sublimation blanks, transfer suppliers, and embroidery services. One list gave me access to an entire industry's supply chain.
✅ Action Step: Find Your Industry's Trade Shows
Search "[your industry] trade show UK exhibitor list"
Download or screenshot the A–Z exhibitor lists
Research each relevant company — check their minimum orders, trade pricing, and account requirements
Attend in person if possible — face-to-face relationships matter
Ask exhibitors who ELSE you should be talking to
I opened accounts with BTC Activewear and Ralawise as my primary blank suppliers. Both offered next-day delivery, massive catalogues, and competitive trade pricing. This gave me access to thousands of products without holding any stock.
Key Suppliers I Used
Blank Garments: BTC Activewear and Ralawise for workwear, hi-vis, polos, fleeces, and casual wear. Next-day delivery, no minimum orders on most items.
Transfers: Stahls' for ready-to-press transfers and custom full-colour prints. Also used local print contractors for larger runs.
Embroidery Digitising: A company in India for embroidery program files — the same supplier many UK contractors use. Fraction of the UK price.
Local Contractors: Embroidery and screen printing contractors within driving distance. Built relationships, negotiated volume pricing.
Phase 4: Building a "Real" Company (From Your Bedroom)
Here's where most people get stuck. They think they need premises, equipment, and staff before they can be taken seriously. I proved that wrong — with a virtual office and a network of contractors.
The Virtual Office Setup
I rented a virtual office in Oswaldtwistle for £40 per month. For that, I got:
A professional business address (not my home)
Phone answering service in my company name
Listed as a tenant on their website
Meeting room access at £10 per session
Mail handling and forwarding
🏢 Masterclass: Perception Is Reality I put a photo of the virtual office building on my website. Customers assumed I had premises. When they called, a receptionist answered professionally. When we needed to meet, I booked the meeting room. The customer experience was identical to a "real" office — at 5% of the cost. Don't let ego or convention force you into overhead you don't need.
The Website That Scaled
I taught myself basic HTML and opened a Shopify account. The first version was simple — a service page explaining what GoTo Workwear could do.
But then I discovered something that transformed our credibility: live supplier catalogues. One of my suppliers offered an embeddable catalogue with a built-in decoration tool for a reasonable monthly subscription.
Suddenly, my website had over 80,000 professional product listings — each with multiple colour options, size charts, and decoration previews.
🔑 The Catalogue Game-Changer To visitors, we looked like a massive operation. They could browse thousands of products, see decoration options, and request quotes — all on a website I ran from my bedroom. The catalogue updated automatically with new products and stock levels. I'd essentially outsourced my entire product management.
Phase 5: The Asset-Light Contractor Model
This is where the real magic happened. Instead of investing in expensive embroidery machines (£10,000+), screen printing equipment, or warehouse space, I built a network of contractors who did the production work for me.
How the Workflow Actually Worked
Step 1 — Quote & Win the Order: Customer requests a quote. I price up blanks + decoration + my margin. Because my overheads were tiny, I could be ultra-competitive.
Step 2 — Order Blank Garments: Order from BTC Activewear or Ralawise. Next-day delivery to either me or directly to my contractor.
Step 3 — Send for Decoration: Ship blanks to my embroiderer or printer. They decorate according to my specifications.
Step 4 — Quality Check & Deliver: Collect finished goods, quality check, arrange delivery to customer.
For simple single-colour prints and hi-vis vests, I handled production in-house. I bought a heat press and a basic Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutter, learned CorelDRAW and the Cameo cutting software, and could turn around small orders quickly.
For complex multi-colour prints, I'd vectorise the design and either order ready-to-press transfers from Stahls' or send to my local print contractor.
For embroidery, I used a company in India to create the digitised program files (the same supplier many UK embroiderers use themselves — I'd discovered their "secret" and cut out the middleman markup). This meant I could offer low setup costs on even small orders, making me competitive on jobs that larger companies wouldn't touch.
🔧 Masterclass: The Contractor Advantage By using contractors instead of owning equipment, I could: (1) Take on any job — embroidery, screen print, DTG, vinyl — without capital investment. (2) Scale capacity instantly — busy month? My contractors absorbed it. (3) Stay lean — no rent, no machine maintenance, no staff costs. (4) Focus on what mattered — sales and customer relationships, not production.
The Real Numbers: My Monthly Outlay
Expense | Monthly Cost |
Virtual Office (address, phone, mail) | £40 |
Shopify Subscription | £25–£65 |
Catalogue Subscription | £30–£50 |
Phone/Internet (proportion) | £20 |
Miscellaneous (samples, fuel for meetings) | ~£50 |
Total Fixed Monthly Costs | Under £200 |
Everything else — blanks, decoration, packaging — was a variable cost tied to actual orders. No orders? Minimal costs. Big order month? Costs scaled with revenue. This is the power of an asset-light model.
Phase 6: Getting Sales (The Three-Year Grind)
Let's be honest: building the infrastructure was the easy part. Sales required consistent effort over years.
My Sales Strategy
I spent three years visiting small and medium-sized businesses in person. Cold calling, door knocking, leaving samples, and following up. There's no shortcut here — this is where most people give up.
🔑 Using What You Already Know I came from an engineering background, so I targeted engineering companies first. I understood their environment, their needs, their language. I knew what "BS EN ISO 20471 Class 3 hi-vis" meant and why it mattered. Your existing industry knowledge is a competitive advantage. Start where you have credibility.
What Won Me Business
Competitive pricing — my low overheads meant I could undercut larger companies
Reliability — I always delivered on time, every time. This sounds basic, but many suppliers fail here
Responsiveness — customers could reach me directly, not a call centre
Knowledge — I learned health and safety standards as I went, attended supplier shows, stayed current
Flexibility — I'd do small orders that big players wouldn't touch
⚠️ The Reality Check: This took three years of consistent effort. I visited businesses, attended trade shows, learned new regulations, and built relationships with suppliers. If you're looking for overnight success, this isn't it. But if you're willing to put in the work, the opportunity is real.
Phase 7: Scaling Up (Without Scaling Costs)
As GoTo Workwear grew, I expanded my supplier relationships. I added PPE, safety signage, and more workwear ranges. Each new supplier account was easier than the last — I used existing relationships as references.
The £100K Quotes
Eventually, I was quoting on major contracts worth up to £100,000. Here's what made this possible:
🤝 Masterclass: Supplier Partnerships On large opportunities, my suppliers were willing to go halfs with me on the stock. They were willing to give me bulk discounts and extended payment terms because they wanted the business too. They couldn't believe I was a one-person operation, but my track record spoke for itself. Your suppliers want you to win — their success depends on yours. Don't be afraid to ask for support on big opportunities.
Diversifying Revenue
I also ran market stalls selling fun printed mugs and t-shirts — testing direct-to-consumer demand and generating cash flow. I took bespoke orders from local fight clubs and sports teams. Every channel reinforced the others and kept revenue flowing while I chased larger B2B contracts.
The 10 Lessons I'd Tell My Younger Self
Test small, scale what sells. Never bet big on assumptions — let the market tell you what works.
Trade show exhibitor lists are goldmines. Every industry has them. Every supplier attends. Start there.
Virtual offices are underrated. Professional perception at a fraction of the cost.
Use contractors, not capital. Stay asset-light until you absolutely must invest.
Start where you have knowledge. Your existing industry expertise is an unfair advantage.
Reliability beats everything. Deliver on time, every time. It's rarer than you think.
Learn as you go. You don't need to know everything before starting — figure it out on the job.
Suppliers are partners, not just vendors. Build relationships. Ask for help on big opportunities.
Low overhead = competitive pricing = more wins. Every pound saved on fixed costs is a pound of margin or price advantage.
Three years of consistency beats three months of intensity. This is a long game.
How to Start Your Own Workwear Business Today
✅ Your First 30 Days Action Plan
Week 1: Research trade shows in your target industry. Download exhibitor lists. Identify 10–20 potential suppliers.
Week 2: Contact suppliers, request trade account applications, compare pricing and minimums.
Week 3: Set up a virtual office (search "virtual office [your town]"). Register your business. Get basic website live.
Week 4: Find 2–3 local print/embroidery contractors. Visit them. Negotiate pricing. Do a test order.
Essential Resources
Printwear & Promotion Live — The main UK trade show for workwear and promotional products. The exhibitor list alone is worth bookmarking.
BTC Activewear — Major UK distributor for blank workwear and casual garments. Trade accounts available.
Ralawise — Another excellent blank garment supplier with massive range and next-day delivery.
Stahls' UK — Heat transfer supplies, custom transfers, and decoration equipment.
The Opportunity Is Still There
GoTo Workwear is closed now, but the model still works. Every day, businesses need workwear, uniforms, and branded clothing. The supply chains exist. The contractors are waiting. The virtual infrastructure is even better than when I started.
All that's missing is you putting in the work.
Have questions about starting your own workwear business? Drop a comment below or get in touch — I'm happy to share what I learned.
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