The Zip Yard franchise

Min investment
£12,000 +VAT

Outlets
53

The Zip Yard franchise

Discover the incredible potential of being part of the largest and fastest growing Clothing Alterations franchise in the UK & Ireland - The Zip Yard

Founded in 2005 and offering quality, fast and efficient clothing alterations to the public and local businesses, The Zip Yard has grown across the UK and Ireland and now has 53 franchise stores due to the high demand among customers for high-quality, cost-effective tailoring services.

Minimum investment
£12,000 +VAT

Funding support
N/A

Total investment
£48,000 +VAT

Franchise fees
£12,000 +VAT

Business type
Franchise

Expected revenue after 2 years
£120,000

  • Operating fee:
    MSF is 6% of your net annual turnover
  • Advertising fee:
    1.5% of net turnover
  • Royalty fee:
    N/A
  • Average floor space:
    Min 500 sq. ft : Normal is average of 1000 sq. ft

Minimum investment
£12,000 +VAT

Outlets
53

About The Zip Yard
Franchise

The Zip Yard is an award-winning, professional tailoring franchise network specialising in expert clothing alterations, repairs, and restyling.

The-Zip-Yard-Franchise-Owners-Retail-Unit

A Zip Yard franchisee manages a small team of people who carry out all the alterations so there is no need for you to have prior experience in seamstressing or tailoring to enjoy all the benefits of your own business. It is important that you do have some fundamental IT skills; some basic record-keeping and accounts skills – or are willing, and able, to learn.

AND… We Are In Tesco’s Too!

We opened our first store within the Stretford (Manchester) Tesco Extra on 10-Aug-21; in Nottingham’s Toton Tesco Extra on 14-Sep-21 and in Hayes Bulls Bridge, Tesco, Southall, London in October 2021. These openings mark a new partnership which is being trialled in these 3 Tesco stores, offering shoppers access to repair, alter, upcycle or restyle clothes and home accessories, so they fit better and last longer.

It goes without saying that you’ll also need to be organised, able to keep cool under pressure, and understand how important it is to have a strong work ethic. We will also fully train you on how our services are provided.

The Zip Yard prides itself on highly visible, strong branding which goes a long way in separating us from our competitors in the High Street. Each of our shops are finished to the highest of standards and include every tool that is required for you to run a successful clothing alterations franchise – all you need is the dedication and hard work!

We believe that great-looking, long-lasting clothes shouldn’t cost the Earth!

The services provided include:

  • Altering & resizing clothes
  • Repairs & restorations
  • Design & creation
  • Zip repair/replacement
  • Upcycling vintage & pre-loved clothes
  • Cushions & other home furnishings
  • Curtain Alterations

The-Zip-Yard-Franchise-Services

As there is no other bespoke tailoring franchise currently operating in the UK, there is ample opportunity for you to be able to secure the right location for your business.

Training and support provided

At The Zip Yard we pride ourselves on providing training and ongoing support for all franchisees that is second to none

Training covers all the key aspects of running the business and your operational induction takes place at the Leeds store over the course of three to five days. Franchise owners will shadow an already successful franchise owner and their team and you will have the opportunity to ask any questions you might have.

Zip-Yard-Franchise-Package-Stats

The Zip Yard’s franchise package includes marketing materials and marketing assistance, as well as support with your staff recruitment. A member of The Zip Yard team will be with you for your first week of trading as a mentor providing advice and guidance on everything from the front of house welcome, to practical information on pricing and repairs.

Our ongoing support:

While you will fully responsible for the day-to-day organising of the outlet, you will have the reassurance of having a fully trained member of the team available and ready to help out at any time.

The ideal The Zip Yard franchisee

The Zip Yard is looking for more talented and motivated individuals to help grow the brand across the UK.

Our current franchise partners come from all walks of life; many of our most successful have no knowledge of the industry, you don’t even need to have experience running or owning a business but, naturally, this would be a big advantage.

We provide you with a turnkey operation package which has everything you need to run a successful store. We support you in setting up your business, right through to ongoing marketing support and access to the wider Zip Yard community.

Zip-Yard-Sewing-Franchisee

There’s no need to worry if you are not a natural salesperson the customers will come to you! Our training and support is specifically designed to help you learn everything you need to know, and our business model is accessible and easy to pick up.

Your Investment:

The Zip Yard franchise licence fee for is £12,000 (plus VAT), you will need to factor in the cost of your premises, and your preliminary stock and equipment – but don’t worry – we can supply this to you at a preferential rate to help keep your start-up costs down.

The exact amount you will need to get your new business up and running will vary depending on a number of factors, such as location and property lease prices, however, based on a working average of the dozens of franchisees we have helped to start their own business, we estimate the cost of launching your own The Zip Yard store to be around £ 48,000 (plus VAT) excluding the property costs.

You may qualify for up to £25,000 per business owner via the Government backed Business Start-Up Loan Scheme, which will help you get your franchise up and running. We are happy to assist you to investigate this funding option

Zip-Yard-Changing-the-world

The Financial Returns

Exactly how much you can expect to earn from your franchise will vary dependent on a variety of factors like location and the local market. It also depends heavily on your own success in making sales, converting leads and enquiries, and the effort you put into your own marketing.

Your Next Steps

If you can see yourself owning and running a The Zip Yard outlet in your area, get in touch with us today, your new future is only a ‘click’ away!

The Zip Yard's history

A Brand With Huge Potential...

The Zip Yard was founded in 2005 in Belfast and now has 53 franchise stores across England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland and is growing fast.

While The Zip Yard was hugely popular in Ireland and Northern Ireland, it was still only just beginning its spread in the UK, despite being one of the few clothing alterations business which could offer such a high standard of service in a booming market.

Zip-Yard-Leeds-Founders-Story

Leeds franchise owner, Neluka Denning, (pictured) had already fallen in love with the franchise since she joined back in 2019, and was becoming more and more excited about its potential. Despite the challenges she faced when the pandemic hit in early 2020, she could see just how much her local community needed and benefitted from her services. She had a vision of opening a The Zip Yard store in every major town and city in the UK, and decided she should be the one to make it happen.

Soon after, Neluka approached The Zip Yard HQ in Belfast about how they might work together. They had been keen for a number of years to have a new partner to promote the UK side of the franchise, and so were very receptive to Neluka’s ideas.

After hammering out some details between them, Neluka took over the UK master franchise licence and the rest is history!

Neluka is now looking for more talented and motivated individuals to help her grow The Zip Yard across the UK.

“There are so many incredible things about being a The Zip Yard franchise owner. In fact, I see so much value in it that I now own the UK franchise network. It’s financially rewarding, while also being a genuinely great business for a more sustainable world.”

– Neluka Dunning – Managing Director – Zip Yard Franchising GB Ltd.