Deposits Done Right

You buy the fabric, you cut it, you spend three evenings at the machine, and then the client goes quiet, or "isn't sure anymore," and you're holding a half-finished garment and an empty wallet. Almost every maker has been burned this way once. The tool that prevents it isn't a hard conversation; it's a policy you set before the work begins, so the awkward moment never arrives.

Why deposits exist (and it isn't distrust)

A deposit isn't you doubting your client. It's you covering the real costs you take on the moment you say yes, the fabric you can't return, the hours you can't get back, the slot in your calendar you turned others away to hold. Framed that way, a deposit is simply how custom work has always functioned. Clients who want bespoke pieces understand this; it's the same reason a builder doesn't buy your bricks out of pocket.

Set the number and the moment

A common structure is50% up front, 50% on completion, with the deposit taken before you buy materials or cut. For large or costly orders, some makers split into thirds, at booking, at first fitting, and at delivery. Pick a structure, write it down, and make it your standard rather than a case-by-case negotiation. The goal is that every client hears the same clear terms, so it reads as professional policy, not personal suspicion.

Say it early, say it plainly

The awkwardness only shows up when the ask is late. Raise the deposit at the quoting stage, before anyone is emotionally committed: "To book you in, I take a 50% deposit that covers your fabric and reserves your delivery date, with the balance due when it's ready." Said up front, it's just information. Said after you've cut, it feels like a surprise bill. Put it in your written estimate so there's nothing to remember and nothing to dispute.

Track what's paid and what's owed

A policy only works if you can see it in action. You need to know, at a glance, who has paid a deposit, whose balance is due on delivery, and which finished garment is quietly waiting on a final payment. When that lives in your head, money slips through, a balance you forgot to collect is a discount you didn't mean to give.

Make the money boring

The aim of all of this is to make payment the least dramatic part of the job. Logging deposits and balances against each order, asthimblelyis built to do, means you always know where every order stands financially, and you can hand over a finished piece knowing it's fully paid. Set the policy once, state it early, and protect both your cash flow and the relationship.