Industry Statistics

I'm in a similar position. I have identified my primary customer, but would like to get some hard data on that demo and the industry in general.

I recently signed up to my local business library. I'm going to be reading up on the industry there as it's free! I think unless you pay for those reports, you have to piece info together from different sources (industry magazines, libraries etc)

Also, get out and talk to small boutique owners. The ones that are selling t-shirts will have the most up to date and practical information on trends and buying habits. I started this yet but I've identified a few in my area I'm going to try and talk to over the weekend...so I hope they will be willing to help!

What type of statistics specifically are you looking for?

I am looking for basic information that can help paint a picture of the industry to a potential investor. How has the U.S. apparel industry fared since the downturn? Better or worse than other industries? How much growth has the industry seen in the last ten years? Possibly some projections as well.

It depends on what you're trying to prove to your potential investors.

You can get some useful info from government sites like Bureau of Labor Statistics Subject Areas Home

CPIs Consumer Price Index (CPI)

Department of Labor U.S. Department of Labor - Find It By Topic - Statistics - Inflation and Consumer Spending

...or you could try visiting your local chamber of commerce and see if they can point you in an insightful direction.