§1What this business is
ABS plastic with dyes and additives is injection-moulded into button sheets; buttons are separated from the runner, etched, electroplated for finish and packed in packets of 12. Garment makers are the main buyers, followed by bag and wallet makers.
Capacity: 2,200 packets (12 buttons each) a day; year 1 at 40%.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone with contacts in garment clusters (Tiruppur, Ludhiana, Delhi-NCR and similar).
Who it is not for
Someone far from garment makers and trims traders.
Advantages
- Garment makers use buttons in huge numbers
- Demand rises with domestic and export garments
- Electroplating adds finish and value
- Small, light product — cheap to ship
Drawbacks
- Fashion changes need new moulds
- Electroplating effluent must be treated
- Competition from imported buttons
- Very low price per piece
Skills you need
- Injection moulding
- Etching and electroplating
- Design and colour matching
- Selling to garment units
Why difficulty 3/5: Electroplating compliance and fashion-driven demand.
§3Market
Who buys
- Garment manufacturers and exporters
- Tailors and boutiques
- Bag and wallet makers
How it sells
- Direct supply to garment units
- Button and trims wholesalers
Good to know
- The report names the textile industry as the main client and says acrylic-button demand rises with domestic and export garments.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Injection moulding machine | 1 | ₹8,00,000 |
| Tumbler mixer | 1 | ₹1,00,000 |
| Plastic separator machine | 1 | ₹2,50,000 |
| Etching machine | 1 | ₹2,50,000 |
| Electroplating machine | 1 | ₹2,50,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Plastic Buttons (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- ABS plasticmain raw material
- Chemical dyesfor colour
- Additives (colourant, carbon black, colour carbonate)listed in the report
From: PMEGP sample project report — Plastic Buttons (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam
- GST
- State Pollution Control Board consent (electroplating effluent)
§6Schemes & subsidies
PMEGP (report is a PMEGP sample); CGTMSE for collateral-free credit. The cost is above the ₹20 L MUDRA limit.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Samadhan report: plant & machinery ₹16.50 L, furniture ₹0.80 L, working capital ₹5.34 L = ₹22.64 L. Land own or rented.
Working capital: ₹5.34 L, bank finance ₹4.80 L.
Year not printed on the report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: PLEXCONCIL (Plastics Export Promotion Council)
- HS codes are from the WCO HS 2022 list; confirm the 8-digit ITC(HS) line with DGFT or your customs broker.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Fashion shifts
- Effluent compliance
- Import competition
- Payment delays from garment units
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working plastic button manufacturing unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (Udyam, GST), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Plastic Button Manufacturing?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.