§1What this business is
Plastic pellets are melted and injected into moulds that form the handle with small holes for bristles. A tufting machine fixes nylon bristles into the holes, a trimming machine cuts them to shape, and the brushes are packed in card or plastic. The report notes toothbrush use has spread from urban to rural homes.
Capacity: 1,500 toothbrushes a day, 4,50,000 a year (8-hour shift, 300 days).
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
Someone with plastics or FMCG experience who can sell to distributors, hotels and private-label buyers.
Who it is not for
Someone hoping to sell a new brand in retail without a distribution budget.
Advantages
- Every person needs a new brush every few months — repeat demand
- Raw material is a small share of sales (₹18.72 lakh of ₹61.56 lakh in year 1)
- Automated tufting keeps labour low
- Can make private-label brushes for hotels and brands
Drawbacks
- High machinery cost (₹30 lakh)
- Big brands dominate retail
- Mould and tufting machine upkeep needs skill
- Low price per piece — needs volume
Skills you need
- Injection moulding
- Tufting and trimming machine operation
- Quality checks for bristle hold
- FMCG distribution
Why difficulty 3/5: Machines do most of the work, but selling volume against brands is hard.
§3Market
Who buys
- Households in towns and villages
- Hotels and hospitals (guest kits)
- Brands buying private-label brushes
How it sells
- FMCG distributors to kirana and chemist shops
- Hotel amenity suppliers
- Supermarkets and online stores
Good to know
- The report cites the global manual toothbrush market at USD 4.4 billion in 2018.
- Raw material is ₹18.72 lakh of ₹61.56 lakh sales in year 1.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| Injection moulding machine, 125 kg capacity | 1 set | ₹12.50 lakh |
| Toothbrush tufting machine | 1 set | ₹10.00 lakh |
| Toothbrush trimming machine | 1 set | ₹7.00 lakh |
| Other equipment and hand tools | — | ₹50,000 |
From: PMEGP sample project report — Toothbrush (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
- Plastic (polypropylene or polyethylene)for handles
- Nylon bristles
- Rubber grip
- Packing materialcard or plastic packs
From: PMEGP sample project report — Toothbrush (prepared by Udyami/Samadhan)
§5Licences & registration
- Udyam registration
- GST registration
- Legal Metrology registration for packaged goods
- Plastic packaging EPR registration with CPCB
- Trademark for the brand
§6Schemes & subsidies
PMEGP fits this ₹39.22 lakh manufacturing project (within the ₹50 lakh ceiling); CGTMSE gives collateral-free cover.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Sample report total ₹39.22 lakh: plant & machinery ₹30.00 lakh, furniture & fixtures ₹2.00 lakh, working capital ₹7.22 lakh. Land own or rented. Finance: term loan ₹28.80 lakh, working-capital loan ₹6.50 lakh, own share ₹3.92 lakh.
Working capital: Working capital ₹7.22 lakh (bank ₹6.50 lakh).
Year not printed on the sample report — check current machinery prices.
§8Export potential
Confirm the HS code in the DGFT ITC(HS) lookup before you export
Export council / board: Plastics Export Promotion Council (PLEXCONCIL)
- Get an IEC and register with PLEXCONCIL before exporting.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Competition from big brands and cheap imports
- Plastic price swings
- Machine breakdowns
- Plastic waste (EPR) rules
§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 toothbrush 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 registration, GST registration), 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 Toothbrush 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.