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How Much Does It Cost To Make a Hoodie
A Complete Cost Breakdown for Custom Hoodie Manufacturing
Why does one hoodie cost $15 to make and another shoot past $50? Why can two sweatshirts, looking almost identical, sell for wildly different prices?
If you’re serious about launching or scaling a streetwear brand, understanding what drives hoodie costs isn’t just smart, it’s mission-critical. It’s not just fabric and stitching; it’s every detail from materials to fit, custom branding to shipping. Get these wrong, and your budget tanks. Get them right, and you build a brand that sells.
At Experto Wears, we’ve helped dozens of brands crack this code. So in this article, we’re pulling back the curtain and walking you through how much does it cost to make a hoodie, step by step, no fluff, just the facts you need to make sharp, confident decisions.
Table of Contents
Why Hoodie Manufacturing Costs Vary So Wildly?
There’s no one-size-fits-all answer to how much does it cost to make a hoodie. But to give you a ballpark:
A basic hoodie with standard fleece and screen print may cost $10–$18 per piece.
A premium, custom-branded hoodie can cost $25–$50+ per piece.
Hoodie production isn’t just about stitching fabric together. It’s about the raw materials, fit accuracy, customization, quality controls, and even the MOQs (Minimum Order Quantities) you agree on.
Let’s break it all down.
1. Fabric: The Foundation of Your Hoodie Cost
The single biggest factor that decides how much your hoodie costs to make is the fabric. And no, all cottons are not created equal.
Here’s how different fabrics affect your price per unit:
|
Fabric Type
|
Cost per kg (avg)
|
Hoodie Cost Impact
|
|---|---|---|
|
Cotton Fleece (320 GSM)
|
$5–$7/kg
|
Budget-friendly
|
|
French Terry (280–300 GSM)
|
$6–$8/kg
|
Mid-range
|
|
100% Organic Cotton
|
$8–$11/kg
|
Premium
|
|
Polyester Blend
|
$4–$6/kg
|
Lower cost
|
|
Bamboo or Recycled Fibers
|
$10–$15/kg
|
Eco-friendly, high cost
|
A single hoodie uses around 0.5 to 0.8 meters of fabric, depending on size and GSM. That means just the fabric can cost between $4 to $14 per hoodie.
Tip: Want softness and durability without overspending? A cotton-poly blend can cut fabric costs by 20–30% while still offering great wearability.
2. Design Customizations: Where the Price Jumps
If you’re asking how much does it cost to make a hoodie with your logo, you’ve entered a new layer of pricing. Because customizations are where the basic turns branded.
Let’s talk specifics:
● Embroidery: $3 to $7, depending on stitch count and design. (depends on size, thread count)
● Screen Printing: $0.50 to $2 per color/layer
● DTG Printing (Direct to Garment): $2 to $6 per hoodie
● Puff Print or Silicone Print: Adds $1–$3 per piece
● All-over Sublimation: $6–$10 per hoodie
● Woven Labels / Neck Tags: $0.30 to $1.20 each
● Custom Zippers / Buttons: $0.50 to $2 extra
Tip: Want to control hoodie costs? Limit your customizations or batch them smartly.
3. Cut & Sew Complexity: More Panels = More Cost
A basic hoodie with a simple front and back panel + hood can be stitched faster and cheaper. But a hoodie with:
● Kangaroo pocket
● Ribbed cuffs
● Side panels
● Raglan sleeves
● Lined hood
These things require more labor and time. The stitching cost alone can vary from $2 to $7 per piece, depending on complexity.
At Experto Wears, our production team maps labor time per style before quoting, so you know exactly how much you’re paying per stitch, not just per piece.
4. Sizing Range: Another Hidden Cost Driver
Planning to produce XS to 4XL hoodies in one go? Be prepared to pay more. Because extended sizes often need extra fabric, pattern adjustments, and separate cutting layers.
More sizes = more templates = higher cost.
It’s smarter (and more affordable) to start with a core range like M–XL and scale size options later based on order history.
5. Quantity: Your MOQ Affects Your Unit Cost
The more you produce, the cheaper each hoodie gets. That’s because fixed costs like sampling, mold setup (for zippers or labels), and print screens get divided over a larger volume.
|
Order Quantity
|
Average Cost per Hoodie
|
|---|---|
|
50 pcs
|
$22–$28
|
|
200 pcs
|
$15–$19
|
|
500 pcs
|
$11–$16
|
|
1000+ pcs
|
$9–$14
|
At Experto Wears, we offer flexible MOQs for startups, but we also show you how scaling to 200–300 units can instantly save you up to 35%.
6. Sampling & Tech Packs: The Setup Phase
Before your hoodie even hits the machine, there are costs involved in planning it.
● Tech Pack Creation: $50–$150 one-time cost (if you don’t have one)
● Prototype Sample: $40–$80 per style, depending on complexity
● Size Set Sampling (optional): $20–$40 per extra size
These are upfront investments, but once finalized, they reduce future errors and rework costs.
Don’t skip tech packs. A few extra bucks on planning can save you thousands in production mistakes.
7. Packaging: Often Overlooked, Always Charged
You may not think much about packaging, but it goes into your per-unit price.
● Polybag with barcode: $0.10 to $0.30
● Branded ziplock bag: $0.40–$1
● Swing tags or hangtags: $0.20–$0.80
● Boxed packaging: $1–$2.50
So if your hoodie costs $15 to produce, expect another $0.50 to $2 for packaging.
8. Shipping & Duties: The Final Slice
Once your hoodies are stitched, packed, and ready to go, there’s still the matter of getting them to your warehouse or store.
If you’re sourcing from Asia (like Pakistan), costs include:
● Freight Charges (by air or sea)
● Import Duties
● Customs Fees
Shipping costs can vary significantly based on factors like destination, fuel prices, and shipping volume. It’s advisable to obtain current quotes from logistics providers for accurate budgeting, depending on volume and urgency.
At Experto Wears, we help clients pick smart shipping options and consolidate packages to cut logistics costs without delays.
Real Hoodie Pricing Example:
Let’s say you want to make 200 custom hoodies with:
● 320 GSM fleece
● Front embroidery + back screen print
● Woven label + branded polybag
● Mid-level complexity stitching
Your per-unit cost may look like this:
That’s your landed cost. Now, mark up based on brand value, profit margin, and retail channel.
|
Item
|
Cost Per Hoodie
|
|---|---|
|
Fabric (1.1 kg @ $6)
|
$6.60
|
|
Embroidery + Print
|
$3.50
|
|
Labels + Polybag
|
$0.80
|
|
Stitching
|
$3.00
|
|
Packaging + Tag
|
$0.60
|
|
Shipping (via sea)
|
$1.50
|
|
Total Cost
|
~$16.00 per hoodie
|
How to Lower Hoodie Manufacturing Costs Without Sacrificing Quality
Here’s what we tell our clients: cutting corners rarely pays off, but making smarter choices always does. If you’re trying to produce high-quality hoodies at the best price, here’s what works:
● Choose the right fabric blend, not just the most premium one
● Simplify your customizations, go big with one detail, not five.
● Order in smarter quantities, batch orders to reduce per-unit cost
● Reuse your tech pack for future styles with minor edits.
● Negotiate flexible sampling terms if working with a trusted supplier.
● Partner with a factory that handles everything under one roof, fewer middlemen = less markup
So, How Much Does It Cost to Make a Hoodie?
If you’re looking for a standard hoodie with basic branding and good quality, expect to pay:
● $12 to $18 per unit for 200–300 pieces
● $9 to $15 per unit for 500+ pieces
● $20+ per unit for small batches under 100 pieces
The keyword here is custom. Because the moment you tweak your material, size, design, or detail, the hoodie’s cost changes.
And if you want to build a hoodie line that doesn’t just look good but sells well, you’ll want to partner with a team that helps you align design, production, and budget.
Final Thoughts: Ready to Make Your Hoodie?
Whether you’re launching your first streetwear drop or adding a hoodie to your existing collection, knowing exactly how much does it cost to make a hoodie gives you a strong advantage. No surprises. No random overcharges. Just solid math and solid decisions.
At Experto Wears, we don’t just stitch fabric, we help brands build hoodie collections that feel right, fit right, and cost right. From sourcing high-quality fleece to guiding you through customization and packaging, we handle it all, so you can focus on your brand.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Custom hoodie manufacturing typically costs between $12 and $50 per piece, depending on fabric, design, and order size.
Fabric quality, design customizations, stitching complexity, and order quantity are the biggest cost drivers in hoodie manufacturing.
Yes, by choosing smart fabric blends, limiting customizations, and ordering in larger quantities, you can lower costs without sacrificing quality.
Most manufacturers require an MOQ of 50 to 200 pieces, but ordering 300+ units often reduces the per-piece cost significantly.
Production time varies but usually takes 3 to 6 weeks after finalizing the design and samples.
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