How Much Does Custom Company Apparel Cost? (2026 Pricing Guide)
Key takeaways
- Custom apparel usually runs from about $8 for a decorated tee to $55 or more for a premium cut-and-sew hoodie, before decoration and quantity are factored in.
- Four levers move the number most: fabric and construction, decoration method, quantity, and whether you decorate a blank or cut and sew from scratch.
- Price breaks kick in at 50, 100, 250, and 500 units, so the per-unit cost of a larger run is far lower than a small one.
- The fastest way to a real number is a quote with your product, quantity, and deadline. Our cost calculator gives a quick ballpark to start.
Custom company apparel cost depends on what you are actually buying: a logo printed on a stock blank sits at one end, and a garment cut and sewn to your own spec sits at the other. As a rough guide, custom apparel runs from about $8 per unit for a simple decorated tee to $55 or more for a premium made-in-LA hoodie, before you layer in decoration and quantity. This guide breaks down the real ranges by product, the four things that move the price, and the hidden costs worth budgeting for, so you can plan a program without guessing. For a fast starting estimate, our cost calculator gives a ballpark in a minute, and our corporate merch service turns it into a real quote.
How much does custom company apparel cost?
Prices vary by product, fabric, decoration, and quantity, but here are realistic 2026 per-unit ranges to anchor a budget. Decorated blanks are cheaper up front; cut-and-sew custom apparel costs more per unit and delivers a higher-quality, fully customized garment.
These are starting ranges, not quotes. A small run of premium hoodies lands near the top of the range, while a larger order of standard tees drops toward the bottom. The rest of this guide explains what pushes a given order up or down within those bands. Keep in mind that custom apparel pricing moves as a system rather than one line at a time. Change the fabric and the sensible decoration options shift with it, which is why two custom apparel quotes can look far apart for what seems like the same basic garment.
What drives the cost of custom apparel
Four levers account for most of the difference between two quotes for what looks like the same shirt.
- Fabric and construction. A heavyweight cotton or a technical fabric costs more than a thin basic, and better stitching and finishing add labor. This is the single biggest driver of how the garment feels.
- Decoration method. Screen printing, embroidery, DTG, and DTF each carry different setup and per-unit costs, covered below.
- Quantity. Setup and development are spread across the run, so more units means a lower cost each.
- Blank versus cut-and-sew. Decorating an existing blank is cheaper. Cutting and sewing a custom garment costs more but removes the ceiling on fit, fabric, and design.
Understanding these four makes a quote readable. If one supplier is far cheaper, it is almost always lighter fabric, a simpler decoration, or a stock blank rather than a real saving.
Cut-and-sew vs decorated blanks: the cost difference
The biggest fork in custom apparel pricing is whether you start from a blank or build the garment. Decorating blanks is faster and cheaper because the shirt already exists; you are paying for the item plus the print. Cut-and-sew means the garment is made to your pattern, fabric, and fit, which costs more per unit and takes longer, but produces something that reads as your own product rather than a branded basic. For a giveaway, a blank is sensible. For apparel that represents the brand and needs to last, the cut-and-sew premium usually pays for itself in quality and longevity, a point we cover in our promotional products ROI report.
How quantity and bulk pricing work
Quantity is the lever most buyers underestimate. Setup costs, sampling, and development are largely fixed, so spreading them across more units drops the per-piece price quickly. That is why bulk custom apparel is so much cheaper per unit than a small run.
The takeaway is simple. If you are close to a price break, ordering a few more pieces to cross it often lowers the total cost, not just the per-unit cost. It is worth asking your supplier where the next break sits before you finalize the quantity.
Decoration methods and what they add
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How you put the logo on the garment changes both cost and durability. The main options:
- Screen printing is cost-effective at volume and very durable, with a setup charge per color that favors larger runs.
- Embroidery reads as premium and lasts, priced by stitch count, so a detailed logo costs more than a simple one.
- DTG handles full-color and small runs well with little setup, though per-unit cost stays higher at volume.
- DTF is flexible across fabrics and good for complex art, sitting between screen print and DTG on cost.
Matching the method to the garment and quantity keeps the decoration from quietly inflating the quote. Our guide to screen printing vs embroidery vs DTG vs DTF goes deeper on when to use each.
Custom apparel budget examples
Ranges are easier to use with a few worked examples. These are illustrative custom apparel scenarios rather than quotes, but they show how the levers combine in practice.
- 100 branded hoodies for onboarding. Mid-weight decorated hoodies with an embroidered chest logo land around the middle of the hoodie range once the 100-unit break applies. Switch to cut-and-sew and the per-unit cost climbs, but the garment reads as retail rather than a handout, which is often the point for a first impression.
- 250 event tees. Standard decorated tees with a one-color screen print sit near the bottom of the tee range at this volume, which is exactly why events lean on printed blanks. Choosing custom apparel here only pays off if the shirt itself is part of the experience.
- 50 premium polos for a client-facing team. A small run of cut-and-sew polos in a better fabric costs more per unit because setup is spread across fewer pieces, but 50 people in a sharp, on-brand polo sends a different signal than a stock shirt.
Notice the pattern. Quantity pulls the price down, and the blank-versus-custom choice decides how the apparel reads. Deciding what the custom apparel is for, a giveaway or a brand statement, settles most of the budget before you compare a single quote.
How to lower your custom apparel cost
If the first quote is over budget, there are honest ways to bring custom apparel cost down without gutting quality.
- Cross a price break. If you are near 50, 100, or 250 units, ordering to the next tier often lowers the total, not just the per-unit price.
- Simplify the decoration. Fewer print colors or a lower embroidery stitch count trims cost with little visible difference.
- Pick the fabric deliberately. A slightly lighter weight can save real money at volume when the top-end fabric is not essential.
- Give it lead time. Avoiding rush fees is one of the easiest savings, so plan backward from your date.
- Consolidate orders. Combining several small runs into one larger order spreads setup and unlocks better pricing.
Used together, these keep the custom apparel feeling premium while the invoice stays realistic.
Hidden costs to budget for
The per-unit price is not the whole bill. A few line items catch buyers off guard, and planning for them keeps the project on budget.
- Samples and proofs. A physical sample before a bulk run is cheap insurance against an expensive mistake.
- Setup charges. Screen and embroidery setups are one-time per design, which is why reorders are cheaper than first runs.
- Shipping and kitting. Packing and shipping to one address is simple; distributing to many people costs more.
- Rush fees. Tight deadlines can carry a premium, so build in lead time where you can.
None of these are large on their own, but together they can shift a budget by 10% or more, so it is better to see them in the quote than to discover them at invoicing.
How to get an accurate custom apparel quote
The ranges here get you to a budget, but a real number needs your specifics: the product, fabric, decoration, quantity, and deadline. The more precise those are, the tighter the quote. If you are comparing options, our roundup of the best corporate merch companies in Los Angeles lays out who fits which kind of program. When you are ready for numbers, our cost calculator gives a quick estimate and our corporate merch service produces made-in-LA custom apparel to spec.
Have a product and quantity in mind? Send our LA team the details and we will come back with a real quote and honest lead times.
Frequently asked questions
How much does custom company apparel cost per unit?
As a 2026 guide, decorated blanks run about $8 to $15 for tees and $22 to $45 for hoodies, while custom cut-and-sew runs about $14 to $28 for tees and $35 to $65 for hoodies, before decoration and quantity are factored in.
Why is cut-and-sew custom apparel more expensive than decorated blanks?
Because the garment is made to your pattern, fabric, and fit rather than pulled from a catalog. You pay more per unit for full control over quality and design, and the result reads as your own product rather than a branded basic.
Does ordering more lower the price?
Yes. Setup and development costs are largely fixed, so spreading them across more units drops the per-unit price. Price breaks typically land at 50, 100, 250, and 500 pieces.
What decoration method is cheapest for custom apparel?
Screen printing is usually the most cost-effective at volume, with a setup charge per color. For small full-color runs, DTG or DTF can be cheaper because they need little setup.
What hidden costs should I budget for?
Samples and proofs, one-time setup charges per design, shipping and kitting, and any rush fees. Together they can move a budget by 10% or more, so ask to see them in the quote.
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Related reading: Promotional products ROI in 2026 · Best corporate merch companies in Los Angeles · Screen printing vs embroidery vs DTG vs DTF · Cut-and-sew manufacturing
Ready to make your line? Get a free production quote.
Drop your email and tell us what you are making. Our LA cut-and-sew team will follow up with real pricing and lead times, usually within 24 hours.
Plucky Reach
Fashion Business Consulting • Los Angeles Fashion District
Plucky Reach is a fashion business consulting firm based in the Los Angeles Fashion District. We have helped 1,000+ clothing brand founders go from idea to production, from first sketch to retail shelf. Our team has 20+ years of direct relationships with LA garment manufacturers, and we specialize in connecting emerging brands with the right production partners.
