How Much Does It Really Cost to Start a Clothing Brand?

Starting a clothing brand typically costs between $3,000 and $50,000 depending on product type, fabric choice, quantity, and additional costs like samples and branding. For example, 100 cotton t-shirts with standard trims, sampling, and branding can cost around $2,500-4,000. Our calculator breaks down every cost: materials, CMT (cut-make-trim), shipping, packaging, QC, and startup expenses so you get an accurate estimate.

CMT stands for Cut, Make, and Trim. It is the labor cost to cut fabric, sew the garment, and attach trims like labels, buttons, and zippers. CMT costs typically range from $3-5 per unit for simple items like t-shirts, $8-12 for hoodies, and $12-18 for jackets. Our calculator lets you input exact CMT quotes from your manufacturer or use industry-standard defaults.

Hidden costs that founders often overlook include: fabric waste (3-10% of material cost), shipping and import duties ($0.50-2.00 per unit), packaging ($0.50-1.50 per unit), quality control inspection ($0.25-1.00 per unit), samples ($50-250 per style), pattern making ($40-150 per style), and startup costs like branding ($300-1,500) and initial marketing ($300-1,000). Our calculator includes a dedicated step for these hidden costs.

Break-even units equals your total startup costs divided by profit per unit. For example, if your startup costs (samples, patterns, branding, marketing) total $1,000 and your profit per unit is $30, you need to sell about 34 units to break even. Our calculator computes this automatically and shows how different quantities affect your break-even point through interactive scenario analysis.