The cost to make a hoodie is the sum of fabric, trims, labour (cut, make and trim), decoration and packaging, plus each unit’s share of sampling and setup costs. Add freight, duty and import VAT and you get the landed cost. Fabric and labour are usually the biggest parts. Heavier fabric, complex patterns, more colourways and more print placements push the unit cost up; larger runs and simpler specs bring it down.
This guide breaks down what goes into a hoodie quote, what makes the unit cost go up or down, how minimum order quantity (MOQ) affects it, how to read an itemised quote and how to lower cost without hurting quality. It does not quote prices, because they change with fabric markets, order size and spec. It shows you how the cost is built so you can compare quotes and make better trade-offs.
What goes into the cost to make a hoodie
Every hoodie quote is built from the same blocks. Some are paid per unit, some are paid once per style or per order.
- Fabric: The body fabric, plus rib for cuffs and hem and any hood lining. Usually the largest single cost. It depends on fibre, GSM, finish, dye method and how much fabric the pattern uses, including waste from cutting.
- Trims: Zips, drawcords, aglets, eyelets, main labels, care and size labels, hang tags and thread. Small per item, but they add up, and custom trims often carry their own minimums.
- Labour (CMT): Cut, make and trim: cutting the panels, sewing, attaching trims, finishing, pressing and checking. A simple pullover takes fewer operations than a zip-up with a lined 3-panel hood and split pockets.
- Decoration: Screen print, puff print, embroidery, appliqué, heat transfer or garment dye. Charged per placement, and often with a setup cost per design or colour.
- Packaging: Polybags, folding, tissue, stickers, barcodes and cartons. Custom branded packaging costs more than standard.
One-off costs: sampling, development and the tech pack
Some costs happen once per style, not per unit. They matter most on small runs, because they are spread across fewer pieces.
- Development and tech pack: Turning your idea into flat sketches, a measurement chart, a bill of materials and construction notes. A clear tech pack reduces back-and-forth and sampling rounds.
- Pattern making and grading: Creating the pattern for the base size and grading it across your size range.
- Sampling: Proto samples, fit samples and a pre-production sample. Each extra round adds cost and time.
- Setup: Print screens, embroidery digitising, lab dips for custom colours and strike-offs for printed fabric.
When you compare quotes, check whether these costs are listed separately or folded into the unit cost. A low unit cost can hide high setup charges, and the reverse.
Getting it to you: freight, duty, VAT and landed cost
The factory cost is not what a hoodie costs you. The number that matters for your margin is the landed cost: everything you pay to get the goods to your warehouse, divided by the number of units.
- Freight: Air freight is fast but costs much more per kilo; sea freight is slower but far cheaper for larger volumes. Hoodies are heavy and bulky, so freight is a bigger share of cost than for T-shirts.
- Customs duty: Set by the product’s commodity code, its country of origin and the country you import into. Goods from some origins, such as Bangladesh, can qualify for reduced or zero duty into the UK and EU under trade preference schemes, if the rules of origin are met and the right proof of origin is supplied.
- Import VAT: Charged on the value of the goods plus duty and shipping. A VAT-registered business can usually reclaim it, but it still affects cash flow.
- Clearance and delivery: Customs broker fees, port handling and last-mile delivery to your door.
FOB vs DDP
The Incoterm on your quote decides which of these costs are already included. Under FOB (Free On Board), the factory pays to get the goods loaded on a ship at the port of origin. You pay sea freight, insurance, import clearance, duty, VAT and delivery. Under DDP (Delivered Duty Paid), the supplier delivers to your address with freight, customs clearance, duty and import taxes handled.
A FOB unit cost will always look lower than a DDP one, because it covers less. To compare them fairly, add your own freight, duty, VAT and clearance to the FOB figure. DDP is simpler for small brands without a freight forwarder or customs broker. Read more about how DDP clothing manufacturing works.
What pushes unit cost up or down
Most of the cost is decided in the design stage, before you ask for a quote. These are the main levers.
Fabric type and GSM
Heavier fabric uses more yarn per metre, so a heavyweight hoodie costs more in fabric than a midweight one. It also weighs more, which raises freight. Organic, recycled and specialty fabrics cost more than standard cotton or cotton-polyester blends. Custom colours need lab dips and may carry dyeing minimums; stock colours avoid both.
Fit and pattern complexity
Oversized and boxy fits use more fabric per piece. Every extra panel, seam, pocket and lined part adds cutting and sewing time. A 3-panel double-layer hood, split pockets, side panels and zips all add operations compared with a basic pullover.
Colourways and size range
Each colourway needs its own fabric order, rib and trim matching, and often its own minimum. Splitting one order across many colours means smaller fabric runs and less efficient cutting. A wide size range adds grading work and means fewer pieces per size, so cutting is less efficient.
Decoration method and number of placements
Each print or embroidery placement is a separate operation with its own setup. A one-colour chest print is cheap to add; a multi-colour back print, sleeve hits and an embroidered hood logo each add cost. Screen printing has screen setup per colour; embroidery cost rises with stitch count; specialty methods such as puff print add more.
Order quantity and setup costs
Fixed costs such as pattern grading, screens, digitising and line setup are spread over the units you order. The more units, the smaller each one’s share. Larger fabric orders also get better mill pricing, and sewing lines get faster once operators settle into a style.
| Factor | Why it matters | How to save |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric GSM | Heavier fabric uses more yarn and adds freight weight | Choose the lightest weight that still gives the drape you want |
| Fabric type and colour | Specialty fibres and custom colours cost more and carry minimums | Use stock fabrics and colours for your first drop |
| Fit and pattern | More panels, seams and fabric per piece add material and labour | Keep panels simple; save complex details for hero styles |
| Colourways | Each colour splits fabric orders and adds setup | Launch with fewer colours and add more once a style sells |
| Size range | More sizes mean more grading and less efficient cutting | Start with a core size range and expand later |
| Decoration | Each placement and colour adds setup and handling | Limit placements and print colours; use one strong graphic |
| Trims and packaging | Custom trims and branded packaging carry their own minimums | Use stock trims and standard packaging plus a custom label |
| Order quantity | Fixed setup costs are spread over fewer units on small runs | Order more of fewer styles instead of a little of many |
How MOQ affects unit cost
MOQ, or minimum order quantity, is the smallest order a factory will accept for a style. Factories set it because every style has fixed costs: setting up the line, cutting, ordering fabric and trims, and preparing decoration. Those costs are roughly the same whether you make a small batch or a large one.
That is why unit cost falls as quantity rises. On a small order, each hoodie carries a larger share of the setup. On a larger order, the same setup is spread thinner. Fabric mills and trim suppliers have their own minimums too, which can push costs up on very small runs, especially for custom colours.
A low MOQ costs a little more per unit but lowers your total risk. You spend less up front, test demand and avoid dead stock. For a new brand, that trade-off is often worth it. Our guide to MOQ in clothing manufacturing explains how to negotiate it.
How to read an itemised quote
An itemised quote shows you where the money goes, so you can see which choices drive the cost. Check these points:
- Spec match: Confirm the quote matches your tech pack: fabric, GSM, composition, trims, decoration and packaging.
- Per-unit vs one-off: Separate unit costs from one-off charges such as development, sampling, screens and digitising.
- Quantity and sizes: Check the quantity the price is based on and whether it changes if you split colours or sizes.
- Decoration: Look for each placement, method and number of colours listed separately.
- Incoterm: See whether the price is FOB, DDP or something else, and what that includes.
- What is excluded: Look for freight, duty, VAT, insurance, QC and extra sampling rounds.
If two quotes differ a lot, compare them line by line. The gap is usually in fabric, decoration or what is excluded, not in labour.
How to lower cost without hurting quality
Cutting cost by switching to a thin fabric or skipping QC usually backfires through returns and reviews. These changes save money while keeping the product strong.
- Simplify the pattern: Keep the details that customers notice, like a good hood and solid ribbing, and drop hidden extras.
- Use stock fabric and colours: Avoid lab dips and dyeing minimums on your first drops.
- Reduce placements: One strong print often sells better than four small ones and costs less.
- Consolidate styles: Order more units of fewer styles so setup costs spread further.
- Get the tech pack right first: A complete spec cuts sampling rounds and avoids costly fixes in bulk.
- Plan freight early: Sea freight costs much less than air, so build time into your launch plan.
- Keep QC: In-line checks and a final inspection cost less than a batch of faulty hoodies.
What to put in your tech pack
- Fabric: Type, composition, GSM, finish and colour references, with stock or custom colour marked.
- Bill of materials: Every trim with material, size, colour and quantity per garment.
- Construction: Hood type, pocket style, seam types, rib spec and stitch details.
- Measurements: Full size chart with tolerances and the size range you want quoted.
- Decoration: Method, number of colours, placement and artwork size for each graphic.
- Colourways and quantities: Each colour with the quantity per size.
- Packaging and delivery: Folding, bagging, labelling and the Incoterm you want quoted.
How Fabrickly can help
Fabrickly is a tech pack and low-MOQ clothing manufacturing studio headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, with production at audited partner factories in Bangladesh and China. As a hoodie manufacturer, we produce private label and full custom cut and sew hoodies from 50 pieces per style, with sizes mixed within the 50. We create factory-ready tech packs in 7 days through our tech pack services and send an itemised quote within one business day, so you can see what each choice costs. You get branded samples before bulk, in-line QC during production and an AQL 2.5 final inspection. Standard fabrics are OEKO-TEX Standard 100 certified, GOTS organic cotton is available on request, and we offer DDP shipping to the UK and EU. Send your spec through our quote request.
Frequently asked
Q: What is the biggest cost in making a hoodie?
Fabric is usually the largest single cost, followed by labour (cut, make and trim). Heavier fabric, specialty fibres and custom colours raise the fabric share, while complex construction raises the labour share.
Q: Why does a small hoodie order cost more per unit?
Every style has fixed setup costs such as pattern grading, print screens, embroidery digitising and line setup. On a small order those costs are spread over fewer pieces, so each hoodie carries a larger share.
Q: What is the difference between FOB and DDP pricing?
A FOB price covers the goods loaded on a ship at the port of origin. You pay freight, insurance, import clearance, duty and VAT on top. A DDP price includes delivery to your address with freight, customs clearance, duty and import taxes handled.
Q: What is landed cost?
Landed cost is the total cost of getting your hoodies to your warehouse, divided by the number of units. It includes the factory cost, freight, insurance, customs duty, import VAT, clearance fees and delivery.
Q: How can I lower the cost to make a hoodie without losing quality?
Use stock fabrics and colours, simplify the pattern, limit print placements, order more units of fewer styles and get the tech pack right before sampling. Keep fabric weight and QC where they need to be, because cutting those usually leads to returns.
— Hasebul, Fabrickly