Embroidery Rate Calculator
Calculate per-item costs and total job pricing based on stitch count and materials.
stitches
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items
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Embroidery Cost (per item):
$0.00
Garment Cost (per item):
$0.00
Base Cost (Materials + Labor):
$0.00
Digitizing Fee (Flat):
$0.00
Markup Amount:
$0.00
Suggested Price Per Unit:
$0.00
Total Order Value:
$0.00
How to Calculate Embroidery Pricing
Accurate pricing is the backbone of a successful custom apparel business. Unlike screen printing, which is often based on the number of colors, embroidery pricing is primarily driven by stitch count—the physical number of stitches required to create a design.
The "Per 1,000 Stitches" Rule
The industry standard for pricing embroidery labor is the "per thousand stitches" rate. For example, a left-chest logo might contain 5,000 to 8,000 stitches. If your shop rate is $1.50 per 1,000 stitches, a 6,000-stitch logo costs $9.00 in machine time labor alone.
Formula: (Total Stitches / 1,000) × Rate per 1k = Labor Cost
Key Factors in Your Quote
- Garment Cost: The price of the blank item (hat, polo, jacket). Always account for shipping costs from your supplier to your shop.
- Digitizing Fee: This is a one-time setup cost to convert artwork into a file format (like DST or PES) that embroidery machines can read. This usually ranges from $15 to $50 depending on complexity.
- Quantity Breaks: Most shops lower their rate per 1,000 stitches as the order quantity increases because the setup time is amortized over more units.
- Markup: After calculating all hard costs (garment + embroidery labor + fees), a percentage markup (e.g., 20% to 50%) is added to ensure profit and cover overhead like thread, backing, and needles.
Example Calculation
Let's say a customer wants 24 polos. The blank shirt costs $10.00. The logo is 6,000 stitches. Your rate is $1.25/1k stitches, and you charge a $25 setup fee.
- Labor: (6,000 / 1,000) × $1.25 = $7.50 per shirt.
- Base Item Cost: $10.00 (shirt) + $7.50 (labor) = $17.50.
- Total Base Cost: ($17.50 × 24) + $25 setup = $445.00.
- With 30% Markup: $445.00 × 1.30 = $578.50.
- Final Price Per Shirt: $578.50 / 24 = $24.10.