Sewing Pricing Calculator
Sewing combines fabric, notions, pattern work and significant labour. Enter your fabric by cost and quantity, plus your time, to get a price that covers materials and pays you for every hour.
Profitability breakdown
Price ladder
Compare your recommended price across target margins.
| Target margin | Selling price | Profit / unit | Markup | Hourly earnings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20% | $95.39 | $19.08 | 25.0% | $6.36 |
| 30% | $109.02 | $32.71 | 42.9% | $10.90 |
| 40% | $127.19 | $50.88 | 66.7% | $16.96 |
| 50% | $152.63 | $76.32 | 100.0% | $25.44 |
Discount floor
Based on your recommended retail price of $109.02.
Any discount below the recommended price reduces your margin below target. Fixed business costs you have not entered here (insurance, software, etc.) are not captured by this calculator.
The formula
Fabric cost times quantity plus notions and pattern allocation form materials. Labour hours times your rate form the labour cost. Equipment and packaging are added, waste covers offcuts and mistakes, and the formula solves for a price after fees and margin.
Worked example
Fabric $8 per unit, 1.5 units used, notions $2, pattern $2, 3h at $18 = $54.00, equipment $1, packaging $1.50, waste 5%. Base cost = $72.50; waste-adjusted = $76.32. With a 6.5% fee and 30% margin, the recommended price = $120.65.
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Frequently asked questions
How much should I charge for handmade sewn items?⌄
Cost the fabric fully (price × quantity used), notions, any pattern or design work, and your time at a real hourly rate. Sewing labour is often the largest cost and frequently underpriced.
How do I account for fabric waste?⌄
Use the waste percentage to cover offcuts, pattern mistakes and unusable remnants. A modest percentage is a reasonable starting point for experienced sewists.
Should pattern and design time be in the price?⌄
Yes, especially for one-off or custom pieces. Spread a pattern's cost across the items it produces, or allocate it per item for custom work.
How do I price sewing for wholesale?⌄
Build your retail price first, then use the wholesale calculator to create volume tiers while protecting your minimum producer margin.