Fabric Cost per Garment Calculator ($/Pc & $/Dzn)
Calculate exact fabric cost contribution per individual garment and per dozen for merchandising costing sheets.
Fabric is usually the largest single cost line in a garment, so a small error in consumption or in price per kilogram moves the whole quotation. This calculator isolates that one line: fabric consumption in kilograms per garment times the price per kilogram gives the fabric cost per piece, and multiplying by 12 gives the cost per dozen used in merchandising quotations. It pairs with the GSM Calculator and the Fabric Consumption Calculator, which produce the kilograms-per-piece figure, and with the Fabric Shrinkage Calculator, because any shrinkage allowance belongs inside that consumption figure.
What is Fabric Cost per Garment?
Fabric cost per garment is the money value of the fabric inside one finished garment. Knitted fabrics are bought by weight, so the natural unit is kilograms per piece times dollars per kilogram. Woven fabrics bought by the metre are converted to weight through GSM and garment area before this step, which is why this calculator asks for consumption in kilograms rather than metres.
Cost per dozen is shown alongside cost per piece because much of apparel quoting and negotiation still happens by the dozen. The dozen figure is simply the piece figure times 12 — it carries no extra assumption and no bulk discount.
This is fabric only. Trims, sewing cost (CM), washing, printing, packing and commercial charges are separate lines on a full cost sheet, and they are worked through in the CM Calculation course lessons. Do not mistake the fabric line for the total garment cost.
Formula
Fabric cost per piece = Consumption (kg/pc) x Price ($/kg) Fabric cost per dozen = Cost per piece x 12
- Consumption (kg/pc): fabric weight in one garment, including cutting waste and shrinkage allowances as the user enters it.
- Price ($/kg): supplier price per kilogram of fabric, in dollars as coded.
- Cost per piece: dollars of fabric in one garment.
- Cost per dozen: dollars of fabric in twelve garments.
How to Calculate
- Find the consumption in kilograms per piece — from the Fabric Consumption Calculator, or from GSM and garment area.
- Confirm whether that consumption already includes cutting waste and shrinkage allowance. If it is a net figure, gross it up first; the Fabric Shrinkage Calculator gives the allowance.
- Enter the consumption and the supplier price per kilogram.
- Read the cost per piece and per dozen.
- Multiply the piece cost by the order quantity for the total fabric value of the order.
- Place the result on the cost sheet as the fabric line only, and add trims, CM and other lines separately.
Example
For the same 10,000-piece T-shirt order used in the shrinkage and thread guides, consumption is 0.22 kg per piece and the fabric price is $6.50 per kg. Cost per piece is 0.22 x 6.50 = $1.43, cost per dozen is 1.43 x 12 = $17.16, and the total fabric value of the order is 10,000 x 1.43 = $14,300. A second style, a fleece hoodie at 0.55 kg per piece and $7.00 per kg, costs 0.55 x 7.00 = $3.85 per piece and $46.20 per dozen — the weight difference alone more than doubles the fabric line.
Price sensitivity is worth checking before quoting: if the T-shirt fabric price rises by $0.50 per kg, the piece cost rises by 0.22 x 0.50 = $0.11, which is $1,100 across the 10,000-piece order. That is why merchandisers lock the fabric price in writing before confirming a quotation. For the thread side of the same order, see the Thread Consumption Calculator.
Assumptions
- The consumption figure is taken as entered. The tool does not add cutting waste or shrinkage itself, so a net consumption figure gives an understated result.
- Price is entered in dollars per kilogram, and results are in dollars, as coded.
- One fabric per run. Garments with shell, lining and pocketing need separate runs added together.
- Fabric cost only — not the total garment cost. Trims, CM, washing, packing and commercial costs are separate lines.