Manufacturing a basic cotton t-shirt will cost you anywhere from $3 to $17.50.

I contacted over 50 manufacturers across the U.S., China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan to get real-world quotes on both garment samples and bulk production. This guide breaks down exactly what you’ll pay and what factors impact your cost.

Here’s How Much It Costs to Make a T-Shirt

T-Shirt Production Cost

T-Shirt Sample Cost

On average, sampling and manufacturing costs in Asian countries like China, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Pakistan were 2-5x cheaper compared to the USA. While manufacturing overseas is cheaper, shipping costs from within the mainland USA are 3-5x cheaper. 

Quick note – I sent all the manufacturers the exact same T-Shirt tech pack:

It’s a plain navy blue t-shirt made with 195G jersey knit in 100% cotton fabric compo, including a 1×1 rib collar band, and cotton brand, size, and care labels. 

My criteria were that they had to be direct manufacturers and accept a 100pc MOQ.

Looking at the total cost, US vs China is not that huge of a difference. Yes, I realize $4.36 is a lot of money per garment and can add up. But IMHO, to manufacture in the US – the ease, less environmental impact from shipping and logistics alone and beyond – vs in China, this price differential is not massive, especially compared to Bangladesh where it’s less than half.

T-Shirt Cost Breakdown

Here’s a breakdown of the components contributing to the cost, from an actual price quote I received from a manufacturer from Bangladesh:

This breakdown includes fabric, labor, trims (including ribbing, labels, thread, etc.), shipping cost (from Asia to USA), tax, and the manufacturer’s added profit.

Again, this cost breakdown is an example of a t-shirt with an order quantity of 100 pcs. Fees for components like fabric and trims decrease as the order quantity increases, manufacturing costs typically decrease as well, so the breakdown can be different depending on the order quantity.

For example, while the manufacturers listed above agreed to a minimum order quantity (MOQ) of 100 pieces, they required a higher MOQ of 1000 pieces for labels. This means that the cost for labels is initially distributed among the 100 pieces. So, as production quantity increases, the per-unit cost decreases.

Updated April 2025: There are a lot of unknowns due to the pending tariffs. We will update this once things have settled and everyone knows what’s going on.

Should You Go for the Cheapest Manufacturer?

Cost is not the only thing to consider when picking a manufacturer:

• Quality of Work: Quality will vary among manufacturers, even when given the same tech pack.
• Material Options: Make sure the manufacturer has a range of material options that match your designs. Also, the quality of 100% cotton can be different from another manufacturer’s 100% cotton. Request fabric swatch books before you decide.
• Communication: Consider the manufacturer’s responsiveness to your messages. Additionally, overseas manufacturers may not use English as their first language so it might be tricky to communicate directly with key people.
• Customization Capabilities: Some manufacturers offer more customization options than others, such as printing, fabric dyeing, and embellishments.
• Production Capacity and Lead Times: Ensure the manufacturer can handle your production volume and timelines.
• Logistics: Evaluate shipping options and costs, especially for overseas manufacturing.

Check out my complete guide on how to find a clothing manufacturer for more details.