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The cost to start a clothing brand depends on one choice: whether you pay for stock before you sell it. With print on demand, where each piece is made after a customer orders it, a first month costs about $110: roughly $73 for samples with shipping, about $12 for a domain and your software plan. Buying stock up front starts in the hundreds and grows with every design, size and color.
- $110a first month on print on demand
- $73samples of three pieces, shipped
- $0spent on stock you might not sell
We pulled every price below from Printful, the supplier KickStart uses, on November 7, 2026.
What one piece costs to make
Print on demand suppliers charge per piece, with one print included. Printful's prices for size M in black:
What one piece costs to make (one print included)
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| T-shirt (Bella+Canvas 3001) (front print) | $11.92 |
| Snapback cap (Yupoong 6089M) (embroidered front) | $17.23 |
| Hoodie (Gildan 18500) (front print) | $22.63 |
| Premium hoodie (Cotton Heritage M2580) (front print) | $27.84 |
| Each extra printed side on a tee or hoodie (for example a back print) | $5.95 |
- +$5.95a back print on a tee or hoodie
- +$2each size above XL
- +$2.95each extra embroidery spot on a hat
A heavier premium hoodie, the Cotton Heritage M2580, costs $27.84 instead of $22.63. Tees and hoodies are printed onto the fabric; caps are embroidered.
What you keep from each sale
Customers pay your price plus shipping. You pay the supplier and the card processor. The rest is your brand's.
Where the money goes on a $55 hoodie
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| Made and printed front and back | $28.58 |
| Card processing (2.9% + 30¢ on $63.79 with shipping) | $2.15 |
| Left for your brand before ads and your plan | $24.27 |
| Total | $55.00 |
| Piece | Cost to make | Price | Card fee | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| T-shirt, front print | $11.92 | $30 | $1.31 | $16.77 |
| Snapback cap, embroidered | $17.23 | $34 | $1.42 | $15.35 |
| Hoodie, front and back | $28.58 | $55 | $2.15 | $24.27 |
Card fees use Stripe's US rate of 2.9% plus 30 cents on the price plus shipping. Taxes depend on where you and your customers are. To set prices for every piece and size, see how to price clothing.
Your first-month budget
From idea to a live store with one hoodie, one tee and one cap, using KickStart and Printful:
| Item | Cost |
|---|---|
| KickStart Starter, first 7 days | $1 |
| KickStart Starter, first month after the trial | $19.99 |
| Samples: hoodie (front and back), tee and cap | $57.73 |
| Standard shipping for the samples | $15.68 |
| A .com domain, first year | about $11 to $13 |
| Total before your first sale | about $105 to $108 |
Card fees are only charged when you sell, and ads are optional. Many brands open to friends, a team or a following before spending on promotion.
Print on demand or stock up front
| Print on demand | Stock up front | |
|---|---|---|
| Paid before your first sale | Samples only | Every piece in the batch |
| Cost per piece | Higher | Lower at volume |
| Unsold pieces | None | Yours to sell or write off |
| Who ships | The supplier | You or a fulfillment service |
Launch on print on demand, watch what sells, then buy stock only for proven best sellers. The 7-day print on demand plan covers the first stage.
Costs people forget
Samples
See the print and fit before customers do
Shipping to yourself
Ours cost $15.68 for three pieces
Taxes and registration
Check your local rules before launch
Returns
Decide your policy for wrong sizes
Photos
Pieces on people sell better than any ad
Renewals
A domain can renew higher than year one
What KickStart costs
Plans include the design studio, your brand identity, the store builder and launch content. Garments, shipping and domains are billed when you order them.
New subscribers get 7 days for $1 on monthly plans and 7 days free on annual plans. Annual plans cost $119.94, $299.94 and $899.94 a year. Current prices are always on the pricing page.
Questions about the cost of starting a clothing brand
Can I start a clothing brand with no money?
Almost. With print on demand the main costs before your first sale are samples and a domain. Skipping samples saves about $70, but then you sell a print you have never seen.
How much should I charge for a T-shirt?
Work up from the cost. A tee that costs $11.92 to make, priced at $30, keeps about $16.77 after card fees.
What is a good profit margin for a clothing brand?
Keeping about half the price after production and card fees is healthy, which is why pricing near twice the cost works. The hoodie above keeps 44%.
Is buying stock cheaper than print on demand?
Per piece, usually. In total, often not, because you pay for every size and color up front. See how to start a clothing brand for when to switch.
What does KickStart include?
The studio, brand identity, store builder and launch content are in every plan. Plans differ by AI design requests per month. The studio page shows it all.
Price your first piece in KickStart.
Sources
- Unisex Staple T-Shirt | Bella + Canvas 3001, Printful. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
- Unisex Heavy Blend Hoodie | Gildan 18500, Printful. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
- Shipping and fulfillment times, Printful. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
- Pricing and fees, Stripe. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
- Name.com .COM domain pricing, DomainOffer. Checked Nov 7, 2026.
