How Much Does It Cost to Manufacture Leggings?

# How Much Does It Cost to Manufacture Leggings? A Factory Floor Breakdown Every week, a buyer emails us the same three questions: What is your unit price? What do you charge for a sample? And—if they are being honest—how do I know you are not just a trading company? Those questions are fair. A landed-cost mistake can wipe out a launch margin, and a sampling delay can push your Amazon listing past its target date. So here is how we answer those questions, with the same numbers we put into our actual quotes from our factory floor in Zhejiang. ## Cost anatomy of leggings When a buyer asks how much it costs to manufacture leggings, they usually expect one number. We cannot give one until we know the fabric, the silhouette, the logo method, and the order size. But we can give you the breakdown our cost accountant uses on every quotation. Take a 230 GSM polyester-spandex legging with one printed logo, a standard waistband, and polybag packaging. Here is the typical split of the unit cost: - **Fabric (48–55%)**: roughly $2.20–$3.00 per unit on basic knit. A pair uses about 0.8–1.2 yards depending on size and inseam. - **Cutting and sewing (15–25%)**: $0.80–$1.50 per pair. Our sewing lines use flatlock and overlock machines; more panels and more seams mean more labor. - **Trims (5–8%)**: waistband elastic, drawcord, gusset insert. A branded elastic can add $0.15–$0.30 per pair. - **Logo and decoration (3–8%)**: heat transfer, embroidery, or silicone print. Embroidery costs more on small runs because of pattern digitizing time. - **Labels and packaging (2–5%)**: woven label, heat-transfer label, hang tag, polybag. If you ship to Amazon, we can pre-apply FBA labels at this stage. - **Overhead, QC, and pre-shipment inspection (8–12%)**: this covers our QC team checking seam strength, waistband elasticity, and colorfastness on every batch. - **Factory margin (5–8%)**: because we own the factory, we keep this lean. There is no trader commission stacked on top. If you apply those percentages to a $6.00 unit price, you get roughly $2.80–$3.30 for fabric, $0.90–$1.50 for labor, and the rest covering trims, packaging, QC, and overhead. That is why a $4.00 quote should worry you: at that price, the fabric alone would need to cost about $1.80, which usually means a thin knit that goes sheer under stretch. Our floor does not cut that corner. If you want proof of how we handle production, read our [sportswear manufacturer](/sportswear-manufacturer) overview. ## Fabric cost drivers Fabric is the largest line item on every leggings quote, so it is where most cost decisions are made. Our cutting tables run polyester as the main fiber, and we can switch to nylon (polyamide) when the design calls for a smoother hand-feel and better recovery. The price difference shows up immediately: - **Polyester interlock/knit**: $2.20–$3.20 per yard. - **Nylon-spandex**: $3.50–$5.00 per yard. Because a basic pair of leggings uses 0.8–1.2 yards, choosing nylon can add $1.50–$2.50 to the unit cost before we cut a single panel. Beyond the fiber itself, these are the drivers we quote on: 1. **GSM (fabric weight)**: 200 GSM works for light yoga wear; 230–250 GSM is the compression sweet spot; 280–300 GSM suits scrunch or high-support biker leggings. Each step up in GSM increases yarn consumption and dye cost. 2. **Custom Pantone colors**: we can match almost any Pantone color in our dye house, but a custom dye needs minimum yardage to be efficient. On a one-piece sample, we either use a stock color close to your target or add a small lab-dip surcharge. 3. **Brushed-back or fleece-backed fabric**: adds $0.50–$1.00 per yard because it requires an extra mechanical finishing pass. 4. **Moisture-wicking and anti-pill finishes**: add a chemical finish step, roughly $0.20–$0.40 per yard. 5. **Sublimation printing**: a full all-over print can add $0.50–$1.20 per unit depending on coverage; a small logo print is closer to $0.15–$0.30. The fastest way to lower your quote is to lock the fabric specification before we cost the order. A buyer who sends us a fabric cut or a clear fiber/GSM spec gets a much tighter number than a buyer who has not specified anything. If you want to customize fabric, logo, labels, and waistband design, our [custom sportswear](/custom-sportswear) page walks through the options we produce in-house. ## Including Sample Costs Most cost guides stop at the bulk price. That is a mistake, because sample costs decide how many design iterations you can afford before launch. Here is our actual sampling policy: - **Sample fee**: $40–$90 for a standard legging; $60–$110 if the design has all-over sublimation printing, an embroidered logo, or custom reflective trims. - **What the sample fee covers**: fabric, cutting, sewing, trims, labels, and a QC check on the finished piece. It does not cover courier shipping. - **Sample production time**: we ship samples within 3–7 days of confirming artwork and color. - **Response time**: we reply to quote requests within 24 hours, so you are not waiting a week for a number. - **MOQ**: 1 piece. As our [low MOQ sportswear](/low-moq-sportswear) model explains, a one-piece order is treated like a normal production order. Your sample is literally a batch of one, made on the same machines we use for 5,000-piece runs. Why do we charge for samples at all? Because $40–$90 is the cheapest insurance in sportswear sourcing. A $6,000 bulk order with an untested waistband or a see-through panel is a far more expensive lesson. We also recommend ordering the sample in your final color and with your final logo method, not a plain white version, because printing and embroidery can change how the fabric stretches. If you are a startup brand with tight cash flow, use our 1-piece MOQ to test two or three fabric options before committing to a run. Once the sample is approved, a mid-sized order of 300 pieces ships in 4–6 weeks. For Amazon sellers, we can pre-apply FBA labels at the packing stage so cartons go straight to the fulfillment center. And when you are ready to build your own brand identity beyond the product, our [private label activewear](/private-label-activewear) page covers label, hang tag, and packaging choices. ## Quote comparison table The table below is the kind of quote sheet we send to a buyer who asks for a simple polyester-spandex legging with one logo, a standard waistband, and plain polybag packaging. Use these as planning ranges from our own floor; your exact quote will depend on fabric, print, trims, and order size. | Order size | Price per piece (USD, EXW Zhejiang) | Lead time after sample approval | MOQ | |---|---|---|---| | 1 piece (sample) | $45–$90 | sample ships in 3–7 days | 1 pc | | 100 pieces | $7.50–$9.50 | 4–6 weeks | 1 pc | | 300 pieces | $5.80–$7.50 | 4–6 weeks | 1 pc | | 1,000 pieces | $4.80–$6.20 | 4–6 weeks | 1 pc | | 5,000 pieces | $4.20–$5.50 | 4–6 weeks | 1 pc | All prices above are EXW Zhejiang: ocean freight, import duties, and FBA fulfillment fees are not included. If you want us to attach Amazon ASIN labels before shipping, add about $0.10–$0.30 per piece depending on label size and placement. ## FAQ **What is the typical price range for manufacturing leggings?** For a basic polyester-spandex legging in a mid-sized order of 300 pieces, expect $5.80–$7.50 per piece EXW our factory. At 1,000 pieces, the price drops to roughly $4.80–$6.20. A single sample costs $45–$90 depending on printing and trims. Nylon or custom compression fabric moves the price up by $1.50–$2.50 per piece. **What raises the unit cost the most?** Fabric selection, by far. Switching from polyester to nylon-spandex, increasing the GSM from 200 to 280, or adding a brushed-back finish can add $1.00–$2.50 per unit before print is even discussed. The second biggest driver is order size: below 300 pieces, setup labor is spread across fewer units, which is why a 100-piece price runs roughly 30–40% higher than a 1,000-piece price. Logo complexity and branded packaging come in third. --- Need a number for your exact specification? Send us your design, tech pack, or a cut of fabric, and we will reply with a quote within 24 hours—including both sample cost and bulk cost. [Request a Quote](mailto:support@alpinario.com)