What is the difference between margin and markup?

Margin is profit divided by selling price; markup is profit divided by cost. For a $400 cost, a 40% margin requires a $666.67 price, while a 40% markup produces a $560 price.

Should every garment size have the same quoted cost?

Only when your supplier costs and shop policy support it. Record size surcharges and special variants before calculating the total.

Print Laser Pro

Apparel Print Estimating: Cost, Margin, and Quote Checklist

Name: Print Laser Pro
Price: 79 USD

Short answer: Estimate an apparel print job by adding garments, decoration, direct labor, setup, expected spoilage, and allocated overhead, then calculate the selling price from the target margin. Quote tax, freight, rush work, and design revisions explicitly, using your actual supplier and production costs.

Build the job cost before setting a price

Record quantities by size and color, the chosen garment, decoration method, print locations, artwork preparation, setup time, labor, and packaging. Include minimum charges and larger-size surcharges when they apply. Use current supplier prices and measured shop time.

Worked example: 48 shirts

This illustrative example is not a Print Laser Pro price or an industry benchmark. Garments cost 48 × $4 = $192; decoration costs 48 × $2 = $96; labor is 2 hours × $25 = $50; setup is $30; spoilage allowance is $12; allocated overhead is $20. Total estimated cost is $400.

At a target gross margin of 40%, selling price is cost ÷ (1 − margin): $400 ÷ 0.60 = $666.67, or about $13.89 per shirt before separately quoted tax and freight. Confirm rounding and the final order total. A 40% markup would produce $560 and a gross margin of about 28.6%, which is a different calculation.

Make the quote assumptions visible

State the garment, quantity matrix, decoration locations, approved artwork requirement, included revisions, production schedule, quote expiry, freight, and tax treatment. Reprice the job if quantities, artwork, stock, or delivery requirements change.

Compare the estimate with the completed job

Record actual material use, spoilage, labor, outsourced charges, and delivery costs. Use the differences to improve the next estimate. A calculator helps with arithmetic; it cannot establish your actual machine time or supplier costs.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between margin and markup?: Margin is profit divided by selling price; markup is profit divided by cost. For a $400 cost, a 40% margin requires a $666.67 price, while a 40% markup produces a $560 price.
Should every garment size have the same quoted cost?: Only when your supplier costs and shop policy support it. Record size surcharges and special variants before calculating the total.

Related production guides

Reviewed 2026-09-29. Follow the safety, material, color, and operating instructions supplied by your equipment and software vendors.