There is no fixed price for making a garment in Turkey, because the cost is built from your own choices. Fabric and trims are usually the largest part, followed by how complex the design is to sew and finish, how many pieces you order per style and colour, and extras such as printing, embroidery, labels and packaging. Sampling and pattern work come before the first run, and shipping and duties decide what the garment really costs when it reaches you. Send a tech pack or clear references with quantities and your target market, and a manufacturer can quote you accurately per style.
Key points
- Fabric and trims are usually the biggest part of the cost of a garment.
- Complex construction, special finishing and decoration add sewing and handling time.
- The quantity per style and per colour changes the price per piece more than anything else.
- Sampling and pattern work are a separate cost that comes before production.
- Compare landed cost, including shipping and duties, not only the factory price.
Why there is no single price
Two garments that look alike can cost very differently to make. A basic jersey top in a stock fabric and a lined dress with a custom print are both clothing, but they use different materials, different machines and very different amounts of skilled work.
A manufacturer prices each style from its fabric, its construction, its quantity and what you need around it. That is why any number given before someone has seen your design is a guess, not a quote.
Fabric and trims
Fabric is usually the largest single cost in a garment. Its price depends on the fibre, the weight, the finish and whether it is a stock fabric or developed for you in a custom colour or print. How efficiently the pattern pieces fit on the fabric also matters, because the waste is paid for too.
Trims add up quickly: zips, buttons, elastics, interlinings, linings and threads. Standard trims cost less and are easier to source than custom ones made with your logo or in your own colours.
Design, construction and finishing
The more operations a garment needs, the more it costs. Panels, darts, pleats, pockets, linings, bindings and topstitching each add sewing time. Delicate fabrics such as chiffon or satin need slower, more careful work than a stable knit.
Finishing counts as well: washing, garment dyeing, pressing, special hems and hand work all add steps between the sewing line and the box.
Quantity, colours and sizes
Every style has set up work: preparing patterns, cutting, planning the line and training operators on the garment. Larger quantities spread that work over more pieces, so the price per piece falls as the run grows.
Colours and sizes split your quantity. The same total spread over many colours and a wide size range behaves like several smaller orders, each with its own fabric, dye lot and cutting plan. A focused colour and size spread keeps the price per piece lower.
Sampling and pattern work
Before production, a style needs a pattern, size grading and at least one sample to check fit, fabric and construction. This development work is priced separately from production and depends on how many rounds of samples you need.
A clear brief saves money here. The fewer open questions in your design, the fewer sample rounds it takes to approve it.
Printing, embroidery, labels, packaging and quality control
Decoration has its own cost. Screen printing, digital printing, embroidery and heat transfers are priced by method, size, number of colours and placement, and custom work often needs its own set up.
Woven labels, care labels, hang tags, polybags and branded boxes are small items, but they belong in the cost of every piece. Quality control, from checking fabric on arrival to final inspection before packing, is part of producing well and should be included in the quote, not added later.
Shipping, duties and landed cost
The factory price is only part of what a garment costs you. Landed cost adds freight, insurance, customs duties, import taxes and any broker or handling fees until the goods reach your warehouse.
Turkey's location helps here for brands selling in Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia. Clothing shipped from Turkey to the EU with an A.TR movement certificate generally enters without customs duty under the customs union. Rules depend on the product and the destination, so confirm them with your customs broker.
How to get an accurate quote
The more complete your request, the more accurate the price. Send these with your enquiry.
- A tech pack, or at least sketches and photos of reference garments
- The fabric you have in mind, or a description of the feel and weight you want
- Colours and the size range for each style
- Rough quantities per style and per colour
- Printing, embroidery, labels and packaging you need
- Your target market and where the goods will be shipped