Free pricing tool
Decoration cost calculator
Estimate screen print, embroidery or DTG costs per item from quantity, colors, garment and print locations.
Estimates use simplified example rates. Use your own supplier and decorator pricing for real quotes.
How it works
How does decoration pricing work?
Decoration costs in the promotional products industry follow a layered pricing model. Understanding each layer helps you quote accurately and protect your margins.
What is a setup fee?
Every decoration method has a setup cost. For screen printing, this covers creating the screens (stencils). For embroidery, it covers digitizing the artwork into a stitch file. These fees are charged once per order, regardless of quantity.
Typical ranges: screen printing $25 to $35 per color, embroidery digitizing $20 to $100 depending on complexity, DTG has minimal setup.
What goes into the per-item decoration cost?
On top of setup, each item incurs a per-unit decoration charge. This covers ink, thread, pretreatment, and labor. The per-item cost decreases with larger quantities as the fixed overhead is spread across more units.
Where does the markup go?
As a distributor, you add your markup on top of the blank garment cost plus decoration. Industry standard margins range from 30% to 50% depending on the product category and client relationship. Getting this calculation wrong is where most shops lose money.
Pricing tip
Always calculate your margin on the total cost (blank + decoration + setup), not just the blank garment. Decoration fees are often 40% to 60% of the final customer price.
Next step: turn cost into a selling price with the markup calculator, or read the guide to decoration margins.
AI agents
Which AI agent checks this on every quote?
You just priced one job by hand. The Margin Agent checks setup fees, color counts and stitch bands against the job and flags thin margins before the quote goes out. It never changes prices: your team makes any change.
Margin Agent Proposed build
Flags thin margins before the quote goes out.
A higher stitch count, a missing rush fee or a supplier price change quietly eats the profit.
- Checks every quote against your margin floor and price lists
- Spots stitch bands, colour counts and setup fees that do not match the job
- Suggests the fix and shows the margin it would give
Two ways to start
- One agent on your current tools
- A setup fee plus a monthly agent fee, quoted after a free AI workflow assessment.
- The TaggIQ platform
- Quotes, orders, production and invoicing in one platform, with AI that drafts alongside your team. 30-day free trial.
Other agents that help here
- Quote Agent Proposed build Every quote followed up. Stops the moment they reply. See the Quote Agent
See all AI agents and what each one does.
You just priced one job by hand.
Let an AI agent check decoration costs and margins on every quote, on your current tools or inside TaggIQ.
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