How much does it cost to start a clothing brand?

The honest answer: anywhere from €300 to €10,000+, depending on one decision: how you produce. This guide breaks down every cost of a first drop, with three realistic budgets.

The three ways to produce (and what they cost)

Most successful small brands climb this ladder: test with print on demand, launch with premium blanks, then move their best sellers to cut & sew.

Every cost of a first drop

1. Production (the biggest line). Units × landed cost. Landed cost is everything to get one finished piece to your door: garment, decoration, labels, packaging, freight and import duties.

2. Samples. Budget €40–120 per design for cut & sew, including shipping. Plan for at least two rounds.

3. Branding. Logo, labels, hang tags: €0 if you design them yourself, €100–500 with a freelancer. Woven labels typically start around €0.10–0.40 each at 100–500 pieces.

4. Photos. €0–500. A phone, daylight and a friend as a model is enough for a first drop if the styling is good.

5. Website. €0–40 per month. Start on a simple plan; you can always upgrade.

6. Launch marketing. €0–1,000+. Organic TikTok and Instagram content costs time, not money. Paid ads only make sense once you know your product converts.

7. Buffer. Always add 10%. Something always costs more than planned: a second sample round, duties you forgot, a re-shoot.

Three example budgets

Lean (€300–600): print on demand, 2 designs, phone photos, free store plan, organic content only. Low risk, low margin, perfect for testing.

Smart start (€1,500–2,500): premium blanks with embroidery, 2 designs × 50 pieces, small photoshoot, €300 for seeding to creators. The sweet spot for most first drops.

Full custom (€5,000+): cut & sew with your own fit, 3 styles × 100 pieces, samples, proper shoot and launch budget. Only when you already have an audience.

How to spend less without looking cheap

• Launch with 2–3 designs. Every design adds samples, MOQs and photos.
• Limit colours. MOQs usually count per colour. Black, off-white and one signature colour cover most demand.
• Pre-sell. Take orders before you produce and let customers fund the run.
• Weight your sizes. Order more M and L, fewer XS and XXL.
• Spend on the product, not the website. A great hoodie on a simple store beats an average hoodie on an expensive one.

Check your break-even

Divide your total budget by what you keep per piece (price excl. VAT, minus payment fees and shipping). If you need to sell more than ~75% of your stock just to get your money back, change the plan before you order.

Use the free startup budget calculator and cost & margin calculator to run your own numbers.