Apparel Budget Planning

Q: How should I budget for staff turnover?

Plan a smaller ongoing reorder allowance — reorders skip setup fees, so replacing one employee's gear is a quick, low-cost reorder.

Planning apparel as an annual program instead of a one-time expense makes the cost predictable and avoids surprise scrambles when gear wears out or staff turns over.

Short answer: budget for an initial order plus a smaller ongoing reorder allowance (turnover, growth, worn-out replacement), since a properly-planned program's second and third orders are consistently cheaper per piece than the first — the one-time digitizing fee and any setup costs are already covered.

What Actually Drives Cost

Quantity. Larger runs spread setup costs across more pieces, lowering the per-unit price. Our minimum is 6 pieces per design placement per run.
Decoration method. Screen printing's cost drops fastest at volume; embroidery's per-piece cost is more consistent regardless of quantity. See our decoration method guide.
Logo complexity and digitizing. New logos have a one-time digitizing fee; every reorder after that skips it since the logo stays on file.
Garment cost. Brand and garment type (a basic polo vs. an insulated hi-vis parka) is a real cost driver independent of decoration.

Building a Simple Annual Budget

A practical way to think about it: your first-year cost covers the initial order plus digitizing (a one-time cost). Every year after that, budget for a smaller reorder allowance driven by three things — staff turnover, growth, and gear wearing out from regular use. Because reorders skip the digitizing fee, that ongoing allowance is typically a fraction of the first-year cost, not a repeat of it. For an exact number, request a quote with your specific garments and quantities — there's no flat per-shirt rate that applies across every program.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a flat price per shirt I can budget against?

No — pricing depends on quantity, decoration method, logo complexity, and garment cost together. Request a quote with your specifics for an accurate number.

Why is my first order more expensive per piece than a reorder?

The one-time digitizing fee and initial setup are part of the first order's cost. Since your logo stays on file afterward, every reorder skips that cost entirely.

How should I budget for staff turnover?

Plan a smaller ongoing reorder allowance separate from your initial order — since reorders skip setup fees, replacing one departed employee's gear is a quick, low-cost reorder, not a new project.

Planning a budget for your apparel program?

Tell us your garments and rough quantities for a real number.

Get a Quote