Pricing Mixed Garment Sizes and Styles in One Order
A mixed order needs a weighted blank cost, not a simple average of supplier prices. The weighting comes from the quantities actually purchased.
Weight prices by quantity
Suppose an order uses 60 blanks at $3, 30 at $4, and 10 at $6. The total blank cost is $180 + $120 + $60 = $360. Across 100 blanks, the weighted average is $3.60. The simple average of the three prices is $4.33, which describes neither the order mix nor its total cost.
Use the quantities you expect to purchase when costing inventory. If the finished mix and extra-stock mix differ, do not assume they have the same average cost.
Add extra blanks to the correct groups
Now add three $3 blanks, two $4 blanks, and one $6 blank. Those six extras cost $23. The purchase total becomes 106 blanks at $383, giving an unrounded average of about $3.6132075. Rounding that input to $3.61 produces $382.66 in the blank-cost line, a $0.34 difference.
Screenprintcalc accepts decimal cost inputs, but estimates that require exact cents by size are often clearer when kept as separate groups. The size-level allowance guide explains why rounding each group also changes the total number of extras.
Do not repeat shared setup for every size
Separate garment-cost groups do not necessarily mean separate preparation. If all groups genuinely share one setup, charge that setup once for the combined job or allocate it consistently among groups. Charging the full setup cost to each group would overstate the order total.
If a different style changes artwork size, print location, handling, or production time, it may deserve a separate cost estimate beyond the blank-price difference. Do not hide those operational differences inside a weighted garment average.
Choose a quote presentation the customer can check
You can quote one blended unit price or itemize size/style surcharges. With a blended price, a later change in mix changes your average cost even if quantity is unchanged. With separate prices, check the order total against the complete job cost and target margin.
Use the job pricing calculator for a single consistent group, or for a deliberately weighted combined estimate. Keep the group worksheet beside it so the source of the average is visible.
Handle supplied garments separately
If some garments belong to the customer, they should not acquire an invented purchase cost in your cash-outlay estimate. They may still create handling and replacement considerations. Read estimating customer-supplied garments before mixing those units into a shop-supplied order.
Use purchase quantities for the weighted average
Copy these fields into the record for your next comparable job.
- Group rows
- Style, size, color, finished units, spare units, purchased units, and unit cost.
- Cross-check
- Sum each group quantity × price. Compare this with total quantity × the unrounded weighted price.
- Separate estimates when
- A style changes production work as well as garment price. A weighted blank price cannot capture extra handling or setup.
Put this into practice
Open the job pricing calculator with your own job values.
AI-assisted educational content. Examples are illustrative; arithmetic is checked against the stated methods. This is not a field-tested production specification. Read our editorial policy.
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