How to Price Custom Aprons and Kitchen Linens
How to price custom aprons and kitchen linens: blanks, embroidery, HTV or sublimation, personalization and gift sets, with worked examples.
In this guide
Custom aprons and kitchen towels are popular gifts for weddings, bakers, restaurants and holidays. They can be embroidered, sublimated or decorated with HTV. This guide shows how to price aprons and kitchen linens, with gift sets and bulk orders for businesses.
- Price = blank + decoration + personalization time + packaging + overhead, then profit and fees.
- An embroidered name apron costs about $19.58 to make and sells for about $29.
- Business orders for staff aprons share setup, so the price per apron drops.
- Gift sets with a towel and pot holder raise order size.
Why linens need careful pricing
Apron blanks vary a lot in price and quality. Canvas aprons cost more than thin poly aprons.
Embroidery takes machine time. Sublimation needs polyester blanks. Price the method you use.
The steps
1. Price the blank
Apron, towel or pot holder.
2. Add decoration
Embroidery thread and backing, HTV or sublimation.
3. Add time
Hooping, pressing or stitching.
4. Add packaging
Gift wrap or a bag.
5. Add overhead, profit and fees
Use 10% overhead, 30% profit and fees.
Worked example: apron, tea towel and gift set
$20 an hour, 10% overhead, 30% profit and 10% fees.
| Embroidered name apron | Sublimated tea towel | Apron, towel and pot holder set | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Blanks | $7.50 | $2.50 | $13.00 |
| Decoration | $1.50 | $0.80 | $3.00 |
| Packaging | $0.80 | $0.40 | $2.50 |
| Labor at $20.00/hr | 0.4 hr = $8.00 | 0.2 hr = $4.00 | 0.8 hr = $16.00 |
| Overhead (10%) | $1.78 | $0.77 | $3.45 |
| Cost to make | $19.58 | $8.47 | $37.95 |
| Plus 30% profit | $25.45 | $11.01 | $49.34 |
| Cover 10% selling fees (divide by 0.90) | $28.28 | $12.23 | $54.82 |
| Suggested price | $29 | $13 | $55 |
Gift sets carry a bigger order total. Offer them for weddings and holidays.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Cheap blanks for premium prices. Thin aprons bring bad reviews.
- Sublimating cotton. Sublimation needs polyester.
- No setup on staff orders. Logo digitizing and setup should be charged once.
- Free gift wrap. Charge for gift packaging.
What you keep on each sales channel
The same embroidered apron at $29.00 leaves different money in your pocket depending on where it sells. This uses the $19.58 cost to make from the example above, with Etsy's current transaction, processing and listing fees and Square's in-person card rate. Shipping, sales tax and ads are left out.
| Where it sells | Buyer pays | Fees | You keep | Profit over cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Etsy (6.5% + 3% + $0.25 + $0.20 listing) | $29.00 | $3.21 | $25.80 | $6.21 |
| Your own website (about 2.9% + $0.30) | $29.00 | $1.14 | $27.86 | $8.28 |
| Craft fair, card reader (2.6% + $0.15) | $29.00 | $0.90 | $28.10 | $8.52 |
| Craft fair, cash | $29.00 | $0.00 | $29.00 | $9.42 |
| Wholesale to a shop (50% of retail) | $14.50 | $0.00 | $14.50 | -$5.08 |
On Etsy, fees take about 11% of a $29.00 sale. If a sale comes through Etsy Offsite Ads, add another 15% (12% for shops over $10,000 a year), so build that into your price if you're enrolled. Wholesale at half of retail loses $5.08 per piece here. Either raise retail, lower your cost, or set a separate wholesale price with a case minimum.
Bulk and custom order pricing
For a restaurant order of logo aprons, logo setup and a test sew takes about 0.75 hr at $20.00/hr. Charge that once per order, then spread it across the pieces. Materials are $9.00 per piece and hands-on time is 18 minutes, which drops when you batch the same design. Overhead is 10%, profit 30%, and 3% covers card or invoice fees.
| Quantity | Setup share per piece | Cost per piece | Price per piece | Order total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $15.00 | $33.00 | $44.23 | $44.23 |
| 10 | $1.50 | $17.16 | $23.00 | $229.98 |
| 25 | $0.60 | $15.51 | $20.79 | $519.66 |
| 50 | $0.30 | $14.85 | $19.90 | $995.10 |
The price per piece falls from $44.23 to $19.90 because the setup is shared, not because you cut your rate. Quote the tier the customer actually orders, ask for a 50% deposit before you buy blanks, and set a minimum order size for custom work.
Apron and linen checklist
- Blank cost.
- Decoration cost.
- Time.
- Packaging.
- Overhead, profit and fees.
- Bulk tiers.
Price embroidered gifts
Type your blank, thread, backing and time into the peach cells. The calculator shows cost and price.
Get the Embroidered Gift Pricing CalculatorCalculators that help
- Stitch count pricing: Price embroidery by stitches. Use the Machine Embroidery Pricing by Stitch Count Calculator – Run Time, Thread, Blank, Labor & Price per 1,000.
- Sublimation: Price sublimated products. Use the Sublimation Multi-Product Pricing Calculator – 8 Products Side by Side, Profit per Hour.
- Gift sets: Price bundles. Use the Bundle & Set Pricing Calculator – Bundle Price, Buyer Savings, Bundle Profit & Gift Set Pricing.
- Digitizing: Set setup fees. Use the Embroidery Digitizing Fee & Setup Calculator – Per 1,000 Stitches, Hourly or Flat, Edits & Waivers.
Common questions
How much should I charge for a custom apron?
Many personalized aprons sell for about $20 to $40. In this guide an embroidered apron prices at about $29.
What is the best method for aprons?
Embroidery is durable. Sublimation suits polyester aprons with full color.
How do I price staff aprons?
Charge setup once and use bulk tiers.
Should I sell gift sets?
Yes, they raise order size.
Can I sublimate cotton towels?
Not well. Use polyester or poly blend towels.
What sells best?
Personalized aprons and holiday towels.
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