Pet Bandana Pricing: How to Price Dog Bandanas
How to price pet bandanas: fabric, sewing, sizes and personalization, with three worked examples.
In this guide
Dog bandanas are quick to sew and popular for holidays, birthdays and photos. Fabric costs are low, so time and packaging matter. This guide shows how to price bandanas by size and personalization.
- Bandana price = fabric + snaps + sewing time + personalization + packaging + overhead, then profit and fees.
- A small bandana costs about $5.94 to make and sells for about $9.
- Personalized names add HTV or embroidery cost and time.
- Holiday bundles raise order size.
Why small sewn items need time pricing
Fabric may cost $1. Sewing time and packaging are most of the cost.
Batch cutting saves time.
The steps
1. Cost fabric
By size and fabric yield.
2. Add snaps or ties
Hardware per bandana.
3. Add sewing time
Cutting, sewing and pressing.
4. Add personalization
HTV or embroidery.
5. Add overhead, profit and fees
Use 10% overhead, 30% profit and fees.
Worked example: three bandana options
$20 an hour, 10% overhead, 30% profit and 10% fees.
| Small bandana | Large bandana | Personalized bandana | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fabric | $0.80 | $1.40 | $1.10 |
| Snaps and packaging | $0.60 | $0.70 | $0.70 |
| Personalization | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.80 |
| Labor at $20.00/hr | 0.2 hr = $4.00 | 0.25 hr = $5.00 | 0.35 hr = $7.00 |
| Overhead (10%) | $0.54 | $0.71 | $0.96 |
| Cost to make | $5.94 | $7.81 | $10.56 |
| Plus 30% profit | $7.72 | $10.15 | $13.73 |
| Cover 10% selling fees (divide by 0.90) | $8.58 | $11.28 | $15.25 |
| Suggested price | $9 | $12 | $16 |
Holiday bandana sets are a simple way to raise order size.
Pricing mistakes to avoid
- Tie-on bandanas for pets left alone. Suggest supervised wear or breakaway snaps.
- One size for all. Offer sizes.
- Free personalization. Charge for names.
- Low quality fabric. Use pre-washed cotton.
What you keep on each sales channel
The same small pet bandana at $9.00 leaves different money in your pocket depending on where it sells. This uses the $5.94 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) | $9.00 | $1.30 | $7.70 | $1.75 |
| Your own website (about 2.9% + $0.30) | $9.00 | $0.56 | $8.44 | $2.50 |
| Craft fair, card reader (2.6% + $0.15) | $9.00 | $0.38 | $8.62 | $2.68 |
| Craft fair, cash | $9.00 | $0.00 | $9.00 | $3.06 |
| Wholesale to a shop (50% of retail) | $4.50 | $0.00 | $4.50 | -$1.44 |
On Etsy, fees take about 14% of a $9.00 sale. The fixed $0.45 per order hits small items hardest, so bundles and multi-packs keep more of each 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 $1.44 per piece here. Either raise retail, lower your cost, or set a separate wholesale price with a case minimum.
Pet bandana checklist
- Fabric.
- Snaps.
- Sewing time.
- Personalization.
- Packaging.
- Overhead, profit and fees.
Price any handmade product
Type your materials and time into the peach cells. The calculator shows cost and price.
Get the Handmade Product Pricing CalculatorCalculators that help
- Yardage: Convert fabric. Use the Fabric, Ribbon & Yarn Yardage Converter – Length per Item to Yards or Meters to Buy, Cost & Leftovers.
- HTV: Price HTV designs. Use the HTV Garment Pricing Calculator – Shirts, Hoodies & More, 1 to 4 Colors.
- Bundles: Price sets. Use the Bundle & Set Pricing Calculator – Bundle Price, Buyer Savings, Bundle Profit & Gift Set Pricing.
- Embroidery: Price stitching. Use the Machine Embroidery Pricing by Stitch Count Calculator – Run Time, Thread, Blank, Labor & Price per 1,000.
Common questions
How much should I charge for a dog bandana?
Many sell for about $8 to $20. In this guide a small bandana prices at about $9.
What fabric is best?
Cotton is common. Pre-wash it.
Snap or tie?
Snaps or slide-on styles are popular.
How do I price names?
Add HTV or embroidery cost and time.
Should I sell holiday sets?
Yes, sets raise order size.
How many sizes?
Three to four sizes is common.
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