Free tool · Construction

Seam finishes: what each one costs you, and what you get

Pick a finish for each part of the garment. See how it looks and wears, what machine the factory needs, and roughly how it moves the sewing price against the simplest build. Bring your factory’s quote and it turns into dollars.

1 · What you’re making

2 · Fabric weight (woven)

voile, lawn, silk, rayon challis

3 · Start from

4 · Your numbers (optional)Factory’s sewing (CMT) quote for the simplest build, $ per unitUnits in the run

No quote yet? Leave it blank and compare the percentages, or try the cost calculator.

Sewing labor vs simplest

+3 to +8%

Estimated CMT

$14.42–$15.12

per unit, from your $14 quote

Extra over 300 units

$126–$336

Look Wear

Ask each factory if they have: Hemming folder helps · Binder attachment

For your tech pack

Top or blouse, light-weight woven.
Finishes:
- Main seams: Serged (overlock or safety stitch)
- Hem: Double-turned hem
- Neckline: Bias binding

Find factories that sew this →Get quotes: post a brief with these finishes

Main seams

Side seams, shoulders, sleeves

Best forMost ready-to-wear. A 5-thread safety stitch sews and finishes in one pass.

Watch outVisible inside. Fine on most clothes, reads basic on a premium shirt.

Factory needsOverlocker, on every line

Hem

Bottom hem and sleeve hems

Best forShirts and straight hems. Clean inside with no raw edge.

Watch outGets bulky in heavy fabric; ripples on deep curves.

Factory needsHemming folder helps

Neckline

Neck edge, V-necks, collars

Best forV-necks and curved necklines in production. Fast with a binder.

Watch outMiter the point of a V, or it bunches.

Factory needsBinder attachment

Details

Anything that adds operations

Best forKeeping it simple.

Factory needsA standard sewing line

Want someone to check the construction?

A technical designer or pattern maker can spec the finishes, seam allowances and stitch types so every factory quotes the same garment.

Kind of helpFind a consultant →Browse factories

The labor figures are rough rules of thumb for a small-batch woven garment, shown as a share of a simple-build sewing quote. They move a lot with the factory, its machines, the fabric and the run size, so treat them as a way to compare options, not a quote. Ask factories to price the finishes you pick, ideally per operation, so you can see what each one really costs you.