Cut Make Trim Calculator
CMT plus materials, per garment and per run.
Calculate the manufacturing cost of a garment from CMT, fabric and trims, with wastage and the split between labour and materials.
Cost per garment
$16.40
$8,200 for the run
Wastage applies to materials, not to CMT — the factory's labour does not scale with offcuts. The split between the two tells you where cost reduction is actually available: a garment that is mostly fabric will not get cheaper by renegotiating the make.
How the Cut Make Trim Calculator works
CMT is the factory's charge for turning your materials into a garment — cut, make, trim — and it is quoted per unit. It is not the cost of the garment, because fabric and trims are supplied or charged separately, and a CMT quote read as a total cost understates the real figure by a wide margin.
Also known as: CMT calculator · garment manufacturing cost calculator
What CMT is and is not
CMT is the factory's charge for cutting, making and trimming — their labour and overhead for turning your materials into a finished garment. It does not include fabric, main trims, labels or packaging, which are supplied by you or charged separately.
That is why a CMT quote read as a garment cost understates the real figure badly. A 8 CMT on a garment with 8 of materials is a 16 garment, not an 8 one.
Wastage applies to materials and not to CMT, because the factory's labour does not scale with the offcuts. Three to eight percent is typical for wovens, more for directional prints, plaids and bias-cut pieces.
A worked example
CMT of 8, fabric of 6, trims of 2, at 5% wastage. Materials become 8.40 and the garment costs 16.40. CMT is 49% of the cost and materials 51%.
That split is the useful output. A garment where materials dominate will not get meaningfully cheaper by renegotiating the make; one where CMT dominates will not get cheaper by finding cheaper cloth. The split tells you which conversation to have.
Where the answer misleads
CMT pricing moves the sourcing work, the cash flow and the risk to you. You buy the fabric, you carry it, and you are exposed if it is wrong. Full package pricing costs more per unit and removes a great deal of coordination — for a small brand that is often the better trade.
CMT quotes also assume a minimum quantity and a specification. A quote given against a sample and then applied to a more complex production version is a common source of a cost that rises after the order is placed.
Finally, the cheapest CMT is rarely the cheapest garment. Rework, delays and quality failures cost more than the few pence per unit that a lower quote saved, and none of it appears in this calculation.
Not financial advice. Marketplace fees change, and they vary by country, plan and seller status. Every rate here is an editable default, not a quoted price, check the platform's current fee schedule before you price a product against it. This is not tax or business advice.
Frequently asked questions
What does CMT include?
The factory's labour and overhead for cutting, sewing and finishing, and usually the small trims they hold like thread. Fabric, main trims, labels and packaging are normally supplied by you or charged on top.
How much wastage should I allow?
Three to eight percent on fabric for most woven garments, more for directional prints, plaids and anything cut on the bias. Wastage applies to materials rather than to the CMT charge, since the factory's labour does not scale with the offcuts.
Is CMT cheaper than full package?
Usually per unit, but it moves the sourcing work, the cash flow and the risk to you. Full package pricing includes the factory buying materials, which costs more and removes a great deal of coordination.
What share should CMT be of the cost?
For simple garments in expensive fabric, materials dominate and CMT can be a quarter of the cost. For complex tailoring in cheap cloth it can be the majority. The split itself tells you where cost reduction is actually available.