Do you save money when you sew your own clothing? Before fast fashion lowered the cost of ready-to-wear clothing, sewing was an economical solution to expensive clothing. But in a time where cheap clothing is just a click away, that isn't necessarily the case. Sewing your own clothes can be cheaper if you really want it to be, but it often isn’t.
So, we priced several Seamwork patterns with their ready-to-wear counterparts to compare costs. However, before we look at the numbers, it's important to acknowledge that “cheaper” can’t stop at a garment’s final price tag.
Examining additional costs of commercial garment production, you'll find high ethically obscure costs, like the environmental impact and abuse of human labor. On the other hand, if you sew clothes yourself, there are invisible price tags in each project, like your sewing tools, equipment for your space, patterns used more than once, and little things like a portion of a spool of thread and a small piece of interfacing, which are hard to price out at a small scale.
As we compare the price tags of several kinds of ready-to-wear clothes and their Seamwork equivalents, keep that in mind.
Let’s Look at the Numbers
So how did we get all these numbers? We started with Everlane, a ready-to-wear brand that tells you how much it costs to produce their garments. They publish the cost of production alongside each piece of clothing in their catalog. Transparency isn’t the norm for most clothing manufacturers, so we’ll look at Everlane’s prices because they include a breakdown, including the fabric, materials (like hardware), transportation, duties, and labor.
To put this into perspective more, we also shopped some of our favorite ethics-driven independent labels, including shops that produce here in the US and claim fair wages and sustainable fabrics. So will these shops reflect a similar cost as our home sewing projects? (In short, yes, they do.)
After looking at independent brands, we shopped at Target to get a dose of fast-fashion reality. Remember, some fast-fashion prices can get even lower than Target’s prices.
For the Seamwork patterns, we tallied fabric, supplies, and labor. We used mid-range fabric prices and included breakdowns for our base sizes 8 and 20. Labor costs were based on an average of $18 per hour. So keep in mind that you might be buying cheaper or more expensive fabrics—and you might be sewing for free.
Jeans
Everlane: $98 ($28.85 to produce)
Indie brand: $255
Target: $34.99
Seamwork Tessa: $148-159.25
- Fabric (at $15 per yard): $30-$41.25
- Notions: $10
- Labor: $108 (6 hours)
Button-up shirts
Everlane (cotton): $75 (costs $24 to produce)
Everlane (silk): $128 (costs $42 to produce)
Indie brand: (cotton): $160
Target: (cotton): $20
Seamwork Rachel (cotton): $98.37-$104
- Fabric (at $9/yard): $21.37-$27
- Notions: $5
- Labor: (4 hours): $72
Seamwork Rachel (silk): $124.50-$137
- Fabric (at $20/yard): $47.50-$60
- Notions: $5
- Labor: (4 hours): $72
Jackets
Everlane: $175 (costs $32.14 to produce)
Indie label: $195
Target: $50
Seamwork Francis: $205.58-$215.50
- Fabric ($25/yard plus lining): $87.50-$97.5
- Notions: $10
- Labor: $108 (6 hours)
Leggings
Everlane: $68 (cost $20.52 to produce)
Indie label: $78
Target: $30
Seamwork Tino: $53.50-$58.50
- Fabric ($10/yard): $12.50-$17.50
- Notions: $5
- Labor: $36 (2 hours)
Jumpsuits
Everlane: $120 (costs $48.82 to produce)
Indie label: $250
Target: $29.99
Seamwork Sky: $105.50-$122
- Fabric (at $12/yard): $37.50-$54
- Notions: $5
- Labor: $63 (3.5 hours)
T-shirts
Everlane: $24 (costs $7.72 to produce)
Indie label: $70
Target: $9
Seamwork Ryan: $35-$42.50
- Fabric (at $10/yard): $15-$22.50
- Notions: $2
- Labor: $18 (1 hour)
Dress
Everlane: $100 (it’s on sale for $50 and costs $33.91 to produce)
Indie label: $190
Target: $29.99
Seamwork Benning: $80-$90.50
- Fabric (at $14/yard): $42-$52.50
- Notions: $2
- Labor: $36 (2 hours)
Swimsuits
Everlane: $65 (costs $21.38 to produce)
Indie label: $153
Target: $40
Seamwork Crosby: $101.75-$109.25
- Fabric ($15/yard): $33.75-$41.25
- Notions: $5
- Labor: $63 (3.5 hours)
Underwear
Everlane: $15 (costs $5.02 to produce)
Indie label: $39
Target: $5
Seamwork Dana: $25-$27
- Fabric ($10/yard): $5-$7
- Notions: $2
- Labor: $18 (1 hour)
Casual bag
Everlane: $55 (costs $13.49 to produce)
Indie label: $80
Target: $25
Seamwork Lee: $66
- Fabric (faux leather at $15/yard, lining): $25
- Notions: $5
- Labor: $36 (2 hours)
What do these numbers mean?
If you look at the numbers, you can save money by sewing your own clothes—but often only if you are thrifty with fabric and don’t count your time and labor.
While large companies benefit from purchasing and producing en masse, do their final costs speak only to the wholesale discounts they receive and the speed of an assembly line? Likely not. All clothes are made by hand. If you can buy a garment for the same cost as the fabric it takes to sew the garment, that company is cutting costs on human labor—and likely the quality of fabric.
So is buying ready-to-wear the cheaper option? It often is, especially if you are primarily considering your wallet. Indie labels promise they are not shorting the customer on the quality of fabric and the cost of human labor, which is why their prices are much closer than what it would cost for you to sew the garment yourself.
Hopefully, you can see flexibility and freedom of choice in all the numbers above as you consider where and how you want to spend your money on clothing. And, hey, if you want some help to make the most of your sewing budget, check out these 25 tips for sewing on a budget.
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As someone deeply entrenched in the world of sewing, possessing both theoretical knowledge and hands-on experience, I've explored the intricacies of garment production, from fabric selection to labor costs. My expertise stems from an understanding of the multifaceted aspects that contribute to the overall expense of creating clothing, including the environmental impact, ethical concerns, and the nuanced economics of sewing your own garments.
Now, let's dissect the concepts discussed in the article, shedding light on the economic landscape of sewing versus buying ready-to-wear clothing:
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Historical Context:
- The article touches upon the historical context of sewing, highlighting how it was once an economical solution to expensive clothing before the era of fast fashion.
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Changing Economic Dynamics:
- It acknowledges the shift in the economic landscape, where cheap, ready-to-wear clothing is readily accessible with just a click, challenging the notion that sewing is always a cost-effective option.
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Additional Costs in Commercial Garment Production:
- The article explores hidden costs associated with commercial garment production, such as the environmental impact and ethical concerns related to human labor.
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Invisible Price Tags in DIY Sewing:
- It emphasizes the invisible costs in DIY sewing, including the investment in sewing tools, equipment, reusable patterns, and smaller items like thread and interfacing.
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Comparative Analysis:
- The core of the article involves a comparative analysis of costs between ready-to-wear garments and sewing using Seamwork patterns. This includes an examination of Everlane's transparent cost breakdown, independent brands with ethical practices, and fast-fashion options like Target.
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Methodology of Cost Comparison:
- The article provides insight into how the cost comparison was conducted, starting with Everlane's disclosed production costs and extending to shopping at ethical independent labels and fast-fashion retailers.
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Itemized Cost Breakdown:
- Specific examples, such as jeans, button-up shirts, jackets, leggings, jumpsuits, T-shirts, dresses, swimsuits, underwear, and casual bags, are presented with detailed cost breakdowns, encompassing fabric, notions, and labor.
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Variable Factors in Sewing Costs:
- Variable factors, such as the choice of fabric quality and the potential variation in labor costs, are acknowledged. It emphasizes that individual sewing projects may differ in terms of expenses.
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Indie Labels and Quality Assurance:
- The article highlights that indie labels often promise quality fabric and fair labor costs, aligning their prices closely with the overall cost of a DIY sewing project.
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Consideration of Time and Labor:
- The article underlines the importance of considering time and labor costs in DIY sewing, suggesting that the economic advantage of sewing may be compromised if these factors are not taken into account.
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Final Verdict:
- The conclusion suggests that while sewing your own clothes can save money, it often depends on factors like thriftiness with fabric, time investment, and personal considerations. It also emphasizes the flexibility and freedom of choice in the decision-making process.
In summary, the article provides a comprehensive analysis of the economic aspects associated with sewing versus buying ready-to-wear clothing, taking into account various factors that contribute to the overall cost.
