If you’ve started pricing out custom overalls for a work crew, a restaurant staff, or a promo event, you’ve probably noticed the numbers all over the map — one site quotes $30 a pair, another wants $100 before you’ve even added a logo. That spread isn’t random. It comes down to three variables: the blank garment itself, the decoration method you choose, and how many pieces you’re ordering at once. Once you understand how those three stack, the quotes start making sense.
This guide walks through what a pair of custom overalls actually costs once embroidery or printing is added, what minimum order quantities look like in practice, how fabric weight affects both durability and price, and how long you should realistically budget for production. The goal is to get you to a real order — not a ballpark you’ll have to re-negotiate after the first quote comes back.
Source: Battle Born Clothing embroidery cost guide and Vivid Promotion workwear MOQ guide, 2026
What custom overalls actually cost
Start with the blank garment, because it’s the biggest line item and the one buyers underestimate. A Dickies Classic Bib Overall in 11.5 oz cotton duck runs about $50 retail, while a Carhartt Duck Unlined Bib Overall (style CT102776), a heavier-duty option favored by contractors, lists closer to $100. That’s before a single stitch of decoration goes on. If your supplier is quoting a finished, decorated price under $50 a unit, it’s worth asking which blank they’re actually using — lighter poly-cotton blend overalls exist in the $8.5 oz range and cost less, but they won’t hold up the same way on a jobsite.
Decoration is the second cost layer. Embroidery adds a real, itemized cost: roughly $7.50–$12 per logo for the stitching itself on a standard 5,000–8,000 stitch design, plus a one-time digitizing fee of $25–$60 to convert your artwork into a stitch file the machine can run. That digitizing fee is per design, not per garment, so it amortizes down fast once you’re past a couple dozen pieces. Screen printing and heat-transfer vinyl skip the digitizing step entirely and are generally cheaper per unit at low volumes, though the per-piece savings shrink as embroidery’s fixed costs get spread across a bigger order.
Embroidery vs. screen printing
Which decoration method you pick changes both the price and the minimum order you’ll be quoted. Embroidery reads as more premium and holds up better on heavy fabrics like cotton duck, but it comes with fixed costs that only make sense once you’re ordering a real quantity. Screen printing and heat transfer are cheaper to set up and more forgiving on small runs, but the print can crack or fade faster on garments that get washed hard and often, which is most workwear.
Minimum order quantities: what's realistic
Suppliers advertise minimum order quantities that don’t always match what you’ll actually pay a reasonable price for. Several print shops market printed or heat-transferred overalls with no minimum at all — you can order a single pair. Embroidery is a different story: even shops that technically accept small orders tend to set an informal floor of 12 to 24 pieces per design, because the machine setup and thread changeover cost roughly the same whether you’re running 3 pieces or 30. Rush Order Tees, for example, lists a minimum of 6 units for embroidered Carhartt overalls but no minimum on printed ones.
If you need fewer than a dozen units, lean toward screen printing or heat transfer and save embroidery for reorders once you know your sizing and quantities. If you’re outfitting a crew of 50 or more, embroidery’s per-unit economics improve enough that the durability upgrade is usually worth it.
Choosing the right fabric weight
Overalls are sized in ounces per square yard, and that number tells you more about how the garment will perform than the brand name does. Standard cotton duck runs 11–12 oz — Dickies’ duck bib is 11.5 oz, its denim version is 11.75 oz, and Carhartt’s duck overalls sit in a similar heavyweight range. That weight is what gives work overalls their stiffness and abrasion resistance; it’s the right call for anyone doing physical labor, welding-adjacent work, or anything involving repeated washing.
Lighter poly-cotton blends, around 8.5 oz with a 65/35 polyester-cotton mix, show up in promotional and event overalls. They’re less expensive, drape more like a garment than a tarp, and are fine for retail staff, event crews, or branded merch that isn’t taking daily abuse. Waxed canvas is a third option worth knowing about for outdoor or cold-weather crews — it adds water resistance but costs more and is harder to embroider cleanly through, so most shops print rather than stitch on it.
Lead times: standard vs. rush
Budget 5–10 business days for embroidery or screen printing once your design is approved and the blanks are in stock. A fully custom workwear order — sourcing specific sizes, colors, and a new logo digitized from scratch — more realistically runs 2–3 weeks start to finish. New embroidery designs add roughly one extra business day for digitizing before production even starts, so get your logo file to the supplier before you lock in a hard deadline.
Rush service exists at most shops that do embroidery or printing in-house, typically compressing turnaround to 3–5 business days. Expect a 25–50% surcharge on top of the standard decoration price for that speed, since the shop is reprioritizing other customers’ jobs to fit yours in. If your event date is fixed, it’s cheaper to order two weeks early than to pay the rush fee later.
Sizing and fit for a full crew
Overalls run less forgiving than a t-shirt order — a bib that’s an inch off in the shoulder strap or inseam is noticeable in a way a slightly loose tee isn’t. Before placing a bulk order, get a single sample pair in your most common size and have someone who’ll actually wear it try it on over a work outfit, not just street clothes; overalls are meant to layer. Most suppliers offer a pre-production sample for a small fee that’s refunded or credited against the full order, and it’s worth the few extra days it adds to your timeline.
For mixed-size crews, order a size run based on actual measurements rather than assuming a standard bell curve — trade and service crews skew toward larger sizes than typical apparel size charts assume. Confirm your supplier’s return or exchange policy on decorated goods before you finalize quantities, since a logo already stitched or printed on the wrong size usually can’t be resold or swapped.
Frequently asked questions
What's the minimum order for custom overalls?
It depends on the decoration method. Screen printing and heat transfer are frequently available with no minimum — you can order one pair. Embroidery typically has a practical floor of 12–24 pieces per design because of machine setup time, even at shops that don’t post an official minimum.
How much does it cost to add a logo to overalls?
Embroidery runs about $7.50–$12 per logo in stitching plus a one-time $25–$60 digitizing fee for the design file. Screen printing and heat transfer are usually cheaper per unit on small orders since they skip the digitizing step, though the gap narrows as order size grows.
How long does a custom overalls order take?
Standard decoration turnaround is 5–10 business days once your design is approved and blanks are on hand. A full custom order — new sizing, colors, and a logo digitized from scratch — typically takes 2–3 weeks. Rush service can bring that down to 3–5 business days for a 25–50% surcharge.
What fabric weight should I choose for work overalls?
For daily physical labor, stick with 11–12 oz cotton duck, the standard weight used by both Dickies and Carhartt bib overalls. Lighter 8.5 oz poly-cotton blends cost less and fit more like everyday clothing, making them a better fit for event staff or retail crews rather than jobsite wear.
Is embroidery or screen printing better for overalls?
Embroidery holds up better over repeated washing and heavy wear, which matters on a garment meant to survive a jobsite, but it only makes financial sense once you’re ordering enough pieces to spread out the digitizing fee. Screen printing is more economical for small runs but the print can crack or fade faster with hard use.
The bottom line
The fastest way to get an accurate quote on custom overalls is to walk in already knowing your numbers: which blank weight you need, roughly how many pieces, and whether embroidery’s durability is worth its fixed costs at your order size. A crew of a dozen doing outdoor work is a different order than fifty event-staff pairs worn a handful of times — price the decoration method to match the job, not just the logo.