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Production basics

How to get 50 hoodies (or tees) made in the US

Two real routes to a first run of 50 US-made hoodies or tees: US-made blanks plus decoration, or cut-and-sew from your own pattern. Who takes 50, what to budget for, and the labeling rules.

  • 4 min read
  • Last checked Nov 3, 2026
  • 8 public sources

Quick answer

  • Fifty is a normal first run. Decide first between US-made blanks plus decoration (fast and cheap) and cut-and-sew (your own fit and fabric).
  • Several listed shops state minimums at or under 50 for knits, including hoodies from 24 at Euphoric Colors.
  • Count the run per style and per color. Fifty hoodies in two colors is only 25 per color.
  • Labels need fiber content, country of origin, your name or RN, and care instructions. Kids' sizes need third-party testing.
On this page
  1. Route 1: US-made blanks plus your decoration
  2. Route 2: Cut-and-sew from your own pattern
  3. The "50" math that catches people
  4. Timeline
  5. Labels and rules that apply to a small run
  6. Quick checklist
  7. Sources

Fifty pieces is a normal first run, and plenty of US shops will take it. The catch is that "get hoodies made" means two different jobs, and they differ a lot in cost and time. Pick one before you email anyone.

Route 1

US-made blanks + your decoration

A finished garment plus your print, embroidery and labels. No pattern, no sampling, no fabric order.

Route 2

Cut-and-sew from your own pattern

Your fit, your fabric, your details. More steps, more time, more control.

Route 1: US-made blanks plus your decoration

You buy finished blank hoodies that were sewn in the US, then add your print, embroidery and labels. There's no pattern, sampling or fabric order, and the garment has already been fit-tested by the blank maker.

  • Where the blanks come from. Bayside sells US-made, union-made pullover and zip hoodies through wholesale distributors 1. Los Angeles Apparel's F98 pullover is listed as made in the USA 2.
  • Your own neck label. If you relabel, the label still has to show fiber content, country of origin, and your business name or RN number 3, plus care instructions 5.

Who decorates small quantities

MFG MerchJacksonville, FLFrom about 12 pieces depending on service (own blog)Its own blog says minimums start around 12 pieces, depending on the service.View listing → Hookfish ManufacturingDenver, COCut-and-sew first orders from 200 pieces, reorders from 100 (printing from 72; other services from 36)Prints from 72 and lists other services from 36, so it suits a second run better than a first run of 50.View listing → Apparel BrandersLos Angeles, CAFrom 50 units/styleLists decoration alongside cut-and-sew.View listing →

Route 2: Cut-and-sew from your own pattern

A factory or studio makes the garment from scratch: your fit, your fabric, your details. In order, the steps are:

  1. Tech pack

    Flat sketches, measurements, fabric, trims and construction notes. Every factory asks for one.

  2. Pattern and first sample

    Plan on more than one sample round. Aletheia in Minneapolis says samples need 2 to 3 or more rounds.

  3. Grading

    The approved pattern is graded into your size range.

  4. Fabric and trims

    Ask whether the factory sources them or you do. Fleece in your exact color can carry its own minimum.

  5. Production

    Your run gets cut, sewn, finished and packed.

Who in the directory states a minimum of 50 or less for knits like hoodies and tees

Euphoric ColorsLos Angeles, CAStudio production from 50 units/style; leggings from 12; hoodies from 24; samples from 1View listing → Apparel BrandersLos Angeles, CAFrom 50 units/styleTees and hoodies are listed.View listing → AletheiaMinneapolis, MN20 units per style per colorway; maximum 200Publishes rates: sampling at $65 an hour.View listing → Complete Image ManufacturingDetroit, MIMOQ 50Stated in its CFDA directory listing.View listing → Portland Garment FactoryPortland, ORLow-to-mid MOQ: 'whether you need 25 pieces or 2,500'View listing → LA Production WorksLos Angeles, CA'No minimum to prove the fit'; 'low minimums to start' (no production number)Lists tees, hoodies and knitwear.View listing → Music City SewingNashville, TNNo order minimumsView listing → Blue Tin Production Co-OpChicago, ILNo minimum order quantitiesView listing →

The "50" math that catches people

25
pieces per color when 50 hoodies come in two colors. That's fine at a shop with a 50-per-style minimum, but not at one with 50 per style per color, like Carina.

Minimums are usually counted per style, and often per color too. If you're near a limit, cut a color before you cut sizes.

6S14M14L10XL62XL

A realistic size split for 50 unisex hoodies. Check it against your own customer data if you have any.

Timeline

Lead times vary a lot, and small shops post them. Final Row Studio lists sampling at 1 to 2 weeks and production at 4 to 6 weeks. Hookfish Manufacturing says about 3 weeks for production.

Labels and rules that apply to a small run

  • "Made in USA." An unqualified claim means the product is "all or virtually all" made in the US 4. If the fabric was imported, the textile rules call for wording like "Made in U.S.A. of imported fabric", written as one statement 3.
  • Care label with a washing or drycleaning instruction 5.
  • Flammability. Clothing textiles fall under 16 CFR part 1610 6. Some fabrics are exempt from testing: plain-surface fabrics of 2.6 oz per square yard or more, and fabrics made entirely of fibers like polyester, nylon, acrylic or wool 7. Brushed cotton-blend fleece is a raised-surface fabric that isn't on that list, so ask your fabric supplier for its test results.

Quick checklist

  • Blanks or cut-and-sew? Decide first.
  • Count your run per style and per color, not just in total.
  • Get the sample cost, the number of included rounds, and the production unit price in writing.
  • Ask who sources the fabric and what that fabric's minimum is.
  • Have your label wording ready before production: fiber, origin, your name or RN, and care.

Find a factory for your run

Every listing shows the minimum the factory states, a link to where it came from, and the date we checked it.

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Sources

  1. Bayside USA-made hoodies at a wholesale distributor (BlankApparel.com)
  2. Los Angeles Apparel F98 hoodie listing, marked Made in USA (Blankstyle)
  3. FTC: Threading Your Way Through the Labeling Requirements Under the Textile and Wool Acts
  4. FTC: Complying with the Made in USA Standard
  5. eCFR: 16 CFR Part 423, Care Labeling of Textile Wearing Apparel
  6. CPSC: Flammable Fabrics Act business guidance (16 CFR part 1610)
  7. eCFR: 16 CFR 1610.1, flammability standard scope and exemptions
  8. CPSC: Children's Product Certificate

Factory facts come from each factory's public pages as summarized in our listings, checked Nov 3, 2026. Each factory card links to its listing, which links to the factory's own source. Minimums and prices change, so confirm with the factory. This guide is general information, not legal advice.

Keep reading

Minimums

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Questions to ask a US factory before your first small run

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