The $6.50 T-Shirt Myth: What Brands Don’t Know About LA Blanks

Everyone loves a bargain. But when you see a wholesale “Made in Los Angeles” t-shirt listed for $6.50, you should stop and ask: how is that even possible?

Let’s do the math.

What It Really Costs to Make a T-Shirt in LA

A true Made in LA blank isn’t just fabric + sewing. Here’s what goes into it:

• Fabric: 100% cotton jersey can run $2.50–$3.00 per tee in material alone.

• Cut & Sew Labor: Under California’s SB62 Garment Worker Protection Act, minimum wage is $16.78/hr (2025). Sewing one tee takes time — even at scale, labor adds $2.50–$3.50 per shirt.

• Dyeing & Finishing: Garment dye, enzyme wash, silicone finish? Add another $1.50–$2.00.

• Overhead: Cutting rooms, compliance, electricity, warehousing. Easily $1–$2 per unit.

That math adds up to $8–$10 per shirt at cost — before margins.

So how do some companies claim to sell “Made in LA” blanks for $6.50?

The Fine Print You Never See

The reality is, many “Made in LA” blanks aren’t fully made here.

• Often, the fabric is knitted overseas and imported.

• Sometimes the sewing is done in Central America, with only dyeing/finishing happening in LA.

• In other cases, the “vertical integration” pitch (owning the whole supply chain, even solar energy) is more marketing spin than cost reality.

On paper, the product can still claim “Made in USA” if enough finishing is done locally — but that’s not the same as truly LA-made, SB62 compliant, boutique-grade manufacturing.

Why It Matters for Your Brand

If you’re building a serious clothing brand, your customers will ask questions. TikTok, Reddit, and fashion blogs love to call out labels caught cutting corners or misrepresenting their production.

That’s why cheap blanks aren’t cheap for your brand’s reputation. A $6.50 tee that looks too good to be true usually is.

The Alternative: Custom Essentials, Made Right

At Essentials Made, we don’t sell blanks at all. We create custom essentials: hoodies, tees, sweatpants, and shorts built from 100% cotton, garment dyed to your Pantone, finished with enzyme and silicone washes for boutique softness.

Our custom t-shirts retail in boutiques for $60–$90. Our hoodies retail for $150–$200. That’s the difference between commodity blanks and garments designed to define your brand.

Our process is transparent, SB62 compliant, and based in Los Angeles. Production takes about six weeks from your approved sample — and the result is a product your customers will pay premium prices for, because it feels and looks premium.

The Bottom Line

The $6.50 t-shirt myth is just that — a myth. If you want true Made in LA production that builds your brand instead of risking it, the numbers have to add up.

Essentials Made helps you build brand-defining essentials, not cheap blanks.