Production Capacity & CM Cost Calculator (SAM)

How the calculation works

SAM (standard allowed minutes) is the time a trained operator working at a normal pace needs to make one garment, including allowances. Efficiency compares the minutes a line earns with the minutes it has available.

Worked example

A style has a SAM of 12 minutes. A line has 50 operators working 8 hours at 60% efficiency. The order is 6,000 garments with a 4-day window. Labor costs 40 per operator per day, and overhead and margin add 20%.

• Output per day = 50 × 8 × 60 × 0.60 ÷ 12 = 1,200 garments
• Days to finish = 6,000 ÷ 1,200 = 5 days
• Operators needed for 4 days = 6,000 × 12 ÷ (4 × 8 × 60 × 0.60) = 62.5, so 63 operators
• Labor cost per garment = 40 × 12 ÷ (8 × 60 × 0.60) = 1.667
• CM cost per garment = 1.667 × 1.20 = 2.000

These are the calculator's starting values, so you can see the results above and then replace them with your own.

How to find your SAM

SAM usually comes from a time study of each operation, or from a predetermined motion time system (PMTS) used by industrial engineers. For each operation, the basic time is the observed time multiplied by the performance rating. Allowances are then added, and the operation times are summed to the garment SAM. The SAM builder above does exactly this. Allowances and the way they are applied differ between factories, which is why the tool offers both common conventions. Ask your factory which one it uses.

Why efficiency matters

Efficiency has a large effect on both output and cost. A line that runs at 60% efficiency makes only 60% of what the same line would make at 100%, and each garment carries more labor cost. New styles often run below the efficiency a line reaches once operators have learned the operations, so a quote should state the efficiency it assumes. The table under the results shows what changes at other efficiency levels.

Questions to ask your factory

• What SAM is the quote based on, and how was it measured?
• What efficiency does the price assume, and for how many days?
• How many operators and lines will be on my order?
• How many working hours per day and days per week are planned?
• What is included in the CM price (cutting, sewing, trimming, finishing, packing)?

Frequently asked questions

What is a CM (or CMT) price?

CM stands for cut and make, and CMT for cut, make and trim. It is the price a factory charges for the labor and overhead needed to turn fabric and trims into a finished garment, not including materials.

Is efficiency the same as productivity?

In this tool, efficiency means earned minutes divided by available minutes, as defined above. Some factories use other measures, so check which definition your supplier uses.

Does this account for cutting, finishing and packing?

The tool calculates from the SAM you give it. If your SAM covers only sewing, the results describe the sewing line. Include other departments in the SAM, or calculate them separately.

Why are operators and days rounded up?

You cannot hire part of an operator, and an order is not finished until the last garment is done, so the calculator rounds the operators needed up to a whole number. It shows days as an exact decimal and rounds to whole days.

Related tools and resources

• CMT clothing factory directory
• Contractors
• Timeline Planner (T&A Calendar)
• Garment Cost Sheet
• Landed Cost Calculator
• Fabric Consumption Calculator
• AQL Inspection Calculator
• All tools for the apparel industry

This tool is for planning and general guidance. Results are estimates based on the figures you enter, and real output, labor costs and schedules depend on the style, the factory and many other conditions. Confirm important figures with your factory before you commit to an order. See our Legal page for terms of use.