Outlast fabric is not the cheapest option up front. But it is almost always the cheaper option overall.
I manage purchasing for a mid-size manufacturing company—around 200 employees across two facilities. We buy a lot of fabric: fleece for workwear liners, denim for sample runs, upholstery for office furniture. My job is to keep the operations team happy without blowing the budget. And that means I think about cost differently than most people.
Here’s the short version: the total cost of ownership for Outlast fabric is typically 15–25% lower than alternatives over a 12-month period, based on my experience consolidating orders across eight fabric vendors since 2022. The unit price is higher, but the hidden costs are lower.
Let me break down why.
The Hidden Costs Most Buyers Miss
When I took over purchasing in 2020, I fell into the same trap most buyers do: I compared per-yard prices. A vendor offered denim at $4.20/yard versus $4.90/yard from another. Easy choice, right? Wrong.
The $4.20 quote turned into $4.95 after shipping, minimum order quantities, and a rush fee for a shade variation we didn't catch until the third roll. (Should mention: the rush fee was $150 on a $900 order.)
Here's what I now track for every fabric purchase:
- Unit price (obvious)
- Shipping & handling (often 8–12% of unit cost)
- Setup & sampling fees (custom fleece? That's a $100–250 cost per SKU)
- Rush charges (if timelines slip—and they always do)
- Rework or rejections (lower-tier fabrics fail inspection more often)
- Inventory carrying cost (cheaper materials sometimes need larger MOQs)
The average total hidden cost on a “cheap” fabric order? I've seen it range from 18% to 34% of the base price. Outlast's slightly higher base price (usually 8–12% above commodity fabrics) actually results in a lower TCO because the hidden costs are minimal.
What The Numbers Said vs. What My Gut Knew
In early 2023, I had to choose between two upholstery suppliers for a 500-yard office furniture order. Vendor A: $8.20/yard, no customization. Vendor B (Outlast via a distributor): $9.40/yard, with custom webbing and color matching included.
The numbers said Vendor A was $600 cheaper. My gut said something felt off—their lead time was “estimated,” and they charged $175 for samples. I went with my gut and chose Vendor B.
Turns out, Vendor A had a history of inconsistent dye lots. The $600 savings evaporated when we had to reject 60 yards and reorder. The Outlast order came in on time, on spec, with zero rework. (Surprise, surprise.)
Three Strategies I Now Use When Sourcing Fabric
- Ask for TCO upfront. I request a quote that includes shipping, setup fees, and sample costs. If a vendor can't or won't provide that, I move on. That's a red flag.
- Check invoicing capability. I had a vendor cost us $2,400 in rejected expenses because they couldn't provide proper invoices. (Handwritten receipts only. Finance was not amused.) Now I verify that before any order.
- Factor in time. A vendor who takes 6 weeks to deliver instead of 3 creates hidden costs: holding inventory longer, expediting other products, or missing a launch window. Time is not free.
Where This Approach Might Not Apply
This framework works well for recurring, moderate-volume orders—which covers most of what I buy (fleece, denim, upholstery, custom webbing). It's less relevant for:
- One-off sample runs under 50 yards (the TCO benefit shrinks)
- Commodity fabrics where performance specs are identical (buy the cheapest)
- Emergency orders where delivery speed is the only priority
I can only speak to domestic sourcing. If you're dealing with international logistics, there are probably factors I'm not aware of. Your mileage may vary.
But if you're a procurement professional managing fabric orders, and you want to avoid the headache of a $2,400 invoice rejection or a rush fee on a late delivery? Start with the total cost, not the unit price. Outlast fabric, specifically, passes that test every time in my experience.