How much is the price for repair sewing leather per Stitch Per Inch (SPI)?

[RusticLeatherShop]

Hi,

I have a question.

How much is the average Price for sewing leather with the machine per Stitch Per Inch (SPI)? For repair sakes. Only the sewing.

Or any other reference like Per Inch or Yard will help as well for reference.

Example: you receive an belt for sewing an teared thread. The belt is 1 Yard Long and the Client requests to repair 30 centimeters of that since thats the part to repair.

How much to Charge per Inch? Any stitch length and any thread size.

I figured 17 Cents (17/100 US$) per Inch will be a fair Price. Is that to high? Is it to low?

[garypl]

I think you are better off charging by the job rather than by how many inches you sew.  Look at the project and determine how much your time is worth.

[RusticLeatherShop]

well over here it's different.

They ship the items to me ONLY FOR SEWING.

The rest of the work does another guy.

On the other Hand they dont give any orders if it's on a "per Job" Basis.

With fabric tailor here the rule is sewing costs you that much as does 1 meter of fabric.

If 1 (square) meter (or Yard) of fabric costs you 3.4 US$ then thats the Price for 1 Yard (meter) of sewing, that would be in that particular case 8.5 Cents per Inch (US$ Cents).

Edited September 21, 2018 by RusticLeatherShop

[alpha2]

What Gaypl said is true. Not every inch is the same, and not the cost of every thread, or machine, or any of the other variables. Figure out your cost for an hour of labor, and materials. Then, figure your skill level, the going rate in your area, any other considerations of your local area. New York City won't be the same as some backwater shop in the jungle. Only you know what an hour of your time, in your area, with your machines,etc. are worth.

 

Sorry, your post just made it in before mine! I can see that it is totally different where you are. In that case, you would be a better judge of that than I. All I can say, is aim high, you can always come down, but never up!

Edited September 21, 2018 by alpha2

[RusticLeatherShop]

17 US Cents per Inch is already high I would say.

Lets say in 1 hour on average 1 Person can sew 5 Yards Long threads. That would make it 3.4 US$ x 5 = 17 US$ per hour.

I would say thats to high.

Or did I missjudge the 5 Yards per hour work ability?

[RusticLeatherShop]

I wonder if it would be more normal to just Charge 10.6 Cents per Inch sewing leather. Instead of 17 Cents per Inch. Locally that would translate to 250 Pesos per Centimetre.

I believe thats more normal.

Any references are welcome as per SPI (Stitch Per Inch) pricing.

I know thats common pricing in the US as well (at least was once upon a time).

It's an easy measurement and the Client can know easily the approximatelly Price.

[chrisash]

How can you charge by length, its silly as you need the same time to set up for a inch as you do for a yard, its your time that you need to make money on, so charge by time, you want to make $xx per hour and if things are very cheap say minimum charge quarter of a hour or half a hour

It may take you ten minutes to look at a job decide how you do it set up the machine with the right thread and tensions and then start sewing, that's regardless of amount of time sewing  the actual item

[Bolt Vanderhuge]

Your example of 30cm (12") even at 17 cents per inch would only be $2.04 us. That would not be much at all here in the states. If that is a lot where your at then it could be worth it to you, It would not be worth it to me that is for sure. I would be more inclined to mirror chrisash's suggestion above. 

[Rockoboy]

A few years ago, before I started doing any leatherwork and way before I ever bought a sewing machine, I had a belt re-sewn. The length was 12inches and 1 & 1/2inches wide. So for 2feet 3 inches, I was charged $30.00AUD. That was a lot cheaper than buying a new belt for $75.00AUD. I was ok with paying more than $1.00AUD per inch, so I find your question irrelevant, unless you pose your question to people in your country and also within the economic region as most of your customers.

If you charge $1.00 per inch, I am guessing you would get no work. On the other hand, if the repairman in Australia was to charge 17cents per inch ($4.59 for the job I had done), he would not be able to pay his bills. 

[NVLeatherWorx]

There is no value to you taking on work that is based on the length of stitching that you are expected to do and being limited to a "standard" when it comes to what is considered acceptable to charge for your work.  Who is someone else to determine what your time, skills, and machine use is to cost?  The answer to that question is, you, you only; there is no government or industry formula that can work that out because they don't know what your experience is or what goes into doing what you do so you are either in the leather working business to make money, pay your bills, and grow your business you are just in it to fill your time and get walked on by others who are just using you to do the work that they do not want to learn or invest in themselves.  

I would never take on a job where someone else will dictate to me what an acceptable charge/cost is on any aspect of the work I do as I am the one with the skills and know-how that you are looking for so why the hell would I let you tell me how much you will pay?  

[RusticLeatherShop]

At 17 Cents per Inch I doubt Clients will Show up.

So I settled to Charge instead 400 Pesos per Centimetre, to 300 Pesos per Centimtre. I believe thats fair.

Thats 5.09 Cents per Centimetre or 12.93 Cents per Inch.

Setup time and machine set up nobody is willing to pay here. Thats why much things run here on monthly installments.

Thread costs me 2.6 Pesos per Inch that is 0.044 Cents per Inch (asuming straight line)

So an belt to repair sew of 2 meters (80 inches) costs then 10.34 US$.

New belts cost here, if they are really expensive about 80000 Pesos that is 13.5 US$. These are real full grain leather belts with somewhat Shoddy buckles. More than 10 US$ people are hesitating to Shell out for a new belt.

[Ferg]

RUSTIC,

Are you really trying to get someone to tell you what you wish to hear? You are probably in the wrong place if that is true.

You may or may not be producing anything you make and selling it. We really do not know. You are returning to your previous manner in asking for advice/information. You really have no intention of paying any attention to what anyone on this board has to offer. You simply wish to differ with whatever someone suggests.

We do not know what your circumstances are and most really do not care. If you can make a paltry income compared to what we find fair in the States, then perhaps the quality of your products has little to do with your superior abilities.

I done some research pertaining to Paraguay. A few positives, many negatives. Reading that information makes me feel some of your customers are lucky to have shoes let alone needing a Cell Phone cover. Maybe you should consider making product you can do in a very short time frame that more than likely fits your customer base. Perhaps that is what you are doing already. Frankly, if you are selling much product in the USA ........I won't even guess who is buying it.

Ferg

[RusticLeatherShop]

4 minutes ago, Ferg said:

You may or may not be producing anything you make and selling it. We really do not know. You are returning to your previous manner in asking for advice/information. You really have no intention of paying any attention to what anyone on this board has to offer. You simply wish to differ with whatever someone suggests.

I am willing to Charge: 50 US$ per Inch.

VERSUS

THE MARKET is willing to pay not even (or maybe) 0.1293 US$ per Inch.

You see how ridiculous some advice is that I AM (Kind of I PHONE self indulgence) determing the Price?

Thanks to the australian guy to provide real life info.

[RusticLeatherShop]

Real leather shoes (although I have sometimes the Feeling it's split genuine leather only) cost here about 11 US$. It's about 10 oz cow leather, good year used tire cut soles and nailed to the leather insole. The workers use them for about 2 to 2 months till they are kaputt.

Moisture and grassland Walking makes break the leather.

Those are model Chelsea boots for Cowboys.

Edited September 22, 2018 by RusticLeatherShop

[Ferg]

Pictures/Photos?

Ferg

[RusticLeatherShop]

1 hour ago, Ferg said:

Pictures/Photos?

These are the boots. Model Chelsea. Actually they are not 11 US$ but rather 9 US$.

The shoemaker cuts old car tyres up and uses the heavy duty rubber for the outer sole by cutting it to shape. From inside he nails an 12 oz leather Piece onto the rubber and that acts as an insole (you step on this and hopefully the nails are not comming out soon). The upper leather is about 10 oz genuine leather (I doubt it's full grain) and that is in fact sewn together on These TIER 2 boots. The thread is about #69 polymer (good luck if it's bonded Nylon since that is virtually not abtainable in this Southamerican Country and has to be ordered from Amazon.com only or gotten from Brazil or Argentina by smuggling) thread, and I would be not surprised if it would be some sort of Cotton based thread. Laces are pieces of leather cut to shape. These boots however use some sort of wax #480 thread for sewing the outer sole to the leather part of the shoe's inner sole. Thats a heavy duty sew sole (Kind of fish line thickness but wax thread). The rubber outer sole is then fixed with nails and glue to the inner sole. These are utterly robust shoes. With time you walk on nails though.

TIER 4 boots are often not sewn at all on the upper part but an entire leather is water shaped and then cut open were the laces part are. These buy my workers all the time and they hold up about for 5 months. The rest is like above.

TIER 1 shoes, like the ones I use cost about 34 US$. These have brazilian Military rubber outer soles. Detailed sewn with I would say #138 or #96 (or something) bonded Nylon/Polyester thread. These have an anti fungus insole and Cloth sewn on the upper part of the shoe.

See here an example of the TIER 2 boots for 9 US$.

[RusticLeatherShop]

Correction: TIER 2 boots have an leather as insole and that is sewn heavy duty #480+ wax thread to another thick leather. That other thick leather is then glued to the tire rubber outer sole and the outer sole is on top nailed to the leather Piece (now sewn to the thick inner sole) while the nails do not penetrate the inner sole when new.

That manufacturing process creates actually very robust shoes.

[RusticLeatherShop]

How much you guys would be willing to pay for These model Chelsea boots? Estimate the Price please!

 

[RusticLeatherShop]

[chrisash]

Have a good look at these boots, the stitching is smooth and well sewn regardless of the price, someone has taken time to make them the best that they can for the price

Unfortunately you tend to rush things and turn out very poor quality and blame everyone else

[RusticLeatherShop]

4 hours ago, chrisash said:

make them the best that they can for the price

I dont believe it's the best for the Price.

These are more likely imported from Brazil. Sewing machines sellers told me they use at least 4 different type of sewing machines to make those shoes. I dont have them all 4 so the cause is not "rushing".

These shoes indeed use 2 lines of what Looks Tex 92 bonded Nylon thread and are reinforced with #277 bonded Nylon thread. Insole and upper leather are sewin together from the inside and on top upper leather is sewn to the sole horizontally and then the outer sole is sewn again (no nails) with an heavy thread. So at least 4 different machines were used there indicating it's made in an bigger factory and not an small familiar shop.

How much would you guess the Price or be willing to pay? If These showed up in the USA how much would they be priced?

[Constabulary]

What is your background or what do you want to do at all? Do you run a business or want to run a business? Repair things, making phone cases, holsters or shoes?

[RusticLeatherShop]

6 minutes ago, Constabulary said:

What is your background or what do you want to do at all? Do you run a business or want to run a business? Repair things, making phone cases, holsters or shoes?

I run a small diary farm in the country in Southamerica and am of an german white minority here (German first tongue, Spanish second tongue, English third tongue). I started with leather since I could never find some really proper holsters, pouches and the like and bought an Cowboy 4500 machine. Since then I start to get into the leather business. I have covered all my own leather needs and want to make and sell now to others. Basically anything what allows me to offset a bit the expenses I made for the machine is welcome.

[Rockoboy]

14 hours ago, RusticLeatherShop said:

Estimate the Price please!

Impossible to estimate what I might be willing to pay for these boots from looking at your pic. Could be anywhere from $20USD to $100USD in my country and bearing in mind our economy.

In your country, that cost might be a months wages, I have no idea. Once again, you have posed a question that is unanswerable.

[RusticLeatherShop]

1 minute ago, Rockoboy said:

Once again, you have posed a question that is unanswerable.

That problem had the soviets as well since they never really knew how to price an item. Seems that a price is somewhat relative and more related to the need of the demand (like high beef prices or high wheat prices since people HAVE to eat bread and meat). Holsters, wallets, smartphone cases, flashlight holder, etc are not essentially needed and so are a kind of an luxury good. Maybe smartphone cases are an exception since everybody has an smartphone today.