Can You Make Money With an Embroidery Machine? How Much Embroidery Businesses Make
Can you make money embroidering? How much an embroidery business can make, profit per item, best-selling embroidered products, pricing, home vs commercial…
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Yes, you can make money with an embroidery machine. Home embroidery businesses often earn a few hundred to a few thousand dollars a month part-time, and full-time shops with commercial machines and business clients can bring in $50,000 to $200,000+ a year. Profit per item is often $5 to $20+ after blank and thread costs.
These are rough ranges; pricing, niche and machine speed matter most.
Profit per item (example)
| Item | Price | Blank + supplies | Gross profit |
|---|---|---|---|
| Logo polo (left chest) | $25 | $10 | $15 |
| Embroidered cap | $22 | $7 | $15 |
| Personalised towel | $20 | $8 | $12 |
| Custom patch | $6 | $1.50 | $4.50 |
Digitizing fees and set-up charges add profit on custom jobs.
Best-selling embroidered products
- Company polos, jackets and caps
- Team and school apparel
- Personalised baby items and blankets
- Towels and robes
- Custom patches
- Tote bags and aprons
How much can an embroidery business make?
| Business | Rough yearly revenue |
|---|---|
| Hobby / side hustle | $5,000 – $30,000 |
| Full-time home business | $30,000 – $100,000 |
| Commercial shop with multi-head | $100,000 – $500,000+ |
Ways to earn more
- Win business accounts for repeat uniform orders
- Charge digitizing and set-up fees
- Offer bulk pricing with minimums
- Upgrade to multi-needle or multi-head machines for speed
- Sell personalised products online
- Add screen printing or heat transfers
Do embroidery businesses make money?
Yes, especially those focused on business clients and bulk orders rather than single low-priced items.
Getting started: How to start a small embroidery business and What do you need to start an embroidery business?.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make money with an embroidery machine?
Yes, from side income to a full-time business.
How much can an embroidery business make?
From $5,000 a year part-time to $100,000+ for full-time shops.
What embroidered items sell best?
Company logo wear, caps, team apparel and personalised gifts.
Is embroidery profitable?
Yes, especially with bulk business orders.
Can you make money embroidering from home?
Yes. Many home businesses sell personalised items and serve local businesses.
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Start a conversationWritten by Sachin Rawat
AI & automation engineer · websites, apps and motion design
I build AI agents, automations, websites, apps and motion design for businesses. These guides answer the questions people actually search, written from hands-on experience building them.
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