---
title: "Cost Per Wear Calculator: Compare Clothes | Petal Hem"
description: "Work out what a piece of clothing costs each time you wear it, with cleaning, repairs and resale value, and compare up to 12 items side by side."
url: https://petalhem.cfd/cost-per-wear-calculator/
---

The price edit · No. 04

# Cost-per-wear calculator

What does that coat really cost each time you put it on? Add the price, how often you'll wear it, cleaning, repairs and what you might sell it for, then compare it with the alternatives.

## How to use the cost-per-wear calculator

Cost per wear is what you pay for a piece divided by the number of times you wear it. This calculator adds the running costs and takes off what you get back:

cost per wear = (price + cleaning + alterations & repairs − resale value) ÷ wears

- **Wears.** Choose “How often” for everyday pieces: times a week × weeks a year in season × years you'll keep it. Choose “Total wears” for occasion pieces, such as a dress for three weddings.
- **Cost per clean** and **wears between cleans** cover dry cleaning or specialist washing; a coat cleaned every 60 wears for 20 needs 6 cleans in 360 wears. Leave it at 0 for things you wash at home.
- **Alterations & repairs** is the total over the item's life, such as hemming or resoling boots.
- **Resale value** is what you expect to get when you sell it on. Be cautious; it is a guess.

The target sets the last column of the table: the fewest wears that bring each item down to that cost per wear.

### Worked example

A $280 wool coat worn 3 times a week for 20 weeks a year over 6 years gets 360 wears. Six cleans at $20 add $120 and selling it for $40 takes some back: (280 + 120 − 40) ÷ 360 = $1.00 a wear. A $70 coat that lasts one winter gets 60 wears, or $1.17 a wear. The cleaning narrows the gap, but the better coat still wins.

## Why wearing things more often matters

The Ellen MacArthur Foundation's 2017 report *A New Textiles Economy* found that clothing utilization, the average number of times a garment is worn before it stops being used, fell by 36% over the previous 15 years. The UK charity WRAP estimated in 2012 that keeping clothes in active use for just three months longer would cut the carbon, water and waste footprints of clothing by 5–10% each. Activist Livia Firth popularized a simple test in 2015: before you buy something, ask whether you will wear it at least 30 times.

## Sources

- Ellen MacArthur Foundation (2017), [A New Textiles Economy: Redesigning fashion's future](https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/a-new-textiles-economy): the 36% fall in clothing utilization over 15 years.
- WRAP (2012), [Valuing our clothes](https://wrap.ngo/resources/report/valuing-our-clothes-true-cost-how-we-design-use-and-dispose-clothing-uk-2012): three more months of active use cuts each footprint by 5–10%.
- Eye For Film (18 June 2015), [Livia Firth in conversation](https://eyeforfilm.co.uk/feature/2015-06-18-livia-firth-in-conversation-on-taking-action-and-the-true-cost-feature-story-by-anne-katrin-titze): “will I wear it a minimum of 30 times”.

## Questions

**What is a good cost per wear?**

There is no universal figure: it depends on your budget and what the piece is. The number is most useful for comparing options, such as a dearer coat against a cheaper one, or for checking a buy against your own target. The target box shows how many wears each item needs to reach it.

**How do I estimate how often I'll wear something?**

Look at a similar piece you already own. A winter coat might be worn most days for 20 weeks a year, sandals twice a week for 12 weeks. Be honest about how many years you will keep it: fit, fashion and wear all shorten that.

**Should I include cleaning costs?**

Yes for anything dry-clean only, because cleaning can add up to more than the price over the years. If cleaning alone costs more per wear than your target, the table says the target can never be reached, however long you keep the piece.

**Does selling it on really lower the cost per wear?**

Yes. Money you get back reduces what the piece cost you overall. Resale prices are hard to predict, so use a low estimate, or leave it at zero to see the worst case.

**Is my list saved?**

Yes, in this browser's local storage on your device, together with your currency and target. Nothing is uploaded. “Download CSV” gives you a copy for a spreadsheet.